, 1904-04-15

~ ZIG S0iNSiiS1ClS NlCuIikdlIsSp ~
fords Moisture When All the Plains
Around Are seorched.
During the past season a large part
Of Cape Colony has suffered from a Sc
we're drought. The poorly nourished
cattle have looked pinched, the grass
has turned yellow and the crops have
been a partial failure.
In the midst of the parched re-
gions, however, there has been a long
ribbon Of green. where oats, wheat
n tobacco rave yielded great crops
and the farmers are happy, though
they have not had an inch more rain
than their less fortunate neighbors.
Their prosperity is due to a very re-
markable river.
The Klipplaat in Eastern Cape Col
ony is a friend in need when all the
other streams may be as dry as a
bone; aud the curious feature about it
Is that the Klipplaat itself has a hope
less aspect most of the time. with only
a little puddle of water here and there
In the lower parts of it's bed.
Suppose we had stood on the bank
of the Klipplaat in December last, the
summer eason in Cape Colony-the
sky was braZen all the days of that
month-and we should have seen only
the dry bottom of The river, with a
mudhole here and there to relieve the
monotony.
But if we happened to be there at
the right time we should suddenly
have observed a great stir among tho
farmers and have heard excited shouts
from farm to farm carrying the news
that had just come in a telegram from
far up the river. The telegram was
only five words long, but it brought
Joy and hustle and eager anticipation
to every soul The message read:
THE river is coming down"
1t would be hours before the arrival
OF the travelling waters, but every
minute was full of work for all hands.
The pumps were to be rugged, every
c!od of dirt in the bitches thai would
impede a free flow was to be crushed,
and busy spades were preparing the
land for q thorough flooding; and the
children were on the banks pricking
up their ears to catch the first faint
sound announcing the approach Of the
coming flood.
At length we could see the river
tumbling along with a rush and a roar,
and in twenty minutes the dry channel
would be filled to the top of the banks;
and soon, where all was dry a little be-
fore, the life-giving water would be
glistening in all the bitches under the
bright sunshine. All nature rejoiced
under the transformation and the
sheep and cattle were scarcely less
happy han the men and women.
A day later the channel would be
dry again, but all tho water that could
be utilized by plant and animal life
for two or three weeks would be
stored in the soil and wells. Then
would come another torrent and every
body would bend again to the task of
utilizing 1t to the utmost.
So it went on all summer. The
cattle and sheep were fat, the oats
were waist high n the tobacco leaf
was broad and of excellent quality.
The phenomenon is easily explained.
No matter how parche4 and sere South
Africa may be. the D~rakensberg noun
tains Of the east, catching the moisture
laden winds from the Indian ocean.
have always plenty OF rain.
The little KlipplIat rises among the
foothills of the higher Drakensberg,
where the largest water supply is
maintained. Snow frequently falls az
these higher attitudes, and is melted
by the successive rains, swelling the
water supply.
The Klipplaat is the only river that
enjoys these advantages to the full
and the merry torrent it sends down
every few weeks maintains Il belt q!
luxurious verdure 10 matter how dry
the surrounding country may be. 60
the Klipplaat is regarded as an IN
mixed blessing and the most remarl;
able river in South Africa.