,,the  ,,young ,,folks' ,,library  ,,for
 ,,school ,,and ,,home4  ,,edited ,,by  
,,larkin ,,dunton1 ,,ll4,d41  ,,head    
,,master ,,of ,,the ,,boston ,,normal   
,,school4  ,,volume ,,xi4         99    
99       99       99       99  ,,the    
,,young ,,folks' ,,library1  ,edited by 
,,larkin ,,dunton1 ,,ll4,d41  ,,head    
,,master ,,of ,,the ,,boston ,,normal   
,,school4   ,designed to supplement the 
ordinary school reading-books with      
valuable practice in reading1 and at the
 same time to reenforce the instruction 
in special lines of school study with   
useful information and choice selections
 from the best literature4   ,stories of
 ,child ,life4  ,vol4 #a4    ,book      
,i4--,,at ,,home4  ,vol4 #b4    ,book   
,,ii4--,,at ,,play4  ,vol4 #c4    ,book 
,,iii4--,,in ,,the ,,country4  ,vol4 #d4
    ,book ,,iv4--,,at ,,school4   ,the  
,world and its ,people4  ,vol4 #e4      
,book ,i4--,,first ,,lessons4  ,vol4 #f4
    ,book ,,ii4--,,glimpses ,,of ,,the  
,,world4  ,vol4 #g4    ,book            

,,iii4--,,our ,,own ,,country4  ,vol4   
#h4    ,book ,,iv4--,,our ,,american    
,,neighbors4  ,vol4 #i4    ,book        
,v4--,,modern ,,europe4  ,vol4 #aj4     
,book ,,vi--,,life ,,in ,,asia4  ,vol4  
#aa4   ,book ,,vii4--,,views ,,in       
,,africa4 ,part ,one4            ,book  
,,vii4--,,views ,,in ,,africa4 ,part    
,two4            ,book ,,vii4--,,views  
,,in ,,africa4 ,complete4  ,vol4 #ab4   
,book ,,viii4--,,australia ,,and ,,the  
,,islands ,,of ,,the ,,sea4  ,vol4 #ac4 
,book ,,ix4--,,hawaii ,,and ,,its       
,,people4     ,,the ,,world ,,and ,,its 
,,people4  ,,book ,,vii4  ,,views ,,in  
,,africa4  ,,by  ,,anna ,b4 ,,badlam1   
,,author ,,of ,,stories ,,of ,,child    
,,life4  ,,edited ,,by ,,larkin         
,,dunton1 ,,ll4,d41 ,,head ,,master ,,of
 ,,the ,,boston ,,normal ,,school4      
,illustration  ,,silver1 ,,burdett      
,,company4 ,,new ,,york 4 4 ,,boston 4 4
 ,,chicago4 #aijj  ,,copyright1 #ahie1  
#ahif1 ,,by ,,silver1 ,,burdett  ,,co4  
,,publishers' ,,announcement4   ,it is  

now conceded by all educators that      
school instruction should be            
supplemented by reading matter suitable 
for use by the pupil both in the school 
and in the home4 ,whoever looks for such
 reading1 however1 must be struck at    
first with the abundance of what is     
offered to schools and parents1 and then
 with its lack of systematic            
arrangement1 and its consequent ill     
adaptation to the needs of young people4
  ,it is for the purpose of supplying   
this defect1 that the publishers have   
decided to issue a series of volumes1   
under the general title of the ,,young  
,,folks' ,,library ,,for ,,school ,,and 
,,home4  ,these books are intended to   
meet the needs of all children and youth
 of school age2 from those who have just
 mastered their first primer1 to those  
who are about to finish the high school 
course4 ,some of the volumes will       
supplement the ordinary school readers1 
as a means of teaching reading2 some    
will reenforce the instruction in       

geography1 history1 biography1 and      
natural science2 while others will be   
specially designed to cultivate a taste 
for good literature4 ,all will serve to 
develop power in the use of the mother  
tongue4  ,the matter for the various    
volumes will be so carefully selected   
and so judiciously graded1 that the     
various volumes will be adapted to the  
needs and capacities of all for whom    
they are designed2 while their literary 
merit1 it is hoped1 will be sufficient  
to make them deserve a place upon the   
shelves of any well selected collection 
of juvenile works4  ,each volume of the 
,,young ,,folks' ,,library will be      
prepared by some one of our ablest      
writers for young people1 and all will  
be carefully edited by ,larkin ,dunton1 
,,ll4,d41 ,head ,master of the ,boston  
,normal ,school4  ,the publishers intend
 to make this ,,library at once         
attractive and instructive2 they        
therefore commend these volumes1 with   
confidence1 to teachers1 parents1 and   

all others who are charged with the duty
 of directing the education of the      
young4  ,,silver1 ,,burdett  ,,co4      
,,preface4   ,africa is a vast continent
 inhabited1 for the most part1 by people
 who have not felt the influence of     
,christianity and modern civilization1  
and who1 consequently1 differ from us in
 character and habits of life4  ,to     
become intelligent in regard to the     
continent1 so as to know it1 with its   
rich flora and strange fauna1 as a part 
of the world in which we live1 is an    
important part of a child's education4  
,but a close acquaintance with the      
people who inhabit it1 and with their   
occupations1 interests1 homes1 and modes
 of thought and feeling1 is an essential
 condition of that broad sympathy with  
humanity and that strong unselfish      
patriotism which should be              
characteristic of every true ,american  
citizen2 for we know our blessings only 
by contrast4  ,the elevating influence  
of civilization1 both old and new1 is   

made still more apparent by studying its
 manifestations in the northern and     
southern sections of the continent1     
where its power is set off in contrast  
with the uncivilized interior4 ,this is 
especially true of the study of ancient 
and modern ,egypt4  ,it is the purpose  
of the present volume to furnish the    
young people of this country an         
opportunity for such study and          
knowledge4 ,many books have been written
 about ,africa for older folks2 but this
 is an attempt to unlock the treasures  
of this hitherto inaccessible field for 
the special benefit of the young1 and   
thus to contribute something towards    
enlightening their heads and warming    
their hearts4  ,the book should be read 
with a good map of ,africa1 and1 so far 
as possible1 with maps of the various   
sections of the country1 constantly open
 before the reader4  ,acknowledgment is 
here made of indebtedness to the        
following excellent works1 which are    
cordially recommended to the readers of 

this book3 ,the ,countries of the       
,world1 ,vol4 ,,vi2 ,the ,story of      
,nations1 ,vol4 ,,ii2 ,africa           
,illustrated2 ,famous ,african          
,explorers1 ,vols4 ,i and ,,ii2 ,a      
,journey to ,ashango-,land2             
,livingstone's ,researches in ,south    
,africa2 ,travellers in ,africa2 ,home  
,life on an ,ostrich ,farm2 ,geography1 
,physical1 ,historical1 and             
,descriptive2 and ,polar and ,tropical  
,world4  ,,the ,,editor4     ,,contents4
   ,,part ,i4  ,,glimpses ,,of ,,the    
,,dark ,,continent4  ,,chapter          
,,page  ,i4 ,a ,,bird',s-,,eye ,,view   
#ac  ,,ii4 ,,some ,,physical ,,features 
#af  ,,iii4 ,,the ,,oases ,,of ,,the    
,,desert                                
#bd  ,,iv4 ,,more ,,physical ,,features 
#cj  ,v4 ,,features1 ,,ancient ,,and    
,,modern                           #cf  
,,vi4 ,,the ,,rivers ,,of ,,africa      
#dc  ,,vii4 ,,the ,,nile1 ,,the ,,most  
,,ancient ,,of ,,rivers                 
#di  ,,viii4 ,,the ,,niger1 ,,the       

,,river ,,of ,,the ,,west               
#ei  ,,ix4 ,,the ,,zambesi1 ,,the       
,,river ,,of ,,southeast ,,africa       
#fc  ,x4 ,a ,,view ,,of ,,victoria      
,,falls                                 
#fi  ,,xi4 ,,another ,,view ,,of ,,the  
,,zambesi                           #gd 
,,xii4 ,,the ,,deserts ,,of ,,south     
,,africa                          #gi   
,,xiii4 ,,glimpses ,,of ,,rivers        
#hf  ,,xiv4 ,,the ,,congo ,,river       
#ic  ,,xv4 ,,the ,,people ,,of ,,the    
,,congo ,,river ,,basin                 
#ih  ,,xvi4 ,,views ,,of ,,the ,,congo  
,,basin                            #ajb 
,,xvii4 ,,more ,,views ,,of ,,the       
,,congo ,,region                        
#ajh  ,,xvii4 ,,the ,,congo ,,free      
,,state                                 
#aad  ,,xix4 ,,the ,,lake ,,region ,,of 
,,africa                           #aag 
,,xx4 ,,the ,,land ,,of ,,the ,,moon    
#aba  ,,xxi4 ,,views ,,of ,,lake        
,,tanganyika                            
#abd  ,,xxii4 ,,some ,,views ,,of ,,the 

,,people                           #abh 
,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,march ,,towards        
,,victoria ,,nyanza                 #aca
  ,,xxiv4 ,,view ,,of ,,the ,,nile ,,at 
,,lake ,,victoria ,,nyanza              
#acf  ,,xxv4 ,,the ,,approach ,,to      
,,lake ,,albert ,,nyanza                
#adj  ,,xxvi4 ,a ,,view ,,of ,,lake     
,,albert ,,nyanza                       
#adf  ,,xxvii4 ,,from ,,lake ,,albert   
,,nyanza ,,to ,,murchison ,,falls       
#aea  ,,xxviii4 ,,mountains ,,of        
,,africa                                
#aef  ,,xxix4 ,,some ,,peculiar         
,,features ,,of ,,african ,,soil        
#afb  ,,xxx4 ,,the ,,minerals ,,of      
,,africa                                
#aff  ,,xxxi4 ,,the ,,diamond ,,fields  
#aga  ,,xxxii4 ,,glimpses ,,of ,,south  
,,africa                          #ahj  
,,xxxiii4 ,,natives ,,of ,,south        
,,africa                          #ahi  
,,xxxiv4 ,a ,,view ,,of ,,cape ,,colony 
#aig  ,,xxxv4 ,,annexations ,,to ,,cape 
,,colony                         #bjh   

,,xxxvi4 ,,another ,,view ,,of ,,cape   
,,colony                       #baj     
,,xxxvii4 ,,natal                       
#bae  ,,xxxviii4 ,,kaffraria1 ,,or      
,,kaffirland                        #bbj
  ,,xxxix4 ,,kaffir ,,traits ,,and      
,,customs                         #bbe  
,,xl4 ,,hottentot ,,customs             
#bcj  ,,xli4 ,,orange ,,free ,,state    
#bcg  ,,xlii4 ,,the ,,south ,,african   
,,republic                         #bdc 
,,xliii4 ,,over ,,the ,,drachenberg     
,,mountains                    #bea     
,,xliv4 ,,views ,,of ,,the ,,boers      
#bed  ,,xlv4 ,,other ,,sections ,,of    
,,south ,,africa                        
#bfc  ,,xlvi4 ,,retrospective ,,views   
#bfi   ,,part ,,ii4  ,,broader ,,views  
,,of ,,the ,,continent4   ,,chapter     
,,page  ,,xlvii4 ,,views ,,of ,,western 
,,africa                           #bgg 
,,xlviii4 ,,upper ,,guinea              
#bhc  ,,xlix4 ,,lower ,,guinea          
#bih  ,l4 ,,the ,,climate ,,of ,,africa 
#cjf  ,,li4 ,,the ,,vegetation ,,of     

,,africa                                
#caa  ,,lii4 ,,varieties ,,of           
,,vegetation                            
#cag  ,,liii4 ,,views ,,of ,,animal     
,,life                                  
#cbb  ,,liv4 ,,the ,,antelope ,,family  
#cbg  ,,lv4 ,,some ,,of ,,the           
,,ruminants                             
#cca  ,,lvi4 ,,views ,,of ,,elephants   
#ccf  ,,lvii4 ,,views ,,of ,,the        
,,hippopotamus                          
#cdj  ,,lviii4 ,,views ,,of ,,the       
,,rhinoceros                            
#cdf  ,,lix4 ,,lion ,,hunting           
#cea  ,,lx4 ,,incidental ,,views ,,of   
,,animal ,,life                         
#ceg  ,,lxi4 ,,bird ,,life ,,in ,,africa
                                 #cfj   
,,lxii4 ,,the ,,ostrich ,,in ,a ,,wild  
,,state                        #cff     
,,lxiii4 ,,ostrich ,,farming ,,at ,,cape
 ,,colony                    #cgf       
,,lxiv4 ,,views ,,of ,,an ,,ostrich     
,,farm                           #chc   
,,lxv4 ,,views ,,in ,,equatorial        

,,africa                          #chh  
,,lxvi4 ,,crocodiles                    
#cic  ,,lxvii4 ,,ants ,,of ,,africa     
#cig  ,,lxviii4 ,,the ,,people ,,of     
,,africa                                
#djb  ,,lxix4 ,,pen ,,portraits         
#dac  ,,lxx4 ,,views ,,from             
,,livingstone                           
#dah  ,,lxxi4 ,,views ,,from ,,andersson
                               #dbd     
,,lxxii4 ,,new ,,views ,,of ,,natives   
#dbg  ,,lxxiii4 ,,more ,,views ,,from   
,,livingstone                      #dcg 
,,lxxiv4 ,,curious ,,modes              
#ddc  ,,lxxv4 ,,the ,,empire ,,of       
,,morocco                               
#dea  ,,lxxvi4 ,,into ,,algeria         
#dgj  ,,lxxvii4 ,,the ,,state ,,of      
,,tunis                                 
#dhd  ,,lxxviii4 ,,the ,,province ,,of  
,,tripoli                         #dhh  
,,lxxix4 ,,fezzan                       
#dif  ,,lxxx4 ,,the ,,port ,,of ,,egypt 
#ejj  ,,lxxxi4 ,,the ,,nile ,,delta     
,,and ,,the ,,suez ,,canal              

#ejf  ,,lxxxii4 ,,cairo1 ,,the          
,,greatest ,,city ,,in ,,africa         
#eaf  ,,lxxxiii4 ,,education ,,in       
,,cairo                                 
#ebb  ,,lxxxiv4 ,,gizeh ,,and ,,its     
,,pyramids                              
#eca  ,,lxxxv4 ,,heliopolis1 ,,thebes1  
,,and ,,karnac                    #eci  
,,list ,,of ,,illustrations   ,,part ,i4
  ,,encampment ,,of ,,bedouin ,,arabs   
#ab  ,,oasis ,,in ,,the ,,sahara        
#be  ,,gathering ,,dates                
#cc  ,,papyrus ,,on ,,the ,,nile        
#da  ,,smoke-,,resounding ,,falls ,,of  
,,the ,,zambesi                   #fg   
,a ,,scene ,,in ,,the ,,drachenberg     
,,mountains                      #hh    
,,victoria ,,nyanza                     
#ace  ,,crocodiles ,,on ,,the ,,banks   
,,of ,,the ,,nile                       
#aeb  ,,crossing ,,the ,,desert         
#afj  ,,interior ,,of ,a ,,diamond      
,,mine                                  
#agc  ,,washing ,,sand ,,for ,,diamonds 
#agh  ,,cape ,,town ,,and ,,table ,,bay 

#ahd  ,,zulus 7,,natives ,,of ,,south   
,,africa7                          #bga 
,,part ,,ii4  ,,natives ,,of            
,,senegambia                            
#bgi  ,,guinea ,,coast ,,native         
#bha  ,,sierra ,,leone                  
#bhd  ,a ,,native ,,of ,,the ,,gaboon   
,,river                             #bii
  ,,rhinoceros ,,charging ,,the         
,,hunters                          #cej 
,,ostriches                             
#cgj  ,,dr4 ,,livingstone ,,near ,,the  
,,close ,,of ,,his ,,last ,,journey     
#ddf  ,,stanley ,,on ,,the ,,march      
#ddh  ,,pyramid ,,and ,,sphinx          
#dej  ,,tangier                         
#def  ,a ,,water ,,carrier ,,at ,,fez   
#dfb  ,,dinner ,,time ,,in ,,morocco    
#dff  ,,street ,,in ,,algiers           
#dgi  ,,suez ,,canal                    
#ejh  ,a ,,street ,,scene ,,in ,,cairo  
#ebj         99       99       99       
99       99  ,illustration3 ,,encampment
 ,,of ,,bedouin ,,arabs4 ,frontispiece4 
,,part ,,one4  ,,glimpses ,,of ,,the    

,,dark ,,continent4     ,,chapter ,i4   
,a ,,bird',s-,,eye ,,view4   ,the name  
,dark ,continent has been most aptly    
applied to ,africa4 ,little was known of
 its geographical features until within 
the last twenty-five or thirty years4   
,some knowledge had been gained of its  
native tribes1 but this was very        
indefinite1 and in many ways unreliable4
  ,ignorance and superstition clouded   
the minds of those who heard accounts of
 the adventures of the early explorers4 
,stories of their encounters with wild  
beasts and cruel savages were eagerly   
listened to1 but were regarded as       
marvelous tales1 similar to those of the
 ,arabian ,nights4 ,descriptions of     
dreary wastes of sand1 tangled forests1 
wild jungles1 and treacherous morasses  
were exciting topics1 but evidently     
thought to be features of a country that
 existed only in the minds of those who 
related its wonders4  ,boys and girls of
 fifty years ago1 as they conned their  
geography lessons or pored over their   

maps1 no doubt allowed their thoughts to
 stray beyond the little tract of       
country represented in bright colors    
upon the map of ,africa4 ,upon such a   
map only those portions which           
represented partially explored territory
 were thus colored4 ,the portion        
representing the vast regions unknown   
alike to the adventurer and to the      
explorer was colored black1 and marked  
unexplored territory4  ,this feature of 
the map must have been very suggestive  
to boys and girls in those old school   
days1 when the only stories of          
adventures that they possessed were of  
the nature of ,robinson ,crusoe and     
,swiss ,family ,robinson4  ,no doubt    
many an imaginative boy lost himself in 
scenes of wild adventures in these      
unexplored regions4 ,his ready          
imagination pictured them as teeming    
with savage life and fraught with hidden
 danger4  ,his most vivid daydreams     
could never have depicted the real      
dangers1 privations1 and cost to life1  

as they have become known to us through 
the letters and journals of recent      
explorers4  ,these men must always live 
in the hearts and memories of the       
people4 ,they must ever be regarded as  
dauntless heroes who ventured to cross  
the border land between the known and   
the unknown territories of ,africa4     
,through hardship and privation these   
explorers have gained a definite and    
accurate knowledge of many portions of  
,africa4 ,thus have they shed light upon
 a portion of the globe which1 compared 
with other continents1 we must still    
regard in many ways as the ,dark        
,continent4  ,doubtless no part of the  
earth has been made the subject of so   
many books in so short a period as      
,africa4 ,their number is legion4 ,we   
find them not only in the language of   
our own country1 but in foreign         
languages4 ,the recent books written    
upon ,africa would form a library of    
themselves4  ,the origin of the name    
,africa has furnished a topic for wide  

discussion by students and historians4  
,some believe the name to have come from
 a ,greek word meaning south wind4      
,others believe it to have been formed  
from the ,latin word signifying sunny4  
,then there are others who are quite    
positive that the name came from a      
,greek word meaning without cold4       
,africa is the most tropical of all the 
continents4 ,it will be well to look up 
its position upon the globe4 ,we shall  
find it situated in the ,eastern        
,hemisphere1 south of ,europe1 and      
southwest of ,asia4 ,it lies very nearly
 between latitudes #cg deg4 ,n4 and #ce 
deg4 ,s4  ,if we look at its general    
shape1--an irregular triangle1--we shall
 be able to trace quite a resemblance to
 ,south ,america4 ,wonderful and        
interesting1 however1 as we know the    
characteristics of that continent to be1
 we shall find that ,africa has far more
 wonders to unfold4  ,africa was        
originally a vast peninsula1 attached to
 ,asia by the ,isthmus of ,suez4 ,the   

two continents were separated by the    
completion of the ,suez ,canal4 ,in all 
respects1 ,africa is now an enormous    
island4  ,it is larger1 by far1 than    
either ,europe or ,australia1 but       
somewhat smaller than either ,asia or   
,america4  ,it is indeed difficult to   
get a correct estimate of a country     
still shrouded to a great extent in     
darkness1 so far as our actual knowledge
 of it is concerned4 ,it has been       
roughly estimated to contain upwards of 
eleven and one-half millions of square  
miles4  ,let us look at the map of      
,africa4 ,we find that the continent is 
indented by no deep gulfs or bays4      
,there are few capes or peninsulas along
 the coast1 which1 for the most part1 is
 regular and unbroken4  ,the absence of 
deep gulfs and bays running into the    
interior is one of the principal reasons
 why the exploration of the continent   
has been so difficult1 and why so little
 is known of its vast interior4  ,true1 
we find upon the ,mediterranean coast   

the ,gulf of ,sidra1 the ,gulf of       
,arabia upon the coast of the ,indian   
,ocean1 and the ,gulf of ,guinea upon   
the ,atlantic coast4 ,the latter is the 
only important inlet upon the ,atlantic 
coast1 and divides into two             
branches1--the ,bight of ,biafra and the
 ,bight of ,benin4  ,the extreme points 
of land upon the several coasts are     
,cape ,bon upon the north1 ,cape ,verd  
upon the west1 ,cape of ,good ,hope upon
 the south1 and ,cape ,guardafui upon   
the east4     ,,chapter ,,ii4  ,,some   
,,physical ,,features4   ,naturally1 in 
looking upon the contour of a country1  
we wish to consider its general         
features1 that we may call up a mental  
picture of it4 ,you know how quickly you
 can recall an absent friend1 if you are
 familiar enough with his form and      
features to make a clear mental         
photograph4  ,the best authors divide   
,africa1 for convenience1 into five     
different sections3 first1 the          
triangular-shaped region south of the   

,gulf of ,guinea and ,cape ,guardafui2  
second1 the great tract called ,soudan1 
which lies north and northwest of this  
triangular plateau2 third1 the ,sahara1 
or ,great ,desert1 which stretches      
between the ,soudan and the cultivated  
tract that borders the ,mediterranean   
,sea2 fourth1 the ,atlas region1 which  
includes the mountainous countries of   
,morocco1 ,algeria1 ,tunis1 and         
,tripoli2 fifth1 the region which       
borders on the ,red ,sea1 and comprises 
,abyssinia1 ,nubia1 and ,egypt4  ,the   
first section is mostly a high          
table-land1 with mountains fringing its 
edges4 ,the ,lupata range1 which runs   
parallel with the coast1 forms the      
eastern crest of this table-land4 ,two  
snow-clad mountains1 ,kilimanjaro and   
,kenia1 rise to an elevation of about   
twenty thousand feet1 and mark the      
greatest height of this table-land in   
any one section of it4  ,the table-land 
does not rise abruptly from the coast4  
,a belt of lowlands lies between the    

coast and where the elevation begins4   
,these lowlands range from fifty to     
three hundred miles in breadth4  ,the   
eastern extremity of the table-land     
stretches into the mountainous country  
of ,abyssinia4 ,its most northern       
extremity1 the summit of ,abba ,yared1  
is fifteen thousand feet high4  ,in the 
south1 the hills of ,cape ,colony rise  
by gradual stages from ,table ,mount to 
the summits of the mountain ranges in   
the northern part of the ,colony4 ,these
 summits are estimated to be from seven 
thousand to ten thousand feet high4     
,the spaces between these ranges are    
either valleys covered with shrubs1 or  
broad1 elevated terraces4 ,in ,cape     
,colony1 which was founded by the       
,dutch1 these valleys have been named   
kloofs4 ,the terraces have been named   
karroos4 ,it will be well to remember   
these names1 as we shall find them again
 in later descriptions of this region4  
,the second section1 ,soudan1 has       
sometimes been called ,central          

,nigritia4 ,this tract includes the     
countries which are watered by the      
,senegal1 ,gambia1 and ,niger1 together 
with the coast of ,lower ,guinea and the
 basin of ,lake ,tchad4  ,in the western
 part of this section there is a        
mountainous table-land4 ,this table-land
 does not attain any great elevation1   
but the rivers ,senegal1 ,gambia1 and   
,niger have their rise here4  ,many of  
the older geographers describe a chain  
of mountains1 the ,kong1 running        
parallel with the coast of ,guinea2 but 
more modern authors1 in their           
descriptions of the edge of the plateau1
 state that it approaches the coast only
 at intervals beyond the low delta of   
the ,niger1 as far as ,cape ,verd1 and  
that the supposed ,kong ,mountains do   
not exist4  ,east of the ,niger the     
country is merely hilly1 interspersed   
here and there with very fertile1 often 
swampy1 plains4 ,in the basin of ,lake  
,tchad is a vast plain1 formed of       
alluvial deposits4 ,this plain is one of

 the largest upon the globe1 and is     
noted for its great fertility4  ,the    
third section1 or ,great ,desert1       
extends south nearly to the ,senegal1   
the northern bend of the ,niger1 and    
,lake ,tchad4 ,northward1 it extends to 
the ,atlas range in ,morocco and        
,algeria4 ,towards ,egypt it reaches    
nearly to the ,mediterranean ,sea4  ,the
 ,sahara is not a vast plain of         
trackless sand1 as we might suppose4    
,the greater part of it1 on the         
contrary1 rises into great table-lands4 
,some of these table-lands contain      
groups of mountains1 rising often to the
 height of more than six thousand feet4 
,this height is almost equal to that of 
,mount ,washington in ,new ,hampshire1  
or ,mount ,katahdin in ,maine4 ,it is   
somewhat greater than that of ,mount    
,marcy in ,new ,york1 or ,mount         
,mansfield in ,vermont4  ,we must       
consider the ,sahara1 then1 not a       
monotonous expanse of burning sand1 but 
a region presenting great variety in its

 form and characteristics4  ,from south 
to north it has an average breadth of   
about one thousand miles4 ,from the     
,atlantic ,ocean to the western edge of 
the ,nile valley its length is about two
 thousand miles4  ,throughout the entire
 desert rain rarely falls4 ,indeed1 over
 a great portion of it there is never a 
drop of rain4 ,for this reason the land 
is dry and sterile4  ,in some portions  
of the desert there are vast tracts of  
shifting sand4 ,frequent and violent    
winds blow these sands high into the    
air1 and travelers often find themselves
 suddenly overtaken by one of these     
sand-storms1 to their great discomfort  
and danger4  ,most of us have           
experienced the discomfort from a sudden
 cloud of dust and dirt1 when the rude  
winds of ,march have full force4 ,we can
 imagine1 in a slight degree1 the fury  
of one of these storms of blinding1     
burning sand4  ,we can picture the      
unfortunate bewildered traveler         
overtaken by one of these storms4       

