even while despairing of returning to his civilized home, has not withheld his meed of praise; the adventurous trader, searching for his profit thus far from home, has expressed a frequent wish, that this was, his own, his native land,'—and the only scientific visitor to these regions, declared a wish to live and die there. There must be, certainly, something extraordinary in a country, to call forth so general a testimony in its favor.” The testimony of an American missionary, for thirteen years a resident in the country, shall now be produced :— 'Sir, Umvoti Mission Station, 1st. Nov. 1848. "Yours of the 31st ult. is before me. In reply to which, I may say I arrived at Port Natal as a missionary to the natives in 1835, and with the exception of about two years absence, have remained in the country till now. I have travelled through the coast country, from Port Elizabeth in the old colony, to the Umfalosi river in the Zoola country, and when employed in my calling, have lived near the coast, and have occasionally travelled inland, but am not so well acquainted with the country there, from actual observation. As regards the climate of this country, it being in about 30° south lat., I may say it is warm. Upon the coast I have never seen frost but twice in thirteen years, though I have heard of it a few times more. At Pietermaritzburg, about fifty miles inland, frost is common in winter, and ice is occasionally seen upon the water in the morning, and upon the mountains in sight from P. M. Burg, thirty or forty miles further inland, snow may sometimes be seen. As to the healthiness of the climate, compared with my native country, America, I think it decidedly preferable. That country when new, as this now is, was very productive of fever and ague, and till now, that disease prevails in the new portions of the country; and fevers of various kinds, and pulmonary consumption, and dysentery, are yet very common in all parts of that country. The same diseases are known here, but so far as I have seen, they are comparatively rare; indeed, the absence of stagnant water, and the sufficiently dry and pure state of the atmosphere, would naturally leave the country in a healthy state in these respects: and if I were asked if any particular disease prevailed here, I should be unable to refer to one. I think I have heard our physician, Dr. Adams, say, that perhaps dysentery is more prevalent than any other. I was myself an invalid from pulmonary complaints, when I came to this country; but my health has been improving from the first, until now. Our mission has indeed, a physician, but I am more than fifty miles from him, and we all have no hesitation in locating so far from a doctor as that we could not avail ourselves of his services. I would not, however, be understood to say that a man in that profession here, is useless. I speak of it to show that the country is comparatively a healthy one. "As to the fertility of the soil of this country, it certainly surpasses by far, that portion of my country, (the United States of America,) called New England, in this respect. Having never seen the country upon the waters of the Missisippi river, I am unable of course, to compare it with that. Wheat will grow in any part of the colony, but is invariably destroyed by the rust on all the coast country; it however, does well in the interior part of the colony; but Indian corn, oats, barley, beans, peas, Irish potatoes, sweet *Other persons contend that the Victoria and Egyptian wheat will answer well, even on the coast. The Devonshire golden ball wheat appears to be well suited to the soil and climate of the castern province, and will probably suit even the coast line of Natal. The solid stalk, it is supposed, resists the rust better than the hollow straw; it is better for thatching. potatoes, onions, beets, carrots, parsnips, cabbages, turnips, pumpkins, melons, and indeed, all that kind of eatable vegetables which I suppose are grown in the gardens of the United kingdom, flourish here well; in addition to which, many of the tropical plants and fruits will do well, such as bananas and pine apples. Many of the fruits of temperate and torrid zones grow well here, such as peaches, oranges, lemons, pomegranates, mulberies, &c. Apples do not do well. The same may be said of grapes.* Sugar cane does well. Grass is everywhere so abundant that cattle and other domestic animals live upon it summer and winter. A great part of the country may be subdivided into small farms, each having pasture and tillage ground, wood, water, &c. Some parts have all these facilities. I have spoken thus far as to the capabilities of the soil; but in order to convey the whole truth I must say that several obstacles lie in the way of the husbandmen, which often prevent the abundant harvest which he would otherwise realize. The country is overrun with a variety of insects which often injure our crops. Locusts sometimes come upon us in such numbers, as utterly to destroy our entire crops. Our domestic animals, while they are supplied abundantly summer and winter with grass, and seldom, if ever, require a shelter, are sadly annoyed by several species of what we call bush ticks, which both extract much of their blood, and produce a poisonous effect upon the blood. For various reasons our animals die here more than in our old countries. This is the case with horses, horned cattle, and sheep. Horses however, seldom die if kept in the stall during the summer months. ten of the calves can be raised. In some localities not one in "As to roads, men get about with the ox waggon in the greatest part of the country without any labor in preparing the way, and a small amount of labor would make the roads good. "Natives are numerous, and one has no difficulty in getting them into his * In my visit, I saw vines at Pietermaritzburg, promising large grapes, and large bunches.