NATAL

[s. 541] : A crown colony of Great Britain in South Africa. miles, Nan-pn-hslen 923 It has an area of 42,000 square now including the Province of Zululand, annexed in 1897, and about 7,000 square miles taken from the Transvaal and annexed in 1903. The population, including the annexed areas (1901), is 985,000, that of Natal, including Zululand, being 925,118. The colony lies to the south of the Transvaal and Portuguese E. Africa, has a coast line on the Indian Ocean of about 350 mi^s, and is bounded south and west by Basutoland and the Griqualand dependencies of Cape Colony. Utrecht and Vryheid, taken from the Transvaal, carry the northern boundary to the Pongola River. The Drackenberg Mountains, from 9,000 to 10,000 feet high, separate it from Basutoland and the Orange River Colony. Pie term a ritz burg, one of the most delightful cities in Africa, Durban, the only port, is 1,000 is the capital. The climate is delightful miles from Cape Town. and invigorating. The temperature ranges from 56° to 82° Fahrenheit. The coast region is semi-tropical, and produces the sugar-cane, pineWool, corn, and apple, banana, and coffee. sugar are the staple products. In the northern districts magnificent coal deposits are found. Hippo All the European cereals are cultivated. potami, monkeys, baboons, and crocodiles are There are abound. Antelopes to be seen. population The many poisonous snakes. consists of whites (English, Dutch, and Germans), Zulus, and Asiatic coolies. The crown is represented by a governor and legislative council of 12 members, including one for Zululand. There are (1901) 626 miles of railway, including a main line from Durban, which connects with the lines to Johannes burg and Pretor i a. may be called civilized, tho there are where the old heathenism may still be seen. The WMS, the UFS, Wesley an Mi ion, the Free Church of Scotland, the Norwegian and Natal sections the Berlin Mi ionary societies, the Herm anns burg Society, the SPG, the ABCFM, and the Roman Catholic Mi ions are each and all doing Mi ion a good work in Natal. The began in 1835, and was the first among the Zulus, who were then a savage people, with a language ABCFM as yet Native Agency unwritten and unknown. The above named societies have 23 stations in Natal, with about 15,000 children in their schools. (descriptive), London, 1887; Ingram F.), Natalia (historical), London, 1897; Robinson (Sir J.), Lifetime in South Africa, London, 1900; Ru ell (R.), Natal, 6th edition, London, 1900; Tyler (J.), Forty Brooks (H.), Natal (J. A Years in Zululand, Boston, 1881. 541