,blinded1 half-smothered1 unable to     
battle with so unsuspected a foe1 he    
sinks helplessly to the ground4 ,the    
shifting sands heap themselves over his 
prostrate form4 ,alone1 unknown1 with   
naught to mark his resting place1 he    
lies buried in the wastes of the        
,sahara4  ,fortunately1 all parts of the
 ,great ,desert are not so dangerous to 
life4 ,a large portion1 if not the      
greater portion of it1 consists of      
barren but firm soil4 ,this soil is     
composed of hardened sand1 sandstone1   
and granite4 ,quartz rock is sometimes  
found in small quantities4 ,this portion
 of the ,sahara often rises into ridges1
 or small hills4 ,these chains of hills 
are often fully as desolate and bare as 
the plain from which they rise4  ,many  
of the plains of the ,sahara vary from  
the uniform type4 ,sometimes on one of  
them the ground is covered with stones  
or loose boulders4 ,these are fully as  
fatiguing to the traveler as the loose1 
drifting sand4 ,often these plains are  

rent by deep chasms4 ,frequently they   
are hollowed into great basins4  ,into  
the plains which contain these chasms   
the rain descends from the gullies of   
the ,atlas mountain system4 ,this       
sometimes forms streams1 which the      
thirsty sands swallow1 or which are     
quickly evaporated by the burning rays  
of the sun4  ,the deeper basins of the  
,sahara are often of considerable       
extent4 ,some of them contain valuable  
salt deposits4  ,there are vast tracts1 
too1 of sterile sand1 where not even the
 smallest of plants will take root4 ,in 
the absence of plant life1 animals      
disappear1 and for days the weary       
traveler may pursue his journey and meet
 neither beast1 bird1 nor insect to     
break the monotony of the dreary waste  
of sand4  ,the description of the       
,sahara by one author is most realistic4
 ,nowhere are the transitions of light  
and shade more abrupt than in the       
desert1 for nowhere is the atmosphere   
more thoroughly free of all vapors4 ,the

 sun pours a dazzling light on the      
ground1 so that every object stands     
forth with wonderful clearness1 while   
all that remains in the shade is sharply
 defined1 and appears like a dark spot  
in the surrounding glare4  ,the         
stillness of these wastes is sometimes  
awfully interrupted by the loud voice of
 the simoon4 ,the crystal transparency  
of the sky is veiled with a hazy        
dimness4 ,the wind rises1 and blows in  
intermittent gusts1 like the laborious  
breathing of a feverish patient4        
,gradually the convulsions of the storm 
grow more violent and frequent2 and     
although the sun is unable to pierce the
 thick dust clouds1 and the shadow of   
the traveler is scarcely visible on the 
ground1 yet so suffocating is the heat1 
that it seems to him as if the fiercest 
rays of the sun were scorching his      
brain4  ,the dun atmosphere gradually   
changes to a leaden blackness1 the wind 
becomes constant1 and even the camels   
stretch themselves upon the ground and  

turn their backs to the whirling sand   
storm4  ,at night the darkness is       
complete2 no light or fire burns in the 
tents1 which are hardly able to resist  
the gusts of the simoon4 ,silence reigns
 throughout the whole caravan1 yet no   
one sleeps2 the bark of the jackal or   
the howl of the hyena alone sounds      
dismally1 from time to time1 through the
 loud roaring of the storm4  ,this same 
author tells us that the sultry breath  
of the desert is felt far beyond its    
bounds4 ,it blows over ,italy1 and      
crosses even the ,alps4 ,here it rapidly
 melts the snow of the higher valleys1  
causing dangerous inundations4  ,it is  
no uncommon thing for the dust of the   
desert to be whirled high into the air  
and fall upon the decks of vessels      
crossing the ,atlantic far from the     
coast of ,africa4 ,frequently it flies  
in clouds over the ,red ,sea2 thus does 
,nubia greet ,arabia4  ,considering the 
scanty vegetation to be found in the    
,sahara1 the scarcity of animal life is 

not to be wondered at4  ,the lion1 which
 has been called the king of the desert1
 contents himself with the borders of   
his domain4 ,he rarely leaves the wooded
 mountains of the ,atlas region or the  
fertile plains of the ,soudan to wander 
far into the ,great ,desert1 where there
 is little water1 and only snakes and   
scorpions are to be found for food in   
the dry season4  ,true1 among the       
animals in those sections of the ,sahara
 that are covered with prickly shrubs1  
may be found the hare and the rabbit1   
the hedgehog and the porcupine2 but the 
hyena and the jackal1 that also haunt   
these spots1 claim these as their booty4
  ,several varieties of lizards are to  
be found in the desert4 ,among them is a
 large gray monitor and a small white   
skink4 ,the latter has very short legs4 
,its movements are so rapid that it     
seems to swim on the surface1 as a fish 
would in water4 ,just as its pursuer    
thinks he has captured it1 it           
disappears1 diving under the surface4   

,it can readily be traced in its retreat
 and easily taken from the sand4 ,when  
provisions are scarce1 the pursuit of   
the skink is not considered too much    
trouble1 although its body is so        
insignificant for food4  ,there is a    
proverbial saying that the ostrich needs
 to drink water only every five days1   
and could exist much longer without it1 
if necessary4 ,however this may be1 it  
is certain that this enormous bird      
penetrates far into the interior of the 
desert4  ,the animal life of the ,sahara
 fluctuates from north to south1        
according to the seasons4  ,in winter   
and spring the nomadic tribes wander1   
with their herds of camels1 horses1     
sheep1 and goats1 farther into the      
interior4 ,this is owing to the more    
favorable conditions2 for the heavy     
rains1 falling upon the northern borders
 of the desert1 cover large districts1  
scorched by the heat of the previous    
summer1 with abundant pasturage and     
furnish them with a goodly supply of    

water4 ,as the season advances and the  
sun gains power1 these tribes1 with     
their flocks1 retreat again to the      
borders4  ,at this favorable season the 
wild animals--the lion1 the gazelle1 and
 the antelope--wander to the sections in
 the south4 ,here nature provides the   
nourishment which the dry summer season 
could not afford them4  ,in the southern
 portions of the ,sahara1 and in some   
more northern sections1 the tropical    
rains produce periodical changes in the 
character of the desert4 ,under the     
influence of these rains1 the sandy     
plains soon become clothed with grasses 
and shrubs4  ,during the dry season this
 carpet of green disappears1 and the    
country becomes again an arid tract4    
,stubbles and tufts of mimosas are the  
only signs of vegetable life4  ,the     
beneficial change from the dry to the   
rainy season does not always take place4
 ,the tropical rains frequently fail to 
make their appearance in these northern 
sections1 and the hopes of the desert1  

thirsting for moisture1 are doomed to   
disappointment4     ,,chapter ,,iii4    
,,the ,,oases ,,of ,,the ,,desert4      
,this desolation of the ,sahara would be
 of such a nature that nothing1 either  
in the animal or vegetable world1 could 
survive1 were it not for the fertile    
tracts1 or oases1 found at intervals    
throughout its whole extent4  ,these    
oases1 or roadies1 as they are sometimes
 called1 are caused by subterranean1 or 
underground1 springs4 ,oases are more   
common in the eastern part of the       
,sahara than in the other sections4     
,illustration3 ,,oasis ,,in ,,the       
,,sahara4  ,oases differ in character4  
,sometimes they are mere patches1       
covered with bushes and coarse grass1   
usually surrounding a spring4 ,more     
often they are tracts of rare beauty and
 of great fertility1 with a good supply 
of water4  ,in traveling through the    
,great ,desert1 the easiest route is    
from ,tripoli1 through the kingdoms of  
,fezzan1 to ,lake ,tchad4 ,the kingdom  

of ,fezzan is favored as to climate4 ,it
 has periodical rains1 on account of the
 moist winds which blow from the        
,mediterranean ,sea4 ,these seem to     
extend farther inland here than in any  
other part of the continent4  ,east of  
this route across the ,sahara there is a
 portion of the desert called the       
,libyan ,desert4 ,oases are1 in this    
section1 very easily cultivated4 ,in the
 western section of the ,sahara the land
 of the oases is fit only for pasturing 
goats and sheep4  ,in some of these more
 fertile oases of the eastern sections1 
thousands of inhabitants may be found   
living in comfortable villages4 ,there  
may be found the date palm in           
cultivation1 together with other fruits 
and some grains4 ,gum arabic is also a  
product of this region4 ,it is obtained 
from the sap which exudes from the trunk
 of the acacia tree4  ,commerce across  
the ,great ,desert is not carried on    
without difficulty and danger4 ,there   
are various routes over which caravans  

of from five hundred to two thousand    
camels and their drivers travel4  ,the  
distance between the springs1 or wells1 
is frequently more than a ten-days'     
journey4 ,often such a spring is reached
 only to be found dry1 and then both the
 men and the animals are in danger of   
perishing for lack of water4  ,we1 who  
are so accustomed to an abundance of    
fresh water1 can scarcely realize how it
 would seem to travel with one of these 
caravans1 and to be able to quench our  
thirst only from the supply of water    
carried in leather bags slung from the  
sides of the patient camels4 ,a glass of
 water that has stood over night does   
not seem very palatable to us2 yet1     
doubtless1 it would seem refreshing     
compared with water that had been       
carried in a leather bag for ten days1  
exposed to the burning heat of the      
desert's sands and sun4  ,a wise        
,providence has fitted the camel with a 
special paunch1 or stomach1 the cells of
 which it fills with water before       

starting out on one of these journeys4  
,this supply has to suffice for its     
needs until more water can be obtained  
from some distant spring4 ,it has been  
stated that the cells of the camel's    
stomach can absorb and hold upwards of a
 gallon of water when the animal is     
preparing to start out upon one of its  
long journeys across the desert4        
,should a caravan1 in crossing the      
desert1 reach a spring or well1 the     
waters of which had run dry1 perhaps the
 life of one of the camels would have to
 be sacrificed1 in the hope of getting a
 supply of water from its stomach4 ,this
 water would be all that the drivers    
would have with which to sustain life   
until another spring could be reached4  
,nature has fitted the camel most       
admirably for its desert home4 ,in      
addition to its true stomach1 with its  
peculiar cell-like lining1 it has a     
second stomach1 or honeycombed paunch4  
,these are both capable of holding a    
large supply of water4  ,the hump of the

 camel is another wise provision to     
enable the animal to endure the         
hardships of its long journeys1 often on
 a very short supply of food4 ,a few    
beans1 dates1 or carob pods are all the 
camel receives after a long day's march1
 when there is no herbage on which it   
can browse4  ,shrubby plants1 such as   
the camel's thorn1 of which the animal  
is very fond1 are all that the sterile  
sands of the desert can produce for its 
needs4  ,the drivers and owners of the  
camels look very carefully to the       
condition of the hump of each animal    
before starting out on a march across   
the desert4  ,the hump is really a      
storehouse for fat4 ,when plump and well
 rounded1 it indicates that the animal  
is in perfect health4 ,if1 after a long 
march1 this hump becomes wasted1 whether
 because the animal has become          
exhausted1 or because he has had        
insufficient food1 it is often necessary
 to prescribe complete rest4 ,even with 
an abundance of food1 and no work to do1

 it may take three or four months before
 the camel is restored to perfect health
 and full powers of endurance1 as       
indicated by its firm1 plump hump4  ,the
 foot of the camel is formed to keep it 
from sinking in the sand4 ,it is        
furnished with an extended pad1 or      
cushion4 ,this pad is protected from the
 heat of the burning sands by means of a
 thick sole4  ,the skin on the chest and
 kneejoints is thickened into what are  
called callosities4 ,it is upon these   
that the camel rests when it lies down1 
or when it kneels to receive a load4    
,the camel has been called the ship of  
the desert4 ,it can carry twice the load
 of a mule4 ,it travels slowly1 yet it  
moves at a steady1 uniform pace4 ,it can
 thus travel for hundreds and hundreds  
of miles at the rate of two miles and a 
half an hour4  ,the motion of the camel 
is most peculiar4 ,it is a swaying from 
side to side1 not at all agreeable to   
one unaccustomed to riding upon its     
back4  ,this motion is caused by the    

camel moving both feet on a side at     
once4 ,in this way1 first one side of   
its body is thrown forward1 then the    
other4  ,to protect the camel against   
the shifting sands and the burning heat 
of the sun1 nature has further fitted it
 for its peculiar home and life4 ,it has
 the power to close its nostrils at will
 to keep out the sand4 ,long lashes     
protect its eyes1 not only from the     
storms of wind and sand1 but also from  
the glare and the heat4  ,from time     
immemorial the camel has been known as  
the beast of burden in ,india1 ,arabia1 
and ,africa4 ,this species1 the         
one-humped camel1 or dromedary1 differs 
somewhat from that having two humps4    
,the latter has been found in ,central  
,asia1 ,persia1 and the south of        
,russia4  ,recently a report has been   
received from ,st4 ,petersburg that wild
 camels have been discovered in large   
quantities in a district of ,asia2 but  
nowhere in history do we read of camels 
that are not domesticated4  ,the        

sculptures of ,assyria depict both      
species4 ,the patient animal is         
mentioned in the oldest books of the    
,bible4 ,many of our pleasantest        
associations in connection with our     
earliest ,bible lessons center about    
this animal1 in connection with the wise
 men of the ,east1 and other scenes     
connected with the birth and early life 
of our ,saviour4     ,,chapter ,,iv4    
,,more ,,physical ,,features4   ,the    
fourth division of ,africa comprises    
what is sometimes called ,barbary4 ,it  
includes the mountainous countries of   
,morocco1 ,algeria1 ,tunis1 and         
,tripoli4  ,in its general character    
this northern section bears a strong    
resemblance to the opposite coast of    
,europe1 with respect to peculiarities  
of soil and climate and the variety of  
its products4  ,the southern slope of   
the ,atlas region gradually merges into 
the ,great ,desert4 ,some parts of this 
range are above what is called the snow 
line4 ,the summits of some of the peaks 

are thirteen thousand feet high4  ,the  
,barbary ,states extend from the borders
 of ,egypt on the east to the ,atlantic 
,ocean on the west4 ,the ,mediterranean 
,sea is the northern boundary2 the      
,sahara is the southern4  ,although the 
country of ,morocco is generally        
mountainous1 yet there are deviations   
from this characteristic feature of it4 
,the ,atlas ,mountains traverse the     
country in several parallel chains1     
running from southwest to northeast4    
,towards the coast country and the      
desert these chains send out spurs of   
hills and detached mountain groups4  ,at
 the western and eastern extremities of 
,morocco1 and along the borders of the  
desert1 there are many level tracts4    
,it is in ,morocco that the central     
range of the ,atlas ,mountains forms a  
watershed4 ,this watershed separates the
 rivers which flow into the ,atlantic   
,ocean and ,mediterranean ,sea from     
those which flow south towards the      
desert4  ,the rivers flowing south have 

a longer course and more volume of water
 than the rivers flowing towards the    
,atlantic and the ,mediterranean4 ,the  
latter rivers are1 however1 perennial1  
while those flowing south are apt to    
become dry in summer4 ,even after their 
currents are full1 the waters lose      
themselves in the sands of the ,sahara4 
,the climate of ,morocco is temperate   
between the central range of the ,atlas 
,mountains and the sea4 ,there are no   
extremes of temperature1 owing to the   
influence of the sea breeze and the     
shelter which the mountains afford from 
the scorching winds of the desert4 ,in  
the southeast districts there are great 
extremes of heat and cold1 and rain is  
an unknown blessing4  ,the even climate 
of the temperate regions is favorable to
 such productions as wheat1 barley1     
rice1 maize1 and the sugar cane4 ,such  
fruits as the fig1 pomegranate1 lemon1  
orange1 and date are common here1       
between the ,atlas range and the sea4   
,cotton1 tobacco1 and hemp are produced 

in great quantities1 not only for       
domestic use but for exportation4       
,algeria really forms the northern      
boundary of the great plateau of ,north 
,africa4 ,this plateau rises from the   
sea1 at this point1 in the form of three
 terraces4 ,the ,atlas ,mountains run   
parallel to the coast line of ,algeria4 
,beyond this range of mountains is a    
vast tract of heath-covered plains4     
,these are interspersed with salt lakes4
 ,the vast tract stretches southward    
till hemmed in by a chain of mountains  
of various heights4  ,beyond this plain 
lies the ,desert of ,sahara1 which      
extends to the banks of the ,niger4  ,in
 the north of ,algeria there are many   
plains and valleys which open out into  
the sea4 ,many of those around ,oran1   
,bona1 and ,algiers are exceedingly     
fertile4 ,they abound in wood and water1
 and1 having a good soil1 are well      
suited to agriculture4 ,these tracts    
form what is known as the ,tell4 ,this  
was once one of the granaries of ,italy4

  ,in strong contrast to this fertile   
section are the lesser deserts1 which   
lie back of the ,atlas ,mountains1 where
 they follow the coast line4  ,these are
 covered with herbs and brushwood4 ,they
 are almost destitute of fresh water4   
,occasionally an oasis is found1 to     
break the monotony4  ,beyond the ,atlas 
,mountains1 in the most southern        
section1 the country partakes of the    
nature of the ,sahara4 ,there are1      
however1 large oases1 covered with date 
palms4 ,these oases are well peopled4   
,they form a part of what is called the 
date country4  ,algeria has no rivers of
 any great importance4 ,there are a few 
coast streams1 which have their rise in 
the neighboring ,atlas range4  ,the     
climate of ,algeria has greater extremes
 of temperature than ,morocco4 ,in the  
district of the ,tell the heat is often 
very intense4 ,along the coast of       
,algeria the heat is tempered by the sea
 breeze4 ,up among the high mountains1  
in the interior of the country1 the     

temperature in the winter season is     
often cold4  ,illustration3 ,,gathering 
,,dates4  ,algeria is not unfrequently  
the victim of the simoon1 or hot wind4  
,this same wind the ,italians call      
sirocco4 ,the ,spaniards term it the    
solano4  ,large portions of ,algeria are
 covered by extensive forests of oaks1  
cedars1 pines1 and pistachio trees4     
,these supply an abundance of timber and
 resin4  ,in the ,tell section the olive
 and the various cereals are cultivated4
  ,tunis1 like the other ,barbary       
,states1 is traversed by the mountains  
of the ,atlas range1 which finally      
terminate here4  ,the northern coast of 
,tunis is steep and rocky4 ,it is       
indented by numerous bays4 ,the largest 
of these is the ,gulf of ,tunis4 ,two   
promontories1 ,cape ,blanco and ,cape   
,bon1 are the most northern points in   
,africa4  ,the eastern coast offers a   
strong contrast to the northern coast4  
,it is flat1 sandy1 and unproductive4   
,it bears a strong resemblance to       

,tripoli1 as we shall see4 ,the coast   
has two large gulfs1 ,hammamet and      
,gabes4  ,the southern portion of ,tunis
 belongs to the desert steppe called    
,belud-el-,jerid4  ,tunis has but one   
fresh-water lake of any extent4 ,this is
 situated near the north coast4  ,the   
brooks and the torrents of ,tunis do not
 make many wanderings4 ,their waters    
lose themselves in the sands1 or seek a 
short course to the sea4 ,none of the   
streams are navigable4  ,the longest    
river was well known to the ancients    
under the name ,bagradas4 ,it now bears 
the name ,mejerdah1 and flows in a      
general northeast direction1 into the   
,gulf of ,tunis4  ,tunis has several    
fine mineral springs1 though it has no  
rivers4 ,thus does ,nature seem to      
compensate for the lack of one blessing 
by the bestowal of another4  ,tunis     
enjoys a fine climate and an exceedingly
 fertile soil4 ,the people have only an 
imperfect knowledge of agriculture1 but 
the natural advantages of the soil and  

climate are so great that little labor  
is necessary4 ,hence1 we find wheat1    
barley1 maize1 olives1 oranges1 figs1   
grapes1 pomegranates1 almonds1 and dates
 produced in abundance4 ,in the culture 
of olives for oil more care is expended 
than in other directions4 ,the supply of
 oil is very abundant1 and exceedingly  
profitable4  ,great herds of cattle and 
flocks of sheep feed on the plains4 ,the
 wool of the sheep of ,tunis is far     
famed4  ,the horses and the dromedaries1
 or camels1 are considered very fine1   
and command a good price4  ,tripoli is  
the most easterly of the ,barbary       
,states4 ,it is not so mountainous as   
the other countries comprising ,barbary4
 ,the ,atlas ,mountains terminate here  
in two chains that run parallel with the
 coast4 ,the summits of the mountains in
 this section never exceed four thousand
 feet in height4  ,tripoli has no       
rivers4 ,during the long hot summers    
rain rarely falls4 ,in compensation1    
there is a copious supply of dew4 ,so   

plentiful is this dewfall1 in some      
favored sections1 as really to support  
vegetation4  ,the coast region is about 
eleven hundred miles in extent4 ,some   
sections of it are very fertile and     
productive4 ,all kinds of tropical      
fruits are found1 together with grain1  
grapes1 cotton1 and madder4  ,farther to
 the east1 along the shores of the ,gulf
 of ,sidra1 nothing but dreary wastes of
 sand prevail4 ,here desolation may be  
said to reign4  ,the interior sections  
of ,tripoli yield senna1 dates1 and     
nutgalls4 ,the carob and the lotus are  
also found4  ,here1 as in ,tunis1 much  
attention is paid to the rearing of     
sheep and cattle4 ,the small1 yet       
beautiful horses1 and the strong1       
well-formed mules of ,tripoli are highly
 prized and much sought after4          
,,chapter ,v4  ,,features1 ,,ancient    
,,and ,,modern4   ,the fifth division of
 ,africa borders on the ,red ,sea4 ,it  
includes the countries of ,abyssinia1   
,nubia1 and ,egypt4  ,between ,abyssinia

 and the ,mediterranean ,sea is the low 
valley of the ,nile4 ,this is separated 
from the ,red ,sea on the east by a     
bold1 mountainous region4 ,a low ridge  
of limestone and sandstone hills        
separates it from the ,libyan ,desert on
 the west4  ,abyssinia1 or ,habesh1 as  
the ,arabs call it1 is a large highland 
tract in ,east ,africa4 ,it rises from  
the ,red ,sea1 in a series of terraces1 
towards the southwest4  ,between the    
highlands of ,abyssinia and the ,red    
,sea1 lies a flat tract of country      
called ,adal4 ,this tract is very narrow
 at its northern extremity1 but         
gradually widens towards its southern   
extremity4  ,the plains of ,nubia and   
,kordofan form the northern and western 
boundaries of ,abyssinia4 ,there is     
comparatively little known of its       
southern boundaries4  ,the general      
characteristics of the country are high 
table-lands1 intersected by deep ravines
 and steep terraces of sandstone4       
,these ravines have been formed by the  

action of the rivers upon the rocks4    
,sandstone1 being a comparatively soft  
rock1 would1 in the course of ages1 be  
gradually worn away as the waters flowed
 over it4 ,no doubt the terraces have   
been formed from the exposure of these  
rocks to the elements for countless     
ages4  ,above the table-lands rise      
numerous chains of mountains4 ,these are
 mostly of volcanic origin4 ,some of the
 highest of these summits rise to a     
height of fifteen thousand feet above   
sea level4 ,many of the plains lie at an
 elevation of from seven to ten thousand
 feet4  ,abyssinia gives rise to        
numerous rivers4 ,the largest of these  
are the ,blue ,nile and the ,takazzie1  
an affluent of the ,nile4 ,in the       
southern part of the country is the     
,hawash4 ,it flows eastward through a   
section bearing the same name1 and      
finally enters the salt lake1 ,assal4   
,the largest lake of ,abyssinia is the  
,dembea4 ,it is through this lake that  
the ,blue ,nile flows4  ,in the elevated

 sections of ,abyssinia the climate is  
temperate and salubrious4 ,along the low
 coast sections1 and in the sections at 
the north and northwest1 the heat is not
 only excessive but the climate is most 
noxious4  ,taken as a whole1 ,abyssinia 
is a very fertile country4 ,it shows1   
however1 as great diversities of        
products as of climate4 ,this is due to 
the different degrees of elevation in   
the various sections4  ,wheat and barley
 are cultivated to some extent1 together
 with various leguminous1 or            
pod-bearing1 plants1 cotton1 coffee1    
sugar cane1 and tobacco4 ,the coffee    
plant grows wild to a great extent4     
,nubia is the modern name of a country  
once subject to the ,khedive of ,egypt4 
,it was probably known to the ancients  
under the name ,ethiopia4 ,the          
boundaries of ,nubia are the ,red ,sea  
on the east1 ,egypt on the north1       
,abyssinia on the south1 and the ,sahara
 on the west4  ,the country is traversed
 by the ,blue ,nile and the ,white      

,nile4  ,nubia has an arid soil4 ,in    
many places cultivation is possible only
 along the banks of the ,nile4 ,some    
portions of the soil consist only of    
granite and sandstone4  ,the products of
 the cultivated sections are numerous4  
,they comprise maize1 dates1 tamarinds1 
gums1 aloes1 and senna4 ,among the      
various exports may be noted musk1 wax1 
myrrh1 frankincense1 black wool1        
elephant and rhinoceros hides1 and      
ivory4 ,ostrich feathers1 ebony1 gold   
dust1 saltpetre1 salt1 tobacco1 coffee1 
and cotton are also exported to ,egypt4 
,some curious customs prevail4 ,taxes   
are rated by the number of water wheels 
a man uses to irrigate his land4 ,the   
more water wheels he uses1 the more     
valuable his land1 hence1 the higher his
 taxes4 ,there is no national currency1 
but the coins of ,egypt and ,europe are 
used4 ,the ,spanish dollar is also used 
to a great extent4 ,glass beads1 coral1 
shirts1 and cloth are used in barter1   
and take the place of currency4 ,in     

