Page:The Past, Present and Future Trade of the Cape Colonies with Central Africa.pdf/29

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Cape Colonies with Central Africa.
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of the higher class of natives, and induced them to copy the better virtues of the white people. I have no doubt whatever that when this war is over—this war epidemic which has spread like a contagious disease over the fair land of South Africa—that a new spirit will be invoked among the people. The natives are quite changing in many respects since the war, they are taking to agricultural pursuits, and I have little doubt that after it is over trade will be much developed in the northern portion of South Africa, especially in Bechuana land. (Applause.)

Mr. John Paterson, M.L.A., Cape Colony: I had great pleasure in meeting Dr. Holub at Cape Town, where I enjoyed half an hour’s interview with him. It was one of the most interesting interviews I have ever had with any individual. He then related to me his experiences of his travels in such a graphic way that one could sea the objects before him through which he had passed, and the class of people among whom he had mixed. I certainly thought, as I then listened to him, that he had the material in him of what we call a traveller in the best sense of the term. He was self denying, full of life, strong and healthy, and capable of going through any amount of hardship and trial, and I trust his life will long be spared to carry out what he seems to have made the purpose of his life, and if so, then I am sure he will be one of the most distinguished travellers we have ever had in South Africa. (Hear, hear.) But I came here myself to-night to hear a little more about Cape Colonial progress than he has given, for I knew that Dr. Holub was a very close observer, and I desired to hear his impressions of Cape Colony itself and its people. However, he has travelled over so much ground in his other experiences in Southern Africa, that one is surprised that he has been able in the short space of an hour to go over so much description as he has done, and throughout be able to make us realise what he has seen and what he has done. On the great work of progress going on silently but steadily in South Africa, I agree with him. Nay, I go further than he does, and add that that progress is more rapid and thorough than he has sketched it, extending from the British Colonies up to as far as Zanzibar and beyond. And if I should not be wearying this assembly, I would give some illustrations in argument for this view, derived from my own long experience of South Africa itself. Twenty years ago, for instance, I came home from that Colony, and the steamer service then was a monthly service performed in vessels of from 500 to 700 tons. At the present time there are two steamers leaving every week, or eight steamers a month. One of these large steamers of 3,000 to 4,000 tons will carry nearly as