210 OSTRICH-FARMING IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



but the everyday work, such as herding and feeding 

 birds, wagon-driving, ploughing, &c., is all done by 

 natives. And half the success or non- success of the 

 Ostrich-farmer will depend upon whether he has the 

 knack of managing them, coupled with personal industry. 

 To obtain this knack, a man must possess all the 

 qualities that are requisite to command white men : he 

 must be firm but not tyrannous, he must show a 

 kindly interest in their welfare whilst avoiding any 

 familiarity, or any unnecessary messing and muddling 

 with them. He must be strictly just, and more ready 

 to defraud himself than to exact the last penny on any 

 doubtful point. He must be liberal in wages and 

 rations, and not too ready to find fault, ever remem- 

 bering how much that he does — and that he thinks he 

 does so perfectly — would be found fault with if he had 

 a master over him. He should strive to the utmost 

 to be the same every day, and never give way to 

 peevish temper ; though a good, wholesome reprimand 

 occasionally, and letting them see 3'ou are not to be 

 trifled with, is sometimes necessary. These are the 

 qualities that go to make a successful commander of 

 men in other parts of the world ; whilst at the Cape 

 a man must have over and above these a special 

 aptitude for managing the different natives he has to 

 do with ; as the Hottentot, the Fingo, and the Kaffir, 



