1 Portlock
2 nr Graaff Reinet
3 Cape of Good Hope
4 Jan 7 / 11
5
6 Dear old Edward
7
8 It's born in on me I must write to you, though why I don't know. I'm
9staying on a farm high up among the mountains fifteen miles from the
10nearest railway station, to escape the great heat at de Aar for a
11couple of months. Its much cooler here, & I'm able to work a little. I
12wonder if you are writing anything. Write & tell me about yourself &
13all the dear friends. You'd like this place, it's so peaceful. A
14little lonely - but all places in Africa are that. Just as in England
15one would be if one slipped out of the 20th century into the 17th.
16
17 We are just about 200 years behind the times, & as far as the natives
18& Indians go & our treatment of the them we are in the dark ages. Our
19"labour" members here (fine labour members!) have only one idea, to
20crush & keep down the native. They want to pass laws to prevent any
21coloured person from being allowed to do skilled labour, & they would
22like by law to limit their wages!!
23
24 How is dear Isabella Ford? And Bob? And George Adams? If the spirit
25ever moves me drop me a line. I have a little book on the woman
26question coming out soon. I'll send you a copy. It's nothing much &
27that terrible man Unwin is I believe going to bring it out from the
28rough proofs I sent without waiting for my corrections in which case
29it will be absolute nonsense!
30
31Send me anything you write.
32
33 I shall be here for a couple of months longer. I am boarding with the
34people of this farm; dear folk with three nice little children, but
35its a bit lonesome at times.
36
37 Yours ever
38 Olive
39