From the early 1860s until 1911 thousands of Indians were recruited to work on the farms of Natal. During the same period many others came to South Africa as immigrants seeking opportunities as traders or craftsmen. The Indian community in South Africa today owes its presence in the country largely to those Indians who decided to make South Africa their home. This study traces the movements of these settlers in the face of increasing hostility from whites and the harsh and unfamiliar conditions under which they had to live.