Read Ebook: Incwadi Yami; or twenty years' personal experience in South Africa by Matthews J W Josiah Wright

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 1404 lines and 201752 words, and 29 pages

Prevailing diseases in Natal--Incident at Mr. Tom Milner's, Redcliffe--Interesting medico-legal case--Coffee Planting--Marriage--Rev. D. Lindley, D. D.--His early work--Diamond fever, outbreak of--Sail for India. 15-32

Zulu Customs--Ukulobola--Umkosi--Inteyezi--Insomyama--Kafir Doctors--Fate of the Witch Doctor, Kongota, and his victims--Bishop Calloway and Zulu "Folk-Lore." 35-51

Trip to Tugela--Maritzburg--Bishop Colenso--Umgeni Falls--Estcourt--Lidgetton--Curious absence of fish in Mooi River--Capt. Allison's Border Residency--Usidinane's Cannibal Caves--Mont aux Sources--Umbundi's Pass--Return journey. 52-69

Leave Natal--First impression of the Diamond Fields--Sickness at the Dry Diggings--Father Hidien--Hospital arrangements--Quacks--Medical registration in South Africa--Curious decision of Capetown Medical Board--A "Mendacious" practitioner--Sanitary condition, 1878--Threatened small-pox, 1882--so-called small-pox, 1883-84--Madmen and their treatment--Climate of Griqualand West. 94-115

Gambling at the Diamond Fields--Mr. Dodd's advice on gambling--Speculative value of diggings--The Fields in the early days--Gambling hells in 1872--Mr. Jones "at home"--Governor Southey's proclamation--Exodus to the Free State--Rondo en colo--Collapse. 116-125

O'Reilly's account of Niekerk--Dr. Atherstone and the first diamond--The river diggings--Influx of population--The dry diggings--Discovery of the Kimberley Mine--Early discomforts of the diggers--Present condition of Kimberley. 126-135

Geology of the mine and surroundings--Section of reef strata--Surface soil--Calcareous tufa--Light colored shales--Black carboniferous shale--Limonite--Landslips--Burning reef--Sulphur vapors--Natives afraid to work--Coal plants--Fire and choke-damp--Igneous rocks--Contraction and expansion of mine--Strata of mine itself--Red sand, tufa, yellow ground--Blue ground--Rich and poor claims--Remarkable boulders--Greasy slips--Maskelyne and Flight's observations. 136-150

Source of diamondiferous soil--Extracts from Messrs. Bain, Ure, Dana, and Osborne's geological theses--Various theories advanced--None entirely satisfactory or conclusive--The origin of the precious stone veiled in mystery. 151-171

The process of diamond mining from start to date--The "Long Tom"--The "cradle" and the "baby"--The sorting table and scrapers--Van Doussa's invention--The scene in the Kimberley mine--The roads, "stages," "whims," and "whips"--The rotary washing machine--The cylinders and the elevators--Singular mistakes--Statistics of labor employed--Steam power--Fuel--The Kimberley waterworks. 172-184

Diamond legislation--Resume of Sir Henry Barkly's Proclamations--Epitome of the ordinances of the Legislative Council of Griqualand West--Review of the Acts passed by the Cape Assembly--Description of Trapping system--Adoption of "onus probandi" clause by Orange Free State--Searching Department--The Compound system. 207-225

Description of the company and share mania in 1881--Events of the "Bubble Year"--Causes which brought the mania about--Why companies were first formed--The Barnato Co.--The Central Co.--The Frankfort mine--The Cosmopolitan Co.--Wonderful investments--Slow return of confidence. 243-256

The early history of the Diamond Fields--Adam Kok, Cornelius Kok, "Dam Kok," Andreas and Nicholas Waterboer--The Diamond Fields and their Governments--The hoisting of the British Flag--The Keate award--Rush from the river to the dry diggings--Pniel deserted--The commencement of diamond stealing--Judge Lynch puts in an appearance--Discovery of the new Rush Kopje --British rule proclaimed--Free State courts closed. 257-274

Sir Henry Barkly pays the Fields a second visit--Promises that the Fields shall be a Crown colony with a Legislature of its own--Letters Patent proclaiming Griqualand West a crown colony--Hon. Richard Southey first Lieutenant Governor--An incipient revolution--The Court-House surrounded by an armed band--The Black Flag hoisted--The revolt--Colonel Crossman--Changes in the Legislative Council--Recall of the Lieutenant Governor. 275-289

