136 A COLONY IN THE MAKING chap. 



am naturally prejudiced in favour of the breed of my 

 own country, but it seems to me that its record in 

 similar countries proves it eminently suitable to this 

 Protectorate, and I cannot help being delighted to see 

 the young stock and half-breds looking so well. South 

 Devons have many of the good qualities of the Red 

 Poll, though their milking qualities are somewhat 

 inferior. The breed has proved a very great success 

 in South Africa, which should ensure our giving to it 

 an extended trial. 



For the settler who starts in on cattle raising, the 

 best course is no doubt to grade up the native stock. 

 To start a pure-bred herd will be for some years both 

 expensive and extremely risky ; such a policy, indeed, 

 would be only likely to be justified were there an 

 immediate prospect of obtaining high prices for the 

 young bulls. Good native cows have gone up con- 

 siderably in price during the last few years, partly 

 owing to the increased demand and partly owing to 

 several outbreaks of disease and subsequent quarantine 

 regulations. A good native cow can hardly be bought 

 under ^*io nowadays, and few tribes will part with 

 their best. The Masai, indeed, hoard their stock in a 

 way that is distinctly detrimental to the general 

 prosperity, and, generally speaking, would rather 

 starve than sell. An expedition sent up under the 

 chief veterinary officer in the autumn of 191 1 to 

 examine the prospects of opening up cattle trade in 

 South Abyssinia and the Abyssinian Boran found the 

 cattle extremely plentiful and of fine quality ; the 

 natives, moreover, seemed anxious to trade. A pure- 

 bred bull born in the Protectorate can be obtained at a 

 local sale, or an animal can be obtained from England 

 at a very moderate cost. Native cows breed freely, 



