TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 115 



and 30° of east longitude, now known as the Transvaal Republic, is tlie country 

 of the emigrant Boers, who, disgusted with British rule and the emancipation of 

 their slaves, left the Cape Colony, and after founding Pieter Maritzberg in Natal, 

 again tracked further north and colonized this fertile region, then for the most part 

 in the possession of Moselikatse, an emigrant Zulu chief, who now lives beyond the 

 Limpopo. The Boers are physically a powerful race, but mentally and morally are in 

 a state of retrogression, showing no improvement for a period of many j^ears, and are 

 as backward in ci-s-ilization as any white existing race. Various tribes of Betchuana 

 race live on the west and north-west of the Boer territory, on the east and north- 

 east the Amatonga, and Zulu Kaffirs on the south, the Boers of the Free State, who 

 are little in advance of their brethren, across' the river. The towns are Potchefst- 

 rooni, Pretoria, Philadelphia, Rustenberg, and Schoemandal. Oryxstadt, foi-merly 

 populous, is abandoned as imhealthy. 



The country next the Vaal resembles the Free State, in the absence of timber 

 and the conformation of the hills, which resemble the Sussex Downs. The Dra- 

 kensberg, forming up to this the watershed of the eastern and western river di- 

 stricts, here ceases in that capacity. The Limpopo and Oliphants rivers rising 

 west of the Drakensberg from hills which run east to west, after flowing several 

 miles to the north, through the INIagaliesberg, &c. ranges, turn east, and fall into 

 the sea near Delagoa Bay and Inhambane. 



The Magaliesberg is the favourite district of the Transvaal, having a healthy 

 climate, and being well supplied with wood and water. 



The Soutpansberg district is much warmer, lying partly in the tropic ; its inha- 

 bitants forsake farming for elephant hunting, which is here the staple pursuit. 

 Schoemaudel, the town of this district, is inhabited by hunters and traders only. 



Nearly all the large wild animals of South Africa are found in the Transvaal, 

 which is the best-watered and most fruitful disti-ict in South Africa, not excepting 

 Natal. 



Ivory, horns, and leather are the staples of trade ; but wheat and the vine grow 

 well in some districts, and it can become a wine-producing country. Delagoa Bay 

 is the geographical port of the Transvaal, but the roads are unmade, and the bay 

 is so imhealthy that the Boers dislike it ; the Tsetze also interferes in some districts 

 with transport. The Transvaal abounds in mineral wealth. Gold is found in 

 great beds of quartz, which crop out through the whole of the middle districts ; 

 lead-ore is in abundance, and eventually this little district, with a more entei-prising 

 population, will exercise no small influence on the destiny of South Africa. 



On the Various Theories of Man's Past and Present Condition. ByZ, Eeddie, 



On the Voguls. By Dr. H. Eonat, 



The Voguls are a tribe of Northern Asia, residing on the river Vogul. They call 

 themselves " Mancsis." The name of Vogid was given to them by the Szirjan 

 merchants, who, in their mercantile pursuits beyond the Ural Moimtaius, called 

 those living on the river Vogul, " Voguls," and those on the river Ob (in the 

 Mancsi language "Asz "), Osztjaks. The Voguls are of a dark complexion, small 

 in statiu-e, closely allied to the I^inish type. Their principal occupations are fishing, 

 hunting, and bird-catching. Agricultm-e is known only towards the south, in the 

 vicinity of Pelim and Loszva. Their food is very simple, air-dried or smoked fish 

 and meat ; they scarcely ever use salt ; bread is only known in the south. They 

 are good-natured, cheerful, talkative, but extremely superstitious, idle, and indolent. 

 Women are considered inferior beings. The girl, when of age, is given in marriage 

 by her father to the highest bidder in reindeer. Polygamy is allowed, but at pre- 

 sent very rarely met with. Their dwellings are built of the bark of trees or solid 

 wood, of which a few are called a village, scarcely ever more than seven. They 

 acknowledge a supreme heavenly being, called " I^fumi-Tarom " (High-time), the 

 rider of the earth, to whom, according to their belief, it would be useless to pray, 

 for he never departs from his rule, and grants happiness to men as they deserve it ; 

 consequently it will be of no avail to pray to him. However, they have their 

 family idols, to whom they pray in necessity, whose assistance they implore with 



8* 