-Ed. For five years the colony had not been visited with locusts to the extent it had been this year, 1848, and yet I was told, (as was the fact,) that vegetation bore no mark of this visit. Others again told me they were not nearly so numerous as in the eastern province.-Ed. When the colony was founded, horses at D'Urban, frequently, even commonly, died in three months; now ticks, even there, are becoming scarce, and horses improve there. It will be the same farther up the coast, but no where are they so bad as they used to be at D'Urban. Before you arrive in Maritzburg they commonly drop off, as they will not live seven miles inland. The natives pick them off their cattle, and we can do the same. It is admitted that horses do not die if stalled; and so it will be found with the calves. The natives build houses for them, and consequently lose but very few. Few persons have sheds, and if abroad, young cattle will eat the grass before the dew has passed off. It is to be observed also that the Zoola cattle are not subject to these complaints, not even the ticks, like the large Africander cattle, brought beyond the Draakberg mountains. The change is too great for them, and after such a long drive they are naturally feverish. The Zoola cattle are smaller, but equally strong with the Africander cattle. As draught cattle, they never die on the road, like the Africanders. In short, the climate suits them. The Zoola cattle are not naturally small, but are so from the natives being desirous to get milk, and putting them to the bull at two years old. Close to this Umvoti mission establishment, I saw hundreds of cattle, in good condition, belonging to the blacks. || Not strickly "natives," but emigrants from the Zoolu Chiefs for our protection. See Lieutenant Farewell's letter, in which he estimates them at from 300 to 400 souls. Some have been tried as sailors, and have been found particularly active. "If the above remarks shall have any effect in forwarding the cause of Emigration, I shall be most happy. The multitudes you speak of in the United Kingdom, who can barely get a scanty subsistence by constant hard labor, can here live comfortably upon the avails of a small amount of labor. Indeed an industrious laborer economising his money, may in a few years obtain the means of an independent livelihood upon land of his own. J. S. Christopher, Esq. I remain &c. &c. A. GROUT.* The following, written by the Revd. Mr. Archbell, some years ago, will properly appear appended to the above. "The climate of Natal is mild and temperate, with a brilliant atmosphere, and free from those noxious vapours which rise from low swamps and marshy localities. The structure of the country points it out as one particularly favorable to health and longevity, and it is reputed by those who have had a sufficient trial to enable them to give an opinion, that it is free from most of the diseases which so frequently visit some of the neighbouring parts. It is certain that the fatal atmosphere of Delagoa Bay is not felt here. The winters are mild, and the summers not injuriously hot. Though in its present luxuriant state, the parts near the coast are evidently not suited for sheep, yet they are well adapted for cattle, and the herds of the emigrants answer well. "The open country, approaching the Quathlamba mountains, will be found moderately adapted for sheep, when a sufficient number shall have been introduced to keep down the vigorous vegetation. On the whole it is not, perhaps, the country that is unsuited for sheep, so much as the state of the pasturage. "With regard to the horse epidemic, last year's experience has proved that at Natal, it is not more fatal than any other part where it prevailed. Numbers died; and in some districts none were spared; but in others the disease was not felt." As yet no mention of the following articles has been made as productions of Natal, by any of the preceding authorities, thinking the country sufficiently deserving of praise without citing them, or not knowing of their growth in the colony. Cotton, indigo, and tobacco, which have been produced; sugar, coffee, flax, and silk, which may be produced. Respecting cotton, Dr. Blaine's account read before the Manchester and Blackburn Chambers of Commerce, will afford the most satisfactory evidence that can be desired. Since that, however, (March, 1848,) some 200 bales of cotton have been grown, packed, *This gentleman was the first to introduce cotton into Natal from America, and distribute the seed to various parties; so that we have to thank him for this important article being introduced into Natal. He informed me that he thonght the cotton grounds of America are not so productive as those of Natal. Some statements go so far as to shew that while 450 lbs. per acre is a good crop in America, Natal will produce 600 lbs. There is one important advantage possessed either by the soil or atmosphere of Natal, that while in America the cotton plants rarely last three years, in Natal they thrive for five and six and I have seen some said to be nine years old in full bearing |