242 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



element to water, if need be, from 8,000 to 10,000 

 sheep daily. Each sheep drinks in summer about 

 ■one gallon at a time, so that the supply from this 

 source may be taken as equalling nearly 10,000 

 gallons daily. Round the margin of the dam are 

 planted graceful willows, fig trees — which offer 

 delicious fruit in season — and blue gums ; and upon 

 a well-watered patch of the rich red karroo soil 

 hard by, flourish in perfection tomatoes, potatoes, 

 cabbages, turnips, lettuces, and radishes. To the 

 left of the great dam, and at a good distance from 

 the house, stand two sets of the kraals, wherein are 

 gathered nightly the flocks of sheep and goats on 

 their return from the home veldt. These are the 

 oldest of the kraals, and are built of the old-fashioned 

 Boer bricks, made of dung cut in blocks from the 

 hard-trampled enclosures, and dried hard and clean 

 in the sun. This substance, locally called " mist," 

 serves also almost entirely for fuel on karroo farms, 

 where wood is scarce and expensive ; it makes 

 excellent firing burning slowly much as peat does. 

 The kraals are wisely placed at a respectable distance 

 from the house. The Boers usually build theirs 

 close to their dwellings, and are in consequence 

 in summer plagued to death with flies. These 

 enclosures are partitioned off into sub-divisions. 



Crossing the dry river-bed from the open karroo 

 side, whereon our host's house stands, we come first 

 to the comfortable roomy dwelling and stables of 

 his partner, Mr. John Rex. Some distance to the 

 rear of this house, partly upon the rising ground of 

 a kopje covered with Kaffir plum, spekboom and 

 other bushes, partly upon open flats, lie the ostrich 

 camps — immense enclosures, girt by wire-fencing, 



