Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 17.djvu/252

Rh 240 NATAL euphorbia, and mimosa. For some 30 miles farther inland the more elevated but less broken land loses all tropical character, and presents large tracts of good pasturage, but vith scarcely any bush or wood. Beyond this district, at an ever-increasing elevation, the country, still hilly and undulating, opens out in many places into more extensive grass plains, generally denuded of bush or wood, although in some localities and in the &quot; kloofs &quot; with a south-eastern aspect are dense clumps of forest trees netted over in many instances with ferns ; the western boundary of these rising lands is the Drakensberg mountain-range, which has an altitude of some 3000 or 4000 feet above the country at its base, and an absolute maximum altitude of 10,350 feet above sea-level. Apart from the Drakensberg range, the country, though hilly and much broken, has no mountains of note ; many large hills, however, with flattened tops (table mountains) stand out singularly high GRIQUA LAND EAST Map of Natal. above the surrounding country, presenting a peculiar ap pearance to one unaccustomed to South-African scenery. The colony is well watered throughout, but none of the streams are navigable, and all have bars at their entrances ; attempts are being made to form harbours at the mouths of the Umkomanzi and the Umzimkulu to the south of Durban. The Umgeni, about 12 miles from Pietermaritz- burg, has a sheer fall of about 360 feet, and when it is flooded the rush of its waters is a magnificent spectacle. The harbour or port of Natal at Durban (strictly D Urban), the only natural one in the colony, consists of an outer bay or roadstead, which has a fair anchorage, and an inner bay ; at the entrance of the latter is a deepwater channel, where ships of large tonnage can be safely moored, but a sand bar at its entrance restricts the passage of large ships to the highest tides, and in rough weather renders communication with the outer bay quite impracticable. This bar varies constantly throughout the year, and prob ably is influenced by the Agulhas stream and other oceanic currents. Much money has been spent on works for the removal of the bar, without any good result, but other plans are now being adopted, with every hope of success. When this obstacle is removed Natal will possess one of the best harbours on the south-east coast of Africa. Climate. The summer or hot rainy season lasts from October to March inclusive, and the six remaining months form the winter or cold dry season. The following are the average temperatures for the three hottest and three coldest months of the year, taken from observations at Durban, Pietermaritzburg, and Byrne extending over ten years : Highest. Lowest. Mean. December, January, and February 97 5 53 - 3 71 2 June, July, and August 83 4 31 9 567 In the summer months cloudy afternoons with thunder storms are frequent, and the accompanying rains are very cool and refreshing. Within 30 miles of the coast fires in dwellings are seldom required throughout the coldest months of the year. The rainfall averages 33 50 inches ; it is heaviest in the summer months, but in June and July it frequently happens that there is no rain at all over a large portion of the colony. From July to December the upper districts are occasionally subject to hot winds, during which all vegetation droops as if dying, and languor and depression affect all animal life; but these seldom reach to within 20 miles of the coast. Violent hailstorms are not frequent, but hailstones have occasionally killed fowls, dogs, and goats, and in some instances have cut through iron roofing. Geology. Along the coast belt there are evidences of comparatively recent upheaval. The high land of the colony rests on granite, trap, and sandstone, the last of the Old Silurian type. Sandstone of a more recent epoch, well suited for building purposes, is sometimes met with. As a rule these fundamental rocks are found under thick beds of shale, the surface being of the most varied descrip tion, and never of the same quality over any very extensive area. The soil on the coast is mostly sandy loam, except where the valleys have alluvial deposits from disintegrated shales and erupted rocks. In the uplands the deep light, heavy black, and fine red loams are distributed over beds of clay, ironstone, or granite in areas of varying extent. Ironstone is to be met with in great quantities. Coal of several qualities exists in the Klip River county, with seams varying from 4 to 10 feet in thickness; analysis and experiment have shown it to be very suitable for loco motive and general steam purposes. Some descriptions of it are well suited for gas, and nearly all of it will make good household coal. The area of the available coal-field is some 1350 square miles, and at a moderate computation the mines contain 2,000,000,000 tons of serviceable coal. In association with these seams of coal very valuable iron ore has been discovered. Vast deposits of fine white and yellow crystalline marbles have recently been found about 6 miles inland from the mouth of the Umzimkulu river. Slight indications of copper have been met with. In the extreme north are some mineral springs which have a temperature of about 130 Fahr., and are considered to possess medicinal qualities. Flora. The chief forms of plants peculiar to Natal are the liane and mimosa along the coast, and the orchid, aloe, pothos, liliaceous, and fern forms in the upland districts. The heaths and proteads common at the Cape of Good Hope are seldom if ever found in Natal, but almost any varieties of the flora of semi-tropical and temperate countries that are introduced attain perfection. The indigenous timber trees, mostly found in isolated clumps and in somewhat inaccessible situations, are principally the yellow wood (Podocarpus elongahis], sneezewood (Ptcroxylon little), stink wood (Oreodaphne