,kordofan1 the value of goods is        
reckoned by the number of cows they are 
worth4  ,the most primitive system of   
measurement prevails4 ,maize is sold by 
the handful2 eighteen of these make what
 would correspond to one of our larger  
measures4 ,in measuring cloth1 the      
distance from the elbow to the fingers  
is employed as we would use a foot rule 
or a yardstick4  ,the costumes of the   
people are peculiar4 ,they consist of   
turbans1 and linen and woolen garments4 
,the men arm themselves with lances1 and
 shields made from the tough hide of the
 hippopotamus4  ,the customs of the     
people are somewhat singular4 ,they are 
averse to eating meat1 and practice the 
rites of the ,mohammedan faith4 ,they   
live in low huts built of mud or stone4 
,they care little for strangers1 and do 
not wish to engage much in commerce4    
,they are fond of music1 and in their   
leisure moments play upon a guitar of   
five strings4 ,it is a simple           
instrument1 having a sounding-board made

 of the skin of a gazelle4  ,there are  
few attractions in ,nubia beyond the    
numerous temples and other ancient      
remains of the ,egyptians4  ,egypt      
occupies a position in ,northeast       
,africa4 ,it extends from the           
,mediterranean ,sea to the first        
cataract of the ,nile4 ,the name ,egypt 
was derived from the ,greek4 ,it is as  
old as the age of ,homer4 ,in the       
ancient languages ,egypt was called by a
 name signifying ,black ,land4 ,this    
name was given to it1 no doubt1 from the
 color of the soil4  ,egypt may be      
regarded as the bed of the ,nile4 ,the  
cultivated portions of it extend only to
 the limits of the yearly inundation4   
,in the days of antiquity the ,nile had 
several mouths4 ,five of these mouths   
have1 in the course of ages1 become     
filled with silt4 ,the whole alluvial   
district which these mouths enclosed    
formed the ancient ,delta4 ,the ancients
 believed that the whole of this        
alluvial deposit had been gained from   

the sea4  ,the basin of the ,nile1 or   
,egypt proper1 is formed by the ranges  
of the ,arabian hills on the east and   
the ,libyan on the west4 ,the eastern   
chain of these mountains is about one   
thousand feet above the level of the    
sea4  ,egypt is separated from ,nubia by
 a low hilly region4 ,this region is    
about fifty miles broad from north to   
south4 ,it is composed of granite rocks4
 ,the same formation of rocks extends up
 the shore of the ,red ,sea1 nearly to  
the opening of the ,gulf of ,suez4 ,it  
stretches inland over a tract of some   
thirty miles in extent4  ,in this       
section of ,egypt the scenery is wild   
and picturesque4 ,the course of the     
,nile is frequently interrupted here by 
cliffs or broken masses of granite rock4
 ,it is in this way that the            
magnificent1 yet disastrous1 cataracts  
of the ,nile are formed4 ,the granite   
section of ,egypt terminates at         
,assouan4 ,much of the material used in 
building the great monuments of ,egypt  

must have been brought from this        
section4  ,upper ,egypt is bounded by   
two ranges of hills4 ,both these ranges 
run northward4 ,the ,arabian range is on
 the right1 the ,libyan on the left1 of 
the river4 ,sandstone prevails to a     
great extent in both these ranges4 ,it  
is a durable rock1 easily cut4 ,it was  
used very extensively in the erection of
 ancient temples4 ,the ancient city of  
,thebes was built of it4  ,the sandstone
 rocks in a large section of ,egypt are 
covered with moving desert sands4 ,in   
the lands which border the ,nile they   
are covered with the alluvial deposit   
which the river brings down in its      
course4  ,illustration3 ,,papyrus ,,on  
,,the ,,nile4  ,all along the valley of 
the ,nile the scenery is tame and       
monotonous4 ,the sandstone is easily    
worn away by the action of the waters1  
and this in a measure accounts for the  
table-lands1 which are of frequent      
occurrence4 ,it would also account for  
the vast amount of alluvial deposit1    

most of it being worn-out rocks4  ,the  
fertile valley of the ,nile differs     
widely from the desert regions which    
enclose it4 ,this is true not only of   
the botanical life1 but of the          
zoological life as well4  ,many of the  
,european trees and plants are found in 
,egypt4 ,the date palm1 sycamore1       
acacia1 and tamarisk are some of the    
trees peculiar to its climate4 ,the     
papyrus1 which the ancients used largely
 in the manufacture of paper1 and the   
lotus1 or water lily of the ,nile1 are  
peculiar to ,egypt4  ,of late years the 
cultivation of the papyrus plant has    
been neglected4 ,specimens of it are now
 rather rare4 ,sugar cane1 cotton1      
indigo1 and tobacco are cultivated in   
its place4  ,gourds and melons are found
 in abundance4 ,wheat and barley were   
extensively cultivated by the ancients4 
,these are still cultivated1 and maize  
and durra have been added4 ,the latter  
is a coarse1 strong grass4 ,it grows to 
a height of from four to eight feet4 ,it

 has thickly crowded panicles4 ,the     
grain is round1 and about the size of a 
mustard seed4 ,durra may be regarded as 
the principal corn plant of ,africa4 ,it
 yields an abundant product4 ,it is even
 more productive than maize1 but the    
meal from it does not make good bread4  
,used like rice1 it makes an excellent  
pudding1 or may be used in other forms  
for food4 ,the stalks and husks are     
coarse1 but make excellent fodder for   
horses and cattle4 ,the grain1 too1 is  
often given to them4  ,egypt is very    
deficient in timber land4 ,pharaoh      
obtained cedar from ,lebanon and ebony  
from ,ethiopia1 as our ,bible history   
tells us4  ,space will not allow us to  
linger over either modern or ancient    
,egypt4 ,the latter is more fascinating 
than the former4 ,it will be interesting
 for us to take our ,bibles and1 looking
 over the ,old ,testament1 acquaint     
ourselves with the stories of ,moses1   
,joseph1 ,pharaoh1 and other characters 
of the days of ancient history4  ,did   

space permit1 we might dwell upon the   
ancient occupations1 as glass blowing   
and pottery1 and upon the various       
implements connected with them4 ,the    
bellows1 siphons1 chisels1 presses1     
balances1 levers1 and harpoons would    
awaken our interest and curiosity1 if we
 could but look into some museum of     
,egyptian relics4  ,the weapons of war1 
too1--the spears1 clubs1 maces1 swords1 
daggers1 bows1 and hatchets1--would seem
 to us not only strange1 but formidable4
 ,no less interesting would be the      
pictures of war boats1 and the galleys  
used upon the ,nile4  ,we might delight 
to run our fingers over the ancient     
harps1 lyres1 and guitars4 ,the drums1  
flutes1 cymbals1 and tambourines would  
have fascinations for most of us1 making
 us wish to test our musical ear4       
,there are many books1 however1 that can
 satisfy our curiosity over the lives of
 the ancient ,egyptians1 and we shall be
 fascinated by all we may find time to  
read4     ,,chapter ,,vi4  ,,the        

,,rivers ,,of ,,africa4   ,for many     
years ,africa was believed to be a land 
destitute of rivers in its interior     
sections4 ,the explorations made by ,dr4
 ,livingstone proved to the world that  
what had been formerly termed the       
unexplored territory is not the barren1 
riverless region that imagination had   
pictured4  ,still1 the nature of the    
rivers was for a long time but          
imperfectly determined4  ,it is         
generally acknowledged that1 of all the 
great rivers1 there is scarcely one that
 has been successfully traced from      
source to mouth throughout its entire   
length4 ,even the tributaries of these  
rivers are but imperfectly known1 owing 
to the many difficulties attending their
 exploration4  ,we have a right1 then1  
to expect much from later investigation1
 as more and more of the country is     
opened to observation4  ,the journals of
 such men as ,livingstone and ,stanley  
open a vast storehouse of knowledge to  
those who read them4 ,fascinated1 as by 

a romance1 we lose ourselves in these   
pages1 and in imagination follow their  
footsteps through ,darkest ,africa4     
,the rivers of ,south ,africa have their
 rise mostly in the neighboring         
highlands4 ,many of these rivers are1 in
 fact1 not much greater than mountain   
torrents1 whose courses are as short as 
their currents are rapid4  ,most of the 
rivers of ,africa have obstructions1 in 
the form of sand bars1 at their mouths4 
,the ,orange ,river is a striking       
example1 the water at its mouth being   
choked by a vast deposit of sand4  ,the 
chief great rivers of ,africa are the   
,nile1 the ,niger1 the ,zambesi1 the    
,orange1 the ,congo1 the ,senegal1 and  
the ,gambia4  ,although all the great   
rivers have served as links to connect  
the journeys of the various explorers1  
yet the ,nile1 the ,niger1 the ,zambesi1
 and the ,congo have been chosen as the 
chief guides for the more recent        
explorations4  ,each of these great     
rivers has distinct characteristics and 

striking peculiarities4 ,the ,nile1     
though a river of the greatest          
antiquity1 was for many1 many years a   
problem in the minds of those busied    
with the geography of ,africa4  ,many of
 the records kept by the early explorers
 were1 unfortunately1 lost4 ,among those
 that were preserved were many that were
 not reliable in their information4     
,many of the accounts were most         
conflicting in fact and detail4 ,this   
led to much confusion and much          
discussion4 ,men naturally were slow to 
accept information which they could not 
prove to be authentic4  ,wars among the 
natives of the interior were most       
disastrous to the explorer4 ,at best1   
his life1 interesting and exciting as we
 might suppose it to have been1 could   
certainly not have been an enviable one4
 ,only dauntless courage and boundless  
enthusiasm could have led him into      
regions where he must suffer not only   
fatigue1 but privation2 not only danger 
from wild beasts hungry for their prey1 

but from cruel1 treacherous savages     
lurking on every side4  ,the countries  
watered by the ,niger offered an immense
 field for exploration4 ,inviting as    
this region was to the explorer1 it     
afforded many difficulties4 ,savage     
beasts and treacherous natives were foes
 that might be overcome1 but who could  
withstand the attacks of fever and      
malaria1 unsuspected foes to health and 
life1 in this region of pestilence and  
disease8  ,mungo ,park1 a ,scotch       
explorer1 relates that1 out of a party  
of forty-four1 but four survived the    
exploration1 owing to the unhealthy     
character of the climate4 ,he relates   
that he received various kinds of       
treatment at the hands of the natives4  
,the women1 however1 were for the most  
part kindly disposed and benevolent4    
,at one time the king of the region of  
,bambarra1 through which he was passing1
 forbade him to cross the ,niger4 ,he   
was obliged to remain over night in one 
of the villages4 ,none of the natives   

would receive him into their huts4      
,finally1 he took shelter in the        
branches of a tree4 ,he was worn out    
from hunger and fatigue4 ,a storm came  
up1 from which he was wholly            
unprotected1 but he was befriended by a 
woman1 who was passing on her way from  
her daily work in the field4 ,she took  
him home to her hut1 kindly cared for   
him1 and did all she could to make him  
comfortable4  ,it is the custom of the  
women to lighten their labor by singing 
songs as they work4 ,on this occasion   
,park was made the subject of this song 
which was sung by one of the young women
 of the village4 ,the melody was sweet  
and rather plaintive2 the words simple4 
,the winds roared and the rain fell4    
,the poor white man1 faint and weary1   
came and sat under our tree4     ,he has
 no mother to bring him milk2 no wife to
 grind his corn4  ,to this a refrain was
 added1 in which all the women joined4  
,let us pity the white man2     ,no     
mother has he to bring him milk2     ,no

 wife has he to grind his corn4  ,it was
 to ,richard ,lander that the           
geographical students were indebted for 
much information about the ,niger4 ,he  
encountered many dangers1 and1 with his 
followers1 was finally taken prisoner by
 the natives4  ,only on the promise of a
 heavy ransom were they allowed their   
freedom4 ,by the offer of heavy bribes1 
he made arrangements with the natives to
 convey him1 with his party1 to the sea4
 ,the journey was by way of the ,niger1 
and proved to ,lander that water        
communication could be opened into the  
interior of ,africa4 ,thus he solved one
 of the greatest problems in the        
geography of the continent4  ,in the    
southern portion of ,africa1 the more   
recent explorations have been mostly in 
connection with the ,zambesi ,river1 its
 extensive basin1 and its many          
affluents4 ,most of the results were due
 to the energy of ,livingstone1 whose   
footsteps we shall like to trace later4 
,we must regard ,livingstone not only as

 an explorer1 but as a zealous          
missionary in the great field open to   
him4 ,only through his indomitable      
courage1 boundless faith1 and untiring  
devotion could he have accomplished his 
arduous labor4  ,most of the            
difficulties that attended the          
exploration of the great rivers were due
 largely to the character of the        
countries through which they passed4    
,much of it was1 of course1 wholly      
unbroken territory4 ,tangled forests1   
treacherous morasses1 and wild jungles  
were difficulties that constantly tried 
the courage and fortitude of the men who
 formed the exploring parties4  ,but    
these were not all they had to encounter
 in the way of obstacles4 ,wild animals1
 fierce for food1 or angered at having  
their haunts invaded1 lay ready to      
attack them4 ,hostile savages lurked in 
the depths of the forests1 or pursued   
them to the water's edge1 eager to shed 
their blood4 ,even on the rivers there  
was no safety2 for the enraged natives  

pursued them in their canoes1 and       
attacked them boldly1 trusting to the   
poisoned arrows which they hurled       
fiercely at them4  ,as if these were not
 difficulties enough to be met and      
overcome1 the hearts of the explorers   
often sank in dismay as they encountered
 fresh obstacles in the bed of the      
streams4 ,here were dangerous rapids1   
over which their canoes were liable to  
be hurled1 only to be dashed to pieces  
on the rocks below4 ,barred by such     
obstacles1 the canoes often had to be   
carried overland on the backs of the    
men1 till the course of the river became
 navigable4  ,much of the information   
received from such friendly natives as  
they found1 living in villages along the
 course of the river1 was unreliable4   
,they were often misled1 too1 by the    
various names given to the same river in
 the different sections of the country4 
,many of the rivers make such intricate 
wanderings as to lose themselves in one 
section to reappear again in other      

sections1 but under different names4 ,on
 this account1 much time was lost in    
doubt and speculation4  ,as we read of  
the exploits of these explorers1 we     
shall be able to comprehend more fully  
the extreme difficulty of the work they 
undertook1 and1 in many cases1 carried  
out so successfully4  ,through the light
 they shed we shall be able to read the 
story of ,africa4 ,we shall find it both
 fascinating and instructive4           
,,chapter ,,vii4  ,,the ,,nile1 ,,the   
,,most ,,ancient ,,of ,,rivers4   ,the  
,nile is formed by the union of two     
rivers1 the ,white ,nile and the ,blue  
,nile4  ,the ,white ,nile has its rise  
in the great equatorial lakes1 together 
with the ,victoria and the ,albert      
,nyanza ,lakes4 ,it skirts the eastern  
border of ,kordofan and then passes into
 ,nubia4 ,the river flows on to         
,khartoom1 where it is joined by the    
,blue ,nile1 which has been tortuously  
working a passage for itself through the
 highlands of ,abyssinia4  ,the ,white  

and the ,blue ,nile1 thus united in a   
single stream1 sweep in a circuit       
through ,nubia to form a succession of  
cataracts in the course of the current4 
,the stream then descends into ,egypt   
under the general name of the ,nile     
,river1 and flows on till it reaches the
 ,mediterranean ,sea through the        
far-famed ,delta4  ,as we have seen1 the
 mystery of the ,nile had claimed the   
attention of mankind for ages4 ,for     
centuries it had been a wonder not only 
to those who dwelt upon its banks1 but  
to those who came into the country of   
the ,egyptians to profit by their wisdom
 and learning4  ,its mysterious waters  
flowed from unknown regions2 for the    
last thousand miles in its course not a 
single drop of water was received from  
the land on either side of its bed4     
,only at rare intervals was the blessing
 of rain bestowed4 ,for nine months in  
the year the stream flowed between its  
steep banks1 a uniform and majestic     
flood4  ,almost at a stated date each   

year1 for countless centuries1 had the  
river risen and overflowed its banks and
 spread its waters over the adjoining   
country4 ,each year saw the narrow      
valley of the ,nile transformed         
temporarily into a vast lake4  ,after   
some few weeks the flood subsided1 and  
left behind a vast deposit of rich mud  
which was to fertilize the whole of     
,egypt4  ,little wonder1 then1 that this
 most ancient of rivers seemed the most 
marvelous river of antiquity4  ,within  
the last quarter of a century men have  
looked to the laws of ,nature for an    
explanation of the sources of this      
double ,nile1 as it has been called4    
,the river with its uniform current is  
fed from large lakes1 or reservoirs4    
,these are so immense that their volume 
of water does not vary much from one    
season to another4  ,at the time of the 
inundation1 or flooding1 of the valley  
the stream must receive its increased   
volume of waters from its various       
affluents4 ,these affluents have their  

rise in mountainous sections subject to 
an abundant rainfall during a short     
period of each year4 ,immediately after 
this rainfall the ,nile waters must     
begin to rise1 from the influence of    
these swollen streams that flow into    
them4  ,thus has man looked to the great
 book of ,nature to find written on its 
pages the solution of the problem that  
so long taxed the minds of the students 
of past centuries1 as well as of the    
present4  ,from the earliest annals of  
history the valley of the ,nile was     
known as the seat of commerce1 the arts1
 and the sciences4  ,egypt might well be
 regarded as the light of the ancient   
world4 ,in the glow of her prosperity   
she formed a strong contrast to the rest
 of ,africa1 which remained almost      
unknown1 shrouded in darkness4  ,the    
ancient ,egyptians gave to the ,nile a  
name which signified in their language  
,the ,genius of the ,waters4 ,the       
,hebrews gave it a name which1 in their 
tongue1 meant ,the ,black4  ,the ,nile  

presents many interesting features as it
 pursues its course4 ,rushing from the  
,lake ,victoria ,nyanza like a mountain 
torrent1 it finally loses its           
impetuosity1 and runs over extensive    
flats4 ,these flats gradually expand so 
as to form a body of water known as the 
,ibrahim ,pasha ,lake4  ,near ,lake     
,albert ,nyanza the ,nile forms a series
 of rapids1 between what are known as   
the ,karuma and ,murchison ,falls4 ,as  
the river leaves the lake1 it begins its
 northward journey towards the          
,mediterranean ,sea4 ,during this       
journey the stream does not expand again
 into a lake1 but retains its character 
of a river current4  ,at a point in its 
course between ,lake ,albert ,nyanza and
 ,gondokoro the ,nile makes a descent of
 several hundred feet1 from an elevation
 some fifteen hundred feet above sea    
level4 ,this descent in the current     
causes a series of rapids and cataracts4
  ,as the stream leaves ,gondokoro it   
flows tortuously on1 winding first to   

the northwest1 then turning to the      
northeast1 during its journey of five   
hundred miles4  ,later1 the river is    
joined by its first large tributary1 the
 ,bahr-el-,gazal1 which does not seem to
 make any noticeable difference in the  
current as it enters it from the west4  
,a second tributary1 the ,giraffe       
,river1 flows into the main stream from 
the east4  ,from its junction1 with its 
first great tributary1 the ,nile flows  
on for about eighty miles in an easterly
 direction4 ,it then changes its course1
 winding south for about thirty miles1  
where it is joined by a third tributary1
 which flows into it from the east4     
,this tributary1 the ,sobat ,river1 has 
quite a full1 navigable current4        
,beyond the junction of the ,nile with  
these tributaries the river flows on for
 a distance of upwards of four hundred  
miles4 ,it flows through this section in
 a northerly direction1 attaining width 
varying from one to two miles4 ,at      
intervals along its course several      

streams flow into it from the east      
before it reaches ,khartoom4  ,the town 
of ,khartoom is situated just at the    
junction of the ,blue and the ,white    
,nile streams4  ,the ,blue ,nile was for
 many years supposed to be the main     
stream of the ,nile4 ,it is1 however1   
formed by the union of two rivers1 the  
,abai and the ,blue ,river4  ,the ,abai 
,river rises in ,abyssinia4 ,its source 
lies about fifty miles from ,lake       
,dembea4  ,it enters the lake from the  
southwest and emerges from it at the    
southeast4 ,for about ninety miles it   
flows on in this direction1 and finally 
describes a semi-circular course around 
the peninsula of ,godjam4  ,leaving     
,godjam1 the river winds on in a        
northwesterly direction for about one   
hundred and fifty miles1 where it is    
joined by the ,blue ,river from the     
south4  ,under the name ,blue ,nile the 
united streams flow on in a single      
current in a northwesterly direction4   
,during its course the stream receives  

two large rivers which run nearly       
parallel to each other4  ,we have seen  
that1 at the town of ,khartoom1 the     
,blue and the ,white ,nile unite to form
 a single stream4 ,as this stream leaves
 ,khartoom its course is a northerly one
 for about sixty miles until1 passing   
the ruins of the ancient ,meroe1 it     
forms its first cataract4 ,here1 turning
 to the northeast1 it is joined by its  
last tributary1 which bears a name      
signifying ,black ,river4 ,it is        
doubtless so named from the quantities  
of black1 slimy mud which it carries    
down in its course1 eventually to       
fertilize ,egypt4  ,the ,nile1 from the 
point where the last tributary joins it1
 flows through the thickly populated and
 fertile district of ,berber1 with its  
many villages4  ,when the stream leaves 
,berber it enters the desert4 ,as it    
makes a turn to the west it forms the   
large island of ,mograt4 ,turning       
sharply in a southwesterly direction1 it
 describes what is known as ,the ,great 

,bend1 in which there are two cataracts4
  ,entering ,nubia the stream turns     
again to the northwest4 ,here1 on either
 bank1 is a narrow strip of fertile     
land1 under cultivation4  ,again a      
cataract is formed1 when the stream     
bends around to the northeast to form   
later a fifth cataract4  ,as the river  
continues on its course1 it gradually   
grows more and more narrow1 till1 later1
 at ,assouan1 it forms its last         
cataract1 as it descends4  ,from        
,assouan to the ,mediterranean ,sea the 
,nile has an average fall of two inches 
to a mile4 ,its velocity is about three 
miles an hour as it flows on1 watering  
and fertilizing the land of ,egypt      
throughout its entire length4  ,the     
delta1 or mouth1 of the ,nile has an    
expanse of about one hundred and fifty  
miles on the ,mediterranean4  ,at the   
delta the ,nile spreads out into        
numerous streams to enter the sea4  ,the
 length of the ,nile is about three     
thousand three hundred miles1 if we     

measure its wandering course from its   
exit at the lake to its entrance at the 
sea4  ,it is a remarkable fact that from
 the point where the last tributary     
enters the ,nile1 a distance of some    
fifteen hundred miles from the sea1 no  
other waters are received to increase   
its volume2 yet1 in spite of this1 the  
stream is able to withstand the         
scorching sun and burning sands of the  
,nubian ,desert4  ,little wonder1 then1 
that the ancient ,egyptians held the    
river sacred4 ,to its influence they    
owed not only life1 health1 and         
strength1 but their prosperity and      
wealth1 as well4  ,year after year they 
watched its annual overflow1 rejoicing  
in this blessing of the waters4  ,at    
,khartoom the overflow begins in ,april4
 ,lower ,egypt does not become affected 
by the overflow of the waters till the  
latter part of ,june4 ,here the         
inundation does not attain its full     
height for about three months4 ,the     
waters remain stationary for about      

twelve days1 and then very gradually    
begin to subside4  ,the cultivation of  
the soil of entire ,egypt is wholly     
dependent upon its inundation by the    
waters of the ,nile4 ,its failure would 
mean drought and a total destruction of 
the crops1 since ,egypt is1 practically1
 a rainless country4  ,should there be a
 continuous wind from the south1 then   
,egypt would be blessed by a year of    
prosperity4 ,should there be a          
continuous wind from the north1 it would
 mean disaster to the country4  ,during 
a good inundation1 the rise in the      
waters varies from forty feet1 about the
 ,tropic of ,capricorn1 to thirty-six   
feet at ,thebes4 ,near the delta it is  
but four feet4  ,if1 at ,cairo1 the     
waters rise to only eighteen or twenty  
feet1 there is a scarcity of water4     
,should it rise to even twenty-four     
feet1 there is still a deficiency4 ,from
 twenty-five to twenty-seven feet is    
counted good for the welfare of the     
crops4 ,more of an overflow would cause 

a flood4 ,this would not only be        
productive1 most likely1 of plague and  
fever1 but loss of crops and famine     
would follow in their wake4  ,during the
 months of inundation the whole valley  
is under water4 ,here and there the     
villages rise like islands from the     
surface of the waters4  ,just as the    
,dutch protect their lands from the     
inroads of the sea1 the ,egyptians      
protect their villages from the inroads 
of this annual flood by means of dykes4 
,of late years the overflow of the ,nile
 has been greater than for many previous
 centuries4  ,we can trace the rise and 
fall of the waters of the main stream of
 the ,lower ,nile to the influence of   
the periodical rains in the mountains of
 ,abyssinia and in the ,lake ,nyanza    
region4  ,in the equatorial regions it  
rains more or less throughout the year4 
,the most abundant fall of rain takes   
place during the equinoxes1 as the sun  
makes its apparent revolution about the 
earth during her yearly journey in      

space4  ,could we stand upon the banks  
of the ,nile1 we should find them       
swarming with birds4 ,with interest and 
pleasure we should watch the movements  
of the various water or reed birds as   
they seek their food4  ,we should listen
 to the discordant cries of the various 
birds of prey hovering over its waters4 
,for here we should find not only such  
birds as the goose1 pelican1 and ibis1  
but the vulture and cormorant as well4  
,standing on the banks of this most     
ancient of rivers1 we should try to     
picture some of the scenes of past ages4
 ,visions of ,pharaoh and his daughter  
and the infant ,moses would come to us4 
,gazing into the depths of the soft     
waters1 pure and sweet1 we should be    
brought back to the present1 as1 with   
delight1 we should find them teeming    
with many varieties of the finny tribes 
that sport beneath the surface4         
,searching along its banks1 we might    
hope to find traces of the lotus1 or    
,egyptian water lily1 that once grew    

wild in such abundance1 but now is      
rarely seen4 ,it would be almost as     
arduous a task as hunting for a         
four-leaved clover1 ,i fear4  ,it is    
generally believed that the plant was   
brought to ,egypt from ,india4 ,it must 
have been carried there in the very     
earliest days of the history of the     
people4 ,the ,egyptians regarded it as  
the emblem of the ,nile4 ,it was to them
 a sacred plant1 a symbol of the        
creation of the world from the waters4  
,it was the custom to cultivate it in   
tanks4 ,at the ,egyptian feasts the     
guests wreathed their heads with its    
flowers1 which resemble superb pink     
tulips4  ,at an ,egyptian funeral each  
guest was presented with one of the     
flowers4 ,it was the custom1 too1 to    
have the blossoms sculptured upon the   
tombs4  ,the lotus has had a very marked
 influence upon architecture4 ,we find  
its leaves and buds appearing in the    
classic columns4 ,in every phase of     
antique carving we find its flower most 

