The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-04-26
Waste Places OF tho World.


The Russian explorer, Prejevalsky. said after his
recent journey In northern Thibet that an enormous
amount Of animal life was supported by the acanty
heritage growing on these bleak, haf-sterile plains
that form the highest plateau In the world, some
10000 feet above the sea. He said the wild yaks
there must number millions, and that full-grown
yak weighs from 1000 to 1,s00 pounds. Natures
chemistry evolves those great masses OF flesh from
the poor heritage Off region SO lofty that It's lakes
800 miles nearer the equator than We are
Explorers tel; Us that not only does animal life
abound. but that man can live In some OF the most
desolate parts Of the globe. II Is mistake to sup
waste e MSeh Of i lacks not 80 much cuiivabs
land as industrious hands to make the vast eXpanse
Of wiihered GASES blossom again. The Mussnlman
sect known AZ the Senousians has for years
been digging wells rrigating the land, and turning
Tweniyfour years ago 1t planted Its headquarters in
the desert near the western border OF Egypt, built
reservoirs began plantations. erected converts, and
now population of 5000 people live at Jarabub,
where the soil has been restored to fertility by their
labors. There are large areas In the Sahara that
need only rain or irrigation to cover them with
verdure. Through these regions pass the caravan
routes, along which the 10000 camels engaged in the
Saharan commerce bear their burdens.
Mr.. Anderson, the civil engineer who last year
completed sixteen years OF explorations In south
Africa between the Orange and zambesi Rivers,
says that the rain that fails for few weeks every
year in the grea, region known as the Kalahara des
ert covers the blackened, ycrdureless plain with
splendid vegetation. Game Is abundant there, espe-
cially lions, leopards. and ostrlches, and he has
counted In this desert twenty-five lions in troop,
and has seen two hundred ostriches in one flock
Beasts and birds find sustenance in this region
where only few Bushmen hunterslye. Far north
east of them on the semi-ard eteppes of KordofaD
and Darfur millions OF sheep and camel exist on the
scanty pasturage of that desert region.
The earliest Arctic explorers found In the little
sptzbergen neutrality-suspicious., 1t is believed, no
human being had ever ved-herds OF reindeer up
turning the snow with their noofs and noses TO get
at the lchens on which they fed. Many reindeer
live as far north as Littleon Island. and several
of them were killed by the Hayes and Polarls
expeditions Musk oxen, or their traces, have been
found along the shores OF the great frozen sea as far
north as the explorers have attained. Lockwood,
far north of the supposed limits of animal lie found
traces of this wonderful quadruped. which grows
fat on the tender shoots of the Arctic willow, and
ploughs up the snow for moss and lichens.
OF all parts of the earth the Antarctic regions
alone are comparatively destitute of life. Few
species of living things IN the vegetable or animal
kingdom can endure the rigor of the South Polar
gion. No terrestrial quadruped inhabits the land
within the Antarctic Circle, and whales and seals
are the only mammals that enter It's area. Summer
In the Arctic regions, with Its abundant life on land
and In the air and sea, presents an animated and a
cheerful scene compared with the utter desolation
that reigus perpetually in Antarctic waters.