Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1875-01-14
Seas Of Grass.

Our western prairies, stretching as far
ss the eye Gan reach, and with: ;.,:
till grass moving with q waYe-like mo-
tion in tho wind, have often been com
pared to seas. But our prairieB do not.
deserve the name of seas of grass as
well as do the great llanos, or grass
plains, of South America.
The llanos of. Venezula OCCUPY an
area which Humboldt estimated at $685.
600 squire mileH-a space equal to ttihntt
occupied by tho state of Maine, New
Hampshire. Vermont, Massachusetts,,
Rhode Island, Connecticut, Now York
aud Pennsylvania. These immense
plains are as flat as the surface of sen
in calm, and the whole weary level is
covered with tall, rank grass.
We are fold that one might travel
over this dead plain for over eleven
hundred miles, from tho delta Of the
Orinoco river to the foot of the Andes
of Paste, and not encounter an emi-
hence one foot in height. Yet there
really is ono slight inequality. This is
called n mesa, and is gentle knoll
swelling very gradually to mn elevate. II
of a few yards. This slight elevation,
rising 80 gradually that the eye does
not perceive it, is tho watershed which
divides the water that falls during the
rainy season, sending a part to the
southeast to feed the Orinoco,i and a
part to the northwest to feed the
streams flowing to the north.
During the rainy season, from April
to the end of October, the great seas of
grass become seas of shallow water.
The tropical rains pour down in torrents,
and the swollen rivers overflow, their
low bhnks, sending their floods over
hundreds of square miles of the vast
plain. Great numbers of horses and
cattle, which have not been able to es-
cape to the slight elevation of the mesa
or waters shed, are drowned. When the
waters subside, leaving behind rich,
fertilizing sediment, the great plains
become beautiful with the tall, flower
ing grasses of the South American
plains, while in the neighborhoodof of the
rivers n few fan.palm trees wave their
broad leaves, and delicate mimoaas, or
sensitive plants, skirt the river shores.
This is the period during which the,
llanos deserve their name OF eeas Of
grass. Later in the season, when the,
thirsty earth and heated mir have sue
ceeded in drinking up the last remains,
of the overflow of water, the llaros
might be, called the seas of dust, for
the grass has been burnt to powder by,
the intense edry heat, and the air isl
filled withdust raised, says Mangim, in
his "Descrt World, by currents caused
by local differences Of temperature,
even when there is no wind. The dnst.
thus moved in sitting wavesis sometimes
still farther agitated by opposing winds.
When these meet, the dust and sand are.
caught up into enormous pillars, with
broad tops spreading out like inverted
pyramids, which whirl through the hot
mir like the sand-spouts Of tho Saharan
Desert, or tho water.spouts Of the
ocean.
The poor animals, which during the
rainy eeason were in such peril OF drown
ing, arc now, after short period Of hap
piness, exposed to equal danger aud
worse pain, from tho dry waves of dust
and an agonizing thirst. How eagerly,
then, they listen for tho distant thnder,
heralding tho welcome, life-restoring
rain! 1t comes and for awhile, before
the floods reach thoir height, the vast
plains, covered with verduro and fnr-
.r,ishing food for thousands of hanpy
animals, become again tho gentIo .way-
ing seas of grass.
You have pleasant home and n
bright fire'side, with happy children
sitting around it, haven't you p said
the judge. eyes, sir" said Mr.. Thomp.
son, who thought lie saw way out of
the difficulty. "Well," said the iudpe.
"if the happy children sit aroun tho
cheerful fireside until you return. they
will stay there just 43 days, as I shall
have to send you up for that time. -"
Gin. Times.
APPLY THE REMEDY. 1T appears that
we need no longer be tormented with
liver, kidney, bladder, and glandular
diseases, mental and physical debil-
ity, partial paralysis, infammatory and
chronic rheumatism, dyspepsia aud NOR.