A LETTER FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 75

A LETTER FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

Umhlali, Natal, S.A., February 18.

Dear Dot, — I have been reading with interest the Little Folk's Page in the Otago Witness for some considerable time now, and it wouldi be a great pleasure to me if I were allowed to become a. correspondent. The Witness is lent to me by a young New Zealander here, and I do enjoy reading it and looking at the lovely pictures of New Zealand scenery. The liltla folk are lucky to live in such a. beautiful country, and I should like to change places with one of them. There is very little scenery in Natal, as it is mostly hard brown veldt and kopjes. It is summer here now. and is hot, but ths tea and tobacco plants look nice, and will «con l>a ready fox picking. Such a lot of Chinamen have been coming into Durban lately, and the Kaffirs do not like them at all. I go to school every day in a rickshaw, and my school chums and myself generally manage to get a race up between the Kaffir boys who pull us, andt it is great fun. There is such a lot of fruit about our place now that we don't know what to do with it. and we had stich a splendid season for oranges, grapes, bananas, pineapples, and most of them are lying on the ground rotting. Some of iis went to the beach the other day for a picnic, but we did rot have a very pleasant time, as it was so hot and windy, Dear Dot, do you think that it would interest tho little folk if I werb to tell them about the customs of the ZuUis and Pondos the next time I write? People coming into the- countiy for the first time nearly always seem to be curious to know about the natives and their habits. I s>rn going down to Durban next week to stay with some girl friends, and I have been promised r, lively time. I have taken the nom. de plume "intombi," which, in the Zulu language, means a young girl. I have no more to say this time. Dot. excepl best wishes to yourself and

the L.F.— Yours truly,

INTOIvIB!

[I am sure the L.F. will receive this particular young girl with open arms, and I hope we shall receive letters from her for many a long day. Yes, Intombi, we will all be greatly interested in learning something of the habits of the Zulus and Poudos. I hope you will see the Witness with your letter in.— DOT.]