The Sunny Continent

Instead of "The Dark Continent," to which Africa has often been referred, Mr. Melville Chater proposes it be renamed.  "As a matter of fact, Kimberley (South Africa) averages about three more hours daily of bright sunshine than New York, and between six and seven more hours than London.  So why not the Sunny Continent?," ("Under the South African Union - Cape of Good Hope: The Floral Province," Melville Chater, National Geographic Magazine, April, 1931, p. 391).  Good point!

When travelers on an ocean voyage first spot land, they see it differently. Some may think, "freedom!" Others may look forward to family.  Mr. Chater reported, "Our weeks of bare sea and sky ended in the unforgettable spectacle of Capetown's Flower-clad subtropical springtide.  Its setting was a soft, Neopolitanesque panorama of red roofs, embowering foliage, outflung beaches, bold headlands, with Table Mountain, gigantic and severe, towering behind and above all" (p. 394).

Vasco da Gama discovered the Cape of Good Hope (named this by King John of Portugal) in 1488 (see this blog, July 1, 2013, "Another Faraway Adventure Begins").  The first permanent settlers arrived in 1652, "70 colonists, sent out as "servants of the Dutch East India Company," under Commander Jan van Riebeck."  Thus was inhabited the "unwanted African Wilds" (p. 395).

The country of South Africa spanned the southern tip of Africa and had a land area half the size of continental United States of America.  In 1931, it was populated by "some 11,000,000 people, with but 1 European to every 5 Africans and Asiatics" (p. 399).  It was ruled by Great Britain with exception of two native territories, Basutoland, and Swaziland.  After viewing the map of South Africa, I learned that the city of Capetown is not directly on the southernmost point, the Cape of Good Hope, but approximately thirty miles north.

Since one province of South Africa was "more than 10,000 square miles larger than the Lone Star State (Texas). . . we wouldn't feel in any way - well, er - cramped" (p. 402).

Motoring around the countryside, the author noted various agricultural products: tobacco, cotton, flowers, and pineapples, easily grown in the warm climate.  There was a large wool industry and shepherds in many locations, due to the presence of the Karroo bush.  This hearty plant nourishes sheep even if it hasn't rained for years.

A major industry in 1931, and even now, was diamond mining, "signaled by a child, who was discovered playing with a casually picked-up gem weighing 21 1/4 carats" in 1866."   I can imagine the "diamond fever" resembled the gold rush in California, U.S.A., in the 1840's.  "Under desert conditions, food was often more precious than diamonds and baths, if you could afford that luxury, were taken in imported soda water" (p. 421).

In the last photo by Mr. Chater is displayed "a wall of cactus twelve feet high, near Oudtshoorn" (photo caption, p. 430), used to feed cattle in drought conditions.

Several year ago one of my daughters dated a computer specialist who commuted to Johannesburg, South Africa.  Perhaps all the separation contributed to the demise of the relationship. Too bad, she had hoped to accompany him to South Africa one day!

(written Sunday, December 8, 2013, not posted due to extreme computer issues. Sorry!)