viix SETTLERS AND OFFICIALS 83 



game reserves. Well, the great bulk of this splendid 

 country was placed in the hands of a crowd of indigent 

 Dutch, with two natural results. First, all develop- 

 ment has been practically at a standstill, not one-tenth 

 of the prescribed minimum of development having 

 been done. As a proof of this statement is the fact 

 that in 191 1 there were less than 1800 acres under 

 cultivation throughout the whole plateau, a very large 

 proportion of this being on two farms. The bulk 

 of the inhabitants have supported themselves by the 

 unlicensed slaughter of the once numerous game. 

 The second ill-effect is the formation in our midst of a 

 solid mass of utterly disloyal colonists, speaking their 

 own language and having their own Church and who 

 now have the insolence to demand a Dutch education 

 at Government expense. Next to our Indian friends 

 they form the most difficult problem in the Pro- 

 tectorate. Apart from this one dark spot, the future of 

 white colonisation looks bright, and an extremely 

 pleasant feature is to note the self-satisfaction of all 

 and sundry. The farmer has a bad crop. All the 

 more chance of a good one next season, says he. His 

 flocks and herds have an outbreak of disease. He 

 simply points to the inevitability of this in a new coun- 

 try and buys some more. Moreover, whether his farm 

 be in the dry Kedong, on the rainy Mau escarp- 

 ment, on the wind-swept Uasin Guishu, or on any 

 other spot throughout the Highlands, he is firmly 

 convinced and prepared to back his opinion that 

 it is the finest and most valuable in the whole 

 Protectorate. 



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