The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-18
LIFE on THE KARov.
Some peculiarities Of the Upper Por-
ton of Cape Colony.

Some Peculiarities Of the Upper Por-
ton Of Cape Colony.
The upper portion Of Cape Colony is
known az the "karoo." From the
coast. where the vegetation is luxur-
liant. the land rises toward the Interior
until. far inland at the altitude Of near
ly 1000 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. IL mournful in the ex-
treme For the newly arrived "Uit-
lander Il - depressing indeed ia view
these regions Of Infinite natness and In
Unite space. where loneliness and si-
lence reign supreme.
October ~ 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 90 look upon; but
with the scorching days Of summer the
grass withers fast. and the veldt soon
resumes it, normal desert-like appear
ance. Great herds OF sheep and goats
pasture ON a small, dry-looking bush,
which grows sparsely amid the sand
and stones Strangely enough they
thrive upon u. and the flocks Of the
more progressive farmers. who import
prize stock from time to time are as
/ fine ms any In the more fertile pastures
uf lower cape Colony.
/ To "a woman Uitlander. accustomed 10
life In England or America, existence
I'm "a karoo village presents few duties
and fewer pleasures TO break the mon
otony OF the wearisome days. After n
week OF rain. when the sun IL shining
,once more. gathering up moisture from
the soaked earth In misty clouds. 4
drive out into the vcldt Is interesting
Then the Karoo teens with life that Is
T.. N..N H.
weather. Meerkats run out OF Their
holes and sit on their hind legs. Will
their bushy tails wave nervOusly ane
their beady little eyes keep n vigilani
watch. Small tOrtoises scuttle by, and
perhaps In the distance a family o.
korhaan may be detected by theil
harsh. deep Croak. beautifully piumag
ed birds ms large "a n guinea fowl, will
feathers 90 reddish brown and blu
gray.
, Some parts of the veldt are scatter
, ed with huge ant hills. three or fou
. feet high. made by colonies of blacl
= ants Beers. as well as Kaffirs Us
q these ant hills as ovens for cooking
= when camping out In the veldt. IL
I easy TO start n Gre at the bottom witt
: a few sticks, and when once alight
l hill viii burn slowly and evenly 10
Z some houfs The earth OF which thes
= mounds are composed Is very friabls
4 and Is saturated by some substance b
!, the ant builders which makes Il com
( bustlble.
4 After rain flowers spring up every
J. where. Brilliant scarlet lilies abound
n branching from n single bare stalk tina
q rises out OF the stony ground, with &c
J. Tor dozen lovely blossoms at it's hea,
y Another curious lily rests fatty on III
10 earth. and consists OF two round. viii,
neshy leaves. with a small golden Ger
a ter. The Beers have little love Il
4 flowers. but the exile from a ferti
u land delights 20 cultivate the tiny pate
Ia 81 ground belonging 20 his house In IN
,r little Bocr village. With n Kafir be
l. as assistant gardener. and with n reel
p less disregard FOR the scant resourc,
T. 20 the back yard well. u is pOssib
y. To- make the land blossom like the ros
81 even amid the stony wilds OF q
h. i<aroo Youths Companion