Sunday, the 5th of July, the bar being practicable, Mrs. M’Leod, her maid, who was an old resident at Natal, Captain Gordon, and myself, landed in the port boat at about two P.M. Being high water, by means of a small boat we were able to ascend a creek in the harbour, leading to the house of Mr. Cato, Vice-Consul for America, Sweden, Norway, &c., and, after making the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Cato, we proceeded, on foot, to Weeden’s (late M’Donald’s) Hotel, where we were made very comfortable during our visit to D’Urban.
There were a number of small vessels in the harbour, and some of a larger tonnage than I was prepared to meet with; but I was told that the latter took advantage of the Bar at certain times, about once a fortnight, when there were 15 feet of water on it.
The Harbour of Port Natal is a vast circular pond (for, from its security, I can call it nothing else), three miles in depth, and having a breadth of about one mile and a half. In it there are three islands, easy of access at low water; and the Harbour could contain, at present, about thirty vessels, sheltered from every point of the compass. When the Harbour of Refuge, outside of the Bar, is constructed, it requires no prophetic powers to foretell the future of this port. The three islands will form the foundations of large warehouses, holding the imports and exports of the colony, and of the neighbouring Orange Free State, which has no other outlet for its commerce. The creeks, running between these three islands, will form floating-docks; while, on the sides of this extensive harbour, dry docks for repairing, and building-yards for constructing, ships, will find their natural locations. Viewing this harbour with reference to the wants of the country, there is no doubt that it will become the Liverpool of South-Eastern Africa; but when we reflect that between Europe and India, by way of the Cape of Good Hope, there is only one dry dock to repair disabled ships, and that only at Port Louis, Mauritius, in the region of hurricanes, which all are anxious to avoid, it may readily be imagined what numbers of ships will be attracted to Port Natal with its Harbour of Refuge and dry docks. Many vessels disabled by the hurricane, now obliged to put into Mauritius, however distant from it they may be, will resort to Natal, where the gulf stream, setting along South Eastern Africa, will aid them to reach this haven of safety.
The town of D’Urban is situated on this fine harbour, and is about a mile distant from the anchorage.
It is of recent construction, well laid out, the streets very wide, and lined with beautiful trees, which give to it a charmingly healthy and cheerful appearance. The houses are about 400 in number, built principally of wood, but giving place to stone edifices. It contains about 1,200 Europeans, mostly English, who have their Episcopalian Church and Wesleyan Methodist Chapel.
About twenty miles from Port Natal, Verulam is situated, at present a small town, but, from its being in the centre of the district where sugar, arrowroot, and indigo are grown, and from its position on the right bank of the Umbloti River, it must soon become a place of importance, although it has sprung into existence since 1850.
The capital of the colony is Pieter-Maritzburg, sometimes already abbreviated to Maritzburg, and is called after one of the martyred Dutch farmers who founded the colony, with the early history of which he is inseparably connected. It is the see of a bishop, the first of whom is the well-known author of Colenso’s “Ten Weeks in Natal.” It stands on the second terrace of the colony, is well watered, and built in the Dutch style. It is the seat of government, and contains about 1,800 Europeans.
On coming from the ship in the port boat, we heard some statements relative to a suspicious vessel seen off the port some days previous to our arrival, and which, it appears, must have slipped away just about the time we were directing our course towards the harbour.
Immediately we reached the shore, we made some inquiries about this vessel, and learned as follows:—
It appears that, on the Monday previous to our arrival, a vessel approached Port Natal and anchored far out. This vessel had been seen for two days from the signal-house on the Bluff, and the day before she anchored off the harbour, she was at anchor for some hours off the mouth of the Umlazi River, which is eight miles from Port Natal. She was believed from her build—long, low, and rakish—to be the “Jessie Macfarlane,” an iron barque, under English colours, which was expected about that time from the Cape of Good Hope.