8 
THE FLORA OF THE GREAT KARASBERG 
6000 ft., on the steep and arid slopes of the western peaks, the flora presents 
many karroid features— particularly the great abundance of a few species of 
Mesembrianthemum. Even at the highest elevations there is no well-marked 
trace of the old Cape flora which is so prominent at similar elevations on the 
Kamiesberg and the Huiila Plateau. The uppermost precipitous slopes of 
Scharfenstein 1 support a rich growth of orange, green and slate-tinted crus- 
taceous lichens whose colours, when illuminated by a low sun, are visible for 
many miles. The mists which make their existence possible do not appear 
to occur at all frequently below 6000 ft. 
There is little available information regarding the geological structure of 
the Great Karasberg 2 . The main divide referred to above, and the parts of 
the range to the east of it, are composed of thick beds of sandstone, quartzites 
and probably other sedimentary rocks resting upon a granite base. At 
Narudas Sud the Keiap River and its tributaries have cut through the sand- 
stone and into the granite whose upper level lies about 200 ft. above the 
river and the military station. To the west of the divide the sedimentary 
rocks soon disappear and the western parts of the range are composed almost 
entirely of primary rocks — granite, gneiss and schists. Occasionally however 
an isolated ridge on the extreme west of the range (as e.g. to the north of 
Dassiefontein) is still capped by sandstone. 
Throughout the route followed by the expedition no settlers were met 
with save at Noachabeb. There is no cultivation except in small garden 
enclosures attached to the military stations. A few exotics were probably 
introduced by the military during the operations consequent upon the 
Bondelzwart rebellion. Away from Noachabeb and the military stations, 
the veld is practically untouched by domestic stock. Game of various kinds 
abounds in the recesses of the range. 
1 Formerly known as Lord Hill. 
2 See Range, P., Monatsherichte der Dcutsclien Geologischcn Gesellschaft, 1909, No. 3; Trans. 
Geol. Soc. S.A. vol. xm. 1910. 
