Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-11-03

III thc bfIncn JOINS Win auOtner ana
loses ITS identity, as New Years vley"
"a strong stream, wan Wyck's vlcy"
and others.
a ''laagtc" again Is different and Is
one Of the distinctive formations OF
South Africa. due TO the clear cut dis
tinction between the dry and wet sea-
Sous. \ lasgte Is properly Il wide and
comparatively shallow depression drop
ping suddenly from the prevailing coun-
try level. Ii is full of pitfalls, and woe
betidc the foreign general who shull
try TO push cavalry or big guns across
In the face of farmers" occupying the
opposite built" The bot,l'r land Is,
when dry, well graSsed turf of rich
mold. no one can say how deep. often
two miles or more wide and running
20 to 30 miles, mostly level as Il billiard
board. but with gentle tilt sufficient
to let the water run. ElandSlaagte Is
good example. These fiat bottoms
are dotted all over with deep water
den from the iuCautious hOrseman by
the long grass. These swarm with
fish, although they are totally discon-
ncctcd from each other and may he
miles from any river. During the wet
season, however, the floor OF n laAgte
will become gently flowing sheet Of
shallow rain water. and through this
medium the fish OF the river with
which the laagte finally connects will
sllthcr along over the grass to and
from these curious cyfer gaten.
The appointments Of the great South
African OK wagon are sure to he refer
red to. or these the great frelghters
(thc box waCcn'D run to ns much as
20 feet long by II between the wheels
and ARE drawn by II. Ii or IS bullocks,
"Spanned" in pairs. "lnspanninG" and
"outspAnnIps" are the acts OF hitching
up and lOoSing these animals from the
yoke. Each on IS hnrneSSed thus: Aft
er the span have been "reined" and
ranged along the "touw" the end OF n
yoke Is laid upon the animals neck,
and as there are two stout pieces of
wood thrust through holes in the end
OF the yoke these clip his neck In a
fork. They are the "yokeskeys." A
short, twisted coupler OF rawhlde
Called the "Strop"b connects up the
under ends of the keys" and then It
Is q clever beast who can wNgglc out
of that simple device. The "rcims''
with which the oxen have been caught
are around their horns, and as each
pair are "yCkcd" the operator seIzes
! their two reilns and. allowing a play
OF about three feet TO the right hand
OK. lays up the slack crlsscross around
! the horns OF the other, and there you
| have the entire harness OF the "treck.
! oss" These "rclms" are inch wide
strips Of awhIdc slightly softened by
twisting and run from seven to ten
feet In length. They are very strong.
TIE "yokes" are fastened along a
carefully laid up cable of rawhlde
strands, which Is called the "treck
tol0 eve beg to repeat that the sound
, Of this word warrants the "ck" instead
| OF the conventional "k'D. but some.
tines European made chain Is used
| instead K the native "touw," and then
/ the Boev VII speak Of 1t as his "trec;
/ keteng
Each TG.! of oxen are given n clcar
nine feet CT touw, and ns the "lissel
boom twascn polrI of stout Iron
wood or "asssgal," wild pear" OF
'sueeze wool' Ia 10 to l. feet the
| 9 cfrif In fpnr,F rF N al NO .nf
streams Ont ai least so feet from
where the driver sits upon the "wnger
kist," deity handling his great whip
consisting OF bamboo stock" 10 feet
long carrying q hide thong and biting
"yoor Stag scmc Is TO 80 feet more
In ftopt of oil this snakelke outfit
walks the "voor looper," leading the
front pair by their yeims, which be has
So hitched II loop that he can hold
II and walk before them out Of horns
reach. Then "Haws yehr' yells the
driver, with smack OF his whip as
loud Us rifle shot, and the great
tre!ghter begins its steady crawl.
One more word Should an exception
ally heavy piece Of road develop or m
OK prove more than usually recalci
trant the "aciter oss sjnmbok" (sham
bokl Ia pulled ont. This ia strip OF
rhinoceros or hippopotamus hide ar
inch TO one ana n half inches square
in It's native condition, but roughly tn
pered for tlagellatory purposes ant
from four TO six feet in length. III.
very sight OF this implement puts mucl
power into the backbone OF every wei
trained and intelligent bullock, for t
strong hand can lay open his ribs with
II, be his hide never SO thick and eGs.
| hardened