Ourroutetothenorthlaynearthecentreofthecone-shapedmassoflandwhichconstitutesthepromontoryoftheCapeIfwesupposethisconetobedividedintothreezonesorlongitudinalbands，wefindeachpresentingdistinctpeculiaritiesofclimate，physicalappearanceandpopulation。
　　ThesearemoremarkedbeyondthanwithinthecolonyAtsomepointsonedistrictseemstobecontinuedinandtomergeintotheother，butthegeneraldissimilaritywarrantsthedivision，asanaidtomemory。
　　Theeasternzoneisoftenfurnishedwithmountains，wellwoodedwithevergreensucculenttrees，onwhichneitherfirenordroughtscanhavethesmallesteffect`Strelitzia’，`Zamiahorrida’，`Portulacariaafra’，`Schotiaspeciosa’，`Euphorbias’，and`Aloesarborescens’；
　　anditsseaboardgorgesarecladwithgigantictimber。
　　Itisalsocomparativelywellwateredwithstreamsandflowingrivers。
　　Theannualsupplyofrainisconsiderable，andtheinhabitantsCaffresorZulusaretall，muscular，andwellmade；
　　theyareshrewd，energetic，andbrave；altogethertheymeritthecharactergiventhembymilitaryauthorities，ofbeing“magnificentsavages“。
　　Theirsplendidphysicaldevelopmentandformofskullshowthat，butfortheblackskinandwoollyhair，theywouldtakerankamongtheforemostEuropeans。
　　Thenextdivision，thatwhichembracesthecentreofthecontinent，canscarcelybecalledhilly，forwhathillsthereareareverylow。
　　Itconsistsforthemostpartofextensive，slightlyundulatingplains。
　　Therearenoloftymountains，butfewsprings，andstillfewerflowingstreamsRainisfarfromabundant，anddroughtsmaybeexpectedeveryfewyearsWithoutartificialirrigationnoEuropeangraincanberaised，andtheinhabitantsBechuanas，thoughevidentlyofthesamestock，originally，withthosealreadymentioned，andcloselyresemblingtheminbeinganagriculturalaswellasapastoralpeople，areacomparativelytimidrace，andinferiortotheCaffresinphysicaldevelopment。
　　Thewesterndivisionisstillmorelevelthanthemiddleone，beingruggedonlynearthecoastItincludesthegreatplaincalledtheKalahariDesert，whichisremarkableforlittlewaterandveryconsiderablevegetation。
　　Thereason，probably，whysolittlerainfallsonthisextensiveplainisthattheprevailingwindsofmostoftheinteriorcountryareeasterly，withalittlesouthingThemoisturetakenupbytheatmospherefromtheIndianOceanisdepositedontheeasternhillyslope；
　　andwhenthemovingmassofairreachesitsgreatestelevation，itisthenonthevergeofthegreatvalley，or，asinthecaseoftheKalahari，thegreatheatedinlandplains；there，meetingwiththerarefiedairofthathot，drysurface，theascendingheatgivesitgreatercapacityforretainingallitsremaininghumidity，andfewshowerscanbegiventothemiddleandwesternlandsinconsequenceoftheincreasedhygrometricpower。
　　Thisisthesamephenomenon，onagiganticscale，asthatwhichtakesplaceonTableMountain，attheCape，inwhatiscalledthespreadingofthe“table-cloth“Thesoutheastwindcausesamassofair，equaltothediameterofthemountain，suddenlytoascendatleastthreethousandfeet；thedilatationproducedbyaltitude，withitsattendantcold，causestheimmediateformationofacloudonthesummit；thewaterintheatmospherebecomesvisible；
　　successivemassesofgliding-upandpassing-overaircausethecontinualformationofclouds，butthetopofthevaporymass，or“table-cloth“，islevel，andseeminglymotionless；ontheleeside，however，thethickvolumesofvaporcurloveranddescend，butwhentheyreachthepointbelow，wheregreaterdensityandhighertemperatureimpartenlargedcapacityforcarryingwater，theyentirelydisappear。
　　Nowif，insteadofahollowontheleesideofTableMountain，wehadanelevatedheatedplain，thecloudswhichcurloverthatside，anddisappearastheydoatpresentwhena“southeaster“isblowing，mightdepositsomemoistureonthewindwardascentandtop；
　　buttheheatwouldthenimparttheincreasedcapacitytheairnowreceivesatthelowerlevelinitsdescenttoleeward，and，insteadofanextendedcountrywithafloraofthe`Disagrandiflora’，`gladiolus’，`rushes’，and`lichens’，whichnowappearonTableMountain，weshouldhaveonlythehardyvegetationoftheKalahari。
　　WhythereshouldbesomuchvegetationontheKalaharimaybeexplainedbythegeologicalformationofthecountryThereisarimorfringeofancientrocksroundagreatcentralvalley，which，dippinginward，formabasin，thebottomofwhichiscomposedoftheoldestsilurianrocks。
