A Winter Tour in South Africa | Page 9

and who can barely make ends
meet. I do not think that any class of men, or men of any colour, endure
such hardships in South Africa. There are portions of Bechuanaland

where, in my opinion, a body of some hundreds of agricultural
emigrants would, like the Scottish settlers in Baviaan's river, some sixty
years ago, take root from the first, and make for themselves homes. If
they came in considerable numbers, and accompanied by a minister of
religion, and possibly a schoolmaster, the children would not be losers
by the change, while the church and school-house would form that
centre in South Africa, with which all are familiar in Scotland, and give
the people from the first a feeling of home. I would not suggest that
such men should be merely agriculturists, but that like most farmers in
South Africa they should follow both branches of farming. They would
begin with some sheep, or angora goats, and a few cows. In the first
instance they would have a freehold in the village, with right of
pasturage, and they would also have their farm itself in the
neighbourhood, the size of which would depend upon its locality and
capabilities. But with the milk of his stock and the produce of his land
in maize, millet and pumpkins, the farmer and his family would be,
from the first, beyond the reach of want."
For two days more we travelled through the same kind of country, a
fine, bold, and very extensive plain (a promising district for cattle
farming), with rolling and undulating hills in the distance, till we
reached Vryburg, about a hundred and forty-five miles--in four
days--from Kimberley. This is the capital of British Bechuanaland, and
the head-quarters of Sir Sidney Shippard, the Administrator. The town
itself contains about 500 inhabitants, chiefly Europeans. Here we spent
four days. On one of these I was taken by Mr. M---- to visit his fine
Bechuanaland farm of 6,000 morgen--12,000 acres--which he has
named "Lochnagar." We left Vryburg at 7.30 a.m., and drove about
twelve miles in the direction of Kuruman, reaching Lochnagar Farm
about 10 o'clock. While breakfast was preparing, Mr. M---- took me
round the nearest part of this excellent and valuable farm. He has had it
about three years, and he has already shown the wonderful capabilities
for development which an enterprising proprietor, possessed of some
capital, can evolve from farms in Bechuanaland. He first took me into
his fruit garden, which he has stocked with fruits of all descriptions. I
was particularly struck with the healthy appearance of the wood (it was
then the middle of winter) of the trees of all sorts of fruit. He has

planted mulberry, apple, pear, apricot, peach, orange, citron, and
several other fruits, all of which seem to be growing fast, and taking
root vigorously in the soil. A large space is also devoted to a vineyard,
as well as another to an orchard.
The farm is well irrigated, there being an abundance of water on it, as I
myself saw. After breakfast we walked round the cattle lair, where a
large portion of his 200 head of cattle were collected. I was much
impressed with the fine appearance of the stock. Large-framed, stalwart
oxen, and fat milch cows were round me on every side during my
inspection. I did not notice a single animal that was not in capital
condition, and fit for the market--if market there could only be. I next
went through a large enclosure, in which there were about forty horses,
part of the eighty belonging to Mr. M----. Here I saw several
three-year-olds, and brood mares, and colts, all looking well and
healthy, and containing several good, well-shaped, and promising
specimens of young horseflesh. Mr. M---- has also a flock of one
thousand sheep on his farm, but these I did not see, as they were out
grazing on the veldt. We then walked to another portion of the farm,
lying close to the capital house, built of stone by Mr. M----, to a large
"pan," or lake, in which there were fish caught with a net. These are a
sort of carp, and a black-coloured fish of seven pounds or eight pounds
weight, said to be very good eating. I saw in an outhouse a small
collapsible boat, which is sometimes used on the lake. In summer, I am
told, the farm looks very pretty, with its long stretches of bright green
herbage, and wild flowers, and sunny aspect.
Mr. M---- was born at Cape Town. He is of Dutch origin, and is a fine,
stalwart-looking man with great energy of character and keen
intelligence. He seems well fitted to be a pioneer farmer, to develop the
too-long neglected resources of this fertile land. He is about forty-five
years