ERMELO

ermelo, a district and town of the transvaal. the district lies in the south-east of the province and is traversed by the drakensberg. in it are lake chrissie, the only true lake in the country, and the sources of the vaal, olifants, komati, and usuto rivers, which rise within 30 m. of one another. the region has a general elevation of about 5500 ft. and is fine agricultural and pastoral country, besides containing valuable minerals, including coal and gold. ermelo town, pop. (1904) 1451, is by rail 175 m. s.e. of johannesburg, and 74 m. s.s.w. of machadodorp on the pretoria-delagoa bay railway. a government experimental farm, with some 1000 acres of plantations, is maintained here.