Mr. Justice Barry Acting Administrator--Arrival of Major Lanyon--Principal events of his administration--Annexation bill passed Cape House of Assembly--Criminal prosecution of Editor of "Independent"--Attorney General Shippard's argument and oratory--Acquittal of accused--Great rejoicing--Action against "Independent"--Apology. 290-299

The Gaika and Gealeka war--Col. Warren and "our boys"--Warren's brilliant coup--The rape of the Gaika matrons--Signal victory at Debe Nek--Col. Lanyon and Gasibone--Bloodless victory at Phokwane--Return of Volunteers--The Griqualand West war--Engagements at Wittehuis, Langeberg, and Taikoon--Cruel apprenticeship of women and children--Close of the Griqualand West rebellion--Korannas at the Salt Pan--Hermanus Lynx and his untimely death--Liquor Bill of Mr. G. Bottomley. 300-311

Col. Warren and Mr. Justice de Wet put their hands to the plough--Visit of Messrs. Sprigg and Upington--Pie Crust promises--My protest in the Legislative Council against annexation--Departure of Mr. Rose Innes C. M. G., last acting administrator--Election for Cape House of Assembly. 312-319

Natal again--Coolie immigration--Bishop Colenso--Laing's Nek--Ingogo Majuba--Interesting interview with Generals Joubert and Smit--Grave-yard at Mount Prospect--Lady Florence Dixie--First session in Cape House of Assembly. 320-342

Trip to Robben Island--Dean Newman's description thereof in 1855--Old Somerset Hospital--Lunatics and Lepers--Horrible sights--Leprosy among animals--Dr. Wynne's opinion--Mournful case in the Sandwich Islands--Dr. Keith Guild's theory of leprosy untenable--Annual cost of lepers--Segregation act passed by the Cape House of Assembly in 1884--Dr. Ross's last report 1886--Visit to Cetywayo and Langibalele at Oude Molen--My wife's interview with Cetywayo in London. 343-368

Visit to Basutoland--Pitso at Maseru--Pitso at Leribe--Roma--Interview with Masupha--General Gordon's appointment--The Roman Catholic and Protestant Missions--Mafeting--East London--Sir David Wedderburn--Arrival in Capetown--Cape Assembly--Resignation. 369-392

Description of the religious bodies on the Diamond Fields--Educational efforts--The Church of England--Roman Catholic Church--Dutch Reformed Church--Doppers--Wesleyans--Presbyterians--German Lutherans--Jews--Mahometans--Hindoos--"Bishop" Mellet--Natives--Neglected Opportunities--Advent of Salvation Army--Sundry Visitors--Birds of Passage. 393-413

Law and lawyers on the Fields--Law in the early days--Absence of crime at that epoch--The Mutual Hall--Magisterial jurisdiction--The Attorney-generalship--Attorneys and Law Agents--A sudden death--Curious nomenclature of Kafirs--The fate of "Brandy and Soda." 414-423

A serious accident--Felstead's--Dr. L. S. Jameson--Trip to the Transvaal--Mons. Grandier--Umbelini and Cetywayo--Christiana--Potchefstroom--Pretoria--The Erste Fabrieken--Burgers--Shepstone and Lanyon--Mapoch and Mampoer--Battlefield of Bronkhorst Spruit--Start for Natal. 424-454

Leave Pretoria--A trying situation--Heidelberg--Standerton--Michaelson's--Boer Camp at Laing's Nek--Majuba once more--Newcastle--Maritzburg--Plough Hotel--D'Urban--Voyage to the Cape--Curious mental phenomenon--Return to Kimberley. 455-462

Visit to the Kaap Gold Field--Caves at Wonderfontein--The Duivel's Kantoor--"The Valley of the Shadow of Death"--Barberton and its development--Course of gold discoveries. 463-481

Moodie's syndicate--Their exorbitant demands and the result--Barber Bros. and the Umvoti Reef--Mad speculations--Future of the Gold Fields. 482-493

Leave Barberton--Steynsdorp--Komati River--King Umbandini's Kraal--Swazi Land--The drink curse and its result--Interview of Dr. Clark, M. P. Transvaal Consul-General in England, with Umbandini--National yearly dance of Swazis--The Tembi--Delagoa Bay. 494-510

Louren?o Marques--The changes it has seen--Harbor--Climate--Railway plant imported by the late President Burgers--Advantage of the Delagoa Bay route to the Gold Fields. 511-514

L'envoi. 515-518

Zulu ultimatum--Table of Diamond exports--Dr. Schenk's report of geological formation at Barberton--Burgers' protest against the annexation of the Transvaal--Clause 11 of Gov. Southey's dispatch, April 11th, 1874, to Sir Henry Barkly--John Dunn's letter to the Aborigines Protection Society. 519-542

The position of medical superintendent on board an emigrant ship I soon found was in one sense no sinecure, but I quickly learned the art of adjusting opposing social elements, and lulling the brewing storms, which, as there was neither sickness nor accident during our voyage, were the only cases about which I was consulted.

