Coffee is grown in the low sections. Wheat, oats, and maize are raised to quite an extent. The latter cereal is universally known by the name "mealies" in South Africa.
The coast region extends inland for about fifteen miles. It is here that the principal settlements are found. The capital of Natal, called Maritzburg, has a situation about sixty miles inland from Port Natal.
Port Natal is the only harbor, and not a specially fine one; for a sand bar across its mouth impedes navigation.
Quite a wagon traffic is carried on through the interior of the colony down into the Orange Free State and also to the Transvaal, or South African Republic. From these countries the products of Natal are transported to Cape Colony. Considerable quantities of the products of Central Africa and neighboring sections, such as wool, ostrich feathers, and ivory, are sent out of the country through the Natal Port.
Natal seems to have a promising future. It was originally chosen by the Dutch Boers, who, fleeing from British rule, sought a home where they might establish their own laws. As far back as the middle of the present century it was made a separate colony, though it had not the strong government to be found at the Cape.
The fertile coast section is capable of producing the various tropical crops in abundance. Here the pineapple ripens out of doors, and sugar, coffee, arrowroot, indigo, tobacco, ginger, rice, pepper, and cotton are grown to a large extent.
Farther within the interior, in the more elevated sections, the various cereals and the ordinary crops of cooler climates thrive well. Upon the hills and upland valleys is a luxuriant growth of herbage, which fits them for grazing purposes. In some tracts near the coast and in the deep glens of the Drachenberg Mountains fine forests of timber are found. Coal exists in some sections, and limestone is very abundant.
The settlers have sometimes complained of the want of laborers. Although there are but twenty-three Europeans in Natal to two hundred and ninety Zulus and Kaffirs, yet the complaint is made that the white man must depend upon coolie labor. This seems an exaggeration of facts, when we consider that on every farm and in every sugar mill many natives may be found at work, earning profitable wages. True, these native workmen are not very prepossessing laborers; for a long time must elapse before a savage can be trained into habits of industry and thrift.
Sometimes the natives are employed for domestic service, and they generally do remarkably well. The "Cape Boys," or the colored descendants of the St. Helena tribes that emigrated to the Cape, usually drive the coaches; but the Zulus are employed to attend to the wagons, and may be found making themselves generally useful throughout the country.
Port Natal and Maritzburg are both small towns, yet they are the largest to be found in Natal.