The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-22
LIFE IN m n
Some Peculiarities OF the Upper Portion ef
Cape Colony.
From The Youths Companion.
- --Ar n--xl-a - T.-. DAlz-.. n

From He Youths Companion.
The upper portion of Cape Colony is known
as the "Karoo." From the coast. where the
vegetation Is luxuriant. the land gradually
rises toward the interior until. far inland at
the latitude OF nearly 1900 feet, the Karoo
country begins.
The further away from the coast, the barer
and more stony the soil becomes, and the aspect
Of the sad-colored veldt, broken here and there
by chains Of low, stony kopjes, Is mournful In
the extreme. For tho newly arrived "Uitander''
it is depressing indeed to view these regions
Of infinite ~latness 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 short 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-like appear
ance. Great herds Of sheep and goats assure
on a small. dry-looking bush, which grows
sparsely amid the sand and stones. Strangely
enough, they thrive upon II, and the locks Of
the more progressive farmers, who import
prize stock from time to tine are as ine as any
In the more fertile pastures Of lower Cape
Colony.
TO a woman Uitlander. accustomed to life
in England or america, existence In a karOo
village presents few duties and fewer pleasures
10 break the monotony OF the wearisome days.
Alter a week OF ram, when the sun Is shining
once more, gathering up moisture from the
soaked earth in misty clouds. a drive out into
the veldt Is full Of interest Then the Karoo
teens with life that is hidden beneath the
ground in hot, dry weather. Meerkats run out
Of their holes and sit up on their hind legs. while
their bushy tails wave nervously and their
beady little eyes keep vigilant watch. Small
tor,oises scuttle by, and perhaps in the distance
a family of kOrhaan may be detected by their
harsh, deep croak. beautifully plumaged birds
as large as guinea fowl. with feathers Of red
dish browns and blue gray.
Some parts Of the yeldt are scattered viii
huge ant hills. three or four feet high. made BY
colonies OF large black ants, Beers as well as
Kafflrs Use these ant hills as ovens for cooking
when amplng out In the veldt. II Ia easy 10
start a fire at the bottom with q few sticks. and
when once alight a hill will burn slowly and
evenly for some hours. The earth OF which
these mounds are composed Is very frlable,
and Is saturated with SOME substance by the
ant builders which makes IL combustibl5.
After rain nowers spring up everywhere.
Brilliant scarlet lilies abound, branching from
a single bare stalk that rises out Of the stony
ground, with ten or n dozen lovely blossoms
at its head. Another curious lily rests fatty
on the earth, and consists Of two round, white.
ieshy leaves, with q small golden centre. The
Boers have little love for flowers. but the exile
from a fertile land delights to cultivate the tiny
patch OF ground belonging 10 his house In the
little Boer village. With a Kaf1r boy as assist
ant gardener, and with q reckless disregard
Tor the soant resources Of the back yard well,
IL Is possible TO make the land blossom like the
rose, even Amid the stony Wild u the Karoo.