Rhodesiana 10
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,-.1\:.:. ' "'~ -....,,.... ~, I •1.......'\'. ,f +\. ,,___J i.; t , 1¥-"-.. .. - .... RHODESIANA Publication No. 10 — July, 1964 THE RHODESIANA SOCIETY Salisbury Southern Rhodesia CONTENTS Page THE BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY'S CENTRAL SETTLE MENT FARM, MARANDELLAS, 1907-1910; FROM THE PAPERS OF H. K. SCORROR, EDITED BY R. REYNOLDS 1 LOMAGUNDI, BY C. T. C. TAYLOR 17 SOFALA, BY R. W. DICKINSON 45 OPERATIONS AROUND MPEPO, GERMAN EAST AFRICA, 1917, BY H. A. CRIPWELL 54 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 80 NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS 82 LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE RHODESIANA SOCIETY .. 83 The cover picture is from a drawing by T. Baines, F.R.G.S., of his camp at Deka in 1863. {National Archives) The Rhodesiana Society PATRONS: His Excellency the Hon. Sir Humphrey Gibbs. K.C.M.G., O.B.E., and the Hon. Lady Gibbs. The Society exists to promote Rhodesian historical studies and to encourage research. It also aims to unite all who wish to foster a wider appreciation and knowledge of the history of the Rhodesias. There is no entrance fee; the subscription is £1 1s. Od. ($3.50) a year, and this entitles paid-up members to all issues of Rhodesiana during the year. For further information, or application for membership, please write to: The Honorary Secretary, The Rhodesiana Society, P.O. Box 8268, Causeway, Southern Rhodesia. Committee Members H. A. Cripwell, Chairman M. J. Kimberley, Honorary Secretary E. E. Burke, Editor H. J. Filmer, O.B.E. Col. A. S. Hickman, M.B.E. H. R. G. Howman, M.B.E. R. Isaacson B. W. Lloyd G. H. Tanser R. W. S. Turner Manuscripts will be welcomed by the Editor (P.O. Box 8268, Causeway, Southern Rhodesia); they should preferably be typed in double spacing, and be complete with any illustrations. H. K. Scorror, about 1945 (L. K. S. Wilson) The British South Africa Company's Central Settlement Farm, Marandellas, 1907-1910 From the Papers of H. K. Scorror Edited by R. Reynolds Mr. H. K. Scorror had a very simple filing system. When he had dealt with any communication, he impaled it on a length of fencing wire with a curlicue at the top and a piece of cardboard at the bottom. Although the wire is rusty and the papers foxed and flaking, a "spikeful" of his incoming mail between August 3rd, 1907 and March 5th, 1910, has escaped destruction. It is a happy chance, for his "files" present a vivid, unstudied record of life at a key point and a vital era in the development of Southern Rhodesia. Mr. Scorror was Manager of The British South Africa Company's Central Land Settlement Farm at Marandellas. He had all the problems, not only of a pioneer farmer on a fairly substantial scale, but of a Company employee, semi-civil servant, immigration officer, doctor, veterinarian, banker, trader, agricultural consultant—and guide, philosopher and friend to settlers, all of which duties he carried out conscientiously and with considerable resource and aplomb for a salary of £20 a month. If anything irked Scorror, it was probably the paper-work. On January 14th, 1908, the Director of Land Settlement, Mr. C. D. Wise, wrote: "I shall be pleased if you will send with your monthly report a statement of live stock on hand, showing deaths, sales and increases." On August 21st, a note signed by the Accountant, Commercial Branch, asked him to send in his July stock return "by return of post". On August 13th Wise directed him to send, in addition to his monthly report, a general half-yearly report: "You will also refer to any special improvements which have been carried out, the amount of capital and expenditure, the result of previous improvements effected, increase of cattle, whether the herd under your management have improved or otherwise, referring also to the cross-breeding of cattle, future prospects, and any other matters of interest." On October 23rd, 1909, Scorror was directed to make out his monthly return in duplicate and send one copy to the Commercial Representative in Bulawayo. On November 18th, Wise wrote with dangerous politeness: "I must ask you to be good enough to send in regularly a monthly report of all work done on the farm by the 10th of the following month." To add to Scorror's burdens, "the Local Accountant will send his representative at intervals to go through stock in your charge, check accounts, and labour tickets." On November 16th, 1909, Wise wrote: "Yours re telephone for which I am much obliged. The matter will now be submitted to the Board." It appears probable that Scorror 1 must have asked for a telephone to be installed at the farm—but it must have been a mixed blessing. Notes for a return of stock made in 1908 list 612 cattle, 110 sheep, 78 goats, 28 pigs, 10 mules and a pony, with a total value of £5,373. 