The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-09-09
EsaLAND's AFRICAN COLONY,
Rich Soil aud salubrtou, cilmuts-w VIVA.
the DOon Say of It
fcn Lo,don Times
tcOr. LOadOn Times


Big things arc done nowadays, and
done unnOtlcOd and unknown. There
are probably not many Of the ordinary
public in England who know that early
IN this good year Of 1885 the Liberal
ministry added to the English empire
a new colony or domain equaling Spain
in area. And yet this was done by a
simple, UNDECIDED proclamation in that
never. read publication, The London
Gazette. This newest colony Of "fec.
huana," or whatever It's ultimate tit Q,
lies in tho heart Of temperate Africa.
Its official limits are the parts Of South
Africa situate west Of the boundary Of
the South African republic; north Of
the colony Of Cape Of Good Hope; east
of the twentieth meridian OF east longi-
tude, and south Of the twenty second
parallel Of south latitude"
1t is situated on the great central
backbone Of Africa. and is, for the most
part, a plateau Of from 1000 to 5000
feet above the sea level, and healthy to
q degree for Europeans. Entering the
district from the south, the general
character Of the country Is that OF opcn
and undulating plains, for the most part
bare Of forest trees, but dotted with
patches Of camel.thorn shrub. This lasts
for about 100 miles, after which the
country becomes pleasantly and at times
densely wooded. except where ii Is
mountainous, as in the neighborhood Of
tho stony towns OF the chiefs Gas.
Seitsi and SiChele. The main cause Of
this absence OF trees lower down is tho
enormous demand for wood created
when tho diamond digginss made him.
herly o popnlous center, using endless
steam engines. 1t is commonly reported
that for ten years every day there en-.
tered Kimberly about 100 wagons, each
carrying on tho average Of twenty trees,
chiefly cut up in these districts.
There Is much good, rich soil, and in
all the bottoms Indian corn, millet end
wheat yield good crops, even under the
rough and ready agriculture OF the m.
tive& CvOr all these plains and hills
there is a capital grass-so much so
that tho BOO-s tell one another 1t is the
best pasture lanl in South Africa, a
fact further evidenced blythe great mum.
bers OF cattle and sheep owned by the
natives Of the parts from time immcmo.
rial, until, in recent years, there has
.een wholesale robbery at tho hands OF
freebooting white men. But although
the Beers among themselves are so con.
WINGED of the excellence of tho country
rs actually to name part Of it after
Goshen, that land OF flesh.pots
and fertility, and to regard the
whole Of the once prosperous native
territories as a Naboth's vine.
yard Of great price, they none
the less sedulously propagate the idea
that the whole country Is valuelesS to
any except the hardest Of Boer farmers,
There are even leading statesmen Of the
Cape Colony mislCd BY these interested
Boer allegations so far as to report OIL.
Cially that the ountry is one Of dry
farms" only, where none but BoOr farm.
ers can make a living.
Water supply is naturally the chief
difficulty, and no doubt along the trade
roads at certain seasons but little water
is to be found OH the surface. River
courses abound, and in most parts good
water is found at . reasonable distance
rom the surface. There is natural
water supply running through the coun.
try at certain seasons Of tho year from
the eastward, but Of this tho BOcr farm.
ers arc well aware, and it is one great
complaint Of the natives that the Beers
on tho Transvaal side have con.
tinually encroachcd on the hCadwaters
Of the rivers on which arc stu.
ated the chief OF the native "plow
lands There arc miles upon miles of
real aud black soil here, with but few
stones or rocks, vt present covered with
rich grasses, and, wherever turned up
by the natives, yielding excellent crops
Of Indian corn, millet, wheat and pump.
kinS. In short, it seems uudoubted
that for agricultural purposes these
great treeleSs plains arc excellent.
lheSe plains have long been the home
Of pastoral farmers, When Europeans
first penetrated hero they found the
natives rich in en- and the plains az.
fording, in addition. ample snstenance
toConntleSs droves Of harteteest, gira9e,
wildObeeSt. Gland and buck Of all kind.
Sheep, goats and cattle all tlourished in
this country. Horses also do well until
they fall victims to the dreaded horse
SicGnUsS."