IIMVOTI MISHION STATION, NATAI. >•'
The point where the vessels lie is seen jttst tidinv the IjlulT, imd severnl tlaiis iiidieate the stores of the (iiirieipal
mercliaitts of tliis infant settleitieitt. Tite present population of Port Natal is tipwards of eight hnnilred: that ttf
P i e t e r n i a r i t z b u r g probably amotints to more than double that number. 'Hie produetions of the eolony eousist of eattle,
hides, ivory, butter, cbeese, indigo, and cotton; tliis latter article is already extensively cultivated by many of tbe
settlers, and the samples of cotton grown at Natal liave been declared of a very fine quality in tlie English markets.
To the left of tire view, on tbe flat, grassy plain stretching from tlie water, at a short distance from the
settlement, are seen the barracks surrounded by a wooden stockade: a detachment of the regiment stationed at
PietcrmaritKburg is usually tjuartered here fur the protection of tlic settlers. Most of the resiflents employ Kafir servants,
who are mild anil tractable, and are very useful in the cotton plantations; tiie lads make gootl house servants, ami
will work for a year for a cow worth about 1i. The women and girls come le.ss fretiucnfly to the settlement,
p r e f e r r i n g to reside on the native locatitms.
Tliere is scarcely a doul)t but tiiat Port Natal must eventually flourish, and form another amongst the many
asylums for our suiplus population, for it is a rich field, and one well worthy tiic attentiim of the Govermnent.
" Slid, ttiB iiinjcitic, iiielnncllul.v scene,
Wl,icl, Hint tain wDdon.e^ "'0 foiiN.I ;
Witti scnrce n IrncG lu Icll ivlicro iiiiiti liad bteti.
rinvc Ilio old HilHr oabins crgnibliiig rouiid.
Vet lilis loiio yten (the Zulus' nncioul grOuud),
To Nalure's suviigo tiibea abaiidoiiod long,
tins liimrd, ereivldtc. ibe Gospefa joyfiil aoiiiid.
And loiv of bmla mixcil iiilb Itie Sabliatb song.
TIIG loiig-pnrcbod Itimi siitill lailgti, with liiiriiiists cro«.|iisì.
And Ibroiigb tiiuso nitont s'lislfin .toboviib's |iniiiii I."
Within tbe colony of Nat.d, the American missionaries have fi,r several years past been laliouring amongst tbe Kai.r
population, ami have establisheil station, at the v.riott, native locations uneler the proteeti.m of the British Government i -
a t Umvoti Kev A Grout; at Umlaà, liev. Dr. .4,la,ns; >md at Inantla, Ilev. Mr. Lindley. These are very interesting
nilssiotiary'establishment., .nul several others are in the course of form.ti,™ in various parts of Natal. ft is of Umvot,
t h a t we timst speak more particularlv, as furnisbing the subject of the precetling w,iode„t,-a spot to me especially
interestin.. as it was there that I met with lite kindest possible attention and hospitality whilst lytng s.ck w.tl, a
violent feTer caught by .:q,o,ure to tbe wet and sleeping in the night air near the coast. Durhig ,ny stay at Uravoti,
with the Rev Aldhie Grout and his family, 1 bad opportunity to witness the arrangement, and work,,,g of the
missionary system among,, the Ztdu Kafirs, w1,ieh I tloubt not will, ere long, be crowmed with succès.. In the
r e i . n of Din«,an, .o,ne ten or twelve years ago, the Ilev. M,'. » o u t obtah,ed permission from the kn,g to estabh.h
him'self in the Zulu country, to in.tr.tct the people in the Ch,.isti.n religion. II. .lid so, and at length erected a
c o t t a . . with his own hands, after living long in a waggon with hi, lady' m,d two h,f,mt ch.ldreu. The people
hsteued attentively to the instruetious of the tnissionary, and M,,. G,out bad abeady snceeciled m lorm„,g a school
amougst tl,e child,,,,. wd,cn a blow was struck »«eh east a dark cloud over the hopes of these good miss,ouar,es,
and », edict was passed by tbe king,-whicb his suee-or , Ump.udi, ,till adheres to.^to batush for ever the CI,r»t,an
religion f,'om tlte Zulu nation. It appears that sotne ,ui,ebievous Imluuas had reported to the king that these new
doctrines were likely to subvert his power and open tbe eye. of the people to the bhnd adoration they were
aeeustotned to pay to their despotic tnonarch. On hearing this, the king sent a party of armed soldier, in tbe
„ i , h t , wl,o put to death .dl tbo.e who had etnbraeed Ch,à,ti,mity. slaughtering men, wornen, and children, the ,„-,nary
and hi. family na,Towl, e.e.ping with their lives, being orde,«l to depart iustautly tVom the Zulu tetrtory. It „,n.t
have been .n awf.d night that,-the kilted and savage warrio,,. with tbeir streaming plume, and bn.tl,,« ..ssagan,,
rnsirini. like a host of tlevonring wolves upon the peaeelM and sleeping inmates I One man.gled and bleednig woman
•„.nearôd at the window of tbe mi.sionJ.ouse eryiug out for her frientls to tnake their escape; and tbe screams ol
tl'e victims, „tingled with the horrid yell, of the sohbers, were ed,oed far aud wide amongst the mountains, eontrasttng
with tl,e calm ma-nifieeuee of the du.ky land.eape around, slnmboing beueath tbe mellow bght of an Atr,c.n moon. 1
p a s , e d a night upon that very spot as 1 journeyed to the king's kraal. By the ,na,'gin of the clear, gu,,hng