150 REPORT 1864. 



The author believed, however, that the relation of a civilized to an vmcivilized race 

 over whom it rules is exactly analogous to that of parent to child, or of adidts to 

 infants, and that a certain aniount of despotic rvde and gaiidance is as essential in 

 the one case as it is in the other. The only question is as to the manner in which 

 the " paternal despotism" shall he can-ied out ; and he thinks that the system of 

 upholding and regulating the power of the native chiefs, whom the people are 

 already accustomed to obey, of introducing systematic cultivation under govern- 

 ment superintendence, and favouring the exertions of missionaries and native teach- 

 ers, is a far better plan than throwing open a country to the competition of a low 

 class of European traders and cultivators, which inevitably leads to the degradation 

 of the natives, and a conflict of interests, inducing mutual animosity between the 

 two races. The system of the Dutch, as carried out here and in Java, he considers 

 as most excellent, and especially valuable as a step in the education of an unci^-ilized 

 race ; and he cannot but contrast it with the deplorable results of the free compe- 

 tition of antagonistic races in New Zealand, which can only end in the extermina- 

 tion of a people which it seems probable would, under more favourable conditions, 

 have been capable of improvement and civilization. 



On the Increasing Desiccation of Inner Southern Africa. 

 By James Fox Wilson. 

 A very noticeable fact has of late years attracted the attention of residents in 

 South Africa — namely, the gradual drying up of large tracts of country in the 

 Trans-Gariep region. " The Calabari Desert is gaining in extent, gradually swallow- 

 ing up large portions of habitable country on its borders. Springs of water have 

 diminished in their flow, and pools, such as that at Serotli, described by Livingstone, 

 are now either dry or rapidly becoming so. A long list of springs and pools now 

 gradually drying up was given by the author of tlie paper. The great change, 

 however, had commenced, if we may trust native traditions, long before the advent 

 of Europeans, which are corroborated by tlie existence of an immense number of 

 stumps and roots of acafi?e iu tracts where now not a single living tree is to be 

 seen. In seeking to account for this, it was necessary to dismiss from the mind all 

 idea of cosniical changes or earthquakes, of which no trace is visible in Southern 

 Africa. The causes lie in the physical characteristics of the counti-y and in the 

 customs of the inhabitants. The region drained by the Orange river is naturally 

 arid, from the interposition of the Quathlamba mountains between it and the 

 Indian Ocean, whence the chief rain-clouds are derived. The prevailing -nands 

 are from the north-east. The clouds, heavily laden with vapour from the Indian 

 Ocean, are driven over Catt'raria, watering those lands luxuriantly; but when the 

 moisture-bearing nimbi arrive at the summits of the moimtain range which divides 

 Caffi-aria from the interior country, they are not only deprived already of part of 

 their moisture, but they meet with the rarefied air of the central plains, and con- 

 sequently rise higher and evaporate into thinner vapour. There are few spots, 

 however, which are wholly destitute of vegetation, and large trees are frequent. 

 There is no district which does not maintain its flocks of wild animals ; but the 

 diminution of even one or two inches of rain in the year is most severely felt. The 

 author came to the conclusion, after a carefid inquiry into the geological foi-mations 

 of the region and the som-ces of springs, that much water must lie, throughout 

 wide tracts, deep below the surface of the soil, and that the boringof artesian wells 

 would jield a permanent supply for in-igation. But as a remedy for the gTOwing 

 evil, he laid particidar stress on legislative enactments to check the reckless felling 

 of timber and burning of pastures, which has been .long practised both by the 

 natives and the European colonists. 



The Hairy Men of Jesso. By "W. Maetin Wood. 



