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VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. 
A word of praise to the canvas water-bag of Africa, which might be 
copied in India. 
The road is a veritable Golgotha, owing to the rinderpest carrying off 
the cattle engaged in transport ; and the mummified carcases and 
abandoned wagons point the fearful mortality that has taken place. 
As everything for Buluwayo has to be brought on wagons about 600 
miles it can be realised that the loss of the whole of the transport 
animals is a most fearful blow to the country. 
A gentleman appointed to a high post was starting from Mafeking to 
take up his duties in Rhodesia, after certain events had happened in the 
Transvaal. He telegraphed to Buluwayo officials that he wanted trans¬ 
port. They gave him a special coach, but that apparently was not 
sufficient. They were anxious to provide more but they did not know 
how to, so they telegraphed : “ What do you suggest ? ” The answer 
sent back was : “ Suggest oxen.” (Laughter.) 
Due to the rinderpest, the freight on goods from Mafeking to Bulu¬ 
wayo is very nearly £6 cash per 100 lbs. weight. 
The loss of the cattle is a very serious thing ; apart from agricultural 
views and the fact that there are many transport riders whose whole 
life was devoted to this transport of baggage, for to the natives cattle 
mean more than money. 
Cattle form the basis upon which all exchange is regulated. A native 
does not value land ; he scrapes the land to make a few mealies grow, 
but his whole property is reckoned by cattle. 
Remember the description given by Veterinary-Captain Nunn, who 
lectured last week, that when buying ponies from the Basutos he had 
to turn his money first into cattle, and then with cattle purchase ponies. 
The native even purchases his wife with cattle. 
Rinderpest then is a most fearful blow to the native population of 
Africa. It is calculated that Khama alone, in Bechuanaland, has lost 
over 800,000 head of cattle. 
The natives do not so much resent the plague carrying off their cattle 
as they do the shooting which has been done very extensively with a 
view of checking the rinderpest, so far ineffectually. 
They cannot understand killing to save lives. 
The moment rinderpest showed itself in a herd that herd was 
destroyed, and any of the herds that had been brought into contact with 
it. The shooting has perhaps been done in rather a reckless way. 
There is one man near Kimberley, a Mr. De Pass, who has lost through 
the shooting of cattle alone a sum of between £15,000 and £16,000. 
I tell you these things because it gives you an idea what the rinder¬ 
pest means. 
Whilst I was there Dr. Koch arrived, and he was soon busy trying to 
find a cure by inoculation, and I see since that he claims to have found 
one. Whether he will manage to check it or not is doubtful, there are 
great difficulties. 
The colonists generally have an idea that it will spread right through 
to the Cape, and that the sooner it gets there and they can begin 
re-stocking the country, the better. They say that notwithstanding the 
many regulations which exist, birds, such as tick birds, which feed on 
and go about with the cattle, and jackals, etc., etc., will probably take 
the rinderpest down south. 
It is a curious thing that there should be such a wonderful absence 
of vultures, jackals, and various animals of prey in that country just 
