at we should make our fortunes or at any rate do very well as millers。 Whether this anticipation would or would not have been realised is more than I can tell； as we did not keep the farm long enough to learn。 As a matter of fact； however； it was a risky business to import expensive machinery into a place that was not accustomed to machinery； since it involved the employment of an engineer and long and costly delays if anything went wrong with the parts of the apparatus。
Still our efforts were by no means confined to this mill。 Thus we started the making of bricks； for which there was a good market in Newcastle。 I used to labour at this business； and very hard work it was。 Our energy； I remember； astonished the neighbourhood so much that Natal Boers used to ride from quite a distance to see two white farmers actually working with their own hands。 One of the curses of South Africa is； or used to be； the universal habit of relegating all manual toil； or as much of it as possible； to Kaffirs； with the result that it came to be looked upon as a more or less degrading occupation only fit for black men。11 Such； however； was the Dutch habit。 The Boer’s idea was to sit on the stoep of his house and grow rich by the natural increase of his flocks and herds； only cultivating sufficient land to provide his family with mealies and the other fruits of the earth。 This system； it must be admitted； had its merits in a country where time was of no object and where land was so plentiful that every son could in due course be acmodated with a farm of 3000 morgen。
11 From Mr。 Dawson’s work on South Africa （pp。 269 and 343）； published in 1925； it seems this trouble still exists。 — Ed。
Besides our milling and brick…making we were the first to farm ostriches in that part of Natal。 In my experience the ostrich is an extremely troublesome bird。 To begin with he hunts you and knocks you down。 One of ours gave Cochrane a frightful drubbing； and through a pair of opera glasses I saw an unfortunate Kaffir barely escape with his life from its attentions by going to earth in an ant…bear hole like a hunted jackal。 Of course the ostrich could not follow him into the hole； but it stood sentry at its mouth waiting for him to e out again。 When attacked by an ostrich the only thing to do is to lie down quite flat。 In this position it cannot strike you with its bludgeon…like foot； nor is its beak adapted to pecking； though it can and does dance and roll upon you and sit upon your head as though it were an egg which it wished to hatch。
These birds； so ferocious with human beings； are terribly afraid of dogs。 I think that we lost two of ours through the visitation of wandering hounds at night that set them running furiously till they broke their necks in the wire fences。 Its own voracity brought another to its end： for they will pick up pocket…knives or anything that attracts them。 This fowl managed to swallow a huge sharp…pointed bone which fixed itself across the gullet in such a position that it would go neither up nor down。 There was only one thing to be done — operate。 So we operated； with a razor and without an anaesthetic。 I only hope that such another job may never fall to my lot； for that ostrich was unmonly strong and resented our surgical aid。 However； we got the bone out and the creature recovered。 Imagine our horror when； a few weeks later； it appeared with another bone immovably planted in exactly the same place！ This time we left it to fate； by which it was speedily overtaken。
Besides the ostriches we had a number of draught oxen and some waggons。 Out of these we did very well； as we hired them to Government for transport purposes； though from these trips they returned dreadfully footsore and poor。 But cattle also had their risks。 Thus I remember our investing several hardly earned hundreds of pounds in a bunch of trek oxen； which we sent down to the bush…veld to recover。 A month or two later came a message from the man who had taken them in； to the effect that they were all dead of eating a poisonous herb called “tulip。” We often wondered if “tulip” really accounted for their disappearance from our ken。
Also we made hay； rather a new departure in that district in our time； where the cattle were left to get through the winter as best they could。 This hay…making was a profitable business； as the product was in eager demand at a high price。 I remember selling the result of about a month of my own work for 250 pounds； and never in all my life have I been prouder of anything than I was of earning that money； literally with my hands and by the sweat of my brow。
This was the process — one that would make my English steward and labourers stare。 Indeed； when I tell the former of it； he listens politely but； I am quite sure； in his heart believes that for his benefit I have wandered into the familiar fields of fiction。 We had imported a hay…cutting machine； I believe one of the first seen in those parts。 Having selected a patch of level veld on which to operate； and harnessed； I think； three horses to the machine； I would start out in the dewy morning； at sunrise； with a Kaffir leader。 Then we menced operations。 I sat on that dreadful apparatus and managed the levers and knives； the Kaffir led the horses。 The grass was thick and plentiful； so thick indeed that it was difficult to see stones and ant…bear holes。 The former must be avoided by sudden and Herculean efforts； or the knives would be shattered。 As for the latter； occasionally we went into them to the depth of two feet or so； and then the trouble was to prevent myself from being thrown on to the knives。
Altogether grass…cutting had its dangers； though； as it happened； I never came to any serious harm。 After the hay was once mown the rest was paratively simple。 We invented a gigantic rake； to which we attached two mules or horses； and by this means； after it had lain for a day or so in the sun to dry — for we never attempted to turn it — dragged the hay into enormous cocks； since the building of a regular stack was beyond our resources。 These cocks we covered with cloths； or anything we could get； and when they had settled and sweetened by the generated heat； we sold them to the purchasers； usually missariat officers who carted them away。 I suppose they were satisfied with the stuff； as they always came back for more。 Or perhaps they could get nothing else。
Further； we grew mealies or Indian corn； but here the trouble was that stray cattle and horses would break in at night and eat them。
Such is a rough outline of our various agricultural and other operations on the Rooipoint farm。 Personally they form my pleasantest recollections of the place； though； were I to start again； I would not have so many irons in the fire。 On the whole we made a good deal of money； though our outgoings and losses were also heavy。 To farm successfully in Natal requires； or required； much capital and； owing to the poor quality of the Kaffir labour； incessant personal supervision。 These Kaffirs； however； who were most of them our tenants； were in many ways our best friends； moreover they afforded us constant amusement when they were not engaged in driving us mad by their carelessness。
I remember one of them brea