10s. A Friesland bull was valued at £40, 4 Africanders at £20 each, cows at £10, heifers at £9, bullocks between two and four years old at £8, and trained oxen at £10. Sheep were valued at £1 each, a boar at £4 and sows between £3 and £4, mules between £5 and £20 and the pony at £10. The principles for developing cattle suitable for local conditions appear in the report of a meeting at Marandellas Hotel on August 25th, 1908, between local farmers, the Native Commissioner and an expert from Britain: "Professor Wallace considers that the country will carry half-bred beasts only. Bulls should be imported from England and the Southern South African colonies, and from these we must breed up , . "Men who have means and suitable land to grow crops to supply green food to dairy cows all the year round can afford to keep pure herds of European milking cattle. Away from milk supply of towns, grow beef from half-bred cattle .... There are several types of Indian cattle. Our northern cattle prob ably came from the same type as the Madagascar cattle. For working purposes Indian cattle would do well here but not for milk. "If we don't go too fast with European blood, we shall get a beast that will stand the climate of this country. How will settlers get cattle if a number come in ? We must import from the North .... The Mashona cow has splendid qualities. Cross these first with Devon, then Africander, then cross with your standard bull. If you already have a good cross-bred bull with not more than half European blood you can use him . ." Scorror got some of his stock from the first farm established by Cecil Rhodes—Premier Estate near Umtali. There was a good deal of competition among Estate Managers and settlers to get hold of good cattle and stick to the best of their herds in the constant moving round of stock. On February 10th, 1908, Wise informed Scorror that he had bought six cows with three calves, and seven heifers at the Central Estates sale. He wrote: "Cows and heifers were the best class of cattle I have seen in the country, and good prices were realised. The heifers were a particularly good lot (the majority in calf) and showed a good deal of Shorthorn blood. Cows were cross-bred Shorthorn, Friesland-x-Shorthorn and some Colonial. Cows averaged about £19 and in-calf heifers £20 .... I think they are good value, but owing to prices ruling, I did not consider it advisable to buy more." A few days later he wrote that he was ordering 30 Friesland heifers and one Friesland bull, "mostly pedigree cattle entered in the herd book". But in the same week, Scorror was ordered to send his "biggest Red Bull", one smaller one, and two heifers to Mr. Aukett at Sinoia. Many cattle were bought from natives (the word was then used unashame dly, and spelt without a capital) and Scorror received cheques to be converted into gold for their purchase. In January, 1908, a Mr. G. A. Burney made a tour of kraals near Umtali to buy cattle and bring them back with a herd from Premier Estate. 2 On his return to Salisbury he sent a list to Scorror and wrote: "You will see that they are very much above what I expected to have to pay—but Hunter whom I met on the way back, said that a White man from Salisbury had been giv ing £10 a head for full-grown bulls." He listed cattle bought at between £1.10s. and £6. 5s., to a total of £56. 12s. The most expensive bull "came with three others— and they asked £15 for it. It took me the whole of one day to get it for £6. 5s.— and they took the other two away. I offered £6 for the last cow on Monday morning and it was not until Wednesday evening that I procured her for £6. 7s." Burney was given careful instructions how to get to Umtali, where he "should put up at the Cecil on Wednesday night and will find the cart at Snod- grass's livery stables" and even more detailed instructions on bringing the cattle back. All the passes and permits had been arranged, and he was told: "Don't run any risks at the Oodzi, it will be better to get well up round the head waters. If you have fine weather this last week and it continues they should make a good start." With unusual deference Wise wrote to ask Scorror if he could "spare" 15 Angoni cows for a Mr.