5 3

Red " 9 5 3

M. Van Renen, whom we found on the premises, after exhibiting the
different wines, took us over the place, and showed us a collection of
the different aborigines of South Africa, in statuary. There were
Kaffirs, Hottentots, Fingoes, Betjouanas, and Boschmen. M. V. deprecated
the abolition of slavery as a great injury to the agriculturists and
vine-growers of the colony. They can get no one to perform any
continuous labor, and whilst at one time his establishment kept eighty
able-bodied men at work, would find it difficult to get three now whom
they could depend upon. Living in a climate where clothing beyond the
demands of decency is scarcely needed, and where the products of labor
for two days will support the careless negro for one week, naturally
improvident, he takes no heed for the morrow, and becomes lazy, idle,
and intemperate; and when he can be persuaded to work, with the prospect
of high wages, wherewith to purchase that necessary stimulus which has
already nearly deprived him of his capacities, as soon as he can obtain
them he rushes to the grog shop, from whence he may not be expected to
return until his wants compel him again to his intermittent labor.

The colonists, especially the agricultural part of them, complain
bitterly of hasty legislation in depriving them of slave labor. They had
offered to submit to a gradual manumission, so that by degrees they
might be able to supply the place of the negro operatives, but the
English government would set them free at once, and the result has been
injurious to the freedman and ruinous to the farmer. Was told that land
could be purchased about Constantia at the low rate of _one shilling the
acre_, altogether owing to the inability to procure labor to cultivate
it; and to bring about this state of things here and elsewhere, some
L20,060,000 was expended!

Returning from Constantia, our spanking team of four well proportioned
iron grays, attracted considerable attention. It ought to have, for the
expense of its hire was two pounds ten shillings. Stopped at the "Crown
Inn," upon the road, for refreshments, and on handing a ragged little
urchin a shilling for his voluntary service of standing at the door of
our barouche, on starting off were saluted by a hiss for our generosity.
A greater _douceur_ was expected from the drivers of such a magnificent
turnout.

The road, a greater