350 THE LAND OF THE LION 



cannot be left to the careless savage, who does not know and 

 will not learn how to use them. "From him that hath 

 not shall be taken away that he hath" is not the cruel decree 

 of an irresponsible tyrant, but the far-seeing declaration 

 of one who loved men and knew what was in them. 



So much for the need of making the native work for 

 his own salvation's sake. But there is another side to 

 the question of native labour which must not be forgotten. 



Unless one is acquainted with the country one cannot 

 at all realize the imperative importance of native labour 

 to the African colonist. His fortune, his home, his all 

 depends on a sufficient and staple supply of that labour, 

 at the time that he wants it, and at such a fixed price that 

 he can estimate his profit and loss. 



Africa is as yet the land of dreadful uncertainties. 

 Some new danger, some unexpected sickness, some worm 

 or grub in the field, some murrain breaking out in the 

 herd these the settler must be prepraed to contend with. 

 No other country compares with Africa in producing 

 unheralded calamities. 



In addition to these the agriculturalist has to prepare 

 for an uncertain rainfall, in a country where even one 

 season's shortage in the rains may mean dire famine. 



To those who do not know Africa such language seems 

 exaggeration but unfortunately it is the sober truth. Until 

 lately it cost $1,000 per ton to bring goods from Uganda 

 to the sea, a distance of only five hundred miles. Only a 

 few months ago I had to pay $4 for sixty pounds of food for 

 my men, and poor grain too. That was a prohibitory price 

 for natives. Many therefore died of actual hunger in a 

 region that within a few weeks was so well supplied with 

 native-grown grain that it could afford to export a good 

 deal. In May you might see men dead by the roadside, 

 where in August plenty reigned. 



Try, then, to understand how great are the difficulties 