frequently chosen to embellish the work4
  ,the lotus has been imported into     
,japan1 and the people seem to have been
 more inspired in their art work by it  
than by anything else to be found in the
 field of nature4  ,when the petals of  
the lotus blossom fall1 they leave      
behind a seed cup three inches in       
diameter4 ,these seed cups contain      
immense seeds1 of such shape that the   
ancient ,greek and ,latin writers used  
to speak of them as ,egyptian beans4    
,they were eaten in large quantities by 
the people of the valley of the ,nile4  
,the ,egyptians sometimes made a kind of
 bread of these seeds4  ,the question   
may come to our minds why the problem of
 the source of the ,nile1 which had     
busied the thoughts of students for     
centuries1 should have been so recently 
solved4 ,indeed1 it does seem remarkable
 that the source of a river1 at whose   
mouth one of the earliest and most      
civilized nations of the globe had      
established a home1 should have remained

 veiled in darkness4  ,the great want of
 success in discovering the sources of  
the ,nile was due1 no doubt1 to the     
great length of the river and the       
difficulty of access to the regions     
through which it took its course4 ,the  
peculiarities of climate1 too1 and the  
danger from the ignorance1 barbarism1   
and superstition of the native tribes1  
no doubt had their influence in         
retarding the exploration of the ,nile4 
,then1 it has been discovered1 during   
the course of the exploration1 that a   
river may bear as many names as there   
are different tribes in the country     
which it drains4  ,each tribe speaks a  
different dialect4 ,often these tribes  
are hostile in their relations with one 
another4 ,sometimes tribes1 if not      
hostile1 hold no intercourse1 or have no
 means of communication with others4    
,each tribe1 in its own tongue1 gives to
 the principal stream a name signifying 
the river4 ,these differently sounding  
names were for a long time very         

misleading and very puzzling to the     
explorers1 as they endeavored to trace a
 river in its wanderings4     ,,chapter 
,,viii4  ,,the ,,niger1 ,,the ,,river   
,,of ,,the ,,west4   ,the ,niger is the 
great river of ,western ,africa4 ,its   
name1 according to one of the early     
explorers1 is but a contraction from one
 of the many names given to it by native
 tribes4 ,the translation of any one of 
these would be simply ,the ,river4  ,it 
was not until the close of the first    
quarter of this century that the mystery
 of the ,niger was revealed4  ,many     
conflicting reports had been made with  
regard to the river4 ,in every instance 
it was found that tributaries of the    
river had been traced instead of the    
main stream4  ,some explorers had       
reported it as flowing westward2 others 
had reported it as flowing eastward4 ,in
 each case a tributary of the river had 
been followed in its course1 and thus   
the exploring parties had been misled4  
,richard ,lander and his brother ,john1 

in their search for the ,niger1 found   
one river1 the ,joliba1 which ran       
towards the east4  ,this they resolved  
to follow to its mouth1 wherever that   
might prove to be4 ,floating downstream1
 they came to another large stream      
flowing into it from the opposite       
direction4 ,thus they solved the mystery
 of the conflicting accounts4  ,as the  
,lander brothers floated down the stream
 formed by the union of these two1 they 
soon found themselves in the ,bight of  
,benin4 ,no one had ever dreamed that a 
great river1 like the ,niger1 could     
empty itself into it4  ,the ,niger1 it  
was discovered1 after it reaches the low
 alluvial region of the coast1 spreads  
out through a broad delta4 ,it then     
enters the ocean by several mouths4     
,these mouths are several leagues apart1
 but none of them are of any great size4
  ,the great headwater of the ,niger    
takes its rise in ,mount ,loma4 ,this   
peak is in the elevated section         
designated as the ,kong ,mountains upon 

the map4 ,it stands sixteen hundred feet
 above sea level1 in a barren1 desolate 
region1 without a tree or a shrub to    
break the monotony of the scene4  ,the  
stream flows northeast to ,timbuctoo4   
,there it takes a bend to the east and  
flows for a distance of two hundred and 
fifty miles in this direction4 ,from    
here on to the delta it takes first a   
southerly1 then a southeasterly course1 
till it separates into the many streams 
at its mouth4 ,accurately speaking1 the 
river enters the ,gulf of ,guinea       
between the ,bight of ,benin and the    
,bight of ,biafra4  ,along its course1  
like the other great rivers of ,africa1 
it is known by various names1 given to  
it by different tribes of natives4  ,the
 accounts of the character of the river 
vary somewhat4 ,it has1 however1 been   
pretty thoroughly explored throughout   
the last three hundred and fifty miles  
of its course4  ,if we could follow the 
river through this section to           
,timbuctoo1 we should find that it      

traversed a tract of very fertile       
country4 ,the soil is productive4 ,rice1
 maize1 and various vegetables are found
 in abundance for the use of man1 while 
fine pasturage is afforded for cattle4  
,southwest of ,timbuctoo the river      
divides itself into many creeks and     
branches4 ,here its banks are low and   
marshy at all times4 ,during the rainy  
season they are generally overflowed4   
,in this section of country rice1       
tobacco1 wheat1 and barley are raised4  
,the river now flows on past the town of
 ,burrum4 ,here it curves to the        
southeast and makes what is called the  
,knee of ,burrum4  ,just below ,burrum  
the ,niger does not present much the    
appearance of the great stream that the 
natives have1 by various names1         
designated as ,the ,river4  ,indeed1 it 
presents far from an imposing sight1 as 
it moves slowly1 sluggishly along its   
broad1 marshy valley bed4 ,this valley  
bed is inclosed either by rocky ridges  
or by high dunes4 ,these dunes are very 

probably mounds of mud and sand1 brought
 down by the river in the course of     
ages1 and heaped up along its banks4    
,the broad1 marshy valley is thickly    
studded with water reeds and sedges4    
,its whole surface is1 in fact1 cut up  
into innumerable small creeks and       
streams4  ,at the ferry of ,burri the   
,niger attains a breadth of eight or    
nine hundred yards4 ,at this point the  
valley is about two miles broad4 ,the   
land is fertile1 carefully cultivated1  
and well populated4  ,somewhat farther  
south the river passes through two      
towns4 ,at this point in its course its 
bed becomes rocky1 and navigation is1 in
 consequence1 dangerous4  ,at the town  
of ,say the bed of the ,niger becomes   
very much narrowed from its previous    
breadth of from twenty-five hundred to  
three thousand paces4 ,at this point the
 bed of the stream is inclosed by rocky 
banks1 and the current flows on at the  
rate of three miles an hour1 with an    
average width of but one thousand paces4

  ,the most beautiful and picturesque   
scenery on the ,niger is in the section 
where it flows around the eastern       
shoulder of the so-called ,kong         
,mountains4 ,in solemn majesty these    
mighty peaks look from a height of from 
two thousand to three thousand feet upon
 the waters at their base4  ,the delta  
of the ,niger may be described as a     
dense mangrove forest4 ,this is cut up  
into beautiful islands by means of the  
many streams4 ,it is said that there are
 upwards of twenty of these streams into
 which the river divides4  ,the         
existence of the ,niger was known in    
ancient times4 ,accounts had been       
brought by travelers1 who1 coming from  
the southern shores of the              
,mediterranean1 crossed the ,great      
,desert1 and discovered the course of a 
great river flowing towards the rising  
sun4  ,herodotus1 a famous ,greek       
historian1 born nearly five hundred     
years before ,christ1 supposed it to be 
a branch of the ,egyptian ,nile4 ,pliny1

 a famous ancient writer1 born early in 
the first century after ,christ1 speaks 
of the ,nigris of ,ethiopia4 ,he1 also1 
believed that the river flowed into the 
river ,nile4  ,many were the attempts to
 gain definite knowledge of the river4  
,just before the middle of the present  
century the ,english government sent out
 an expedition4 ,the result of the      
expedition proved that the river was    
navigable from ,boussa to the sea4      
,this was costly information1 for which 
an enormous price was paid2 for many    
human lives were the forfeit4 ,the      
enervating character and unhealthfulness
 of the climate of the region explored  
proved most disastrous to the members of
 the expedition4 ,many subsequent       
expeditions ended with similar results4 
,about the middle of the present century
 ,dr4 ,barth followed the river from    
,timbuctoo to ,say4  ,much of what is   
now known to the world with regard to   
the ,niger is due to the explorations he
 made4  ,he has estimated the entire    

length of the river to be upwards of    
twenty-five hundred miles4     ,,chapter
 ,,ix4  ,,the ,,zambesi1 ,,the ,,river  
,,of ,,southeast ,,africa4   ,the       
extensive region in ,southeast ,africa  
was described in the geographies of the 
middle ages under the name of the empire
 of ,monomotapa4 ,it is shown upon the  
old time maps as being dependent upon   
the river ,zambese1 or ,zambere1 for    
drainage4  ,the course of this river is1
 in the main1 correctly designated upon 
these maps1 and several large towns are 
shown as having a location upon its     
banks4 ,a small lake is also indicated1 
not far from the actual position of     
,lake ,n'gami1 whose real existence was 
not proved until within comparatively a 
few years4  ,this lake is now considered
 one of the most southern of inland     
waters which have any communication with
 the modern ,zambesi ,river and the more
 eastern lakes4  ,on the old maps the   
,nyassa and the more northern lakes1    
,victoria ,nyanza and ,tanganyika1 are  

given with a good deal of accuracy4  ,we
 must believe1 then1 that those who     
compiled these early maps must have had 
some definite knowledge of these        
regions4  ,it is believed that they     
gained this knowledge from the ,arabs4  
,various settlements were located along 
the eastern and southeastern coast of   
,africa1 extending from the ,red ,sea to
 ,sofala4  ,strange to say1 although the
 lower region of the ,zambesi1 for a    
distance of three hundred miles at      
least1 has been in the hands of the     
,portuguese since the early part of the 
sixteenth century1 yet it is only since 
the middle of the present century that  
we have succeeded in getting any        
accurate or scientific knowledge of the 
vast territory4  ,this knowledge we owe 
to the untiring exertion of such        
intrepid ,african explorers as ,dr4     
,kirk1 ,charles ,andersson1 ,dr4        
,livingstone1 and others4  ,upon ,dr4   
,livingstone's map the total length of  
the main stream1 from the mouth to the  

point in the course where the ,leeba    
,river joins it1 cannot be less than    
twelve hundred miles4  ,the ,leeba      
,river proceeds from ,lake ,dilolo1     
which is situated on the summit of the  
watershed which divides the rivers that 
run northwest into the ,atlantic from   
those which run southeast into the      
,indian ,ocean4  ,a curious fact is     
connected with ,lake ,dilolo2 it appears
 to have two outlets1 one to the north  
and one to the south4 ,the northern     
outlet probably joins the system of     
lakes west of ,tanganyika4  ,the river  
basin of the ,zambesi has many features 
of interest4 ,on the north it probably  
terminates with a portion of the river  
system of the ,nile4 ,on the west it is 
separated from the ,orange ,river basin 
and the various rivers running through  
,ovampo ,land into the ,atlantic by a   
rather undefined watershed1 which       
crosses the ,kalahari ,desert4 ,on the  
northwest the main waters very likely   
have their rise in the near vicinity of 

the tributaries of the great ,congo     
,river4  ,a well-defined mountain range 
on the southeast separates the rivers   
which flow into the ,zambesi from those 
which unite to form the ,limpopo4  ,the 
,zambesi ,river retains this name from a
 point only a short distance above its  
mouth to the junction of the main stream
 with the ,chobe4  ,by means of the     
,chobe the ,zambesi is connected with   
the sluggish intermingling streams of   
the ,n'gami region4 ,flowing on after   
its junction with the ,chobe1 the river 
is known under another name1 the        
,leambye4  ,our most accurate knowledge 
of the river extends as far as its union
 with the ,leeba4 ,at this point it     
seems to make a sudden bend to the      
northeast and form a network of streams4
 ,these mingle with one another1 and1   
far to the east1 seem to form several   
other connections with the main stream1 
if we can believe the reports of the    
natives4  ,the portion of ,central      
,south ,africa through which the        

,zambesi flows may be regarded as an    
extensive table-land1 or plateau4  ,this
 vast table-land stands from three to   
four thousand feet above the level of   
the sea4 ,on its outer edge it is       
fringed by a border of basaltic rocks4  
,the river cuts its way through the     
rocks of this region to form one of the 
most strikingly picturesque scenes upon 
the globe4  ,it was to this section of  
the river that ,livingstone gave the    
name ,victoria ,falls4 ,the natives gave
 it the odd name ,mosiotunge4 ,this may 
be translated to mean ,smoke sounds     
there1 or ,smoke which sounds4  ,the    
falls of the ,zambesi have been compared
 to those of ,niagara4 ,charles         
,livingstone1 a brother of ,dr4         
,livingstone1 considered those of the   
,zambesi more beautiful and more        
wonderful than those of ,niagara4  ,the 
river in the vicinity of the falls is   
more than a mile in breadth4 ,it flows  
peacefully along its bed and plunges    
suddenly into a fissure three hundred   

feet deep1 which lies directly in its   
course4  ,this fissure is scarcely two  
hundred feet wide4 ,it is by no means an
 even opening in the rocks1 but for     
several miles runs in and out in a      
series of zigzags1 which are separated  
from each other by four vertical        
promontories of basaltic rock4 ,these   
promontories are hardly as wide as the  
fissure4 ,they are so narrow1 that if we
 could stand on the center of one of    
them we could easily toss a stone into  
the chasm lying on either hand4 ,it is  
not known accurately how far below the  
falls this chasm extends4  ,the height  
of the cataract has been estimated as   
twice that of ,niagara4 ,in flood time  
the volume of water pouring over the    
falls is very probably much greater than
 that at ,niagara4  ,dr4 ,livingstone   
relates that1 when he visited these     
falls1 one of the first questions asked 
by a native warrior was1 ,have you smoke
 that sounds in your country8           
,illustration3 ,,smoke-,,resounding     

,,falls ,,of ,,the ,,zambesi4  ,the     
natives were too much in awe of these   
falls to approach near enough to them to
 examine them4 ,they viewed them with   
fear and wonder from a distance4 ,they  
would refer to the vapor and noise with 
the remark1 ,smoke does sound there6    
,livingstone learned that at one time   
another name had been given to these    
falls by the natives4 ,he was unable to 
find the exact translation of the name1 
but believed it to have meant seething  
caldron4  ,embarking in a canoe         
,livingstone1 after about twenty        
minutes' sail1 came in sight of the     
falls4 ,the columns of vapor1 so        
appropriately called smoke1 rose to a   
distance of five or six miles4 ,he had  
noticed much the same appearance when   
large tracts of grass were burning on   
the ,african plains4  ,as he looked on  
the wonderful sight1 five columns of    
smoke arose4 ,they seemed to bend in the
 direction of the wind1 as if to lean   
against a low ridge covered with trees4 

,seen from a distance1 the tops of the  
columns appeared to mingle with the     
clouds4 ,white below1 and somewhat      
darker above1 the resemblance was a     
striking one4  ,the whole scene was most
 beautiful4 ,the banks of the river and 
the islands dotting the stream were     
covered with foliage and vegetation of  
the most beautiful form and color4 ,at  
that season of the year several of the  
trees were covered with blossoms4       
,towering over all stood the great burly
 baobab1 with its enormous branches1    
each as large as the trunk of a tree4   
,to add to the beauty of the scene1     
groups of graceful palms waved their    
feather-shaped leaves in the air1       
against the background of the sky4  ,to 
,livingstone the sight of these trees1  
native to ,africa1 was always suggestive
 of far from home4 ,he could not remain 
unconscious of the foreign tone they    
gave to every picture of the landscape4 
,a silvery-leaved tree1 which bore a    
strong resemblance to the cedar of      

,lebanon1 stood in pleasing contrast    
with one of cypress-like form and       
dark-colored foliage1 dotted over with  
scarlet fruit4 ,here were trees1 too1   
like our spreading oak2 others like our 
elms and chestnuts4  ,no one could      
picture the beauty of the scene as it   
revealed itself to ,livingstone's       
appreciative eyes4 ,to him it seemed as 
if so lovely a scene could have been    
gazed upon only by angels in their      
flight4  ,the wonder had never before   
been viewed by white men2 for none had  
ever penetrated the mysterious realms of
 the ,zambesi waters4 ,mountains in the 
background was the only feature lacking 
to make the picture perfect4            
,livingstone found that the falls are   
bounded on three sides by high ridges4  
,these ridges are from three hundred to 
four hundred feet high1 and are covered 
with forests4 ,here and there the red   
soil appears among the trees4           
,,chapter ,x4  ,a ,,view ,,of ,,victoria
 ,,falls4   ,not half a mile from the   

falls ,livingstone left the canoe in    
which he had started upon his journey1  
and embarked in a lighter one4 ,this was
 manned by men well acquainted with the 
rapids4 ,by passing down the center of  
the stream and taking advantage of the  
eddies and still places caused by the   
jutting rocks1 he was able to reach an  
island in the middle of the river4 ,this
 island was on the edge of the lip over 
which the water rolled4  ,in trying to  
reach this island there was danger of   
being swept along in some one of the    
streams which rushed by it4 ,fortunately
 the river was low1 and ,livingstone    
thus accomplished what he could not have
 done had it been high4  ,though he had 
reached the island1 and was within a few
 yards of the falls1 of which he could  
command a good view1 yet he could not   
solve the problem of where the vast     
volume of water went4  ,it seemed to    
lose itself as it disappeared into this 
fissure1 the opposite lip of which was  
only eighty feet distant4  ,livingston  

could not comprehend this mystery1 till1
 creeping to the edge of the abyss1 he  
peered with awe down into a large rent  
extending from bank to bank of the      
,zambesi4 ,the river1 a stream a        
thousand yards broad1 took this gigantic
 leap of a hundred feet and became      
suddenly compressed into a space of from
 fifteen to twenty yards4  ,livingstone 
found that the entire falls are but a   
crack made in a hard basaltic rock4     
,this crack extends from the right to   
the left bank of the river4 ,it is then 
prolonged on the left bank of the stream
 through thirty or forty miles of hills4
  ,looking down into the fissure on the 
right of the island1 he saw nothing but 
a dense white cloud4 ,at the time of his
 visit two beautiful rainbows gave added
 beauty to the scene4 ,from this dense  
white cloud a great jet of vapor1       
looking exactly like steam1 mounted some
 two hundred or three hundred feet into 
the air4  ,as the vapor became          
condensed1 ,livingstone saw its hue     

change to the color of dark smoke4 ,as  
it fell to the ground in a constant     
shower1 he became wet to the skin4  ,the
 shower fell for the most part upon the 
opposite side of the fissure4 ,back a   
few yards from the lip stood a straight 
hedge of evergreen trees1 whose leaves  
were always wet4  ,from the roots of    
these trees numberless little rills ran 
back into the abyss4 ,as they flowed    
down the steep rocky wall the columns of
 ascending vapor greedily absorbed them1
 and mounted with them into the air4    
,constantly running down the side of the
 fissure1 yet never reaching the bottom 
of it1 these rills were an ever-active  
example of the laws of condensation and 
vaporization in nature4  ,on the left of
 the island1 ,livingstone saw the water 
at the bottom of the fissure moving away
 towards the place of its escape near   
the left bank of the river4 ,the walls  
of this gigantic crack he found to be   
perpendicular4 ,the rock itself is one  
solid mass4 ,on the side over which the 

water falls he found the edge worn off  
two or three feet4 ,pieces of the rock  
had fallen away1 owing to the action of 
the water4 ,this gave to the edge a     
somewhat serrated appearance4  ,the rock
 is of a dark brown color4 ,about ten   
feet from the bottom he found it        
somewhat discolored1 from the annual    
rise of the water4  ,on the left side of
 the island ,livingstone got a good view
 of the mass of water which causes one  
of the columns of vapor to rise4 ,it    
leaped quite clear of the rock4 ,it was 
the color of snow1 and had the          
appearance of a thick1 unbroken fleece  
all the way to the bottom4  ,as he      
describes it1 it seemed to break into   
flakes1 all moving in the same          
direction1 like bits of steel giving off
 sparks when burned in a flame of oxygen
 gas4  ,to ,livingstone this snow-white 
sheet of water seemed like myriads of   
small comets4 ,as they rushed in one    
general direction1 each seemed to leave 
behind it tiny bodies of foam4  ,it     

appeared to him like a mass of water    
leaping impetuously1 at one bound1 to   
clear the rock1 and finally breaking    
gradually into spray4  ,three spots near
 these falls--one of them the island on 
which ,livingstone landed--were former  
sites of worship4 ,here it was that the 
chiefs of native tribes offered prayers 
and sacrifices4  ,these places of       
worship were chosen within hearing of   
the cataract's roar1 and in full sight  
of the bows in the cloud of vapor4      
,with awe and wonder these children of  
,nature looked upon the scene4 ,the     
river to them was most mysterious1 and  
feelings of fear1 no doubt1 influenced  
them somewhat in their selection of     
places of worship4  ,livingstone        
describes a canoe-song of the natives1  
the words of which1 rudely translated1  
are3--      ,the ,leeambye6 ,nobody     
knows     ,whence it comes and whither  
it goes4  ,the ,leeambye1 you remember1 
was one of the many names of the river  
given to it by the natives4  ,the play  

of colors on the cloud may have given   
them the idea that this was the abode of
 the ,deity4 ,elsewhere they had seen   
this play of colors only in the rainbow4
 ,when seen in the heavens they gave it 
a name signifying the pestle of the     
gods4  ,here1 says ,livingstone1 they   
could approach the emblem and see it    
stand steadily above the blustering     
uproar below1--a type of ,him who sits  
supreme1 alone1 unchangeable1 though    
ruling all changing things4 ,but not    
aware of ,his true character1 they had  
no admiration of the beautiful and good 
in their bosoms4 ,they did not imitate  
,his benevolence1 for they were a       
bloody1 imperious crew4  ,when the      
,zambesi ,river is full1 or in flood1   
the natives told ,livingstone that the  
columns of vapor can be seen ten miles  
off1 and the roar of the cataract can be
 heard at fully that distance4  ,it     
would be interesting if we could linger 
longer in this region of the ,zambesi   
,river2 but1 for lack of space1 we must 

hasten on towards the sea4     ,,chapter
 ,,xi4  ,,another ,,view ,,of ,,the     
,,zambesi4   ,as the river descends to  
the ocean1 it takes a southeast course4 
,during the rainy seasons its width     
increases from five hundred yards to two
 miles or more1 according to the amount 
of rainfall4  ,in its course to the sea 
the river becomes navigable from the    
,portuguese town of ,tete downward to   
the mouth4 ,during the dry season1      
however1 navigation is somewhat         
difficult4  ,working its way through the
 ,lupata ,mountains the river comes to  
one or two narrow1 rocky gorges which   
tend to make ugly rapids1 except in the 
rainy season1 when the river is high4   
,about eighty miles from the mouth1 the 
,zambesi receives the waters of the     
,shire1 which flows out from ,lake      
,nyassa4  ,lake ,nyassa is a sheet of   
water about two hundred miles long4 ,it 
attains a width of fifty miles at its   
widest point4  ,the ,zambesi enters the 
low country about fifty miles from its  

mouth4 ,it separates into various       
streams to form a large delta4 ,the     
neighborhood of this delta bears the    
reputation of being very unhealthy4     
,the most northern stream of the        
,zambesi is the ,kuaka2 the most        
southern1 and the one with the deepest  
channel1 is the ,luabo4  ,various ports 
and entrances lie along the ,zambesi4   
,these were formerly used by slaving    
vessels and others not engaged in very  
honorable trade4  ,these ports are not  
shown very accurately upon the maps1 and
 it is considered a very difficult and  
dangerous undertaking to attempt to     
enter the river without a good pilot4   
,the falls and the rapids of the        
,zambesi region1 together with its      
elevated lakes and sites of settlements1
 are its most picturesque features4     
,tete1 a ,portuguese town1 is about four
 hundred feet above the level of the    
sea4 ,the rapids of ,lake ,nyassa where 
the ,shire issues from it1 are more than
 fifteen hundred feet higher than the   

ocean4 ,a smaller lake southeast of     
,nyassa is two thousand feet above the  
level of the sea4  ,the coast region    
drained by the ,zambesi is inhabited by 
natives of a pure negro type4 ,in the   
central and upper parts of the ,zambesi 
region are tribes of a little higher    
grade of intelligence4 ,they are the    
conquerors of the original tribes1 many 
of whom still exist4  ,the ,zulu tribes 
occupy the elevated region which divides
 the ,limpopo from the ,zambesi4 ,they  
have overrun nearly all the territory   
south of them and subjugated most of its
 tribes4  ,in the sections claimed by   
the ,portuguese the slave trade was for 
many years the shame and disgrace of the
 white man4 ,all attempts to civilize   
and educate the natives1 by missionaries
 from other countries1 were met by great
 hostility on the part of the           
,portuguese4 ,even the best efforts of  
the most unselfish and faithful of      
missionary workers were well nigh       
fruitless4 ,the greed and the cruelty of

 the men engaged in the traffic of human
 beings were almost beyond belief4      
,villages were depopulated1 homes were  
laid waste1 and fields once under       
cultivation were despoiled4 ,on every   
side1 ruin and desolation were the work 
of the destroying hand of the slave     
trader4  ,torn from home1 family1 and   
country1 their wretched victims were    
conveyed to the coast1 loaded upon some 
vessel engaged in the inhuman trade1 and
 sold into slavery4      ,faint1 gazing 
on the dying orb of day1     ,as        
,afric's injured son expiring lay1      
,his forehead cold and laboring bosom   
bare1     ,his dewy temples1 and his    
sable hair1     ,his poor companions    
wept1 and cried aloud1     ,rejoicing1  
while his head in peace he bowed1       
',now1 thy long1 long task is done6     
,swiftly1 brother1 wilt thou run1       
,ere to-morrow's golden beam1           
,glitters in thy parent stream1         
,swiftly the delights to share1     ,the
 feast of joy that waits thee there4    

