Chapter II. 



ACROSS CAMDEBOO TO NAROEKAS 

 POORT. 



WE were now to cross the ancient Hottentot 

 region of Camdeboo, which, forming the 

 north-east corner of the Great Karroo, 

 is so often referred to by old travellers, very 

 frequently in terms of anything but pleasure ; for 

 droughts frequently prevail here, as in other parts 

 of the Karroo, and for long the Bushmen swarmed 

 here and proved exceedingly troublesome. 



The karroo is, no doubt, for a great part of the 

 year exceedingly parched, and, to the outward eye, 

 arid and barren ; but old travellers have somewhat 

 exaggerated its terrors. At the present day, the 

 Karroo graziers feed enormous flocks of sheep and 

 goats upon its dry but nutritious and aromatic 

 herbage, and, as I have before pointed out, the 

 rains completely transform and revivify its vege- 

 tation. Cattle and horses, too, do exceedingly well 

 upon the Karroo pasture. Old travellers too 

 frequently, I think, pointed to the dark side of the 

 picture, and omitted the brighter aspect. Here is Le 

 Vaillant's summary of this plateau land: — "We now 

 entered the dry and sterile plains of Carouw. The 

 earth, or rather sand, only bounded one way by 

 the horizon, is covered with rank unwholesome weeds, 

 and presents the mind with an idea of famine and 

 desolation ; here and there a few scattered spots of 



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