Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/135

CLIMATE OF SOUTH AFRICA. 98 Zululund the humidity is duo nmiuly to the wjuth-eust windu, und uh these prevail ill summer, here the ruiufuU is heuvicnt between the muiithH of December and February. Mo8t of the moisture being hupplii-d by the Indian Ocean, the inland pluteuux, the Karroo, and the Dutch republics also receive their fur too scanty rains in the same season, during the prevalence of the easterly trade winds.* On the Natal coast the fierce gales ore occasionally accompanied by ** marine rains," which are almost entirely confined to the neighlmurhood of the seu, whereas the ordinary rains are for the most part torrential downpours, occurring on the slopes of the mountains. The regions which receive the least quantity of moisture are the plain of the Great Karroo, the basin of the Ixiwer Orange, and the Kalahari Desert. Here the rains are irregular, but when they do fall they burst like a sudden deluge over the plains. In this Dorst-veld, or "Thirsty land," vast stretches are covered with sands, which are disposed in dunes rolling away beyond the horizon like the ocean waves, and often clothed in vegetation. Springs are rare, in some districts occurring only at long intervals of fifty or sixty miles ; but the Bushmen understand how best to utilize the moist bottom lands in order to procure sufficient water for themselves and their cattle. They bore holes to u depth of about three feet and let down a reed with a sponge attached to its lower end, und in this way are able to suck up enough to fill their calabashes. The wants are thus supplied of the animals, which in the Kalahari are accustomeil through necessity to drink little, and which are watered by the Bcchuana herds- men only every two or three days. The gouts pass months together without quenching their thirst, and certain species of South African antelopes are said never to seek the springs.t The remark has often been made that Austral Africa is passing through a procej^s of desiccation. ]Most travellers are of accord in stating that the territory' of the Bechuanas and neighbouring tribes between the Orange and Lake Nganii has already lost its regular streams, and that tillage has consequently had to with- draw more and more towards the mountains.^ Nor can there be any doubt that during the present geological epoch the quantity of moisture has gradually diminished throughout the region of South Africa, as abundantly attested by the ancient lakes transformed to salines, by the river-beds changed to drj* barren ravines. " The land is dead ! He on high has killed the land I " frequently exclaim the Bechuanas. At the same time the observations made in these regions by the resident • Dintribution of rainfall in South Africa : — Simon's Town . .27 inchew Bloemfontein . .24 inchea. Capetown . 27 ,, Du Toil's Pan .... 16 „ Port Eli/aheth . . 24 ,. Pretoria 24 „ firahani'K Town .29 „ Port Durban . . . 44 „ Gntuf Keinet . 26 „ Pietor Maritzburg . . . 31 „ t Mackenzie. Ten Year* Xorlh of the Orange Rirer. X Livin^Htone. Latt Journal ; Anderwon, Lake Sgami ; Chapman, TrartU ; JuDM Fox Wilaun.- Jtmrnal of the Royal Geographical Society, 1865.