,swiftly1 brother1 wilt thou glide      
,o'er the long and stormy tide1         
,fleeter than the hurricane1     ,till  
thou see those scenes again1     ,where 
thy father's hut was reared2     ,where 
thy infant brothers played     ',neath  
the fragrant citron's shade1     ,where1
 through green savannas wide8           
,cooling rivers silent glide1     ,and  
the shrill cigarras sing     ,ceaseless 
to their murmuring4      ',where the    
dance and festive song     ,of many a   
friend divided long1     ,doomed through
 strangers' lands to roam1     ,shall   
bid thy spirit welcome home6     ,then  
fear no more the tyrant's power6        
,past is his insulting hour6     ,mark  
no more the sullen trait     ,on        
slavery's brow of scorn and hate2       
,hear no more the long sigh borne       
,murmuring on the gales of morn4        
,yet we remain1 far distant1            
,toiling on in pain and want4     ,when 
the great sun fires the skies1     ,to  
our work of woe we rise      ',and see  

each night without a friend1     ,the   
world's great comforter descend4        
,tell our brethren when ye meet1        
,thus we toil with weary feet2     ,tell
 them1 that love's gen'rous flame1      
,in joy1 in wretchedness the same1      
,in distant lands was ne'er forgot2     
,and tell them that we murmur not4      
,tell them though the pang will start   
,and drain the lifeblood from the heart1
     ,tell them generous shame forbids  
,the tear to stain our burning lids2    
,tell them in weariness and want        
,for our native hills we pant1          
,where soon from shame and sorrow free1 
,we hope in death to follow thee4'      
,most of the productions of the tropics 
are found in the ,zambesi region4 ,the  
constant insurrections and disturbances 
among the native tribes have tended to  
keep the country from being extensively 
cultivated4  ,the animals of this       
section are very similar to those of    
,south ,america4 ,the trade in ivory is 
large4 ,vast quantities are exported    

from the west and east coasts4  ,the    
mineral wealth is considerable4 ,there  
are extensive coal fields1 and gold has 
been found near ,tete and ,senna4       
,livingstone relates that when he       
visited a hot spring near the ,zambesi1 
he found the valleys near ,tete very    
fruitful and well cultivated4  ,the     
whole country lying north and northwest 
of ,tete is hilly4 ,these hills are     
covered with trees1 and present a very  
picturesque scene4 ,it was in this      
neighborhood that he found evidences of 
extensive coal mines1 which he felt sure
 could be worked with little labor and  
at little cost4  ,while in the vicinity 
of the hot spring he availed himself of 
the opportunity of visiting some former 
gold washing localities4 ,the banks of  
the rivulet were covered with large     
groves of fine mango trees4 ,the        
,portuguese used to live among these    
trees while they kept supervision over  
the natives engaged in the gold washing4
  ,the process of washing the sand of   

the rivulet was hard and very tedious2  
for the gold was found in minute scales1
 like mica4  ,towards the west various  
gold washing stations were pointed out  
to ,livingstone4 ,one station1 where    
gold had been found more abundantly than
 in any other locality1 was supposed by 
some to be the ,ophir of ,king ,solomon4
  ,he saw at this station gold flakes as
 large as grains of wheat4 ,he found    
that the natives would wash for gold    
only when in need of a little calico4   
,he was very sure that they knew the    
value of the gold1 for they brought it  
for sale1 packed in goose quills1 and   
demanded twenty-four yards of cloth in  
exchange for a quill4  ,they were not   
unaware of the advantages of this       
section1 for when the waters of the     
river overflow1 they leave a coating of 
mud upon the banks1 and the natives     
quickly noticed which spots dried       
soonest1 and would begin to dig there1  
in the firm belief that the gold lay in 
these spots4  ,they had a superstition  

that if they dug deeper than their chins
 the ground would fall in and kill them4
  ,when they found a piece of           
gold1--literally a flake1--it was their 
custom to bury it again4 ,this was due  
to a superstition that it was the seed  
of the gold4 ,the value of the flake    
they knew very well1 but they preferred 
to lose this seed rather than a full    
crop in the future4  ,it would be       
interesting to read more of             
,livingstone's stories of the ,zambesi1 
but we must pass on to other topics4    
,,chapter ,,xii4  ,,the ,,deserts ,,of  
,,south ,,africa4   ,the deserts of     
,south ,africa1 which include the great 
,kalahari1 are1 strictly speaking1      
savannas4  ,this section of what we     
might term semi-deserts lies between #bj
 deg4 and #cj deg4 south latitude4 ,it  
is about one thousand miles long and    
seven hundred miles wide4 ,the great    
,kalahari ,desert is in the center of   
this vast area4 ,naturally1 we should   
look for a variety of physical features 

in so vast a territory4  ,on its outer  
edges the desert tract of ,south ,africa
 consists of broad plains4 ,these are   
intersected by rugged1 though not very  
lofty1 mountains4  ,during the wet      
season these plains are covered with a  
rich1 succulent herbage4 ,this          
disappears1 however1 in the dry season4 
,under the scorching heat it is         
literally burned off1 and leaves the    
ground parched and dusty4  ,at intervals
 in this territory may be found vast    
tracts overgrown with low bushes covered
 with thorns4 ,these thorny bushes grow 
in such dense masses that the traveler  
is compelled to cut his way through     
them4  ,the colonists of ,south ,africa 
give the name ,wait-a-bit to this bush4 
,its short1 hooked thorns check the     
progress of the traveler and compel him 
to wait a bit at almost every step he   
takes in advance4  ,andersson1 an early 
explorer1 once came upon a forest of    
thornless trees in this section4 ,in his
 journal he describes his feelings at   

the sight3 ,i do not think that ,i was  
ever so surprised in my life4 ,i        
hesitated to trust my senses4 ,even the 
dull faces of my attendants seemed to   
relax from their usual heavy1           
unintelligent cast1 and to express joy  
at the novel scene4  ,the climate is    
characterized by a brief wet season1    
when the rain falls in torrents4 ,this  
season is succeeded by months of        
complete drought4 ,during these droughts
 water can be found only in solitary    
fountains1 appearing at rare intervals1 
or in a few stagnant pools4  ,accounts  
of travelers are filled with the record 
of suffering that has been endured in   
this region1 by man and beast1 just from
 the lack of water4  ,although this     
country may seem uninviting in many     
respects1 yet to the sportsman it seems 
a veritable paradise4 ,in no other      
section of the globe has he so many     
species of large game to choose from4   
,south ,africa is like a vast zoological
 garden4 ,here are found the giraffe1   

the gigantic wild boar1 the clumsy      
hippopotamus1 and the rhinoceros4       
,leopards and hyenas seek their prey    
here among the many species of the      
antelope family4  ,lions lurk on every  
side4 ,elephants haunt the lonely pools1
 where they seek to quench their thirst4
  ,ostriches1 zebras1 deer1 springboks1 
and many other animals1 the names of    
which we do not find in any zoology1    
make their home here4  ,naturally1 with 
so much animal life to be supported1    
there must be the need of vegetable     
growth4  ,the beasts of prey find no    
difficulty in appeasing their hunger2   
but the animals of the grazing families 
would fare badly1 had not ,nature       
provided them with the proper instinct  
for seeking their food4 ,this instinct  
leads them to wander far and wide       
wherever herbage is to be found4  ,the  
region forms so large a pasture ground  
that it would be unlikely that the whole
 expanse would suffer from drought at   
any one time4  ,as the deer and the     

antelope families wander in search of   
fresh pasturage1 the beasts of prey1    
eager for their food1 follow in their   
wake4  ,in this peculiar region1 nature 
has provided several plants especially  
adapted to the limitations of the soil4 
,these plants seem to store up food1 and
 even water1 under what seems to be the 
dry sand of this sterile tract4  ,one   
such plant has a low stalk not much     
larger than the quill of a crow's       
feather4 ,this plant sends its roots    
down into the sandy soil4 ,at a depth of
 one or two feet the root expands into a
 tuber4 ,this tuber is about the size of
 a small melon4 ,it consists of a mass  
of watery1 cellular tissue1 much like a 
young turnip4  ,another variety of plant
 is a low creeper4 ,it expands into a   
cluster of tuberous roots4 ,some of     
these tubers are as large as a man's    
head4 ,the clusters sometimes measure a 
yard in diameter4  ,a native searching  
for one of these clusters pounds the    
ground with stones1 till a hollow sound 

indicates the spot where he will find   
the prize4  ,many of the animals dig    
away the sand with their sharp hoofs    
from these spots1 which instinct teaches
 them to find1 just as the reindeer     
finds the moss of the ,arctic regions   
buried beneath the snow4  ,a kind of    
gourd grows in great abundance1 covering
 large tracts4 ,both men and animals are
 very fond of it4  ,one traveler relates
 that in crossing the desert1 during the
 season for these gourds1 he found them 
in great abundance4 ,so numerous1 in    
fact1 were they1 that he and his cattle 
lived on them for three weeks4 ,during  
this interval no water was to be had4   
,when a supply of water was reached1 all
 seemed to have lost their liking for   
it4  ,another variety of gourd seeks the
 low sand hills4 ,it has a fruit about  
the size of a turnip4 ,the outside of   
this fruit is of a greenish yellow2 the 
inside is of a deep orange color4  ,in  
the neighborhood of ,walfish ,bay man   
and beast live upon this gourd almost   

exclusively for three months in the     
year4  ,the seeds of this plant look and
 taste something like an almond4 ,when  
the season of the fruit is over1 the    
seeds1 which have been carefully        
gathered1 dried1 and preserved1 are used
 for food4  ,geologists are of the      
opinion that by boring deep enough in   
almost any section of this semi-desert  
territory of ,south ,africa water might 
be found4  ,the rainfall in the wet     
season is very great4 ,scarcely any of  
this rainfall finds an outlet through   
the rivers4  ,much of it must sink down 
through the sand till it reaches beds of
 clay or strata of rock4 ,here the water
 would be held as in a basin1 and man1  
by digging1 could obtain it4  ,wherever 
subterranean supplies of water are to be
 found there are possibilities for the  
fertilization of the soil4  ,the        
perforating of the arid plains of ,south
 ,africa with artesian wells would soon 
transform them into luxuriant gardens4  
,in the ,kalahari1 pits of slight depth 

are not unfrequently found4 ,these      
contain water throughout the year1      
unless there have been two successive   
years of drought4  ,the natives hide    
these pits with the utmost precaution4  
,sometimes they fill them with loose    
sand and build a fire over them4 ,this  
is to mislead any one searching for     
water4 ,one would scarcely expect to    
find water under a heap of ashes4  ,when
 the natives build their huts1 they are 
careful to locate them at some distance 
from these hidden mines of liquid       
treasure4  ,it is a curious sight to see
 the women of a village start out from  
their huts for a supply of water4 ,their
 water vessels are a string of ostrich  
eggshells1 with a small hole in the end 
of each shell4  ,the women make use of a
 reed for drawing water4 ,this is nearly
 a yard long1 and has a bunch of grass  
fastened to the end4  ,the reed1 with   
its bunch of grass1 is sunk down through
 the sand4 ,the sand is then packed     
closely around it4  ,placing her mouth  

at the upper end of the reed1 the woman 
who wishes to fill her shells makes a   
vacuum in the sponge-like bunch of grass
 by sucking through the reed4 ,the water
 from the pit flows into the grassy     
sponge1 thence up through the reed into 
the mouth1 when1 by a dexterous         
movement1 it is thrown into the water   
vessels4  ,the women are very skillful  
in the use of this primitive pump1 and  
it answers very well for water at so    
little depth4  ,livingstone believed    
that water existed in the ,kalahari at  
no great depth below the surface4 ,he   
reasoned from these circumstances3 ,for 
two successive seasons there had been an
 extreme drought4 ,during neither of    
these droughts had more than five inches
 of rain fallen4 ,everything was        
parched4 ,the ground was so hot that if 
beetles were placed upon it1 they were  
killed in a few seconds1 as if they had 
been placed upon a sheet of hot iron4   
,he noticed that a certain species of   
ants which always dig their tunnels deep

 into the ground1 did not seem affected 
by the heat4 ,he opened some of their   
chambers1 curious to learn the reason1  
and invariably found that the walls were
 moist4  ,the inhabitants of this       
territory are of varied character4 ,many
 of them are of the very lowest types of
 mankind4 ,others are far superior1 and 
seem susceptible to civilization and    
education4  ,in their home life they    
cultivate their garden patches with a   
great deal of care and no little skill4 
,they rear small herds of goats1 though 
often forced to dig water for them by   
the spoonful1 as we might say4  ,in     
their way they are keen traders4 ,their 
trade1 though primitive1 answers all    
their needs4 ,they barter the skins of  
animals that they have slain1 for       
spears1 knives1 tobacco1 and other      
articles4  ,livingstone1 in his travels 
across the ,kalahari1 speaks of the hot 
wind which blows over the desert from   
north to south occasionally4 ,this wind 
feels as if it came from an oven4       

,fortunately1 it rarely lasts longer    
than three days4 ,it resembles the      
harmattan of ,north ,africa4  ,many     
years ago1 when missionaries first      
entered the country1 this wind came     
loaded with fine reddish sand4  ,now it 
does not come laden with sand1 but it is
 so drying in its effects as to shrink  
even the best seasoned ,english wood4   
,hence all wooden articles become       
warped4  ,this wind comes strongly      
charged with electricity4 ,a bunch of   
ostrich feathers held for a few seconds 
against it becomes charged as if by an  
electrical machine4 ,if one should grasp
 the bunch1 it would give forth a sharp1
 crackling sound4  ,livingstone noticed 
this electrical state of the atmosphere 
when traveling in a wagon with one of   
the native chiefs4 ,the fur of the      
chief's mantle became1 through a slight 
friction1 quite luminous4 ,livingstone  
rubbed it smartly with his hand1 and    
found it gave out quite bright sparks1  
with distinct crackling noises4         

,turning to the chief1 ,livingstone     
said1 ,do you see this8 ,his reply was1 
,the white man did not show us this2 we 
had it long before white men came into  
the country1--we and our forefathers of 
old4     ,,chapter ,,xiii4  ,,glimpses  
,,of ,,rivers4   ,the ,orange ,river    
flows through ,south ,africa4 ,it rises 
in the ,mont aux ,sources1 at an        
elevation of about ten thousand feet    
above sea level4 ,it flows in a westerly
 direction for about one thousand miles1
 and enters the ,atlantic ,ocean4  ,it  
is a river of no special importance1 and
 is of little value for any practical   
purposes of navigation4  ,it skirts the 
northern edge of ,cape ,colony          
throughout almost its entire course4 ,it
 thus serves to separate this colony    
from the ,orange ,river ,free ,state and
 from the adjoining territories1        
occupied by various independent native  
tribes4  ,orange ,river ,free ,state was
 settled by the ,dutch who had          
previously occupied ,natal4 ,when ,great

 ,britain established her rule1 the     
,dutch boers1 or colonists1 migrated    
from their former home1 and settled in  
the section now known as the ,orange    
,river ,free ,state4  ,the ,vaal1 a     
tributary of the ,orange ,river1 skirts 
the northern edge of the ,state4 ,the   
,orange ,river skirts its southern edge4
  ,the ,vaal ,river flows west1 then    
bends a little to the south4 ,the       
,orange ,river also flows west1 but     
bends a little to the north4  ,as the   
two rivers sweep around1 they inclose   
the ,orange ,river ,free ,state1 not    
only forming its northern and southern  
boundaries1 but turning their courses so
 as to unite about midway on the western
 border4 ,under the name of the ,orange 
,river1 the united streams flow west1   
along the northern edge of ,cape ,colony
 and the southern edge of ,great        
,namaqua ,land1 to the ,atlantic ,ocean4
  ,the ,orange ,river ,free ,state may  
be called the connecting link between   
,cape ,colony1 the ,transvaal ,republic1

 and ,natal4 ,the total area of the     
,state is estimated above fifty thousand
 square miles4  ,illustration3 ,a       
,,scene ,,in ,,the ,,drachenberg        
,,mountains4  ,the whole region drained 
by the ,orange ,river may be considered 
as a vast plateau1 which rises from     
three thousand to five thousand feet    
above the level of the sea4 ,very little
 woodland is to be found except along   
the banks of the river and its          
tributaries4  ,that portion of the      
country which comprises the ,orange     
,river ,free ,state is diversified by   
vast undulating plains4 ,these slope    
from one of the mountain systems down to
 the ,vaal ,river4 ,they are dotted at  
intervals by rocky hills4  ,on the east 
and southeast the ,drachenberg          
,mountains form a natural barrier       
between this section and the coast      
regions4  ,the northern part of the     
,state is very level4 ,hundreds of      
square miles of territory are to be     
found with scarcely a break in the      

horizon4  ,in strong contrast to the    
northern sections are those of the      
eastern part of the ,state4  ,if we     
should cross the ,state from ,cape      
,colony to ,natal1 we should arrive at  
the summit of the passes that lead to   
the latter colony without finding a     
single mountain in sight4 ,suddenly1 an 
advance of a step or two would bring us 
to the edge of an immense mountain      
chasm4 ,at its foot1 nearly a thousand  
feet below us1 we should perceive the   
coast region stretching out towards the 
,indian ,ocean4  ,when the ,dutch took  
possession of the ,orange ,river ,free  
,state1 it was inhabited by different   
native tribes4 ,most of these have been 
driven off to other sections1 just as   
the ,indians of ,america have been      
driven out by the white man to seek new 
hunting grounds4 ,a few of the more     
powerful tribes1 however1 still dispute 
the possession of the soil with the     
settlers4  ,all the rivers of the ,state
 belong to the ,orange ,river system4   

,many of them have distinctly ,dutch    
names4 ,in fact1 the whole ,state bears 
abundant evidence of the presence and   
personality of the colonists4 ,it is    
rather curious that they have had to    
wrest their land from the hands of      
native tribes1 or have had to struggle  
with foreign powers1 just as their      
ancestors had to wrest ,holland from the
 grasp of ,old ,father ,ocean1 or engage
 in a war with other nations1 that      
looked with longing on the little       
country of dykes and ditches4  ,the     
history of the struggles of the         
colonists is an interesting one4 ,we are
 led to wonder if the ,dutch nation must
 always struggle for the possession of  
any land it may wish to occupy1 whether 
in the ,netherlands or in the ,dark     
,continent4  ,in the early days of      
colonization vast herds of the larger   
varieties of antelopes roamed over the  
great plain of the ,state2 most of them 
have disappeared as man has invaded     
their grazing places4  ,interest has    

centered about the ,orange ,river ,free 
,state1 owing to the discovery of       
diamonds here1 and in ,griqualand1 a    
narrow strip of land bounding it upon   
the west4 ,it will be interesting to    
view these diamond sections later on in 
our reading4  ,the ,senegal ,river rises
 not very far from the source of the    
,niger1 at the extreme west of the      
so-called ,kong ,mountains4 ,it flows   
first northwest and then west1 and loses
 itself in the ,atlantic ,ocean a little
 north of ,cape ,verd4  ,the length of  
the river has been estimated as upwards 
of eleven hundred miles4 ,the last seven
 or eight hundred miles are navigable   
only for flat-bottomed boats4 ,in fact1 
here and there throughout its whole     
course1 the navigation of the river is  
frequently interrupted by cataracts1    
shoals1 and rocks4  ,the banks of the   
river are covered with verdure1 and in  
some sections with timber4 ,in the lower
 part of its course the river is dotted 
with numerous islands4 ,these are       

usually large1 well cultivated1 and     
fertile4  ,the entrance to the river is 
somewhat difficult1 owing to the        
breakers and to the existence of a      
sandbar4 ,in dry weather this bar has   
been known to be covered by only eight  
or nine feet of water4  ,the ,gambia is 
a smaller stream than the ,senegal1     
flowing about in the same direction and 
through the same section of country4    
,its length is estimated at about one   
thousand miles4 ,the mouth of the river 
is about four miles broad4 ,just before 
the river reaches the sea its current is
 fully double its width at the mouth4   
,the river is navigable for vessels of  
one hundred and fifty tons as far as the
 town of ,barraconda4 ,this town is     
situated on the right bank of the       
stream1 about two hundred miles from the
 sea4 ,the river enters the sea a little
 to the south of ,cape ,verd4  ,the     
,senegal and ,gambia drain the tract of 
country named1 most appropriately1      
,senegambia4 ,it is a large maritime    

tract1 bounded on the north and west by 
the ,sahara and the ,soudan1 on the     
south by ,sierra ,leone1 and on the west
 by the ,atlantic ,ocean4  ,between the 
two rivers1 which are two hundred and   
fifty miles apart1 there are no very    
important water-courses4 ,between the   
,gambia and the frontier of ,sierra     
,leone there is but one stream of any   
size1 the ,rio ,grande4  ,the coast of  
,senegambia is deeply indented by       
various arms of the sea1 which resemble 
somewhat the estuaries of rivers4  ,the 
country forms the western and northern  
slope of the ,kong plateau4 ,portions of
 it are still but partially explored4   
,the soil of ,senegambia differs widely4
 ,on the coast we find either low1 flat1
 alluvial plains1 or an undulating      
country broadening to the north4 ,in the
 northern frontier this tract merges    
into the ,sahara4 ,in the interior the  
plateau rises from the coast plains in a
 series of mountainous terraces1 and    
finally loses itself in the ,kong       

,mountains4 ,the loftiest elevations of 
the soil are only a little more than    
three thousand feet4  ,strictly         
speaking1 the country is divided into   
three sections1 ,high1 ,middle1 and ,low
 ,senegambia4 ,high ,senegambia lies to 
the north of the ,senegal and is        
inhabited chiefly by the ,moors4 ,middle
 ,senegambia is the section along the   
borders of the ,senegal4 ,it is         
inhabited chiefly by negroes1 who divide
 themselves into numerous tribes4 ,the  
climate of this section is extremely hot
 and in the marshy districts it is very 
unhealthy4 ,the soil is fertile1 and    
yields the usual productions of the hot 
regions of ,africa4 ,lower ,senegambia  
includes the sections bordering on the  
,gambia4  ,as a country1 ,senegambia has
 a most luxuriant vegetation4 ,the      
monkey bread tree is characteristic of  
the country4 ,it is considered the most 
enormous tree upon the globe1 and while 
other trees may surpass it in height    
none equal it in the size of its        

gigantic trunk and limbs4 ,specimens    
have been found measuring sixty1        
seventy-five1 and even a hundred feet in
 circumference4  ,while the native      
population of ,senegambia consists of   
negroes of various types1 ,european     
nations are well represented4 ,the      
,british have a number of settlements   
along the banks of the ,gambia4 ,along  
the banks of the ,senegal are various   
,french settlements4 ,scattered along   
the rivers at various points are        
numerous small factories managed by the 
,portuguese4  ,the chief commercial     
products of ,senegambia consist of gum1 
beeswax1 ivory1 bark1 and hide4         
,,chapter ,,xiv4  ,,the ,,congo ,,river4
   ,the ,congo ,river flows into the    
,gulf of ,guinea and is a most          
magnificent river1 more wonderful in    
some respects than the ,nile4 ,it is the
 only one of the large rivers of ,africa
 which has anything approaching an      
estuary2 all the others having delta    
mouths4 ,so great is the volume of water

 which it discharges at its mouth1 that 
forty miles out at sea its water is only
 partially mingled with that of the     
,atlantic1 while nine miles from the    
coast the water is perfectly fresh4     
,the ,congo ,river was for many years a 
veritable ,will-o'-the-wisp to          
explorers4 ,its identity was lost so    
many times1 that the geographers looked 
upon the course of this river as one of 
the greatest problems connected with the
 study of ,africa they had ever been    
called upon to solve4  ,the ,congo has a
 length of more than three thousand     
miles4 ,the maritime region of the      
,congo ,river basin is restricted in its
 character4 ,for a few miles inward the 
ground has an upward slope2 then the    
traveler is confronted by ridge upon    
ridge of hills1 which gradually assume  
the character of high mountains4  ,the  
,congo rushes on through this           
mountainous section1 as though through  
one of our western canyons1 till it     
reaches ,stanley ,pool4 ,here the       

channel becomes much broader1 the stream
 attaining a width of five miles1 with  
an extraordinary depth of water4 ,as the
 river spreads itself to attain this    
breadth1 it flows placidly on through   
fertile plains1 rich in vegetation4     
,geographers have1 for convenience1     
divided the river into well-defined     
sections1 the ,upper and the ,lower     
,congo4  ,the ,lower ,congo has a length
 of about three hundred and thirty      
miles4 ,it is the part of the river     
between ,leopoldville--situated on the  
banks of ,stanley ,pool--and the sea and
 has a navigable current for about one  
hundred miles1 between ,vivi and the    
sea4 ,above ,vivi the river for about   
fifty miles is lined on either side by  
high slate cliffs4 ,these tend1 of      
course1 to narrow the channel4 ,it is in
 this section that the ,lower           
,livingstone ,falls occur1 and prevent  
navigation4  ,for a distance of about   
ninety miles above these falls the      
course of the river is somewhat broken1 

but it becomes navigable as far as      
,manyanka4 ,here the ,upper ,livingstone
 ,falls are situated1 and the river     
again becomes unnavigable4  ,the ,upper 
,congo starts at ,stanley ,pool1 and as 
far as ,stanley ,falls--a distance of   
over one thousand miles--has a navigable
 current4 ,it is1 in fact1 the grand    
highway for commerce right into the     
heart of ,africa4  ,from ,stanley ,falls
 to ,nyangwe1 a distance of nearly four 
hundred miles1 the river has a more or  
less broken current4  ,between ,nyangwe 
and ,lake ,moero there is still another 
stretch of four hundred miles4  ,more   
than two hundred miles from ,lake ,moero
 lies ,lake ,bangweolo1 or ,bemba4 ,at a
 distance of nearly four hundred miles  
from ,bemba the ,congo1 under the name  
of the ,chambesi1 takes its rise4       
,during ,dr4 ,livingstone's explorations
 to discover the sources of the ,nile   
and to penetrate the secrets of the lake
 region of ,africa1 he became much      
interested in the course of the         

