Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1900-03-29
THE KARoo COUNTRY.
Life In he Cherries Seldts % tie
TranSvaaI Is Extremely
MonotOaaas

Mon1A0G-ti-A
The upper portion Of pelC6lony Is
known as the "Karoo." From the coast,
where the vegetation is luxuriant, the
land gradually rises toward the in
terror until, far inland at the altitude
Of nearly 1000 feet, the Karoo country
begins.
The farther away from the coast, the
barer and more stony the soil becomes,
and the aspect of the sad-coloredE Ecldt,
broken here and there by chains of low,
stony kopjes, is mournful in the ex-
treme. For the newly arrived "uit-
lander" 1t is depressing indeed to view
these regions of infinite fatness and
infinite space, where loneliness and
silence reign supreme.
October is the month Of spring in
the Karoo. Heavy rains fall, and for a
few weeks the face of The land is green
and pleasant to look upon; but with
the scorching days of summer the
grass withers fast, and the veldt soon
resumes its normal desert-flSe appear
ance. Great herds of sheep and geFaau
pasture on q small, dry-looling bush,
which grows sparsely amid the sand
and stones. Strangely enough, they
thrive upon it, and the floeks of the
more progressive farmers, who import
prize stock from time to time, are
as fine as any in the more fertile pas
lures of lower Cape Colony.
To a woman uitlander, accustomed to
life, In England or america, existence
in Karoo village presents few duties
and fewer pleasures to break the mo-
notony of the wearisome days. After
q week of rain, when the sun is shining
once more, Catherine NJ r,o;Stu-a
from the soaked earth ~ misty clouds,
a drive out into the -eIdt - fun Of IN
terest. Then the EaroO teens With
life that is hidden Deneath the ground
in hot, dry weather. Meerkats run out
of their holes and sit up on their hind
legs, white bushy tails wave nervously,
and the beady little eyes keep vigiIant
watch. Snail tortoises scuttle BY, and
perhaps IN tire distance a family Of
korhaan may he detected by their
harsh, deep croalS, beautifully plu1ned
birds as large IS glnnea-foyyl. vith
feathers of reddish brown ard blue.
gray.
Some parts of the veldt are scat tsere
with huge ant-hills three or four feet
high, made by colonies of large black :
ants. Beers as wei as Kaffirs use these
ant-hills as ovens for cooking. when
camping out in the veldt. 1t is easy TO
start a fire at the bottom with Jew
sticks, and when once alight, n Hill piu
burn slowly and evenly for some hours.
The earth of which these mounds arc
composed is very friable, and is sa5u-
rated with some substance by the ant
builders, which makes ii easily COM
bustible.
After rain. flowers spring up eyorv-
where. Brilliant scarlet lilies abound.
branching from single bare stalk that
rises out of the stony ground, with
ten or q dozen lovely blossoms at its
head. Another curious lily rests fat
ly on the earth, and consists Of two
round, white, feshy leaves with a
small golden center. The Bocrs have
little love for flowers; but the exile
from fertile land delights to cultivate
the tiny patch of ground belonging to
bis house in the little Boer village.
With Kaflir boy as assistant gardener,
md with reckless disregard for the
;cant resources of the backyard well,
{ is possible TO make the land blossom
Ike the rose, even amidst the stony
yilds of the Karoos