Natalia. By J. Forsyth Ingram. (Horace Marshall and Son. 10s.
6d.)—On July 8th, 1497, Vasco da Gama sailed from Lisbon to complete and verify discoveries made some years before by Bartholomew Dias. On Christmas Day in the same year he sighted the harbour of what is now called Port Natal. There is very little to be said about the country for the next three centuries and more. In the palmy days of the Zulu Monarchy this region was kept as a Royal preserve. That it was so depopu- lated made it specially attractive to Dutch and British colonists. In 1837 there was a large immigration of Dutch into Natal; five years later there was fighting between the Boers and a small British force. The latter had to take refuge in their fort, which was closely besieged. The Boers, however, could not hold their own when a serious effort was made to subdue them. In 1845 Natal became a British Colony. Its institutions were gradually developed from this time, and its trade and general prosperity increased along with them. The first diamond discovery was made in 1867. In 1869 the famous " Star of South Africa " (weighing 851 carats) was purchased from a Hottentot for £400, and sold again for £25,000. The total output of diamonds has been estimated at sixty millions. This volume, after thus sketching the history of the Colony, describes its present con- dition. The whole is illustrated by a number of photographs of localities, as well as of colonists, statesmen, &c.
Previous page