,chambesi1 which he thought1 at first1  
might be one section of the ,zambesi4   
,the names seemed to him somewhat       
similar in sound1 and he decided to make
 an exploration of the stream4  ,later1 
he became convinced that it was not a   
part of the ,zambesi1 but he was firmly 
impressed that its identity with the    
,lualaba could be established4  ,many   
years of his life were devoted to the   
study of the ,lualaba and the great     
system of inland lakes of ,africa4      
,just as the whole of the civilized     
world looked eagerly for more definite  
information of ,livingstone's success1  
all news of him ceased4 ,much anxiety   
for his safety and welfare was felt4    
,months of weary waiting brought at last
 only the most conflicting reports4     
,finally the news of his death was      
received4  ,this was sad news for the   
world to believe4 ,determined to know1  
if possible1 more definitely the fate of
 this intrepid explorer1 those who were 
most interested sent out relief parties 

in search of him4  ,as a final result of
 all this intense interest1 ,mr4 ,henry 
,stanley was appointed commander of the 
celebrated expedition which afterwards  
penetrated into the interior of ,africa4
 ,the expedition had for its chief      
object the finding of ,livingstone1 if  
he were living4 ,if his life had been   
sacrificed in the interests of science1 
the mission of the expedition was to    
discover his resting place1 and the     
journals and letters that he must have  
left as a priceless legacy to the world4
  ,the thrilling incidents of ,stanley's
 labor of love1 the accounts of the     
hardships1 privations1 and stirring     
adventures1 as he relates them in his   
journals are intensely interesting4     
,impressed by the results of            
,livingstone's work1 ,stanley followed  
the ,lualaba ,river from the point where
 ,livingstone's investigations had      
ceased1 and named it the ,livingstone1  
in honor of the great explorer4         
,through ,stanley's efforts1 the        

identity of the ,chambesi1 the ,lualaba1
 and the ,congo was fully established4  
,it seems unfortunate that the name     
,lualaba--which translated means mother 
of waters--could not have been retained 
throughout the entire course of the     
stream4 ,it was a name which1 to        
,livingstone1 seemed most appropriate   
for the wonderful river whose course he 
had delighted to trace4  ,stanley's work
 was a magnificent proof of what        
intrepid courage and grand enthusiasm   
can accomplish4 ,in one expedition after
 another he completed the discoveries of
 other explorers1 penetrated the        
mysteries of the lake region and        
revealed its secrets1 explored the very 
heart of ,africa1 and traced the course 
of that wonderful river1 ,livingstone's 
,lualaba1 till it reached the sparkling 
waters of the ,south ,atlantic4  ,the   
,congo has several large affluents4 ,on 
the south we find the ,kiva1 into which 
a most noble river1 the ,kasai1 flows2  
the ,lulongo1 which flows through a     

densely populated region2 and the ,ruki 
,river1 on the mouth of which           
,equatorville has been built4  ,on the  
north bank of the river we find such    
tributaries as the ,mobangi1 the most   
important of all the rivers flowing into
 the main stream2 for it drains1 by     
means of its multitude of head streams1 
the whole of the region that lies       
between the ,congo and the equatorial   
provinces of ,egypt4 ,the ,itimbiri is  
another river flowing into the ,congo   
from the north4 ,it enters the river    
just where the stream attains its       
greatest breadth4 ,about one hundred and
 fifty miles below ,stanley ,falls1 the 
waters of the ,aruwimi enter the ,congo 
to swell its current4     ,,chapter     
,,xv4  ,,the ,,people ,,of ,,the ,,congo
 ,,river ,,basin4   ,stanley estimated  
the population of the ,upper ,congo     
basin at forty-three millions4 ,other   
explorers testify to the dense          
population and to the extent of the     
villages1 as they are termed4  ,one     

writer tells of the great astonishment  
he felt at the length of these villages4
 ,it was no uncommon thing to find five 
and six miles of continuous street4  ,an
 ,arab guide told ,stanley that he had  
sometimes been two hours in passing     
through some of these villages4 ,an     
eminent ,german explorer states that in 
one section of the country an almost    
unbroken line of huts and structures    
stretches along the established caravan 
route4  ,the people are often barbarous 
to strangers1 yet it is possible to     
approach them by means of trade4 ,they  
are very keen to take advantage of the  
trader who offers the goods of the white
 man in exchange for the articles they  
have to barter4  ,stanley wrote a       
detailed account of his explorations in 
this region under the title ,across the 
,dark ,continent4 ,the book was eagerly 
read1 and had a great influence upon the
 civilized world at the time of its     
publication4  ,the most noticeable      
result was the establishment of         

missions1 not only along the ,congo1 but
 around ,lake ,victoria and ,lake       
,tanganyika1 and even in ,west1 ,east1  
and ,central ,africa4  ,travelers from  
,france1 ,portugal1 and ,germany1 fired 
with enthusiasm1 set out to explore     
these vast regions2 and1 as a result1   
most of the ,european nations became    
interested in making as many annexations
 as they could to their possessions in  
,africa4  ,as a direct result of all    
this great interest1 the savage tribes  
that infest the region of the ,upper    
,congo were brought into a state of     
semi-civilization1 and to the point     
where they would show1 if not a         
friendly1 at least a reasonably tolerant
 spirit towards the white man4  ,the aim
 of the missionaries was to bring the   
minds of these poor savages from the    
darkness1 of ignorance1 superstition1   
and idolatry into the light of          
,christianity1 to show them the benefits
 of peace1 the advantages of trade1 and 
the results of an intercourse with the  

world of civilization4  ,above all other
 objects that the hearts of the         
missionaries held sacred was the        
abolition of the slave trade1 which1    
with all its attendant horrors1 was the 
destruction of the people4  ,the        
enormity of the ,african slave trade was
 not over-estimated4 ,the ,arabs made it
 their special occupation to deal in    
what was known as the ebony trade4      
,under the pretext of searching for     
ivory1 they perpetrated the most cruel  
and heartless deeds4  ,without a thought
 of the poor savages1 they kept up a    
system of slaughter that knew no mercy1 
and drained the very life blood of the  
people of ,central ,africa4  ,even from 
a selfish point of view1 the white man  
saw it was for his advantage to destroy 
the slave trade4 ,how could he be       
expected to advance into the heart of   
,africa without the aid of the strong1  
able-bodied natives8 ,with the          
depopulation of the country1 too1 the   
well-worn1 beaten tracks1 the shady     

groves of banana trees1 the broad fields
 of waving grain would disappear1 and   
only devastation and ruin remain1 as    
distressing pictures in this now fertile
 section4  ,the white man saw only too  
plainly that the slave trade did not    
affect the negro alone1 but that it     
affected the loss or the profit of the  
whole civilized world4 ,what availed it 
that the riches of ,central ,africa were
 apparently inexhaustible1 if the native
 tribes were not left to help gather    
them8  ,we can form some estimate of the
 cruel work of the ,arab slave traders  
from the account of it given by one     
author4 ,in his book1 ,the ,arab in     
,central ,africa1 he describes the      
destructive work of an ,arab caravan4   
,in the course of eleven months1 not    
only had they pillaged an extent of     
country containing some thirty thousand 
square miles1 but they had secured      
nearly twenty-five thousand captives4   
,nor was this the extent of their cruel 
work2 for1 during that time1 they       

destroyed upwards of one hundred        
villages1 and killed about four thousand
 of the inhabitants4  ,as this was the  
fifth caravan which had hunted this     
territory over1 it was estimated that no
 less than thirty thousand lives had    
been sacrificed to secure a             
comparatively small number of slaves4   
,another writer declares that it was no 
unusual thing for four hundred thousand 
slaves to be brought into market in the 
course of a single year1 while as many  
as two million lives were sacrificed in 
order to bring these slaves to the coast
 for trading purposes4  ,stanley1 in his
 journey through ,manyema1 was impressed
 by the extreme fertility of the section
 and by the numerous villages1 as he    
traversed the country from ,tanganyika  
to ,nyangwe4 ,a few months later the    
whole country presented the distressing 
pictures of depopulation and            
devastation4  ,the region of ,tanganyika
 ,lake was considered a high road by    
caravans4 ,professor ,drummond1 in his  

interesting book1 gives a description of
 the crafty ,arab1 who would sometimes  
settle in a well-favored spot for a     
year1 or even longer4 ,here1 he would   
accumulate immense quantities of ivory1 
until his money was exhausted4 ,then1 on
 some slight pretext1 he would engage in
 a quarrel with one or two of the       
natives4 ,he would soon be pined by his 
friends1 all well armed4 ,the quarrel   
would become general1 and would assume  
the character of a general massacre4    
,villages would then be burned1 homes   
laid waste1 and the strongest1 ablest   
natives spared only to serve as beasts  
of burden to transport the tons of ivory
 to the coast4 ,here1 when his load of  
ivory had been sold1 the wily ,arab     
traded off his ebony to the masters of  
slaving vessels4  ,in view of such      
facts1 it is not surprising that        
representatives of different ,european  
nations formed ,the ,international      
,association of the ,congo4 ,its objects
 were threefold3 philanthropic1         

scientific1 and commercial4  ,we have   
seen the need of a spirit of            
philanthropy and the object of the      
missionaries in dealing with the tribes 
of the ,congo ,river basin4 ,science was
 now to be advanced by means of surveys 
of the river basin2 for this would      
reveal the physical features of the     
country1 its natural facilities1 and its
 wealth of productions4 ,the interests  
of commerce were also to be considered  
and extended4  ,first1 an outlet was to 
be provided for the great wealth of the 
interior of ,africa1 and an opening made
 for trade in the manufactures of all   
,europe4 ,second1 roads and bridges were
 to be built1 settlements were to be    
formed1 and land cultivated4 ,third1    
hostile tribes were to be brought into  
harmony2 a main road was to be          
established1 not only for the           
transportation of goods1 but to open a  
means of communication with the many    
,congo tribes1 and gradually to bring   
them into a state of civilization4      

,stanley was offered the important      
position of director of the expedition  
which the association sent out4 ,he     
sailed for the ,congo1 after leaving    
,zanzibar1 by way of the ,red ,sea and  
the ,mediterranean1 landing at ,banana  
,point1 which is at the mouth of the    
river4     ,,chapter ,,xvi4  ,,views    
,,of ,,the ,,congo ,,basin4   ,the      
,congo1 as far as ,ponta de ,lenha1 or  
,wood ,point1 at a distance of          
thirty-four miles from ,banana ,point1  
is navigable by large seagoing steamers4
 ,above this place the river grows      
rapidly shallow4 ,though shallow at any 
time1 its waters become very much       
affected during the change of seasons4  
,the next important settlement beyond   
,wood ,point is ,boma4 ,this1 like      
,banana ,point1 is a great factory town4
 ,numerous warehouses1 belonging to     
,english1 ,dutch1 ,french1 and          
,portuguese trading companies1 comprise 
its main features4  ,these different    
companies own many steamers1 both large 

and small4 ,the small steamers are for  
river traffic2 the large ones ply       
between ,europe and the coast4 ,stanley 
found these steamers a frequent feature 
in the rather monotonous scene2 for1 at 
the time of his arrival on the west     
coast1 the ,lower ,congo1 between       
,banana ,point and ,boma1 had all the   
bustling appearance of a mercantile     
river of some importance4  ,boma is a   
most attractive spot in the landscape of
 this vast region1 which stretches far  
and wide4 ,to the north rise the ridges 
of a long1 uneven mass of hills4        
,against the background of sultry sky   
they look cool and beautiful in their   
blue coloring1 seen through the hazy    
distance4 ,southward lies a miniature   
repetition of these hills4 ,in the      
foreground and midway in the picture1   
the mighty ,congo sweeps towards one on 
the left1 away from one on the right4   
,silently1 steadily1 with even pace1 it 
moves onward to the sea4  ,after a rainy
 season the whole country rejoices in a 

carpet of velvety green2 a few months   
later1 and the relentless rays of a     
tropical sun scorch leaf and blade to a 
dreary waste in the landscape4  ,then   
the earth1 dry as tinder1 offers an     
inviting field for the bush fires1      
which1 departing1 leave as a legacy only
 burning embers1 where once flourished  
the brilliant flowers1 dense underbrush1
 and verdant grasses of a tropical      
world4  ,but these are not the only     
features to be found in this section    
to-day4 ,here may be seen machine shops 
ringing with the clang of busy workmen1 
iron sheds1 and coal yards4 ,here1 too1 
is a whole settlement of ,european      
houses1 and a small town of huts1 which 
serve as the dwellings of the native    
workmen4 ,situated on an elevated1 airy 
site1 a large1 handsomely designed      
hospital greets the eye4 ,while1 as a   
crowning feature1 a strong1 substantial 
iron pier extends far out into the      
river4  ,thus can we get some little    
idea of what the energy and the         

perseverance of the white man have      
accomplished within the last few years4 
,about forty miles from ,boma the ,congo
 suddenly changes its character1 and    
temporarily becomes a veritable         
,colorado ,river4 ,madly1 tempestuously1
 it rushes downward in its course1      
through a canon of bold1 bare rocks1    
which tend to form a succession of falls
 and rapids4 ,the foot of this canon    
forms a natural limit to navigation from
 the sea4 ,hence1 all goods for the     
upper river stations have to be carried 
overland4  ,it was at this point that   
,stanley formed his first settlement4   
,just at the foot of the rapids1 on the 
right bank of the river1 the mountain of
 ,vivi rises4 ,about three hundred and  
fifty feet above the river1 on an       
irregular plateau of the mountain1      
,stanley set to work4  ,first of all1   
the plateau was leveled1 the immense    
rocks that reared their heads here and  
there were ground to pieces and used for
 road and house foundations4 ,a road was

 built from the narrow beach to the     
selected site4 ,several houses were     
built1 not only for the representatives 
of ,european nations1 but for the       
natives also4 ,last but not least1 a    
large garden was made by transporting   
the rich soil of the valley and filling 
in a tract previously excavated for the 
purpose4  ,this garden in a short time  
became a source of rest and enjoyment to
 the white residents at the station4 ,it
 was the only spot on the bare and      
sterile hills where a particle of shade 
could be found from the glaring heat of 
the sun4  ,stanley's great success in   
all his expeditions was due to the fact 
that he believed in the nobility of     
labor4 ,it is interesting to learn that1
 during the work of founding the        
settlement1 ,stanley showed such skill  
in pulverizing the scattered rocks with 
his sledge hammer as to earn the name of
 ,stone-breaker from the native chiefs4 
,he soon became known by this title     
among all the tribes dwelling upon the  

,congo4  ,at the end of three months the
 settlement at ,vivi was completed4     
,leaving an ,american1 ,mr4 ,sparhawk1  
in charge1 ,stanley proceeded to        
,isangila4 ,his object was to discover  
in which direction to build the         
projected road4  ,from ,vivi to         
,isangila1 we must remember1 the river  
is unnavigable4 ,the numerous cataracts 
and rapids of ,livingstone ,falls make a
 formidable obstruction4 ,isangila lies 
about fifty miles from ,vivi4 ,the      
interlying country is of an exceedingly 
rocky1 rugged character4  ,the well-worn
 roads of the natives led1 as is the    
custom1 up and down the hills and       
valleys4 ,straight as ,roman roads1 it  
was not possible for a wagon road to be 
laid over such ground4  ,after much     
planning and arduous labor a road was   
completed to ,isangila4 ,from this      
point1 goods brought overland from ,vivi
 could be transported by boats launched 
upon the river4 ,then1 with the         
exception of the upper ,livingstone     

,falls1 the wide stretches of the ,congo
 from ,isangila to the foot of ,stanley 
,falls formed a natural highway1 which  
required only navigation4  ,stanley's   
journal gives many details of the work  
of building the road from ,vivi to      
,isangila4 ,this road1 which was fifteen
 feet broad1 took a year to complete1   
but when finished it was a masterpiece4 
,so strong was it1 that heavy wagons1   
even when laden with steamers1 launches1
 and boats1 could safely travel over it4
  ,just above the cataracts1 which mark 
the sudden decline from ,stanley ,pool  
to the river current1 the settlement of 
,leopoldville was founded on the        
southern bank of the stream4 ,it has an 
excellent situation on the northwest    
corner of the pool which serves as the  
connecting link between the ,lower and  
,upper ,congo4  ,on a piece of lofty    
ground1 sloping down to the river and   
overlooking ,kintamo ,bay1 ,stanley     
decided to clear a site and begin to    
build4  ,upon a long1 wide terrace1     

which he cut out of the hillside1       
various buildings were erected4 ,the    
largest house and all the headquarters  
were stoutly built of wood1 and then    
plastered over with clay to the depth of
 two feet4 ,this was to insure a fort in
 case of subsequent hostilities1 when a 
garrison would be needed4  ,a little    
distance off the native village was     
built4 ,its proportions were            
considerable1 as it had to accommodate  
upwards of one hundred and fifty        
natives4  ,the headquarters were        
commodious4 ,they comprised five        
bedrooms1 a large dining room1 and a    
strong magazine4 ,a large garden was    
laid out1 and sheds and houses for live 
stock of various sorts were erected4    
,petty acts of hostility committed by   
one of the native tribes occasioned much
 annoyance to the settlers4 ,in order to
 preserve peace ,stanley had resource to
 a rite known as blood brotherhood4 ,he 
thus describes this curious performance1
 which he had frequently taken part in4 

,the ceremony took place between        
,stanley and a native chief1 ,ngalyema4 
,we crossed arms1 an incision was made  
in each arm1 some salt was placed on the
 wound1 and then a mutual rubbing took  
place1 while the great fetich man of    
,kintamo pronounced an inconceivable    
number of curses on my head if ,i ever  
proved false4 ,susi1 formerly           
,livingstone's head man1 not to be      
outdone by him1 solicited the gods to   
visit unheard-of atrocious vengeances on
 ,ngalyema if he dared to make the      
slightest breach in the sacred          
brotherhood1 which made him and the     
,stone-breaker one and indivisible      
forever4  ,stanley thus describes the   
town3 ,leopoldville1 with its one-story 
block house1 commanding from its windows
 all approaches1 impregnable to         
musket-armed natives1 and proof against 
fire1 despite its grass roof1 because   
underneath that grass roof there was an 
earth roof two feet thick1 on which fire
 might burn itself out harmlessly1      

offered a safe refuge1 should trouble   
arise4  ,the terrace was long and       
wide--the native village was formed of  
one broad street--flanked by a row of   
clay huts on either side4 ,slanting from
 a point thirty feet below the block    
house1 and sloping gently down to the   
landing place1 gardens of young bananas 
and vegetables extended beyond these    
huts4 ,water was handy1 fuel was        
abundant4  ,from the summit of ,leopold 
,hill1 above the station1 a most        
magnificent view lies before one4 ,the  
vast circle of water formed by ,stanley 
,pool1 the amphitheater of rocky        
mountains and lofty white cliffs1 the   
large island of ,bamu with many         
attendant satellites1 combine to make a 
scene of a striking character4          
,,chapter ,,xvii4  ,,more ,,views ,,of  
,,the ,,congo ,,region4   ,back1        
stretching far behind the lofty banks of
 the noble ,congo1 lies a country rich  
in its enormous wealth of natural       
productions4 ,the toil and enterprise of

 another generation can hardly hope to  
gauge its resources1 and it is doubtful 
if even coming generations can exhaust  
its stores4  ,the vegetation of the     
,upper ,congo region is most wonderful4 
,whole forests of the oil palm are a    
common feature4 ,from this tree vast    
quantities of oil are obtained1 while   
the kernels are used for oil cakes4 ,the
 ,india-rubber plant is another         
important production4 ,stanley believed 
that enough of the gum could be exported
 in a single year to defray the cost of 
a railway through that section4         
,vegetables of all descriptions are also
 abundant4  ,the trade in ivory alone   
would furnish1 according to ,stanley1 an
 enormous revenue4 ,he estimated that   
one million dollars' worth of ivory     
could be exported annually for          
twenty-five years1 before the elephant  
would become extinct in the basin of the
 ,upper ,congo4  ,the banana and the    
plantain flourish1 as do fruits and     
herbs of many kinds4 ,potatoes1 onions1 

and cabbages have been introduced from  
,europe1 and thrive here4 ,rice1 wheat1 
and other grains have done well1 when   
suitable localities have been chosen for
 them4 ,there is1 in fact1 scarcely any 
limit to the natural advantages of an   
area of over a million square miles4    
,its fertility and richness of soil are 
at once a wonder and delight4  ,it must 
have been a great disappointment to     
,stanley1 when1 on his return from an   
official visit to ,europe1 he found that
 there had been gross and wanton neglect
 on the part of many whom he had left in
 charge of the settlement at            
,leopoldville4  ,he had pictured to     
himself well-cultivated gardens and     
flourishing fields4 ,to his dismay1 he  
found the native town almost hidden by  
the rank growth which held almost       
undisputed possession of the soil4  ,the
 steel boats were at anchor1 as they had
 been for more than a year4 ,no attempt 
had been made to clean them or to keep  
them in repair4  ,the ,europeans and the

 natives were on the worst of terms4    
,one of the first things he did was to  
hold a conference with all the          
neighboring chiefs1 and endeavor to     
restore the feelings of good-fellowship 
which had previously existed4 ,so       
successful was he1 that he soon induced 
the chiefs to sign a treaty1 in which   
they agreed to unite with him1 as a     
representative of the ,association1 to  
control the entire country south and    
west of ,stanley ,pool for the purpose  
of promoting civilization4  ,the        
,association had always been regarded as
 the chief power4 ,it was in the eyes of
 the native chiefs invested with        
sovereign rights affecting peace1 war1  
and commerce4 ,each chief received a    
flag of the ,association as a symbol of 
the new confederation4 ,this he was to  
hoist above his grass-roofed hut on     
specified state occasions4  ,soon after 
this treaty was signed1 ,stanley and his
 little fleet prepared to depart for the
 ,upper ,congo4 ,he had a force of about

 eighty men and a cargo of about six    
tons1 on board his little fleet of      
vessels1 which consisted of two         
steamers1 a launch1 a whale boat1 and a 
canoe4  ,he writes of his outfit3 ,we   
have axes to hew the forests1 hammers to
 break the rock1 spades to turn up the  
sod and to drain the marsh1 or shovels  
to raise the rampart1 scythes to mow the
 grass1 hatchets to penetrate the       
jungle1 and seeds of all kinds for      
sowing1 saws to rip planking1 and       
hammers1 nails1 and cabinet-makers'     
tools to make furniture1 needles and    
thread for sewing all the cloth in these
 bales1 twine to string their beads2 and
 besides these useful articles in the   
cases1 there are also countless         
'notions' and fancy knick-knacks to     
appease the cupidity of the most        
powerful chief1 or excite the desire for
 adornment in woman4  ,among other items
 may be mentioned some articles used in 
trade by the white man when he journeyed
 on the ,congo3 ,a case of velvet caps  

and hats1 six cases of fancy beads1     
forty-seven bales of cloth1 an enormous 
quantity of medicine1 ammunition1 and   
provisions1 and four thousand pounds of 
brass rods4  ,it is interesting to know 
that the currency of this section of    
,africa consists of a brass rod1 short  
and slender4 ,great numbers of these are
 required to equal the value of a very  
small amount of money4 ,stanley1 at one 
time1 had to pay eight hundred of these 
rods for provisions enough to last the  
station at ,leopoldville three days4    
,stanley gives an interesting           
description of the ,upper ,congo above  
,chumbiri1 where the wide stretches of  
the river are thickly studded with      
islets4  ,we have been voyaging1 since  
leaving ,boma and the estuary-like      
breadth of the ,lower ,congo1 in a pass1
 or defile4 ,from ,boma to ,vivi1 we    
steamed between two lines of mountain   
heights4 ,between ,vivi and ,isangila1  
we traveled in a narrow valley parallel 
with the chasmic trough of the ,congo4  

