190 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa. 



to one of tlie Kraals liacl become necessary, and 

 some appearance of defence on the part of the 

 natives had been made, but when the police 

 advanced at the charge the natives fled in pre- 

 cipitation. The cattle Avere not recovered, but 

 others were sent in. The health of the force is 

 now good ; many cases of fever, however, 

 occurred during the rainy season, and the altitude, 

 3760 feet above the sea, o-ives no imnuinitv from 

 malaria. The sickness also during the rains 

 ravages horses and mules. Out of about 600 

 horses brought here only thirty had survived, and 

 only three had " salted," namely, had the sickness 

 and recovered from it. This horse sickness is a 

 terrific scourge, cither for the settler or the 

 traveller. I am surj^rised that the Cape Govern- 

 ment or the Chartered Company do not endeavour 

 to cope seriously with this malady. Scientific in- 

 vestigation of the disease, of the grass and water 

 consumed by the animals, conducted in the locality 

 by experts, assisted l:)y farmers or transport-riders 

 of experience, and carried on patiently for a length 

 of time, would make discoveries of value. The 

 disease is probably acute blood-poisoning caused by 

 some iDacillus. This, if discovered, might be 

 cultivated, and inoculation might give protection. 

 It might be well if some authority, British or 

 Colonial, would ofter a large reward for the dis- 

 covery of a remedy or of a successful treatment. 

 The Bechuanaland Border Police have been losing, 

 and are still losing, from 80 to 90 per cent, of 

 their horses. The losses of the Chartered 