Passing my luggage through the custom-house, I rode up to D'Urban from the point along a deep, sandy bush path, skirted on both sides by a tangled mass of tropical vegetation, forming a dense undergrowth to fine forest trees, and went to the "Royal," kept at that time by a good fellow named Jessup, who years afterward "played the part of a Boniface," as the saying is, at the diamond fields.

Having a few days to wait here until the next mail steamer sailed to England, I happened in conversation casually to hear of a vacancy in the Natal government medical service, caused by the sudden death of a district surgeon in Victoria County, the most enterprising and rising portion of the whole colony. The following morning, while taking breakfast, two gentlemen, whom I afterward knew as large sugar planters on the coast, joined the table and began talking over the events of the week. "So he's dead at last," said one. "Yes, and who'll take his place, I wonder?" said the other. After some further conversation, I gathered that the report I had heard of the sudden death of a doctor was correct, and that it was about him they were conversing. The chief speaker continued: "He made ?700 a year, but could have made double if he'd liked." Hearing all this, I introduced myself and told them who I was, when, with colonial frankness, they both strongly urged me to apply at once to the government for the appointment.

I did not require to think twice over the matter, visions of ?1,000 a year at two-and-twenty floated temptingly before me, so deciding at once, I determined to go to the capital, Pietermaritzburg, and see Colonel Maclean, who was acting governor at the time. This I did next day, and the colonel gave me the acting appointment.

Being anxious as quickly as possible to see the district and people among whom, for at least a time, I had thrown my lot, immediately on my return to D'Urban I lost no time in visiting Verulam, the chief town of Victoria County, which was founded, I was told, in 1850 by a party of Wesleyan pioneers. Riding four miles through terrible sand, I crossed the Umgeni by a beautiful iron-girder bridge, afterward washed away by a sudden rising of the river in August, 1868, passed Jackson's coffee estate and some extensive bush clearings, and then a few miles more brought me to Lovatt's well-known roadside inn. All the way to Verulam, the place of my future residence, the landscape was studded near and far with thick forests, interspersed with sugar and coffee plantations, forming lovely little views; here and there, too, I could see smoke curling up from the fires where the planters were burning the timber in the forest, and many a time I halted my horse to watch around the blazing logs the groups of lithe, active, happy natives, laughing, singing and working by turn--a novel sight, indeed, to one accustomed to English coldness and stolidity.

Leaving behind Lister's pretty coffee trees and banana groves, Smerdon's mill and extensive sugar fields, I crossed the Umhlanga River, so named by the Kafirs from the reeds on its banks, which nearly hide it from view, and ascending a steep cutting along the side of a hill named Kaht's Kop, caught sight at last, at a turn of the road, of the village of Verulam, lying snugly ensconced in a hollow among the hills on the banks of the Umhloti River. Another mile brought me to my journey's end. Turning the sharp corner of a neglected graveyard, a pretty church on one side of the road, and on the other a sweet little thatched cottage, literally smothered with honeysuckles, and which I soon learned was the parsonage, greeted my view.

Putting up my horse at the inn, I called and paid my respects to the resident magistrate, Dr. Blaine, a member of my own profession. After lunching with him, we walked round the village, and he introduced me to the principal inhabitants, not omitting the worthy vicar, the Rev. W. A. Elder, and his wife, who were kind enough to invite me to take up my residence with them. A few more days saw me settled down, and I commenced regular practice in the county on April 3d, 1865.

Sugar was at that time paying handsomely and coffee promising well, and consequently good wages were given to native laborers; yet the planters, although surrounded by a large Kafir population, were never able to rely on obtaining a regular supply of labor, as the native was too independent, the young men merely working until they were able to save enough money to buy cattle sufficient to pay for a wife. The consequence was that the planters, although surrounded by hundreds of thousands of natives, had been compelled, about six years before my arrival, to organize a system of coolie immigration from India. One of the agreements they were obliged to enter into with the Indian government was that regular medical supervision should be provided for all immigrants; and to defray this cost, the planter was authorized to make a deduction of one shilling a month from the wages of each coolie.