,between ,isangila and ,manyanka1 our   
boats ran up the crooked1 ravine-like   
valley of the river4 ,between ,manyanka 
and ,leopoldville1 we marched along the 
edge of the deep fracture in the high   
land through which the ,congo           
continuously roars4  ,then1 after a     
slight relief1 obtained by the lake-like
 expansion called ,stanley ,pool1 we    
have been confined again between two    
mountain lines of more or less          
picturesqueness1 up as far as the rocky 
point above ,chumbiri1 to finally emerge
 into the lacustrine breadth1 which the 
voluminous waters of the ,congo have    
scooped out of the plains and lowlands  
which we now behold on either hand4     
,the real heart of ,equatorial ,africa  
is this central fertile region1 whose   
bountiful1 unparalleled richness of soil
 will repay the toil and labor required 
to bring it within the reach of ,europe4
  ,it was not the uplands of the        
maritime region1 with their millions of 
ravines and narrow1 oven-hot valleys1   

and bald grass tops1 and limited bits of
 grassy plateaus1 with here and there a 
grove of jungly forest scattered like   
islets amid the grassy wastes1 that ,i  
strove for2 it was this million square  
miles of almost level area1 which we may
 call the kernel1 that was worth the    
trouble of piercing the two hundred and 
thirty-five miles of thick1 rude        
mountain husk which separates it from   
the energies of ,europeans1 who1 could  
they but reach it1 would soon teach the 
world what good might come out of       
,africa4  ,at the junction of the ,ruki 
,river with the ,congo1 ,stanley        
established a settlement1 first called  
,equator ,station1 then ,equatorville1  
as it is situated on the ,equator4      
,proceeding always up stream1 ,stanley  
passed through a perfect archipelago2   
for islets without number dotted the    
river current4  ,here the forest trees  
attained a height of from one hundred   
and fifty to two hundred feet4 ,the     
underbrush was so dense as to require   

the use of a hatchet before it could be 
penetrated4  ,while passing these       
green-walled straits1 ,stanley had an   
experience with one of the violent      
storms sometimes met with in a tropical 
country4  ,with a sudden rustle and     
roar1 as though mile after mile of      
forest were buffeted by a mighty        
whirlwind1 such a storm begins4  ,the   
river1 which a moment before was like   
glass1 now becomes disturbed by waves1  
which increase in size and strength each
 minute4  ,huge trees1 holding their    
burdens of parasites and creepers1 sway 
to and fro1 and shriek and moan1 as if  
in mortal agony4  ,the wind sweeps the  
leaves before it in perfect clouds1 and 
then down comes the rain4  ,not a gentle
 shower1 but a genuine rain of the      
tropics4 ,it drenches one to the skin in
 a twinkling4 ,it pelts one with        
hailstones as large as marbles4  ,the   
ground1 which1 perhaps1 was parched and 
dry but a moment ago1 is now covered    
with running water4 ,the grass1 which   

was like dry tinder an hour before1 is  
replaced by the vegetation about it1    
which now begins to revive under the    
action of the life-giving bounty of     
,heaven4  ,gathering force from the four
 quarters of the globe1 the clouds have 
first merged1 then burst directly       
overhead1 to let fall a flood of water1 
which is precipitated to the earth as   
rain1--a tropical rain6  ,man and beast 
must alike seek shelter from the fury of
 such a tempest1 whether its force is   
felt on the open savanna or amid a      
forest of trees groaning under the      
strain of the gigantic wind and the     
weight of the mighty flood descending   
from the sky4  ,in an hour the clouds   
have scattered1 the hail and the rain   
have ceased4 ,the gusts of wind grow    
fainter and fainter4 ,the gentle patter 
of the drops as they fall from leaf to  
leaf1 the rapid streams1 and the        
shattered boughs are but the few        
footprints that mark the track of the   
storm4  ,the sky is as blue1 the sun is 

as fierce as ever2 the thermometer      
ranges higher and higher2 the last      
solitary trace of the storm cloud       
vanishes below the horizon1 and the     
storm departs as suddenly as it arrived4
 ,such1 then1 is a tropical tornado6    
,,chapter ,,xviii4  ,,the ,,congo ,,free
 ,,state4   ,as ,stanley's little fleet 
puffed its way higher and higher up the 
stream of the mighty ,congo1 richer and 
richer appeared the country through     
which the expedition was passing4  ,the 
soil seemed almost black1 so filled was 
it with decomposed vegetable matter1 and
 its fertile appearance was unparalleled
 by anything which ,stanley had seen in 
his journeyings4  ,on either hand the   
banks were lined with mile upon mile of 
the most valuable of the giant growths  
of the forests4 ,whole tracts of gum    
copal trees were seen for hours         
together4 ,these trees were literally   
covered with orchids1 which1 in         
themselves1 represented the foundations 
of many fortunes to botanists and       

florists1 could they but gather them4   
,in mid-stream1 the islands1 which were 
legion1 constantly took on new shapes4  
,all were characterized by the same     
exuberance of vegetation4 ,truly1 here  
was a land of plenty6  ,stanley1 with   
his little fleet1 passed slowly up the  
river1 now exploring any important      
tributary for a considerable length1 now
 taking part in the ceremony of the     
blood brotherhood of which we have read1
 now making treaties with the great     
chiefs2 for this brave explorer never   
forgot that his expedition was the great
 mission of commerce and civilization4  
,at length the little fleet reached the 
foot of the seventh1 or last cataract of
 ,stanley ,falls4 ,here it was the      
purpose of the expedition to found a    
settlement destined to be the germ of   
the future ,congo ,free ,state4  ,the   
islands and the mainland west of the    
falls ,stanley found inhabited by the   
,wenyas4 ,this tribe was noted for its  
skilled fishermen and boatmen4 ,with    

this tribe ,stanley held a council1 for 
the purpose of purchasing land for a    
settlement4  ,there was a good deal of  
agitation among the natives1 we may be  
sure4 ,the idea of trading their land   
with the white man was a novel one to   
them4 ,the great chiefs and speechmakers
 of the tribe were at first fearful and 
cautious1 and by degrees became         
prophetic1 then indignant and abusive2  
finally1 they became not only shrewd1   
but philosophic and pacific1 and1 at the
 close of the conference1 even friendly4
  ,as a result of the contract1 ,stanley
 exchanged about eight hundred dollars' 
worth of beads1 knives1 cotton cloth1   
looking-glasses1 brass wire1 caps1 and  
such articles1 used as currency1 for a  
large portion of an extensive island1   
upon which to found a settlement4  ,the 
station had a fine situation just below 
the rapids4 ,in a creek on the east side
 of the island was a very good harbor4  
,east of this ,seventh ,fall dwelt a    
powerful tribe1 the ,bakuma4 ,stanley   

made cordial friends with this tribe1 as
 with the ,wenyas4  ,with both tribes he
 made treaties1 in order to insure his  
people not only safety of person but of 
property4 ,he also made propositions for
 civilized methods of conducting        
commerce4  ,thus did ,stanley work from 
point to point along the river to       
establish stations1 which later were to 
form the links by which the ,state was  
to be held in peace and harmony1 in     
civilization and progression4  ,the     
achievements of ,stanley's expedition   
were wonderful1 when we consider that he
 had held councils and made treaties    
with more than four hundred and fifty   
chiefs4  ,as a result1 these great men  
had sold to him1 for large sums in the  
currency of their territory1 tracts of  
land which they or their ancestral      
fathers1 had owned for countless ages4  
,with the transfer of land they had also
 yielded their rights as rulers1 and    
given to the new owners the rights and  
the privileges belonging to a sovereign4

 ,thus was laid the foundation of the   
present ,congo ,free ,state4            
,,chapter ,,xix4  ,,the ,,lake ,,region 
,,of ,,africa4   ,almost all the lakes  
of ,africa are1 comparatively speaking1 
quite shallow1 and bear evidence of     
being the remains of much greater bodies
 of water that existed in past ages4 ,it
 is believed that the whole district now
 drained by the ,zambesi ,river and its 
tributaries was1 at one time1 a great   
fresh water lake4  ,many traces of the  
lake still exist4 ,the whole of the vast
 area drained by the ,zambesi system is 
covered with a bed of tufa1 which is a  
soft1 porous stone formed by deposits   
from water4 ,this bed of tufa in the    
,zambesi region is more or less         
hardened1 according to the exposure it  
has had to atmospheric changes4  ,the   
great fissure of the ,victoria ,falls   
has1 no doubt1 drained in no small      
degree an enormous valley1 to leave only
 the deeper portion of what was         
originally a sea1 but is now known as   

,lake ,nyassa4  ,traces of ancient      
beaches along its borders afford proof  
that the lake is much diminished in     
size4  ,livingstone writes1 that in no  
part of ,africa had he found so dense a 
population as upon the shores of ,lake  
,nyassa4 ,along the south side of the   
lake there was an almost unbroken line  
of villages4  ,it is upon the shores of 
this lake that much care is bestowed    
upon the graves4 ,the burying grounds   
are all well protected1 and have good   
broad paths running through them4  ,the 
graves are1 in almost every instance1   
shaded by the deep foliage of the fig   
tree4 ,those of the men are             
distinguished from those of the women by
 the various implements or utensils     
which they were in the habit of using   
during life4  ,here1 a bit of fishing   
net1 or a bit of broken paddle1 tells   
the story of a fisherman's life2 there1 
a mortar and pestle used for pounding   
corn1 or the bucket used for sifting the
 meal1 tells the story of the domestic  

life followed by the woman who now lies 
resting from all labor4  ,on each grave 
are the fragments of what were once     
utensils for holding food4 ,they have   
been placed there to signify that their 
late owners have passed beyond the need 
of daily sustenance4  ,lake ,tchad is1  
perhaps1 one of the most interesting    
lakes of ,africa4 ,it is1 in fact1 an   
immense inland sea1 situated in ,soudan1
 a portion of ,north ,africa4  ,it has  
an elevation of about eight hundred feet
 above the level of the sea4 ,according 
to some writers1 it is from two to three
 hundred miles long and one hundred and 
forty miles broad4  ,although not an    
especially attractive lake1 it is a very
 interesting one4 ,its placid waters    
stretch far away to its distant banks1  
fringed with tall water reeds4 ,often   
numerous hippopotami may be seen resting
 in its depths1 their ugly noses barely 
showing above the surface4  ,here and   
there light barks may be seen floating4 
,many of these are so far in the        

distance that only the gleam of their   
sunny sails is visible to the beholder4 
,ordinarily1 the depth of the lake is   
from eight to fifteen feet2 in some     
years the water has attained a much     
higher level along its shores4          
,crocodiles abound in these waters1 as  
well as the hippopotami1 or river       
horses4 ,fish and water fowl are also   
plenty4  ,dr4 ,barth1 the explorer1     
states that the lake has no apparent    
outlet1 yet its waters are perfectly    
fresh4 ,from the north the ,waube1 a    
river some four hundred miles in length1
 enters it4 ,from the south the ,shari1 
a stream about eighteen hundred feet    
broad in its lower course1 discharges   
its waters into the lake4  ,lake ,tchad 
seems to be divided into two distinct   
sections1 the open water and the strip  
of swampy land which surrounds it4 ,the 
open water1 or true ,tchad1 is dotted   
with numerous islands4 ,these consist   
mainly of elevated1 sandy dunes4 ,only  
the most elevated of these islands      

afford shelter1 but such as are         
inhabited have a dense population4  ,the
 people on these lake islands build     
numerous boats4 ,some are twenty feet in
 length4 ,one writer describes a boat   
which was fifty feet long1 and but six  
and one-half feet wide4  ,the explorers1
 ,barth and ,overweg1 describe ,lake    
,tchad as a remarkably fine sheet of    
water4 ,they visited the lake during the
 dry season1 and found the lowlands in  
the vicinity grassy meadows4 ,during the
 wet season these lands are usually     
under water4  ,doubtless the ground     
surrounding the lake was a portion of   
the former bed of a much larger sheet of
 water4 ,along its shores the papyrus is
 found4 ,this is like the plant from    
which the ancients about the ,nile      
manufactured their paper4 ,various other
 reeds1 some of them from ten to        
fourteen feet high1 grow in abundance1  
there being two distinct varieties of   
these gigantic reeds4  ,interwoven in   
this thicket of reeds grows a variety of

 climbing plant with bright yellow      
blossoms4 ,another peculiar plant1 which
 floats or rests upon the water1 the    
natives call by a name which signifies  
homeless fauna4  ,as these two          
explorers1 ,barth and ,overweg1         
approached open water1 after leaving the
 swampy ground in the nearer vicinity of
 the lake1 they came upon an expanse of 
quite deep water4 ,shortly after1 they  
disturbed a herd of kelara1 a variety of
 antelope that is very fond of the      
water4 ,proceeding on their way1 they   
came to water so deep that1 by stooping 
in the saddle1--for they were on        
horseback1--they could easily have drunk
 from it4 ,this draught1 however1 would 
not have been very refreshing1 for the  
water was warm and full of vegetable    
life4  ,lake ,tanganyika is situated in 
,east ,central ,africa1 at an elevation 
of over twenty-seven hundred feet above 
the level of the sea4 ,it has a length  
of upwards of four hundred miles1 while 
its breadth is from ten to fifty miles4 

,in shape it is like a leech1 with the  
small end tapering to the north4 ,this  
small or northern end lies about two    
hundred miles southwest of ,victoria    
,nyanza ,lake4  ,burton and ,speke1 two 
,african explorers1 have given a vivid  
description of the approach to the lake1
 as well as of the lake itself4  ,burton
 regarded the ,malagarazi ,river as the 
western boundary of ,the ,land of the   
,moon4 ,it is in this section of country
 that ,lake ,tanganyika is situated4    
,,chapter ,,xx4  ,,the ,,land ,,of ,,the
 ,,moon4   ',the ,land of the ,moon1'   
which is the garden of ,central         
,inter-tropical ,africa1 presents an    
aspect of peaceful rural beauty1 which  
soothes the eye like a medicine1 after  
the red glare of the barren ,ugogo and  
the dark1 monotonous verdure of the     
western provinces4  ,the inhabitants are
 comparatively numerous in the villages1
 which rise at short intervals above    
their impervious walls of the lustrous  
green milk-bush1 with its coral-shaped  

arms1 variegating the well-hoed plains4 
,in the pasture lands frequent herds of 
many-colored cattle1 plump1             
well-rounded1 and high-humped1 like the 
,indian breeds1 and mingled flocks of   
goats and sheep dispersed over the      
landscape1 suggest ideas of barbarous   
comfort and plenty4  ,there are few     
scenes more soft and soothing than a    
view of ',the ,land of the ,moon' in the
 balmy evenings of spring4 ,as the large
 yellow sun nears the horizon1 a deep   
stillness falls upon earth2 even the    
zephyr seems to lose the power of       
rustling the lightest leaf4 ,the charm  
of the hour seems to affect even the    
unimaginative ,africans1 as they sit in 
the central spaces of their villages1   
or1 stretched under the forest trees1   
gaze upon the glories around4  ,the     
rainy monsoon is here ushered in1       
accompanied and terminated by storms of 
thunder and lightning1 and occasional   
hail falls4 ,the blinding flashes of    
white1 yellow1 or rose color play over  

the firmament uninterruptedly for hours1
 during which no darkness is visible4   
,in the lighter storms1 thirty and      
thirty-five flashes may be counted in a 
minute4 ,so vivid is the glare that it  
discloses the finest shades of color1   
and appears followed by a thick and     
palpable gloom1 such as would hang      
before a blind man's eyes1 while a      
deafening roar1 simultaneously following
 the flash1 seems to travel1 as it were1
 to and fro overhead4 ,several claps    
sometimes sound almost at the same      
moment1 and as if coming from different 
directions4 ,the same storm will1 after 
the most violent of its discharges1 pass
 over1 and be immediately followed by a 
second1 showing the superabundance of   
electricity in the atmosphere4  ,burton 
describes two tribes of this region as  
worthy of notice1 the ,wakimbu and the  
,wanyamwezi4 ,the former are emigrants  
into ,the ,land of the ,moon4 ,they     
claim a noble origin1 having come from  
tribes living south of this land that   

has adopted them4  ,burton's description
 of these people is interesting4 ,in    
these regions there are few obstacles to
 immigrants4 ,they visit the sultan1    
make a small present1 obtain permission 
to settle1 and name the village after   
their own chief2 but the original       
proprietors still maintain their rights 
to the soil4  ,the ,wakimbu build firmly
 stockaded villages1 tend cattle1 and   
cultivate sorghum and maize1 millet and 
pulse1 cucumbers and watermelons4       
,apparently they are poor1 being        
generally clad in skins4 ,they barter   
slaves and ivory in small quantities to 
the merchants1 and some travel to the   
coast4  ,they are considered treacherous
 by their neighbors4 ,they are known by 
a number of small lines formed by       
raising the skin with a needle1 and     
opening it by points laterally between  
the hair of the temples and the         
eyebrows4 ,in appearance they are dark  
and uncomely2 their arms are bows and   
arrows1 spears1 and knives stuck in the 

leathern waist belt2 some wear necklaces
 of a curiously plaited straw1 others a 
strip of white cowskin bound around the 
brow1--a truly savage and ,african      
decoration4  ,the ,wanyamwezi tribe1 the
 proprietors of the soil1 is the typical
 tribe in this portion of ,central      
,africa4 ,its comparative industry and  
commercial activity have secured to it a
 superiority over the other kindred     
tribes4  ,the natives of this tribe are 
usually of a dark sepia brown1 rarely   
colored like diluted ,india ink1 as are 
the slave races to the south4 ,the hair 
curls crisply1 but it grows to the      
length of four or five inches before it 
splits4 ,it is usually twisted into many
 little ringlets1 or hanks4 ,it hangs   
down like a fringe in the neck1 and is  
combed off the forehead after the manner
 of the ancient ,egyptians and the      
modern ,hottentots4  ,the habitations of
 the ,eastern ,wanyamwezi are the tembe1
 which in the west give place to the    
circular ,african hut4 ,among the poorer

 sub-tribes1 the dwelling is a mere     
stack of straw4  ,the best tembe have   
large projecting eaves1 supported by    
uprights2 cleanliness1 however1 can     
never be expected in them4 ,having no   
limestone1 the people ornament the inner
 and outer walls with long lines of     
ovals1 formed by pressure of the        
finger-tips1 after dipping them in ashes
 and water for whitewash1 and into red  
clay or black mud for variety of color4 
,with this primitive material they      
sometimes attempt rude imitations of    
nature1--human beings and serpents4 ,in 
some parts the cross appears1 but the   
people apparently ignore it as a symbol4
 ,rude carving is also attempted upon   
the massive posts at the entrance of    
villages1 but the figures1 though to    
appearance idolatrous1 are never        
worshiped4     ,,chapter ,,xxi4  ,,views
 ,,of ,,lake ,,tanganyika4   ,burton    
considered the march from the           
,malagarazi ,river to ,lake ,tanganyika 
the worst part of his journey4 ,it led  

through a perfect wilderness1 with all  
the diversities of jungle1 swamp1 rugged
 hills1 and rocky ravines swept by      
mountain torrents4  ,after much labor1  
,burton and his followers reached the   
lake4 ,his first feeling was one of     
disappointment4  ,having traveled       
through screens of lofty grass1 which   
gradually thinned out into a scanty     
forest1 he climbed a steep1 stony hill1 
thinly covered with thorny trees4 ,from 
the top of this hill he could see a     
faint streak of light below4 ,this he   
judged was the lake4 ,seen through the  
veil of trees and the broad rays of     
sunshine1 the lake seemed to be shrunken
 in its proportions4  ,as he advanced a 
few steps1 the whole scene burst upon   
his view4 ,he was filled with           
admiration1 wonder1 and delight at its  
beauty4 ,to quote his words3--  ,nothing
 could be more beautiful1 more          
picturesque1 than the first view of     
,lake ,tanganyika1 as it lay in the lap 
of the mountains1 basking in the        

gorgeous tropical sunshine4 ,below and  
beyond a short foreground of rugged and 
precipitous hill-fold1 down which the   
footpath zigzags painfully1 a narrow    
strip of emerald green1 never sere1 and 
marvelously fertile1 shelves towards a  
ribbon of glistening sand1 here bordered
 by sedgy rushes1 there cleanly and     
clearly cut by the breaking wavelets4   
,farther in front stretched the waters1 
an expanse of the lightest and softest  
blue1 in a breadth varying from thirty  
to thirty-five miles1 and sprinkled by  
the crisp east wind into tiny crescents 
of sunny foam4  ,the background is a    
high and broken wall of steel-colored   
mountain1 here flecked and capped with  
pearly mist1 there standing sharply     
penciled against the azure sky4 ,its    
yawning chasms1 marked by a deep        
plum-color1 fall towards dwarf hills of 
mold-like proportions1 which apparently 
dip their feet in the wave4  ,to the    
south1 and opposite the long1 low point 
behind which the ,malagarazi ,river     

discharges the red loam suspended in its
 violent stream1 lie the bluff headlands
 and capes of ,uguha2 and1 as the eye   
dilates1 it falls upon a cluster of     
outlying islets speckling a sea horizon4
  ,villages1 cultivated lands1 the      
frequent canoes of the fishermen on the 
waters1 and1 on a nearer approach1 the  
murmur of the waves breaking upon the   
shore1 give something of variety1 of    
movement1 of life to the landscape1     
which1 like all the fairest prospects in
 these regions1 wants but a little of   
the neatness and finish of art1--mosques
 and kiosks1 palaces and villas1 gardens
 and orchards1--contrasting with the    
profuse lavishness and magnificence of  
nature1 and diversifying the expanse of 
excessive vegetation1 to rival1 if not  
to excel1 the most admired scenery of   
the classic regions4  ,the riant shores 
of this vast crevasse appeared doubly   
beautiful to me after the silent and    
spectral mangrove creeks on the ,east   
,african seaboard1 and the melancholy1  

monotonous experience of desert and     
jungle scenery1 tawny rock and          
sun-parched plain1 or rank herbage and  
flats of black mire4 ,truly it was a    
revel for soul and sight4  ,in further  
accounts this same author describes the 
,african canoe1 which is simply a       
scooped-out log4 ,in such a climate as  
that of ,africa a canoe cracks1 and for 
want of calking it often becomes so     
leaky as to require constant baling4    
,the crew take turns in thus keeping the
 craft from sinking4  ,a canoe of this  
sort has neither masts nor sails4 ,in   
place of a rudder there is an iron ring 
in the stern4 ,the steering1 however1 is
 really done by the paddle4 ,there are  
no oars1 and the paddle1 which takes the
 place of oars1 is exceedingly clumsy4  
,the crew seat themselves on narrow     
benches1 two sitting in a space scarcely
 large enough for one person4 ,in the   
center of the canoe is a clear space    
about six feet long4 ,this is used to   
store the cargo1 passengers1 cattle1    

slaves1 and provisions4  ,in describing 
the natives ,burton says3 ,the lakists  
are an almost amphibious race1 excellent
 divers1 strong swimmers and fishermen4 
,at times1 when excited by the morning  
coolness and by the prospect of a good  
haul1 they indulge in a manner of       
merriment which resembles the gambols of
 sportive water fowls4  ,standing       
upright and balancing themselves in     
their hollow logs1 which appear but     
little larger than themselves1 they     
strike the water furiously with their   
paddles1 skimming over the surface1     
dashing to and fro1 splashing one       
another1 urging forward1 backing1 and   
wheeling their craft1 now capsizing1    
then regaining their position with      
wonderful dexterity4  ,they make coarse 
hooks1 and have many varieties of nets  
and creels4 ,conspicuous on the waters  
and the villages is the dewa1 or otter  
of ,oman1 a triangle of stout reeds1    
which shows the position of the net4 ,a 
stronger kind1 and used for the larger  

ground fish1 is a cage of open basket   
work1 provided like the former with a   
bait and two entrances4 ,the fish1 once 
entangled1 cannot escape1 and a log of  
wood used as a trimmer1 attached to a   
float-rope of rushy reeds1 directs the  
fisherman4  ,the results of ,burton's   
trip up and down the lake1 owing to the 
obstinacy of the native guides1 were not
 very important4 ,the shores of the lake
 he found to be very muddy1 and the     
landscape bright and green with         
vegetation4 ,the inhospitable natives1  
although favored with every blessing of 
so luxuriant a climate1 were ignorant   
and barbarous4  ,tanganyika is probably 
the longest fresh water lake in the     
world4 ,it occupies an area of nearly   
thirteen thousand square miles1 and has 
a coast line of nine hundred miles in   
extent4     ,,chapter ,,xxii4  ,,some   
,,views ,,of ,,the ,,people4   ,burton  
and his companion1 ,speke1 remained for 
over three months at ,ujiji1 a small    
province situated upon ,lake            

,tanganyika4 ,it has a convenient       
situation as a mart1 and was a central  
point for the establishment of trading  
depots by the ,arabs as early as #ahdj4 
,it was their custom to send decoy      
slaves with their agents1 to navigate   
the waters of the lake1 for the purpose 
of collecting ivory and slaves upon its 
shores4  ,the atmosphere of ,ujiji has  
great humidity1 and its soil1           
consequently1 great fertility4 ,the     
large forest trees and the profusion of 
ferns give abundant evidence that the   
province is one of the most productive  
in this portion of ,africa4 ,vegetables1
 which in other sections grow only under
 cultivation1 here have a spontaneous   
growth4  ,the ,arabs found rice of an   
excellent quality could be raised upon  
the shores of the lake4 ,it grew very   
luxuriantly1 sometimes to the height of 
eight or nine feet4 ,the natives1       
however1 found that the ravages of the  
monkey1 the elephant1 and the           
hippopotamus were such as to spoil their

 rice fields1 and turned their attention
 to the cultivation of sorghum1 for     
which they have a preference4  ,the     
bazaar at ,ujiji is well supplied4      
,fresh fish of various kinds is always  
procurable1 except during the violence  
of the rains2 the people1 however1      
invariably cut it up and clean it before
 bringing it to market4 ,good honey     
abounds after the wet monsoon4 ,by the  
favor of the chief1 milk and butter may 
be purchased every day4 ,long-tailed    
sheep and well-bred goats1 poultry and  
eggs--the two latter are never eaten by 
the people--are brought in from the     
adjoining countries4 ,the ,arabs breed a
 few ,manilla ducks1 and the people     
rear1 but will not sell1 pigeons4  ,it  
will be interesting to know the meaning 
of the various prefixes to native words 
used in speaking of the land and people 
of ,africa4 ,captain ,burton uses these 
prefixes invariably in his journal and  
letters4 ,they are ,u1 meaning the      
country2 ,ki1 meaning the language2 ,wa1

 the people in a body2 and ,m1 an       
individual4 ,these prefixes are used in 
connection with some special stem or    
root1 as jiji1 chosen by a native tribe4
 ,thus we find ,u-jiji1 the country of  
jiji2 ,ki-jiji1 the language of jiji4   
,wa-jiji1 the people of jiji2 ,m-jiji1  
an individual in jiji4 ,this little     
explanation will tend to help us in our 
understanding of the various ,african   
words we shall meet in our reading4     
,the ,wajiji are a burly race of        
barbarians1 far stronger than the tribes
 hitherto traversed1 with dark skins1   
plain features1 and straight1 sturdy    
limbs1 we are told in ,burton's account 
of his explorations in the region along 
the shores of the lake4 ,they are larger
 and heavier men than the ,wanyamwezi1  
and the type1 as it approaches ,central 
,africa1 becomes rather negro than      
negroid4  ,their feet and hands are     
large and flat1 their voices are harsh  
and strident1 and their looks as well as
 their manners are independent almost to

 insolence4 ,many1 of both sexes and all
 ages1 are disfigured by the smallpox4  
,the ,arabs have vainly taught them     
inoculation4  ,in continuation ,burton  
writes3 ,the ,wajiji are considered by  
the ,arabs to be the most troublesome   
race in these black regions4 ,they are  
taught by the example of their chiefs to
 be rude1 insolent1 and extortionate2   
they demand beads even for pointing out 
the road2 they will deride and imitate a
 stranger's speech and manner before his
 face2 they can do nothing without a    
long preliminary of the fiercest        
scolding2 they are as ready with a blow 
as with a word2 and they may often be   
seen playing at 'rough and tumble1'     
fighting1 pushing1 and tearing hair1 in 
their boats4  ,a ,mjiji uses his dagger 
or his spear upon a guest with little   
hesitation2 he thinks twice1 however1   
before drawing blood1 if it will cause a
 feud4  ,when the sultan appears among  
his people1 he stands in a circle and   
claps his hands1 to which all respond in

 the same way4 ,women curtsey to one    
another1 bending the right knee almost  
to the ground4 ,when two men meet1 they 
clasp each other's arms with both hands1
 rubbing them up and down1 and          
ejaculating for some minutes1 ',nama1   
sanga8 nama sanga8'--,art thou well8    
,they then pass the hands down to the   
forearm1 exclaiming1 ',wahke8           
wahke8'--,how art thou8--and finally    
they clap palms at each other1 a token  
of respect which appears common to these
 tribes of ,central ,africa4  ,the      
children have all the frowning and      
unprepossessing look of their parents4  
,they reject little civilities1 and seem
 to spend life in disputes1 biting and  
clawing like wildcats4 ,there seems to  
be little family affection in this      
undemonstrative race4     ,,chapter     
,,xxiii  ,,the ,,march ,,towards        
,,victoria ,,nyanza4   ,one of the last 
of ,burton's explorations1 before his   
return to his native country1 was an    
attempt to ascertain some particulars as

 to the nature of the countries which   
lay north and south of the route he had 
followed4 ,he was especially anxious to 
glean information of a great sea1 or    
lake1 which the ,arabs told him was an  
immense body of water1 much larger than 
,tanganyika1 at a distance of fifteen or
 twenty marches to the north4  ,burton  
saw that if he could prove the existence
 of such a lake1 it would explain many  
disputed points and confirm many        
speculations of modern geographers4     
,owing to illness1 ,burton was obliged  
to give up his intention of exploring   
the new body of water4 ,speke1 his      
companion1 continued the journey1 and   
reached the lake1 which he named        
,victoria ,nyanza4  ,speke was strongly 
convinced that here was the long-sought 
source of that most mysterious of       
rivers1 the ,nile4 ,he returned to      
,england to render an account of his    
exploration to the ,royal ,geographical 
,society and proposed the forming of a  
new expedition party for the purpose of 

exploring the newly discovered lake1    
,victoria ,nyanza1 and the adjacent     
countries4 ,the plan met with such favor
 that in the spring of the following    
year1 with a companion named ,grant1 he 
started out with an exploring party4    
,leaving ,england they went to the ,cape
 of ,good ,hope1 and then started for   
,zanzibar4 ,they first proceeded to     
,east ,london1 then north to ,delagoa   
,bay1 and finally to ,zanzibar4 ,here   
the sultan received them courteously1   
and promised to aid the expedition in   
every possible way4  ,speke's           
description of the start from ,zanzibar 
is most realistic3 ,starting on the     
march with a large mixed caravan1 one   
could hardly expect to find everybody in
 his place at the proper time for       
breaking ground2 but1 at the same time1 
it could hardly be expected that ten    
men1 who had actually received their    
bounty money1 and had sworn fidelity1   
should give one the slip the first day4 
,such1 however1 was the case4 ,ten1 out 

of the thirty-six given by the sultan1  
ran away1 because they feared that the  
white men1 whom they believed to be     
cannibals1 were only taking them into   
the interior to eat them2 and one       
porter1 more honest than the freed men1 
deposited his pay upon the ground1 and  
ran away1 too4 ,go we must1 however1 for
 one desertion is sure to lead to more2 
and go we did4  ,our procession was in  
this fashion3 the kirangozi1 with a load
 on his shoulder1 led the way1 flag in  
hand1 followed by the pagazis1 carrying 
spears or bows and arrows in their      
hands1 and bearing their share of the   
baggage in the form either of           
bolster-shaped loads of cloth and beads1
 covered with matting1 each tied into   
the fork of a three-pronged stick1 or   
else coils of brass or copper wire1 tied
 in even weights to each end of sticks1 
which they laid on the shoulder4  ,the  
kirangozi of whom he speaks was         
doubtless the leader1 or director1 of   
the band of pagazis1 or porters4        

