New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-29
ACROSS THE KARROO.
AFFAIR IN THE DESERT I LOVE TO RIDE

From The illustrated London News
We had already joumeyed seven days from Cape
and Ceres With the VIneyaris and maze aslds and
had now reached the endge Of the desert known as tho
karroo. The site Is marked on the map OF South
Africa as beginning beyond this range OF the great
Zwarte (Black Mountains
The entrance TO the Karroo Is through small gorge
about a quarter Of mile long and twenty yards
vide with abrupt walls Of stone either side, which
Of water had passed out through this gorge from =
lake whose bed is now an arid desert The distance
&c sscb s zoe 6eS miles which We Eos We to
psh In three days. 1t was necessary 10 be careful Of
our four horses, knowing there was no water on tho
Journey for them: We hoped 10 do forty miles the
inst day, aud thirty miles each day of the two
following. We entered the Karroo Poort (Karroo Cato
at sunrise. ard set out on our hazardous journey.
] should state that we had stopped over night at q
last farmhouse the Poort, 10 give our horses
and a good feed and to supply ourselves with forage
for them and water for ourselves, filling every avail.
able vessel with the precious uld our conveyance
light though strongly built Cape cart, occasion COW
eIcd with a canvas hood 10 protect from suns
upon a desert tourney without mingled emotions Of
hope and fear there are many contingencies lying
along those weary roads and roads rendered more
desolae by the bleaching bones OF dean am nal
fatigue and see with dying gaze the keeneyed
vuturcs swOoping from afar :. ....,, ,..,..
every side like bOundless brown sea, silent, soil
tay and vast. As the SIM rose into the sky the
halted could the heat rising from the scoched
plains I'm wavy columns like golden names There 4
safer stlmuant in a torrld land. While the horses
were being Embarrassed and fed, Meadows and
~ camp. and went on again until the day was nearly
dsne--a day that had passed fairly well
There was neither tree nor mountain In sight; moth
ig 10 break the level monotony that stretched as far
a. eye could sec We encamped for the night IN tbs
midst OF this swelling loneliness, and thea perhaps
tie last hour before I'm cutting and gathering
quantity Of brIs wood karroo shrub. the only thing
that grows upon these pIans feed necessary frs
from the wolves ana lachdls which
After supper we put away our tin dishes. replen.
ished big fire, wrapped ourselves IN our rugs, and
lay down with our weapons by our sides and our feet
to the fire.
soon asleep. Meadows and I lay chatting for
time then elapsed into quletness the deep and strange
silence that surrounded broken only by the stir Of
the horses tied 10 the wagonpole. The singular sem
satlon OF lying In this nOsiess desert drove sleep
from my eyes, and lay awake long time after
George Meadows had fallen asleep. suddenly there
came into the dead silence a long. sharp. piercing
cry, answered by another in the opposite direction
equally distant these were the cries Of tackals Then
the bark of a wolf. answered by chorus and
Meadows suddenly rose into sitting position - The
brues cOming.' he exclaimed. Instantly a hum
drcd threats seemed TO be bayng into the darkness
drawing nearer and nearer. until we could see. sur:
rounding Us like a circle Of fire. the sclntillaon Of red
eyes, The scene was now become OF startling
reaity-al about the dense darkness. lighted only.
and in a manner made more perceptible by the rays
Of the glowing buIshwoOd embers in all drec ions
about the glare Of shining eyes and the brutes
came that we could hear the angry snars and
George Meadows rose and threw fresh fuel on tho
fire; The flame that cracked and flashed up brought
into view the shaggy forms of the gray wolves, tho
striped hyenas. behind them. again, the tsckals and
the horses realizing that their deadly enemies were
close at hand gave low whinnies as though calling
upon for protection The MorltZ brothers we're up
and together with ourselves. opened fire upon tho
seemed thckes answered by bowls and cries OF rage
our bullets tore their way into the restless groups
but. as kept brshwOOd fire in good con-
dition. they finally gave up what we feared was
rested and knew no more till the chilly dawn awokc
US when fresh misfortune awaited US In inc con
with water had been kicked over, The bung started
and much Of the contents lost. While the horses
coffee and then. greatly refreshed set out before
the sun was up ourneyng still deeper into me desert
% drive was "a drea pull were oh HeS Ws pa be
Of some animal that had wandered OF the ROAD 10
we had lalted for hours rest and hurried break
fast, went on again. and should have been In
good spirits enough had not horses Injured as they
were begun TO show unmistakable signs of the fatigue
that follows lack of water.
