3. Rustenberg is situated on the north of the Magaliesberg, and lies about seventy miles west by north from Pretoria Philadelphica. This is a most fruitful district, but like most of those situated to the northward of the Magaliesberg Mountains, it is excessively hot in the summer season; very trying to adults, and although not fatal to children, yet during the hot season there is much sickness among them.
4. Zoutpansberg is the northern boundary of the Transvaal country. The southern side of the mountain has a climate similar to that of Rustenberg, but to the northward of the mountain the climate is said to be bad. Persons crossing it, in the summer months, have been frequently attacked with fever of a very pernicious character; and, it is said, have brought yellow fever into the small village of Schoemansdel, which lies under the mountain. In consequence of this a law has been passed that no one shall cross the mountain between the months of October and May. This district seems principally inhabited by ivory hunters, who have not as yet been compelled to turn their attention to the soil.
5. Waterberg is situated between Pretoria and Zoutpansberg, at a distance of about seventy miles from the former, in a northerly direction. It is said to be very beautiful, more especially the more mountainous portions of it. The climate is similar to that of Rustenberg.
In this district, horse sickness, which is at times so destructive at the Cape and Natal, appears to be very prevalent. To the Boers, who may be said to be always in the saddle, this is very distressing, and a great drawback to the other advantages of the district. Even horses which have had the sickness at Natal, and are therefore considered proof against it, and are termed “salted horses,” here suffer as if they had not been seasoned. But those which have been “salted” in the neighbouring Orange Free State are said to be proof against the horse sickness in this district.
A horse, which at Natal might be purchased for from ten to twelve pounds sterling, will consequently bring from sixty to eighty pounds if properly salted.
6. Zuiker Bosch Rand is a hilly district, lying about twenty miles north of the Vaal River. It is said to be the highest land in the Transvaal country, and therefore one will not be surprised to hear that it is the most healthy. Sheep do here remarkably well, and some quantity of wool is produced; while horses are as healthy on the highest portions of the district as at Natal.
The Transvaal country has been long celebrated for abundance of game; but here, as in the other portions of South Africa, it is rapidly disappearing, and, before the end of this century, will probably be one of those things which have been.
In the more southerly or cooler districts, that is to say, in Potchefstroom, or Mooi River Drop, and Zuiker Bosch Rand, the white-tailed gnu, blesbok, sprigbok, hartebeest, are still numerous; whilst toward the source of the Vaal River elands and the common quagga are met with.
North of the Magaliesberg the roybok or pallah, the brindled gnu, springboks, zebras, giraffes, rynosters, hartebeest, bastard hartebeest, khooder, waterbuck, gemsbuck, the harris, or zwart wit-pens buck, the striped eland, discovered by Livingstone on the Shesheke, the buffalo and the elephant, are still to be found within the Transvaal territory.