THE TRANSACTIONS 
OF THE 
SOUTH AFRICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 
THE TRANSKEIAN TERRITORIES : THEIR PHYSICAL 
GEOGRAPHY AND ETHNOLOGY. 
By H. C. ScHunke. 
(READ JANUARY 28, 1891.) 
To know a country we must not alone have a knowledge of its 
geographical position and the rivers which drain it, but we must 
have a clear and distinct understanding of its relief; it is, therefore, 
mecessary in giving an account of the Transkeian Territories, or 
more properly called “ Kaffraria Proper”’—to begin with a descrip- 
‘tion of the Physical Structure. The country extends from the 
Indwe-Kei to the Umzimkulu and Umtamvuna and from the Indian 
Ocean to the Drakensberg Range, or in other words from the Eastern 
Frontier Districts of the Cape Colony to Natal. It falls within 
.30° and 81° 40’ of South Latitude. ‘The direction of the coast line 
which is almost a straight one is from South-west to North-east 
The country forms a section of the South African coast belt, i.e. 
it is situated between the main elevation of South Africa which 
‘ranges round the inland plateau and the sea. Its extent is 17,542 
square miles. The main range in this part of South-East Africa 
attains a considerable altitude and comes into close proximity to 
the sea, reducing the coast belt to a narrow steeply inclined strip 
‘of land which rises in terraces. These terraces or steps are well 
defined and we are enabled to divide the country into ‘three distinct 
parts, viz.: (1) A coast region ; (2) a first terrace which rises along 
its outer edge to over 1,500 feet above sea-level and which has an 
-average altitude of 2,000 feet ; and (3) a second or upper terrace of 
-an altitude exceeding 4,000 feet. The upper terrace stretches along 
D2 