　　Thisbasinhasbeenburstthroughandfilledupinmanypartsbyeruptivetrapsandbreccias，whichoftenbearintheirsubstancesangularfragmentsofthemoreancientrocks，asshowninthefossilstheycontainNow，thoughlargeareashavebeensodislocatedthatbutlittletraceoftheoriginalvalleyformationappears，itishighlyprobablethatthebasinshapeprevailsoverlargetractsofthecountry；andasthestrataontheslopes，wheremostoftherainfalls，dipintowardthecentre，theyprobablyguidewaterbeneaththeplainsbutillsuppliedwithmoisturefromtheclouds。
　　Thephenomenonofstagnantfountainsbecomingbyanewanddeeperoutletnever-failingstreamsmaybeconfirmatoryoftheviewthatwaterisconveyedfromthesidesofthecountryintothebottomofthecentralvalley；
　　anditisnotbeyondtheboundsofpossibilitythatthewonderfulriversysteminthenorth，which，ifnativeinformationbecorrect，causesaconsiderableincreaseofwaterinthespringscalledMatlomagan-yanatheLinks，extendsitsfertilizinginfluencebeneaththeplainsoftheKalahari。
　　Thepeculiarformationofthecountrymayexplainwhythereissuchadifferenceinthevegetationbetweenthe20thand30thparallelsoflatitudeinSouthAfricaandthesamelatitudesinCentralAustraliaThewantofvegetationisastrueofsomepartstoointhecentreofSouthAmericaasofAustralia；
　　andthecauseofthedifferenceholdsoutaprobabilityforthesuccessofartesianwellsinextensivetractsofAfricanowunpeopledsolelyonaccountofthewantofsurfacewaterWemaybeallowedtospeculatealittleatleastonthefactofmuchgreatervegetation，which，fromwhateversourceitcomes，presentsforSouthAfricaprospectsoffuturegreatnesswhichwecannothopeforinCentralAustraliaAstheinteriordistrictsoftheCapeColonyaredailybecomingofhighervalue，offeringtohonestindustryafairremunerationforcapital，andhavingaclimateunequaledinsalubrityforconsumptivepatients，IshouldunhesitatinglyrecommendanyfarmeratallafraidofthatcomplaintinhisfamilytotrythiscolonyWiththemeansofeducationalreadypossessed，andtheonwardandupwardmovementoftheCapepopulation，heneedentertainnoapprehensionsofhisfamilysinkingintobarbarism。
　　Therouteweatthistimefollowedranalongthemiddle，orskirtedthewesternzonebeforealludedto，untilwereachedthelatitudeofLakeNgami，whereatotallydifferentcountrybegins。
　　Whileinthecolony，wepassedthroughdistrictsinhabitedbythedescendantsofDutchandFrenchrefugeeswhohadfledfromreligiouspersecutionThoselivingnearthecapitaldifferbutlittlefromthemiddleclassesinEnglishcounties，andaredistinguishedbypublicspiritandgeneralintelligence；whilethosesituatedfarfromthecentresofcivilizationarelessinformed，butareabodyoffrugal，industrious，andhospitablepeasantry。
　　AmostefficientsystemofpublicinstructionwasestablishedinthetimeofGovernorSirGeorgeNapier，onaplandrawnupinagreatmeasurebythataccomplishedphilosopher，SirJohnHerschel。
　　Thesystemhadtocontendwithlesssectarianrancorthanelsewhere；
　　indeed，untilquiterecently，thatspirit，exceptinamildform，wasunknown。
　　ThepopulationheredescribedoughtnottobeconfoundedwithsomeBoerswhofledfromBritishruleonaccountoftheemancipationoftheirHottentotslaves，andperhapsneverwouldhavebeensohadnoteverynowandthensomeRipVanWinklestartedforthattheCapetojustifyinthepublicprintsthedeedsofbloodandslave-huntinginthefarinteriorItisthereforenottobewonderedatifthewholeraceisconfoundedandheldinlowestimationbythosewhodonotknowtherealcompositionoftheCapecommunity。
　　PopulationamongtheBoersincreasesrapidly；theymarrysoon，areseldomsterile，andcontinuetohavechildrenlate。
　　IoncemetaworthymatronwhosehusbandthoughtitrighttoimitatetheconductofAbrahamwhileSarahwasbarren；sheevidentlyagreedintheproprietyofthemeasure，forshewaspleasedtohearthechildrenbyamotherofwhathasbeenthoughtaninferiorraceaddressherastheirmotherOrphansareneverallowedtoremainlongdestitute；
　　andinstancesarefrequentinwhichatender-heartedfarmerhasadoptedafatherlesschild，andwhenitcameofageportioneditashisown。
