“3, King William Street, London, E.C.
“September 17, 1858.
“Gentlemen,
“We have carefully tested the two samples of Natal coffee you sent us. We find the Costa Rica kind very strong coffee, and worth, in our present market, 65s. to 68s. per cwt., in bond. The sample of West India kind is strong, rich, good coffee, full of aroma, and worth about 70s. to 75s. in bond. If such coffees are sent to England, we think they will always command good market value, as does your Natal arrowroot, &c., &c.
“Phillips and Co.
“Messrs. Savory, Natal.”
Large quantities of American flour, and even the coarser description of that produced at the Cape, are imported into Natal; but now that farmers are turning their attention to the production of wheat, which will flourish on the upper terraces, we may expect to see bread stuffs cheaper; more especially as numbers of the Boers, getting disgusted with the unsettled aspect of affairs in the two neighbouring Boer states, are coming from beyond the Drakenburg Mountains, and settling themselves down on the higher terraces of Natal, from which great quantities of wheat and cattle may soon be expected, not only for the supply of cheap and abundant food for the colonists, but for the purposes of exportation.
I have already touched upon the subject of labour, and stated that the labour adapted for the cultivation of the soil is greatly required at Natal. Looking at a chart of the country, one would exclaim, how can this possibly be the case when the colony of Natal is surrounded on all sides, but that facing the ocean, with countries abounding in natives? Yes; but natives unadapted for the wants of the soil. The Zulus are a pastoral people, and, as long as employed in tending cattle, they are very well; but, as yet, they have shown no aptitude for agricultural purposes—such occupation is contrary to their nature, and to the customs of their ancestors, who have always been a nomadic race.
With difficulty the colonists of Natal can secure the services of a native, even in household work, for more than six months at a time. At the end of that period, the Zulu Kaffir wishes to return to his own people, to enjoy the sweets of liberty in the forest, or the boundless prairie, to drink of the milk of his own krall, and dance with the Kaffir girls. This is all very natural; and it depends greatly on the treatment which he has received from the white man if he will ever return. In some instances, when pleased with his situation, a Kaffir, previous to the time of leaving, will ask his employer permission to bring his little brother, for the purpose of teaching him the work of the place. If his application is acceded to, the Kaffir will take great trouble to teach his younger brother what he is required to do in order to give satisfaction to his employer. When the senior’s period of engagement has expired, his brother fills his place for another six months, and then he is succeeded by some other member of his family, whom he has prepared. In this manner, the situation, when a good one, is kept in a family; and the colonists, knowing this, are anxious to get hold of what is called a “nest of Kaffirs”—that is, where there are a number in a family—for by that means they are provided at all times with domestic labour, and generally well served. But the Kaffir, who will clean windows, and wash plates and glasses very carefully, will not labour in the field. Harder working Kaffirs—and there are some few—when they have passed through the school of industrial training, and have learned their own value, like many other men having similar souls, but different coloured skins, will obtain credit for a waggon and oxen, and throw their labour into the market in a different form from their less industrious brethren.
Natal wants labour, and of a description which can only be supplied from India; the native of which, having for ages cultivated the soil, has an aptitude for this description of labour, in which he displays a degree of neatness which cannot be found among the nomadic pastoral races of Africa.