We ourselves had not too much to satisfy tho
needs of four men, and determined TO put our
solves short allowance since the mishap Of the
night before. After the midday "ouspao,' our late
Of theving holiness We were slowly cekkings
along the two drivers of fourlnhand team seated
on the front seat Meadows and on the seat behind,
half asleep the curtain the end of the wagon rolled
up few inches TO permit draught TO pass through.
ana scratching the taibOard. and, looking round
we caught the glimpse OF the nose OF jackal as n
LaShed against the back Of the wagon outside was
sack Of dried salt fish, the odor OF which had aacel
the sharp-scented thieves and which the butes were
to steal and finally succeeded In doina
50 by biting off the lashings. Moru would no. sop
the horses but whipped them up afresh. saying: Let
volverS leaving many OF them dead in the ROAD Do
bnd but having secured the fish they seemed salts.
Gnd a. wv we ' comId see them in the distance fighting
and tearing at each other over the booty .
Night came and all was quiet when we ou.spa nds
f,ba da- BcI
and our covering the dim vault a owe. studded WIN
stars that looked like points of FURNISHED silver stretch
lng far away. .,.
9 and last @ days fy rya E w RSs' dys
dron Of water the night before and We awoke with
thirst that seemed then unbearable put before Ins
bmt a tlifing affair. Everything was Intensified on
that day: the sun seemed herer, me neat geaIe.'
WEE seemcd fo be i9urneving deeper and deeper into
furnace whose fires forbade further approach ana
when we halted foe the MONDAY rect both man ana
beast were utterly exhausted - - ,,,r
No one who has not crossed desert can possibly
W. wator reduces him: the food IS swallowed with
difficulty. and the system is faint with fever, ~hhe
cleving of tie body for It's cool refreshment Mer
our rest SET out again. and the time shR n and
in silence Later loTbng : up saw So'1e'n'ns' ""N
Thank God there IS water ahead see' ne'o
is lake 2 Few mile, OIL .,. ,or tnow
" 4 lake" exclaimed Moritz. Don't you Ano"
what thar -"
What is il, il not lake - demanded s Wo,,,,
mirace-and nothing else" said the ehier ao. ,n.:
\ mirage :" ! cried. why can see me ~ 49,
there a.c the reflections Of the trees ana ueer uA
ing" ~ ,.ho vr,ba.r
. You'll SOC whatn become of your lave Mynngg,.j
and your trees and your deer, as We go, ne ,vP IN
with a short laugh. NO. you'll see no wafer IN
we're ont of the Karroo and az Nerbecks iarn -.
Far away overhead In the brazen SKY was A ' nm
vulture that made one dizzy 10 look az An uoJ
later the Stumbling horses suddenly prlcked up 'her
ears and the leaders neighed. ,.... q,
There is water" said NORTH IN an lnuero"S c,rt
Won IN deceive out YOU eau y
deceive a hOrSe.' . 1000. 80, N a
True enough. I'm short time We came up Ia
nearly dried pool of filthy water little more than mud
as thick As porrdge and as brown As chocolate "a =,
ward which the horses rushed with new energy
was cruel act but pulled up suddenly. ana huvpa
andshis brother leaped 10 the ground and hed tns%%
back while Meadows and | ran forward ana scuXYsJ
mn the liGuld and strained II through handRensnn.
until we had collected large ketleful Then weSyA
spanned and let the horses go, and stood ana NsuS
them as they eagerly licked up the muddy comPgyain
one NAV ask how II this little pool should 10 rs
The road. tracks Of the desert. who're as fsr frow
IaI fall