Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume III.djvu/754

 CAPE COLONY river, which forms the N. and partially the N. E. boundary, is 1,200 m. long, flowing from E. to W. through a large part of South Africa. In its lower course, where it borders on Cape Colony, it has an average breadth of a mile, and during the rainy season a depth of 50 ft. The Orange river receives few affluents from Cape Colony ; the principal is the Groote Harte- beest (Big Antelope), known in its upper course as the Zak, which, after receiving several afflu- ents, falls into the Orange in lat. 28 45' 8., Ion. 21 E. The Groote Hartebeest receives most of the scanty drainage of the region N. of the Nieuwveld mountains. There are properly no lakes in the colony ; but there are occasionally ponds or pools, some salt and others fresh. The principal salt pond is the " Commissioner's Salt Pan," lat. 28 45' S., Ion. 21 E. The pre- vailing geological formation is sandstone resting upon granite. Wherever the granite approach- es the surface, there are numerous perpetual springs; but wherever, as is usually the case, especially in the N. W. half, the granite lies deep beneath the surface, springs are rare. Lime- stone is found in the E. parts ; sand and clay form the surface of the great plains ; alluvial loam and black peat are found near the sea. The colony is apparently poor in minerals. There is considerable copper, and a little lead, some of which contains a small percentage of silver. The soil of the Great Karroo is strongly impregnated with iron. Of coal there are some traces. Besides these, salt, alum, and saltpetre are the chief mineral products. Sul- phurous, nitrous, and other mineral springs are not infrequent. Carnelian and bloodstones are the principal precious stones, unless it shall be found that the diamond region extends into the colony. The climate is in general equable, ow- ing to the proximity of the two oceans, the mountain ranges, and the elevation of the pla- teaus. At Cape Town the mean temperature throughout the year is 67, that of the coldest month being 57, of the hottest 79. In the interior the variation is much greater. On the great plains toward the north, really forming a part of the Kalahari desert, the heat is usually intense during the day, while the nights are uncomfortably cold. The great deficiency of the colony is the lack of water, arising from its geological structure and the extreme irregu- larity of the rainfall. In many districts three successive years sometimes pass without a single shower. This peculiarity decides the general character of the vegetation. Near the Cape of Good Hope the flora is varied, but the flowers, though gorgeous in hue, lack fragrance. The trees are mostly mimosas and other thorny spe- cies, with scanty foliage, rarely attaining any considerable size. The distinguishing feature of the vegetation is the preponderance of plants with bulbous and succulent roots, and others of the ground species. Not infrequently, by digging a foot into what appears dry sand, one comes upon a bulb, twice the size of an orange, filled with moisture ; and after a rainy season the whole region is carpeted with creeping vines, bearing a profusion of melon-like fruits. Still the prevailing aspect of a great part of the colony is one of extreme aridity. The line of the watercourses is usually marked by a narrow fringe of mimosas ; but elsewhere the region shows no vegetation except a few stunted shrubs, and what appear the dried-up vines of succulent plants, the deep-lying roots of which are forti- fied by a tenfold net of fibres under the upper rind. During the dry season these appear parch- ed into a scanty brown stubble ; but when the ground becomes moistened by rains these plants burst into sudden life, and the whole region seems transformed into a garden, cropped by vast herds of antelopes, zebras, quaggas, and other herbivorous animals, which seem to know by instinct where they will be able to find nu- triment ; these herds are followed by beasts of prey. Many of the European grains and fruits are cultivated. Wheat flourishes fairly; the potato thrives, yielding two crops a year ; to- bacco does well in the proper soil ; cherries and apples deteriorate, but figs, apricots, al- monds, and oranges thrive. The vine was long since introduced into the district near the Cape of Good Hope, and Cape wine used once to pass for madeira, hut of late years it has de- teriorated and the production is greatly dimin- ished ; but there is a vineyard near Cape Town producing the Constantia wine, which bears a high repute. There appears, however, to be a considerable tract well adapted to the culture of the grape. Still the colony is ra- j ther a grazing than an agricultural country, ! for home consumption. In 1865 there were
 * the agricultural products being just sufficient
 * produced 1,389,878 bushels of wheat, 482,535

of barley and rye, and 324,683 of maize. The grazing farms are large, comprising from 3,000 to 10,000, and sometimes 15,000 acres. There are great herds of cattle ; oxen are the chief beasts of burden and draught, teams of 20 and more being often attached to the great Cape wagons in use all over the colony. In 1865 there were 692,514 head of cattle, 226,610 horses, and 2,437,444 goats, the flesh of Which constitutes the main food of the Hottentot farm servants. Swine are of little account. Tur- keys, geese, ducks, and poultry are abundant. The native sheep, notable chiefly for their enor- mous tails, often weighing 20 Ibs., are value- less for their fleece ; but fine-wooled breeds from Spain, Saxony, and England have been introduced, and flourish remarkably. In 1865 the whole number of sheep was 9,826,065. Wool has become the main article of export, its value constituting fully three quarters of the entire exports. The elephant, rhinoceros, hip- popotamus, lion, leopard, hysena, jackal, zebra, quagga, boar, antelope, monkey, raccoon, and squirrel are indigenous. The larger game has been in great part extirpated or driven from the settled portions. The rhinoceros is nearly extinct; the hippopotamus is now found only in the Great Fish and Great Kei rivers ; lions