　　TwocenturiesoftheSouthAfricanclimatehavenothadmucheffectuponthephysicalconditionoftheBoersTheyareashadedarker，orratherruddier，thanEuropeans，andarenevercadaverous-looking，asdescendantsofEuropeansaresaidtobeelsewhere。
　　Thereisatendencytothedevelopmentofsteatopyga，socharacteristicofArabsandotherAfricantribes；anditisprobablethattheinteriorBoersinanothercenturywillbecomeincolorwhatthelearnedimagineourprogenitors，AdamandEve，tohavebeen。
　　Thepartsofthecolonythroughwhichwepassedwereofsterileaspect；
　　and，asthepresentwinterhadbeenprecededbyaseveredrought，manyfarmershadlosttwothirdsoftheirstockThelandscapewasuninviting；thehills，destituteoftrees，wereofadarkbrowncolor，andthescantyvegetationontheplainsmademefeelthattheydeservedthenameofDesertmorethantheKalahariWhenfirsttakenpossessionof，thesepartsaresaidtohavebeencoveredwithacoatingofgrass，butthathasdisappearedwiththeantelopeswhichfeduponit，andacropofmesembryanthemumsandcrassulasoccupiesitsplace。
　　Itiscurioustoobservehow，innature，organizationsthemostdissimilararemutuallydependentoneachotherfortheirperpetuation。
　　Heretheoriginalgrassesweredependentfordisseminationonthegrass-feedinganimals，whichscatteredtheseeds。
　　When，bythedeathoftheantelopes，nofreshsowingwasmade，theAfricandroughtsprovedtoomuchforthisformofvegetation。
　　ButeventhiscontingencywasforeseenbytheOmniscientOne；
　　for，aswemaynowobserveintheKalahariDesert，anotherfamilyofplants，themesembryanthemums，stoodreadytoneutralizetheariditywhichmustotherwisehavefollowedThisfamilyofplantspossessesseed-vesselswhichremainfirmlyshutontheircontentswhilethesoilishotanddry，andthuspreservethevegetativepowerintactduringthehighestheatofthetorridsun；butwhenrainfalls，theseed-vesselopensandshedsitscontentsjustwhenthereisthegreatestprobabilityoftheirvegetatingInotherplantsheatanddroughtcausetheseed-vesselstoburstandshedtheircharge。
　　Oneofthisfamilyisedible`Mesembryanthemumedule’；anotherpossessesatuberousroot，whichmaybeeatenraw；andallarefurnishedwiththick，fleshyleaves，havingporescapableofimbibingandretainingmoisturefromaverydryatmosphereandsoil，sothat，ifaleafisbrokenduringaperiodofthegreatestdrought，itshowsabundantcirculatingsap。
　　Theplantsofthisfamilyarefoundmuchfarthernorth，butthegreatabundanceofthegrassespreventsthemfrommakinganyshow。
　　There，however，theystandreadytofillupanygapwhichmayoccurinthepresentprevailingvegetation；andshouldthegrassesdisappear，animallifewouldnotnecessarilybedestroyed，becauseareservesupply，equivalenttoafreshactofcreativepower，hasbeenprovided。
　　Oneofthisfamily，`Mturbiniforme’，issocoloredastoblendinwellwiththehueofthesoilandstonesaroundit；anda`gryllus’ofthesamecolorfeedsonitInthecaseoftheinsect，thepeculiarcolorisgivenascompensationforthedeficiencyofthepowersofmotiontoenableittoeludethenoticeofbirdsThecontinuationofthespeciesisheretheendinview。
　　Inthecaseoftheplantthesamedeviceisadoptedforasortofdoubleend，viz。，perpetuationoftheplantbyhidingitfromanimals，withtheviewthatultimatelyitsextensiveappearancewillsustainthatrace。
　　Asthisnewvegetationisbetteradaptedforsheepandgoatsinadrycountrythangrass，theBoerssupplantthelatterbyimitatingtheprocessbywhichgraminivorousantelopeshavesoabundantlydisseminatedtheseedofgrassesAfewwagon-loadsofmesembryanthemumplants，inseed，arebroughttoafarmcoveredwithascantycropofcoarsegrass，andplacedonaspottowhichthesheephaveaccessintheevenings。
　　Astheyeatalittleeverynight，theseedsaredroppedoverthegrazinggroundsinthissimpleway，witharegularitywhichcouldnotbematchedexceptatthecostofanimmenseamountoflabor。
　　Theplacebecomesinthecourseofafewyearsasheep-farm，astheseanimalsthriveonsuchherbageAsalreadymentioned，someplantsofthisfamilyarefurnishedwithanadditionalcontrivanceforwithstandingdroughts，viz。，oblongtubers，which，burieddeepenoughbeneaththesoilforcompleteprotectionfromthescorchingsun，serveasreservoirsofsapandnutrimentduringthoserainlessperiodswhichrecurperpetuallyineventhemostfavoredspotsofAfricaIhaveadvertedtothispeculiarityasoftenseeninthevegetationoftheDesert；