Chap. V. DUTCH AND FRENCH BOERS. 6? 



familiar law of science that the greater the temperature oi 

 the air the more moisture it will hold in an invisible form. 

 When the drifting atmosphere arrives at the Kalahari, and 

 comes in contact with the hot currents from the Desert, 

 its capacity for retaining what remains of humidity is in- 

 creased. Thus the vapour can never be condensed into rain- 

 drops. That the Kalahari should nevertheless be clothed with 

 vegetation may be explained by the geological formation of 

 the country. A rim of ancient rocks surrounds a great central 

 valley. Though vast areas have been so distorted that but 

 little trace of this formation appears externally, it is highly 

 probable that the basin-shape prevails over large districts ; 

 and as the strata on the slopes, where most of the rain falls, 

 dip in towards the centre, the water trickles along beneath 

 the surface till it reaches the Kalahari plains. 



The route we followed at this time ran along the middle, or 

 skirted the western zone, until we reached the latitude of 

 Lake N garni, where a totally different country begins. We 

 passed through districts inhabited by the descendants of Dutch 

 and French refugees who had fled from religious persecution. 

 Those living near the capital diifer but little from the middle 

 classes in English counties, and are distinguished by public 

 spirit and general intelligence ; while those situated far from 

 the centres of civilization are less informed, but are a body of 

 frugal, industrious, and hospitable peasantry. A most efficient 

 system of public instruction was established by Governor Sir 

 George Napier, on a plan drawn up in a great measure by 

 Sir John Herschel. The system had to contend with less 

 sectarian rancour than elsewhere. Until quite recently indeed, 

 that spirit, except in a mild form, was unknown. 



Population among the Boers increases rapidly ; they marry 

 soon, and continue to have children late. Orphans are never 

 allowed to remain long destitute ; and instances are frequent 

 in which a tender-hearted farmer has adopted a fatherless 

 child, and when it came of age has portioned it as his own. 

 Two centuries of the South African climate have not had much 

 effect upon the physical condition of the Boers. They are a 

 shade darker, or rather ruddier, than ordinary whites, and are 

 never cadaverous-looking, as descendants of Europeans are 

 said to be elsewhere. There is a tendency to the development 



