The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-10-05
Gettiag Water.

When Mr.. David Lindsay returned
from his expedition across part of the
Australian Desert awhile ago, he said the
whole of that almost wsterless country
was inhabited by natives who got their
water supply by draining the roots of the
malice tree, which yield quantities ofpure
water. This tree, absorbing moisture
from the air retains it in considerable
quantities in it's roots and thus makes it
possible to live in an arid region which
would otherwise be uninhabitable.
There are people in other parts of the
world who get their supply of water in q
peculiar way, remarks the New York
SIN. The explorer Coudrea, for instance,
found awhile ago, while wandering
among the Tumuc-Humac Mountains in
the western part of Guiana, that it was
not necessary for his men to descend to a
creek when they wanted drink of water.
A vine known as the water vine is found
all through that region. 1t yields an
abundant supply of excellent drinking
fluid whenever it is called upon. This
vine grows to height of 60 to 80 feet.
1t is usually about as thick as the upper
part of the human arm. It winds itself
loosely around trees. chambers up to their
SUBMITS, and then falls down perpendic-
ularly to the ground, where it takes root
again.
The natives cut this vine off at the
ground, and then, at height of about 6
or 7 feet, they cut it again, which leaves
in their hands very stout piece of wood
little longer than themselves. In order
to obtain its sap they raise the lower end
of the vine upon some support and apply
the upper end to their mouths. The
section of the vine, while showing a
smooth, apparently compact surface, is
pierced with many little vines, through
which the sap flows freely. Six feet of
vine gives about pint of water, which
is slightly sweet to the taste. Condreau
says that it quenches thirst as effectively
as water from the most refreshing brook.
The bushmen in the Kalahari Desert
often live scores of miles from places
where water comes to the surface. Dur
ing certain part of the year storms pass
over the Kalahari, covering the appar-
emily arid region with the brightest OF
verdure and filling, for few short days,
the water courses with roaring torrents.
The bushmen know how to find water by
digging in the bottoms of these dried up
river beds. They dig hole or 4 feet
deep and then tie sponge to the end ol
q hollow reed. The sponge absorbs the
moisture at the bottom of the hole, and
the natives draw it into their mouths
through the reed, and then empty it into
calabashes for future use.
The animals that inhabit such waste:
as the Kalahari. are Of course accustomed
to living upon very small and infrequen
supplies of water. The Bechuana do moi
lead their cattle to the drinking places
otener than once in two or three days
It is said that goats in the Kalahari fire.
quently pass months without water, and
according to Mr.. Mackenzie, there ars
certain antelopes which are never seen tt
visit the drinking places.
In that enormous waste known as tht
Gold Desert, north of China, shower
sometimes fall during the summer, ant
the torrents of the day fill the dried vi
water courses through which the wate
seldom runs. 1t is in these channel
that the Mongols dig their wells, expect
ing to find a little water when upon th'
surface of the plateau itself the soil ha
lost all traces of humidity. It is owinl
to the fact that part of the moisture fall
ing during few rainy days is thus pre-
served within reach, that it is POSSIBLE
for caravans to croas the desert.