CHAPTER III.
PHASES OF NATURE AROUND PRETORIA.
AT PAGKE
Natural aspects in tie dry winter season—Orthoptera and Coleóptera.—
Commencement of the rainy season.—Protective resemblance in
butterflies.—Vegetable tanning-products.—Survival of spined and
bard-wooded trees in the struggle for existence with herbivorous
fauna.—Baboons.—Bad roads.—A Boer farm.—Grass-flres.—Dust-
storm.—Vast quantities of beetles under stones.—Bad weather and
heavy losses in live stock.—Appearance of winged Termites.—
Swollen streams and their dangers.—Accidental dangers in animal
life.—Birds of P r e y ............................................................................. go
CHAPTER IY.
PHASES OF NATURE AROUND PRETORIA (continued).
Geological features.—Dendritic markings.—The highlands and the sea.—
Heavy rains and floods.—A protected butterfly and its enemy.—
Mimicry.—Cicadas.—Species found both in England and the
Transvaal.—The Secretary-bird.—Vultures.—Locust-swarm.—The
Paauw and other Bustards.—The Monitor.—Partridges.—Evolution
and struggle for existence . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
CHAPTER V.
THROUGH WATERBERG.
Scarcity of timber in the Transvaal.—Leave Pretoria for Waterberg.—
Waterless region of the F la ts—The Warm Baths.—Beautiful
scenery.—Euphorbias and their poisonous qu&lities.Jj|Fever districts.—
The Massacre at Makapan’s Poort.—Sanguinary retribution
. at Makapan’s Cave.—A fine orthopterous insect.—The Prospector.
—Reptiles.—Ravages of the “ Australian Bug.”—Majuba day.^i
Mimicking in s e c ts ...........................................' ................................... 77
CHAPTER YI.
ZOUTPANSBERG AND THE MAGWAMBAS.
PAGE
Start for the Spelonken in Zoutpansberg.—Horse-sickness.—Pietersburg.
—A fine Convolvulus.—A castellated residence in the Wilds.—
Night in a wagon.—Kafir traders.—Kafirs on the tramp.—Polygamy.—
The Magwambas, their customs and institutions.—An ox
feast and dance.—The Makatese.—The Mavendas and their ironwork.—
Birds’ food largely orthopterous.—Good entomological spots.
—Zoutpansberg with its natural riches still undeveloped . . . . 94
CHAPTER VII.
A JOURNEY TO DURBAN.
Acacia mollissima.—Heavy cost on imports to the Transvaal.—Johannesburg
and its Hotels.—Heidelberg.—A Priest of Islam.—Across
the Ingogo heights to Newcastle.—Durban.—Colonel Bowker.—
Best collecting-grounds around Durban.—Flowers, fruit, and insects.
—Peculiarities in railway construction.—Model Natal farms.—
Insect-pests to gardens.—Difficulties in coaching after heavy rains.
—The store-and canteen-keeper of the v e ld ......................... . 115
CHAPTER VIII.
THE MEN OF PRETORIA.
The inhabitants of Pretoria.—Auriferous wealth alone the present cause
of Transvaal development.—Uneducated condition of the Boers.—
Liquor traffic with the Kafirs.—The British colonist in the Transvaal.—
The Hebrew in Pretoria.—Commercial morality.—The name
of Mr. Gladstone execrated in the Transvaal.—The Kafir and his
value as a labourer.—Sanitary condition of Pretoria.—Vital statistics.—
After-effects of the boom.—Attachment of Colonists to their
' adopted country................................................................................... ...