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 in passing through France, I have seen a woman and a donkey yoked to the plough together which the man was guiding. If this division of labour could exist in a Christian country in the nineteenth century, we must not be too impatient with the Africans. No doubt such drudgery no longer exists in France or elsewhere in Europe in these enlightened days, and we may perhaps hope that the progress of civilisation and of agriculture and commerce may make more rapid strides than heretofore, and have the effect, with the aid of Christianity, of giving women their proper place; and I am sure that the men will never be either Christianised or civilised until this is so. (Hear, hear.) We are much indebted to Dr. Holub for the interesting information he has given on the many points connected with South Africa and its inhabitants, among whom he has dwelt so many years. While as to the extension of commerce and the best mode of approaching Central Africa and making progress by the arts of peace instead of war, all that he has said is deserving of the attention of this Society; and I congratulate Dr. Holub on the effective manner in which he has brought the subject before us. (Cheers.)


 * I have great pleasure in being able to bear testimony to the good work Dr. Holub has done in South Africa, and of the good will he has obtained at the hands of the people, both white and native. I know personally that, although a poor man, he has, through his constant perseverance and exertions, gained his valuable information and experience which is now laid before you. I know that frequently while he has been in South Africa he has been obliged to stay at various towns, and practice as a physician, in order to obtain sufficient money to proceed. It was mentioned just now that it was from his superfluities he was able to do this work; but I can assure you he had a hard task, and had to make the money as a physician, and then with that money go into the interior and come back penniless. I quite concur with Dr. Holub in thinking that the Kalahari Desert is no desert at all. I have been through a portion of it, and it is a plain covered with beautiful grass at certain seasons of the year. There is no doubt that there is water to be found over great portions of it; but the natives are in the habit of closing up any springs that exist, and keeping a few only here and there, so that they may the more readily be able to kill the game when they come to water. Very few Europeans have entered the Kalahari Desert, and little is known of it; but I have no doubt of it myself, that in the future it is the site of valuable sheep farms. Recently the absence of gunpowder among the natives has made a very great