I soon became acquainted with all the planters in my division of the county, and found that a regular visit once a month to each estate, combined with the exigencies of a private practice, kept me busy, "week in, week out, from morn till night."

The planter of those days I found an excellent type of colonist. He was generally a man of means, well educated, "a good fellow," young, and drawn from the English upper middle class. In some few individual cases there might be a want of ballast, but colonial experience, soon gained, supplied the deficiency. My range of practice extended from the cotton company's plantation at the Umhlali to Kennedy's sugar estate on the Umgeni River, a district forty-five miles long, and extending inland, as a rule, about seven miles. Within this area I attended, as nearly as I can remember, twenty-five estates, employing on an average 1,600 indentured coolies. When, after a long absence, I visited Verulam this year, I found matters greatly altered. Hospitals had been built there and at Avoca, a village some twelve miles distant, to which any important cases from the surrounding estates were sent. My old district had been divided into three medical circles, with three doctors to do the work which I used to do single-handed.

The climate of Natal I found extremely healthy, the average death-rate being only 16 per 1000 among the white population, while among the natives, judging from all inquiries, I do not think it amounted to half that number, though this is more or less surmise, as unfortunately among the latter no official returns were kept.

During my practice in Victoria County, extending over six years, I do not think there were twenty deaths among the white population, and as for the coolies, the change from India seemed to give them a new lease of life.

Although not dangerous to life, yet as peculiar to this colony, I ought to mention the Natal sore, a species of inflammatory boil, of a low congestive nature, with which new arrivals were almost always troubled.

These sores were often produced by the irritating bite of an insect known under the name of the tick , of which there are different species, and also by the bite of the mosquito.

Specimens of the larger species of tick having fastened upon animals in such places as the ear, mane, etc., where they could not be rubbed off, become gorged with blood to the size of haricot beans. Those which attack men are much smaller. Ticks have no wings, no eyes, no mouth, merely legs, a pair of sharp, delicate lancets, and a pipe or rostrum covered over externally with small reflexed teeth, which they plunge into the skin, and then suck away, holding on by their barbs. Dr. Mann, formerly superintendent of education in Natal, writes: "this much, however, must be said even for these blind, bloodthirsty insects, their reality is not so bad as their reputation;" so that again we have an instance of an enemy of man not being so black as he is painted.

In 1869 I treated many cases of malarial fever in Victoria County, most of them, however, occurring close to lagoons on the coast, and though I met with other scattered cases of it in the country, this was the only outbreak which could be entitled absolutely epidemic.

I recollect in May of that year I had 120 cases among the whites and coolies on a sugar estate, which was situated on the sea-coast, near the mouth of the Umgeni River; but the fever was confined to this estate and Verulam, where I had four cases, the total mortality, to the best of my recollection, numbering nine.

The cases of dysentery, on the other hand, were often perfectly intractable, and would sometimes yield to no mode of treatment, and this was especially the case at the end of summer, when the experience of a sudden chill would almost certainly induce the disease. Sickness was most prevalent, if care were not taken, at the change of the seasons, and when rains of an exceptional character took place, cases both of fever and dysentery of a severe type were always expected. After the disastrous flood of August, 1868, these expectations were realized to an unusual extent. This great flood lasted from August 28th to the 31st, inclusive, the downfall of rain being greater than the oldest inhabitants could recollect, 15.60 inches falling in 48 hours, and 17.11 inches during the four days that the storm continued.

I had a very narrow escape at the time, when going to visit the manager of Fenton Vacy, a sugar estate about four miles from Verulam. This gentleman had been under my care for some days, suffering from a most acute attack of dysentery, from which, I regret to say, he eventually died.

"After spending a few pleasant days at the Royal Hotel, D'Urban, I was told that a trip to Victoria County was the thing every one ought to do, and that the planters were always glad to receive visitors lately out from England. Accordingly, having had a horse lent me, I started on a little tour, intending to visit some of the principal estates. The chief caution the old hands gave me at D'Urban was, 'Look out for the rains, and when they come, don't attempt crossing any river by yourself,' the soundness of which advice I had ample means of testing before my return.

"The first river on my road was the Umgeni, stretching across which was an iron bridge, at this time a good forty feet above the stream, which was running rapidly but smoothly out to sea, distant some half mile or so. This bridge had been erected at great cost and trouble, and was pronounced to be strong enough to resist any flood.

"After a day's hard riding I arrived at a sugar estate in Victoria County, and received from its owner a pressing invitation to remain a day or two and look round the place.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet