In Sunny Africa

In Sunny Africa BY FRANK .1. HEWLETT, AUTHOR OF PEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE ORIENT," AND PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MISSION. A quartette from the Golden West, U. S. A., stood on the deck of the S. S. Kommodore, bound from Antwerp, Belgium, to Durban, Africa. Gazing at a black-board, crystal pearls glistening in the eyes of some, they read : "First stop Swakopmund, twenty-one days out." The German commander shouted the last orders, and the big ropes that had held the DeutscheOst Afrika line steamer to the pier for some days dropped with a splash into the water. One hoarse blast from the whistle, the propeller begins to churn, and the good ship glides gracefully into the stream, beginning its long voyage. The quartette consisted of Clifford S. Hodgson, Salt Lake, I). Vernon Shurtliff, Baker, Oregon, your humble servant and his wife. The passengers were mostly German farmers, some ripe with agricultural experience, others of the verdant type, ail anxious accepters of the magnanimous offer of their government to them to take up land for farming and grazing purposes near Swakopmund and Luderitzbucht, in German-West Africa. Some of the pioneers had their wives and "kiddies" along. The price of land is reduced to a minimum of six cents per acre, without water. The necessary fluid is obtained by driving pipes, sometimes to an enormous depth. Two of our best friends were Boers, Herr F. Gpldschagg and frau. He was one of the heroes of the British-Boer war. The thrilling stories they related to us, and their explaining the different modes of travel, customs, etc., gave us many a pleasant and profitable hour. JOINING THE NEPTUNE CLUB Fourteen days out there was a flurry of excitement aboard. We noticed two men with book and pencil in hand. "Who has

IN SUNNY AFRICA 881 crossed the line before?" was the momentous question of the hour. Our friend Hodgson answered in the negative. His name and a few minor details were written down in Father Neptune's book by the chief clerk. About forty names were enrolled, several representing the fair sex. Next morning there was plenty of noise and confusion on the fore deck. Sailors were constructing a canvas tank twenty-five feet long, ten feet wide and about five in depth. At the end, on the outside, was a canvas funnel nearly forty feet long. In front of the tank was a rough platform with a rude pulpit on which was a large book. Coming from the forecastle Was a procession headed by Father Neptune, wearing a tall plug hat. His cheeks were dabbed with red paint, the long whiskers which he stroked with pride were made of rope. His aide followed to the clanging of weird music, their arms and faces painted in all colors of the rainbow. Their costumes — well, the less said the better. The clerk calls out the first name in a loud tone. If the owner does not immediately respond, two masked policemen are dispatched to find him, and these amateur sleuths of the sea never fail to secure the lamb for the christening. The ordeal is a trying one. The victim, after being asked a few non-essential questions, sits on a box for the necessary shave. The tonsorial artist appears with a large pail of paste in his hand, which is quickly applied by means of a deckmop. It only takes a moment to lather his face and head ; then a burly sailor with wooden razor does the scraping act. Next the doctor appears with huge forceps in hand. The victim looks beTIIE CREW OF NEPTUNE Who initiated "first-timers" on Kommodore, Sept. 26, 1911.

882 IMPROVEMENT EK \ wildered as a gigantic tooth is shown him, supposed to have just been extracted from his mouth, now being roughly fingered. This is followed by a cup <>f real blood dashed in his face, which no doubl would turn white with frighl it' the victim could see it a few seconds later. Mr. Experience is picked up and thrown into the tank, now filled to the brim with sea water, where two grinning blacks with costumes supposed to he worn by cannibals, duck him without mercy. Finally the victim is thrown out, his only means of escape from his tormentors is the long canvas funnel, into which, in sheer desperation, he crawls. Another sailor is waiting with the fire hose, and the way water is squirted under heavy pressure from the rear to drive Neptune's nearly full-fledged member through will never be forgotten. The only satisfaction for the rirsl victim was to watch more novices go through the same tropical christening. The ladies fared better. They were treated to a few drops of perfume sprayed in their faces. Xext day they were all presented with a bright lithographed diploma which entitled them to full membership in Neptune's Club, and saving them from ever having the experience of the previous day repeated. ( hir young friend from Salt Lake stated with a glim smile that his well-earned diploma would receive a fine frame, and be hung in a conspicuous place in his library when he returned home. We passed Los Palmas, Peak of Teneriffe, Canary Islands and Cape Verde. Our ship, being heavily loaded, did not stop for cargo or passengers. For fresh meat we had live geese, ducks, chickens, goats, hogs and steers which were killed as occasion demanded. A chart of Africa was fastened on the side of the Social Hall. At noon each day miniature red Hags were placed to denote distance sailed which generally averaged 280 miles per day. Whales and schools of porpoises were frequently seen, also flocks i^\ albatross, the wonderful divers for fish. Twenty-one days passed more rapidly than we anticipated. It was with regret that we bade good-by to part of the passengers on our arrival at Swakopmund. We were partially repaid, in a way, however, for their loss by taking aboard over a hundred Kaffirs booked for Luderitzbucht. They were dressed in gaudy colors, mostly well-built fellows who had been working in the

IN SUNNY AFRICA 883 mines. There were a few women who were hauled aboard in nets, their cooking utensils being strapped to their hacks. They huddled together on the deck like a herd of slice]). Later we had a heavy rain, some of the crew took co::ipa3sion on the natives and gave them some old canvas to help shelter them during' the night. Three days afterwards we sailed into the rock-hound harbor of Luderitzhucht, where we received one item of news from civilization, which was that war was declared between Italy and Turkey. Several masts from wrecked ships protruded from the water of the bay, also much debris was strewn along the shore, telling us that many a weather-beaten ship had sailed her last voyage. A week later we beheld with joy the lighthouse built on the high Durban bluffs which cast its powerful, silvery light for a distance of eighty miles, a solemn warning to navigators to beware of the hidden dangers of the deep. The Kommodore, which has carried us safely, glides in the darkness into the harbor, after carefully feeling her way most of the night to the haven of rest. The anchor chains rattle with flying sparks through the hawse pipes, and the officer sings out a cheery order, and the long voyage from Antwerp via the West Coast, to Durban, is over. DURBAN — A GATE TO AFRICA Later, when the sun has tipped the hills and is bathing the Saratoga and Los Angeles of Africa in golden light, bringing out the purple and green of the flower-bedecked hill, forming a picturesque background to the white city, the liner's anchor comes up, and with slowly revolving propellers she enters the dock to take up her time-honored berth. The passengers have been awake for hours. Some are returning to the great Sub-Continent with its silent stretches of veld, its rock-bound kopjes and vivid sunsets, others look over the land with curiosity, wonderment, and bewilderment. They are at one of the gates of Africa, and wonder what the passing of the gate will hold in store. We are eager to step on terra firma once more, but, alas, two sturdy Durban policemen dressed in dark suits,

WEST STREET, LOOKING EAST — DURBAN In ass buttons, and helmet hats, with hlack straps under the chin, sternly said two words, "Not yet." The passengers are nearly all congregated in the large dining saloon waiting to he examined by the immigration officers. They soon arrive with their hands full of books and papers. Our turn came. "Write your name in this book," was the fust request complied with. "I lave you been in Africa before?" "What is your occupation?" "Let us see your permit" (passport i. "Any other identification papers?" "Where is your twenty pounds?" (nearly $100). "Any dutiable goods in your boxes?" "Have you any liquors or cigars?" The above questions being satisfactorily answered, we arc allowed to pass, and we gaze in wonder at the strange sights down on the quay. It is almost crowded with a gesticulating, guttcral-talking, cosmopolitan horde. The ebony Kaffir shows his white teeth in a grin as he chants to the straining of his muscles, tugging at some heavy burden. Hindus from India are swinging large pianks, while others are shoveling coal, the sweat rolling down their faces, mixing with the dust, their red caps now almost black. Malays, with fezzed caps, descendants from slaves who have kept intact their religion and superstition, willing to believe the

IN SUNNY AFRICA 885 wildest dreams of the romancer, and ever ready to respond to the cry of "Lo Jllah il Allah," and the call of the muezzin, stalk solemnly by. You see the bright-eyed Britons smartly dressed and wearing the smasher hat beloved by the Colonial, they gaze up at the decks with eager expectation writ large on their faces, that some of their loved ones or near friends might have arrived from distant lands. As you stroll along the bay esplanade you meet Spaniards. Portuguese, Italians, gaily dressed ladies, as if they had just dropped from the shops of Paris, picking their way daintily past almond-eyed Celestials, bearded Dutchmen, probably having arrived the night before from the interior of Natal, gaze with astonishment at many sights that they have not seen before. Then comes the bustle of disembarkation. Kaffirs, and Hottentot coolies shoot the bags of mail down chutes from the decks, TOWN HALL, DURBAN. NOTICE THE JINRIKIS1IAS AT THE RIGHT and the electric cranes groan and hum as the cargo of the numerous ships swing out of the holds large cases designed for the mines, heavy iron building pillars, plows, reaping machines, pianos, automobiles, and stocks of general merchandise. Let us hasten and see some of the sights of Durban. We are soon surrounded by Zulus, decked like warriors with horns on their heads and plenty of feathers. They are strongly-built fellows, and are drawing jinrickishas that will seat two average-sized

\ v. BAY ESPLANADE — IH'KI'.AN'. HORNED ZULU persons. A small card informs you that they are for "Europeans only." They all beckon for us to ride in their jumbo baby carriages, but we prefer to walk until tired, then ride to our destination. We stroll along the bay esplanade and admire the tropical trees, flowers and many varieties of shrubs. The principal streets of the white city are Smith. West, and Pine streets, all of which are parallel. These are well paved, kept clean as a new silver dollar, and arc brilliantly lighted by a perfect electirc system. Pine street is very broad, and the center is laid out as a public recreation -round, in which a handsome market house has been erected at a cost of $190,000. We visit the new town hall. The grounds surrounding this splendid work of architecture have been tastefully laid out, and constitute the city's valhalla of the memory of those who have served in the senate and in the field, for we see statues of Sir John Robinson ( Xatal's first prime minister), and the Right Hon. Harry Escombe, P. E., whose name is memorably identified with harbor improvements. There is also a fine memorial to Durban's volunteers who fell during the British-Boer war. We availed ourselves of a double-decker electric car to reach the Botanical < lardens. The gardens contain a magnificent collection of flowering shrubs and trees, also sweet-smelling flowers of variegated lines. We were told they were the most tropical in character of any to be seen in South Africa.

IN SUNNY AFRICA 887 The principal suburb is the Berea, a small range of hills rising behind Durban, the slopes of which are covered with villas and gardens with bowers of bright-colored flowers. The railway lines lead to the summit, whence fine views of the city and harbor are obtainable. On the Berea are two pretty public parks. Durban and its surrounding country reminded me more of beautiful Honolulu than any other place in the world. WHALE FISHING The greatest of all attractions for tourists is the famous whaling station. We reach this interesting place by means of a narrowgauge, railway train. ( )n a miniature cape, pointing into the bay, WKALE AND WHALING STATION DURBAN is a large observatory. One man is constantly on the watch for whales, using a powerful telescope. When the king of the seas is spied, always first detected by the tell-tale spouting, a large steam launch is dispatched after it with all haste. Another launch follows to render assistance in emergency cases. A good-sized specially-made gun, which swings on a pivot, stands in the prow of the boat. A small harpoon is fired into the whale. Two minutes later an explosive bullet is shot into a vital part. The mortally wounded monster churns the water fiercely, then expires. It is easily towed alongside the launch to the landing-stage, near the station. By means of an immense derrick the carcass is hoisted out of the water onto two flat ears, then hauled into a

888 IM1'K< >YKMKNT KRA riu.to by C. S. Hodgson WHA1 ES A l DURBAN, OCT. 12, 191 1 rough lumber building. It is there rut up by the natives. The great chunks of blubber are boiled down for the oil that they contain. The whale bones which are valuable are shipped to France and other countries. Most of the parts are used by manufacturers for different preparations very little being wasted except the blood, which flows down an iron flume. The African Whaling company is coining money with this profitable industry. Some days there have been as many as four whales captured and slaughtered. The question arises, with tin- casual observer, how long will the business last at the rate they arc being taken from the ocean. Whales will be termed by future generations a myth of past ages. In the future when we see the passengers rushing to the side of the vessel, trembling with excitement to sec- the whales in mid-ocean, I am afraid, our curiosity will no more be satisfied, unless we ran see them alive in an immense glass lank. The enterprising company has fourteen launches constantly ready for duty. Just outside of i lie bay is the favorite nesting place for the whales, which accounts for the location of the industry at this place. Photo by C. S. Hodgson A WHALE AT DURBAN Notice the size compared with the door of the building.

IN SUNNY AFRICA 889 The climate here, though considered healthy, is very hot during the summer months, which generally begin in October and end in March. Fruit is plentiful the year around, large quantities being exported from Durban and Natal. For varieties rich and some rare, we have the orange, mango, rose-apple, pineapple, banana, custard apple, papau, guava, grenadella, loguat, shaddock', passion fruit, naartze, and avocado pears, a collection grown in one state that is hard to beat. There are several large packing houses which have made a wide reputation in manufacturing choice jams, jelly and marmalade. Sugar cane, fibre, tea, and coffee are also being raised with success in Natal, and Durban is the natural clearing house for all these products. Durban is the coast terminus of the Natal railway system, and boasts of the only harbor of any importance' between Tort Elizabeth and Delagoa bay. U OODSTOCK, C. C, AFRICA NEW MISSION IIOU E, BERGEN, NORWAY Cost Kr. 50.000 ($13,500); purchased April 16, dedicated April 27, 1912; size, 35J4 x68 feet; capacity of hall, 450; store room in the rear, 16x20 feet, and office rooms and smaller apartments on ground floor; rear yard 36x68 feet; building of brick and cement i> located nearly in center of city, Kong Oscar's Gade No, 44.