The obvious safeguard would be a rug for each horse and mule, and for
oxen the erection of a shelter against the wind, consisting of all
available wagons and stores, or else, if practicable, to move at once to
a sheltered locality and always provide a good reserve supply of forage
or other provender. That sort of boisterous, cold weather continues
sometimes, with more or less severity, two or three days. The want of
food and inclemency besides would result in killing the weak cattle and
weaken the rest so as to be incapable of work for some days after. The
difficulty consists in that such inclement changes occur so suddenly,
and that their severity and duration cannot be forecasted.

Upon other much less severe occasions entire gangs of 20-50 Kaffirs,
travelling from the warm north to the diamond-fields or gold-mines, and
not sufficiently provided with blankets, would be found at their camping
places huddled together, nearly all numbed to death. The months when
such surprise weather is most liable to occur are from "July to
October," before and during the earlier spring rains. It is then, and
even up to December at times, that the Drakensberg and other mountains
resume their snow-capped winter decorations for some days. There is a
saying which fairly well applies to the high-veldt climate, _i.e._, that
cold and inclement weather is not met with until well in towards summer,
especially about the time of spring rains, and that hot weather of any
considerable continuance mostly occurs in spring. This will be
understood upon considering that the midsummer months, December to
February, are cooled by very frequent and copious rains, whilst the heat
accumulates more during the preceding sunny spring months, which are
interrupted at rarer intervals by short showers only.

Upon the whole, and despite the few eccentricities mentioned, the high
veldt is favoured with a climate which, for genial comfort all the year