GENERAL— _-_ Information

CHAPTER XXVII

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HE Province of Natal — which includes Zululand and Amatongaland and that portion of the late South African Republic south of the Pongola River — is situated on the south-east coast of Africa, between 27A° and 31° S. Lat., and 29° and 33° E. Long. Its area is 44,000 square miles. Its boundaries are : west and north-west, the Drakensberg ; on the north the Pongola River divides it from the Transvaal and Swaziland ; and on the east it is bounded by the sea. The southern frontier runs along the Umtamvuna River to the Ingeli Mountains, and thence up a somewhat intricate course to the Upper Umzimkulu, thereby

separating the Province from Pondoland on the south, and Griqualand East on the south-west.

Including Zululand, Natal has a seaboard of about 340 miles. Its greatest length is 330 miles, and breadth 150 miles. It is 6,800 miles from London and about a third of the size of the British Isles.

MOUNTAIN SYSTEM. — The mountain system of Natal is one of the most interesting features in the Province likely to come within the scope of a geographical student.

The Drakensberg, or Kahlamba, ranks first, both by reason of its size and grandeur, and the fact that it forms the most important and striking feature of the inland frontier. The most prominent points in the range are " Champagne Castle," or Cathkin Peak, 12,000 feet above sea level; " Giant's Castle," 11,000 feet; and Mont aux Sources, also 11,000 feet. Tintwa comes next, with 7,500, while Amajuba, of tragic memory, ranks last, with an altitude of 7,000 feet.

The second range in order is the Little Drakensberg, which springs from "Champagne Castle," and, for about 13 miles, sweeps through a realm of mountain and flood, as grandly beautiful as the heart of man can desire.

The third range, named Hlatikulu, diverges from "Giant's Castle," and forms the watershed between Bushman's and the Mooi Rivers.

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