,continuing1 he writes3 ,then1 helter   
skelter1 came the ,waguana1 carrying    
carbines in their hands1 and boxes1     
bundles1 tents1 cooking-pots--all the   
miscellaneous property--on their heads4 
,next the ,hottentots1 dragging the     
refractory mules laden with ammunition  
boxes1 but very lightly1 to save the    
animals for the future2 and1 finally1   
,sheikh ,said and the ,balock escort1   
while the goats1 sick women1 and        
stragglers brought up the rear4  ,the   
whole caravan under ,speke mustered     
about two hundred persons4  ,the caravan
 proceeded over a route very similar to 
the one which the previous expedition   
had followed4 ,finally1 after many      
vicissitudes1 it crossed the frontier of
 ,unyamwezi1 and entered the district   
that lay next to it on the north4  ,the 
people of this district are described as
 being pastoral in their occupations4   
,hence1 travelers see very little of    
them4 ,they roam about with their flocks
 and build their huts as far as possible

 from cultivated sections4 ,most of the 
district chiefs are directly descended  
from those who previously ruled in the  
same places1 before the invasion of the 
country by the white man4 ,it is with   
these chiefs that travelers have        
dealings4  ,the dress of these people is
 simple in the extreme4 ,it is made of  
cowhide which has been tanned black4 ,a 
few magic ornaments and charms1 brass or
 copper bracelets1 and odd-looking      
coverings for their long legs complete  
the costume4 ,they smear themselves with
 rancid butter1 which serves to render  
them most offensive to people of a      
delicate sense of smell4 ,for arms these
 people carry either bow or spear1      
generally the latter weapon4  ,in the   
northern portions of the country1 where 
the ground is hilly and rugged in       
character1 the people are more energetic
 and active than in the southern        
districts4 ,all live in grass huts1     
which are congregated in villages fenced
 round on the south1 but open on the    

north4  ,after a continued journey of   
many hardships1 the caravan crossed a   
dreary waste of uninhabited land1 and   
entered the next district to the north4 
,pushing forward1 the travelers crossed 
a narrow strip of uninhabited territory1
 and entered the famous and unknown     
kingdom of ,karagwe4  ,throughout this  
kingdom the caravan received the kindest
 of treatment from the king and his     
people under the village chiefs4 ,no    
taxes were exacted1 and food was        
supplied at the king's expense4 ,speke  
writes of the kingdom3 ,the farther we  
went in this country the better we liked
 it1 as the people were all kept in good
 order1 and the village chiefs were so  
civil that we could do as we liked4     
,illustration3 ,,victoria ,,nyanza4     
,speke thus describes the scene when he 
caught his first glimpse of the lake3   
,next day1 after crossing more of those 
abominable rush drains1 while in sight  
of the ,victoria ,nyanza1 we ascended   
the most beautiful hills1 covered with  

verdure of all descriptions4 ,i felt    
inclined to stop here a month1          
everything was so very pleasant4 ,the   
temperature was perfect4 ,the roads1 as 
indeed they were everywhere1 were as    
broad as our coach roads1 cut through   
the long grasses1 straight over the     
hills and down through the woods in the 
dells1 a strange contrast to the        
wretched tracks in all the adjacent     
countries4  ,the huts were kept so clean
 and so neat1 not a fault could be found
 with them2 the gardens the same4       
,wherever ,i strolled1 ,i saw nothing   
but richness1 and what ought to be      
wealth4 ,the whole land was a picture of
 quiescent beauty1 with a boundless sea 
in the background4  ,looking over the   
hills1 it struck the fancy at once that 
at one period the whole land must have  
been at a uniform level with their      
present tops1 but that1 by the constant 
denudation it was subjected to by       
frequent rains1 it had been cut down and
 sloped into those beautiful hills and  

dales which now so much pleased the eye4
     ,,chapter ,,xxiv4  ,,view ,,of     
,,the ,,nile ,,at ,,lake ,,victoria     
,,nyanza4   ,it was ,speke's desire to  
proceed northward and then to the east1 
for the purpose of reaching the point   
where the ,nile was supposed to flow out
 from ,victoria ,nyanza4  ,his          
description of the accomplishment of his
 purpose is interesting3 ,here at last  
,i stood on the brink of the ,nile2 most
 beautiful was the scene2 nothing could 
surpass it6 ,it was the very perfection 
of the kind of effect aimed at in a     
highly kept park2 with a magnificent    
stream1 from six hundred to seven       
hundred yards wide1 dotted with islets  
and rocks1--the former occupied by the  
fishermen's huts1 the latter by many    
crocodiles basking in the sun1--flowing 
between fine grassy banks1 with rich    
trees and plantations in the background1
 where herds of the hartbeest could be  
seen grazing1 while the hippopotami were
 snorting in the water1 and florikin and

 guinea fowl rising at our feet4  ,he   
proceeded some distance up the left bank
 of the ,nile1 keeping away from the    
stream4 ,passing through rich jungles1  
and gardens of plantain1 he reached     
,isamba ,falls4 ,here he found the river
 exceedingly beautiful4 ,deep banks     
covered with fine grass1 beautiful      
acacias1 and festoons of lilac-colored  
convolvuli stretched1 along on either   
side of the stream4  ,he continued his  
journey up stream to ,ripon ,falls1     
through extensive village plantations   
recently despoiled by herds of          
elephants1 and over rugged hills1 to be 
rewarded by the most interesting scene  
he had yet found in ,africa4  ,speaking 
of the falls1 he writes3 ,everybody ran 
to see them at once1 though the march   
had been long and fatiguing2 even my    
sketchbook was called into play4        
,though beautiful1 the scene was not    
exactly what ,i had expected2 for the   
broad surface of the lake was shut out  
from view by a spur of hill1 and the    

falls1 about twelve feet deep and four  
hundred to five hundred feet broad1 were
 broken by rocks4  ,still1 it was a     
sight that attracted one to it for      
hours3 the roar of the waters2 the      
thousands of passenger fish1 leaping at 
the falls with all their might2 the     
,wasoga and ,waganda fishermen coming   
out in boats and taking post on all the 
rocks1 with rod and hook2 hippopotami   
and crocodiles lying sleepily on the    
water2 the ferry at work above the      
falls2 and cattle driven down to drink  
at the margin of the lake1 made in all1 
with the pretty nature of the           
country1--small hills1 grassy topped1   
with trees in the folds and gardens on  
the lower slopes1--as interesting a     
picture as one could wish4  ,i saw that 
,old ,father ,nile1 without any doubt1  
rises in the ,victoria ,nyanza4 ,as ,i  
had foretold1 that lake is the great    
source of the holy river which cradled  
the first expounder of our religious    
belief4  ,speke had seen fully one-half 

of the lake1 and had gained enough      
information of the other half to feel   
assured that there was as much water on 
the eastern side of the lake as on the  
western1 possibly more4  ,the head of   
the ,nile1 or its most remote feeder1 he
 found to be the southern end of the    
lake4 ,it gives to the ,nile its        
surpassing length of above two thousand 
and three hundred miles4  ,speke was    
disappointed that he could not get an   
opportunity to visit the northeast      
corner of the lake to find the          
connection1 by means of a strait1 which 
he had heard described1 between ,lake   
,victoria ,nyanza and another lake1     
where the ,waganda went to get their    
salt4  ,he discovered that from the     
southern point of the lake1 on the west 
side1 to the point where the great ,nile
 stream issues1 there is only one river 
of any great importance1 while from the 
most southern point1 round by the east  
to the strait1 there are no large       
rivers4  ,the ,arab travelers assured   

him that from the west of the snow-clad 
peak of ,kilimanjaro to the lake1 at the
 point where the first and second       
degrees of south latitude cut it1 there 
were salt lakes and plains1 in the midst
 of a hilly country4 ,they further told 
him that there were no great rivers2    
that the country was but scantily       
watered1 with only occasional rills and 
rivulets1 and that they were compelled  
to make long marches to get water1 when 
they started out upon their trading     
journeys4  ,speke could not quite       
believe in the existence of a salt lake4
 ,his experience had taught him that the
 natives call all lakes salt if they    
find salt beds or salt islands in their 
vicinity4  ,lake ,victoria ,nyanza he   
found to be nearly four thousand feet   
above sea level1 or nearly two thousand 
feet above the altitude of ,lake        
,tanganyika4 ,it was plain to him1      
therefore1 that there could be no       
connection between the two lakes4  ,some
 notes from the journal kept by ,speke  

are of interest here4 ,the first        
affluent1 the ,bahr-el-,gazal1 took us  
by surprise4 ,instead of finding a large
 lake1 as described in our maps1 as an  
elbow of the ,nile1 we found only a     
small piece of water resembling a duck  
pond1 buried in a sea of rushes4 ,the   
old ,nile swept through it with majestic
 grace1 and carried us next to the      
,geraffe branch of the ,sobat ,river1   
the second affluent1 which we found     
flowing into the ,nile with a graceful  
semi-circular sweep and good stiff      
current1 apparently deep1 but not more  
than fifty yards broad4  ,next in order 
came the main stream of the ,sobat1     
flowing into the ,nile in the same      
graceful way as the ,geraffe1 which in  
breadth it surpassed1 but in velocity it
 was inferior4  ,next to be treated of  
is the famous ,blue ,nile1 which we     
found a miserable river1 even when      
compared with the ,geraffe branch of the
 ,sobat4 ,it is very broad at the mouth1
 it is true1 but so shallow that our    

vessel with difficulty was able to come 
up to it4 ,it had all the appearance of 
a mountain stream1 subject to great     
periodical fluctuations4  ,the ,atbara  
,river1 which is the last affluent1 was 
more like the ,blue ,river than any of  
the other affluents1 being decidedly a  
mountain stream1 which floods the       
country in the rains1 but runs nearly   
dry in the dry season4  ,i had now seen 
quite enough to satisfy myself that the 
,white ,nile1 which issues from         
,victoria ,nyanza at the ,ripon ,falls1 
is the true or parent ,nile4            
,,chapter ,,xxv4  ,,the ,,approach ,,to 
,,lake ,,albert ,,nyanza4   ,the        
accounts brought back by ,speke of the  
discovery of ,victoria ,nyanza and the  
existence of another lake1 which might  
prove to be a feeder of the ,nile1 so   
influenced a friend of his1 ,sir ,samuel
 ,baker1 that he and his wife1 a mere   
girl in years1 started out with an      
expedition to make still closer         
explorations of the lake region4  ,the  

natives had given ,speke very graphic   
accounts of the ,nile's westward course1
 after leaving ,victoria ,nyanza1 till  
at length its waters fell into a large  
lake4 ,they had further informed him    
that this lake came from the south1 and 
that the ,nile entered at the northern  
extremity1 and almost immediately made  
an exit from it in continuing its course
 to the north4  ,at the time this       
information was received by ,speke1 the 
country through which he would have     
needed to pass was in the midst of a    
native war1 and no strangers could      
penetrate it4 ,he was convinced1        
however1 that the lake described must1  
in all probability1 be a second source  
of the ,nile4  ,sir ,samuel ,baker and  
his wife had most interesting and       
thrilling experiences in their search   
for this supposed second feeder of the  
,nile4 ,some sections of the country    
through which they traveled were most   
beautiful4 ,here were jungles and       
forests alternating with broad plains1  

and mountains rising to the height of   
three or four thousand feet4  ,some of  
the people1 too1 were very interesting4 
,baker declared the ,latookas to be the 
finest savages he ever met4 ,they were  
nearly six feet in height1 had fine     
foreheads1 very good features1 and      
finely formed bodies4 ,their manners    
were frank1 good-humored1 and polite4   
,in this respect they were a strong     
contrast to the surrounding tribes4     
,they seemed to him to be of ,abyssinian
 or of ,asiatic origin4  ,the           
description of the headdress of the men 
is interesting4 ,it takes from eight to 
ten years to perfect the arrangement of 
this coiffure1 and no doubt much pride  
is taken in this queer conceit of savage
 fashion4  ,the hair is at first        
'felted' with fine twine4 ,as the fresh 
hair grows through this1 the twine      
process is repeated1 until at last a    
compact substance is formed1 an inch and
 a half thick1 trained into the form of 
a helmet1 with a frontlet and crest of  

copper4 ,of course they never disturb   
this1 and it lasts them their life time4
 ,they ornament it with beads1 cowries1 
ostrich feathers1 and other decorations4
  ,as it is the custom of these savages 
to go without clothing of any           
description1 these wonderful headdresses
 must indeed be the chief aim in the    
lives of those who are not called upon  
to follow the changes of fashion1 like  
their more civilized brethren4  ,one of 
the towns that ,baker visited in        
,latooka contained about three thousand 
houses4 ,it was strongly fortified by   
palisades1 with low entrances at short  
intervals4 ,at night these entrances    
were closed by thorn bushes4  ,there was
 one main street1 which was broad1 but  
the other streets were mere lanes1 so   
narrow that only one cow could pass at a
 time4  ,these lanes led to the kraals  
in different portions of the town4 ,here
 were housed the cattle1 which comprised
 the chief wealth of the people4 ,the   
narrowness of the approaches to the     

kraals was an advantage1 for they were  
thus easily defended from cattle        
thieves1--a common nuisance in this     
country4  ,the houses were conical in   
shape and1 following the custom almost  
universal in ,africa1 were without      
windows4  ,baker had noticed1 as he     
approached the several towns of this    
section of country1 a vast heap of human
 bones1 mingled with bits of pottery4   
,these he found to originate from the   
peculiar funeral rites of the people4   
,if a man dies a natural death he is    
buried in the vicinity of his own door1 
and funeral dances in his honor are held
 for several weeks2 the remains are then
 dug up1 the bones cleaned1 placed in an
 earthen jar1 and carried out of town to
 their final resting place4 ,in course  
of time these jars become broken1 and   
the fragments1 together with the        
contents1 are scattered1 or added to an 
already existing mound4  ,baker1 in his 
journey to the southwest1 crossed the   
valley of ,latooka4 ,after fording a    

river1 he began the main ascent of the  
mountains4 ,this he found to be an      
exceedingly difficult task4 ,at the     
summit he found a plateau about four    
thousand feet above the level of the    
sea1 and situated on it was the highland
 town of ,obbo4  ,the country was very  
beautiful4 ,here were bold granite      
peaks1 some of them five thousand feet  
high1 towering on all sides1 and looking
 down upon the wooded valleys below4    
,these valleys were narrowed by the     
advancing spurs of the mountains1 each  
with a village to crown its summit4     
,these villages looked down fully eight 
hundred feet upon the traveler4  ,the   
air was pure and delicious4 ,on every   
side was a profusion of beautiful and   
fragrant flowers4 ,wild plums and other 
fruit were to be found in abundance4    
,the flow of the streams in this section
 is toward the northwest4 ,their waters 
take their course directly to the ,nile1
 some thirty miles away4  ,the people   
are different from those of ,latooka1   

not only in their speech but in their   
appearance4 ,instead of dressing their  
hair in the form of a helmet1 they adopt
 the form of a beaver's tail for a      
coiffure4  ,the noses of these people   
are higher than those of the ,latookas4 
,they pay some attention1 too1 to their 
clothing1 though their covering is very 
scanty4  ,they are courteous in their   
manners1 and never ask for presents4    
,they had for their ruler at the time of
 ,baker's visit a peculiar old man1 a   
sorcerer1 and from him ,baker gained    
much information about the country4     
,whenever this ruler traveled1 it was   
upon the shoulders of one of his slaves4
 ,always in starting upon a journey he  
had a retinue of a dozen or more bearers
 to take turns in carrying him4  ,from  
an interpreter ,baker learned of a place
 called ,magungo1 situated upon a lake  
so large that no one knew its limits4   
,later1 ,baker gained further           
information of ,magungo from a native   
woman4 ,she described the lake as a     

white sheet of water1 as far as the eye 
could reach1 and added1 ,if you put a   
water jar on the shore1 the water would 
run up1 break it1 and carry it away4 ,in
 this simple fashion she intimated to   
,baker that there were waves of no      
little force on the lake shores4        
,encouraged by the prospect of reaching 
the lake1 ,baker1 with his expedition1  
continued on the march1 passing a       
village surrounded by bold granite      
cliffs1 towering above it4 ,the natives 
of this village perched like ravens upon
 the summits of these cliffs to await   
the approach of the white men4 ,they    
were very friendly and very ceremonious 
in their dealings with their visitors4  
,the journey was continued through a    
region of prairies and swamps1 which    
finally was replaced by a section of    
magnificent forest4 ,coming to an       
elevated spot1 ,baker saw a cloud of    
fog4 ,this hung over a distant valley1  
and indicated to him the presence of the
 noble stream which he believed must    

join the two lakes4  ,he reached the    
,nile about one hundred and fifty miles 
from ,victoria ,nyanza1 and about sixty 
miles from the lake he was seeking4 ,he 
was not1 however1 aware of it at the    
time4  ,the expedition under ,baker     
headed upstream towards ,karuma ,falls1 
where it was the intention to cross to  
the south side4 ,they had a picturesque 
march of about fifteen miles1 through an
 open forest1 with the river1 which was 
about one hundred and fifty feet wide1  
close at hand4 ,it was a beautiful      
sight1 as it came roaring and foaming in
 many cascades4 ,here and there the     
course of the river was broken by rocky 
islands4 ,on these islands villages and 
plantain groves were visible4  ,baker   
found the people along this section     
superior to those of ,latooka and ,obbo4
 ,they were modest in their manners1 and
 well clothed4 ,they were good          
blacksmiths1 and the pottery which they 
made was of a higher order than that of 
the other tribes mentioned4  ,baker1    

with the thought of the lake still      
before him1 pushed on1 though often     
discouraged1 and suffering from fatigue 
and fever4 ,in the course of the journey
 the expedition had to cross a river4   
,it could be done only in a very        
peculiar way4 ,the whole stream was     
covered with a matting1 or carpet1 of   
tangled1 floating weeds4 ,this was so   
thick and strong as to bear the weight  
of a man1 if he ran quickly across its  
surface4 ,the width of the stream was   
about thirty yards4  ,here ,mrs4 ,baker 
almost lost her life2 for1 when about   
halfway across1 she was overcome with a 
sunstroke1 and began to sink rapidly    
through the weeds4 ,her husband and some
 of his men seized her and dragged her  
across the current1 though they sank to 
their waists in the weeds before they   
succeeded in getting her to the bank4   
,,chapter ,,xxvi4  ,a ,,view ,,of ,,lake
 ,,albert ,,nyanza4   ,at a great       
distance to the northwest could be seen 
a lofty range of mountains4 ,baker      

learned from the natives that these     
mountains1 beyond which he had fancied  
the lake must lie1 were really its      
western boundary4  ,a few days later he 
had the pleasure of looking at this     
beautiful sheet of water4 ,he was the   
first ,englishman who had ever had the  
honor to prove its connection with the  
,nile4  ,he was about fifteen hundred   
feet above the lake when he first       
sighted it4 ,opposite to him the lake   
was about sixty miles broad1 but to the 
south and southwest lay a boundless     
horizon like the ocean4 ,immediately on 
the other side rose a grand range of    
mountains1 some of them seven thousand  
feet high1 and down two streams in their
 rifts plunged great waterfalls1 visible
 even at that vast distance1 to add     
their contributions to the fresh-water  
lake4  ,here lay the long-sought-for    
lake4 ,wild waves swept over its        
surface1 as he descended the steep      
declivity to reach its shore4 ,in bold  
triumph they swelled and burst at his   

feet upon the white1 pebbly beach4      
,filled with enthusiasm1 ,baker stooped 
and drank of the pure1 fresh water from 
the vast reservoir before him4  ,near by
 lay a little fishing village4 ,around  
the huts stood beautifully made         
harpoons1 hooks1 and the lines used by  
the fishermen4 ,these fishing outfits   
were used not only to catch the gigantic
 fish1 of two hundred pounds or more1   
which abound in the lake1 but also the  
hippopotamus and the crocodile4  ,baker 
found that the lake1 which he named the 
,albert ,nyanza1--as an imperishable    
memorial of one loved and mourned1 not  
only by ,england's queen1 but by all    
,england1--has a length of about three  
hundred miles in a southwesterly        
direction4 ,it then turns to the west1  
but its extent in this direction was not
 known at the time of ,baker's          
explorations4 ,the extent is believed to
 be not far from that of ,victoria      
,nyanza1 which covers an area of not    
less than thirty thousand square miles4 

,it seems remarkable that such a great  
reservoir had not been sought for       
before1 or at least that the necessity  
for its existence had not been seen4    
,such a vast body of water would seem to
 be absolutely required to force a river
 like the ,nile over a distance of      
twenty-five hundred miles to the sea4   
,at the northeast corner1 at ,magungo1  
the river which forms the connecting    
link between the two feeders of the     
,nile enters this lake4 ,thirty miles to
 the north the great ,nile flows out of 
the lake and wends its way to the sea4  
,baker soon made preparations for a     
fortnight's voyage upon the lake4 ,two  
canoes1 one twenty-six1 the other       
thirty-two feet long1 were secured4     
,both these canoes were hollowed out of 
logs4 ,in the smaller canoe a cabin was 
built4  ,the voyage was most            
interesting4 ,the scenery along the lake
 was beautiful4 ,sometimes the mountains
 in the west were lost sight of1 as the 
canoes kept within a hundred yards of   

the shore4 ,sometimes the cliffs would  
recede1 and leave a meadow1 more or less
 broad1 at their base4 ,frequently the  
rocky column would descend vertically   
into deep water4 ,again1 a grand mass of
 gneiss and granite1 eleven hundred feet
 high1 would present itself1 feathered  
with beautiful evergreens1 with every   
runnel and rivulet in its clefts fringed
 with graceful wild date trees4         
,hippopotami floated lazily about in the
 water1 while crocodiles1 roused to     
alarm by the canoe1 would rush out of   
the bushes to hide themselves in the    
depths of the lake4  ,the water was     
beautifully transparent4 ,a crocodile   
that ,baker killed with his rifle sank  
to a depth of eight feet1 yet his       
bleeding form could be plainly seen at  
the bottom of the lake4  ,once1 an      
elephant came down out of the forest to 
bathe4 ,on another occasion1 fourteen of
 these immense animals were seen        
sporting in a sandy cove1 and enjoying  
themselves by throwing jets of water in 

all directions4  ,when the expedition   
had gone about ninety miles1 the lake   
began to contract4 ,vast beds of reeds  
extended to a distance of a mile from   
shore4 ,they were of the nature of the  
floating vegetation in the stream where 
,mrs4 ,baker so nearly lost her life4   
,not caring to cross on this frail      
support1 ,baker and his party followed  
the shore for a mile1 till they had     
passed this mass of floating vegetation1
 and found a broad1 still channel       
bordered with reeds on each side4 ,here 
was the river which links the ,albert to
 the ,victoria ,nyanza4  ,the river     
between the two lakes has a course of   
about two hundred and fifty miles4      
,there is a succession of cataracts     
below ,karuma ,falls4 ,they occupy some 
forty miles of the river bed4  ,the     
mouth of the ,victoria ,nile is still   
water4 ,it has a width of half a mile4  
,the river at the mouth1 as it          
tranquilly enters the lake1 presents a  
strong contrast to the current at       

,karuma ,falls1 where the water comes   
seething and boiling1 rushing and       
tearing over the rocky bed4  ,baker and 
his party found the eastern1 or         
,magungo1 shore of the lake to be a     
delightful section1 bordered by enormous
 trees4 ,the soil was firm and sandy1 in
 some instances rocky4 ,the country     
beyond the shore of the lake rose in a  
rapid incline towards the town of       
,magungo1 which is built on an elevated 
ridge about a mile away4  ,while        
,baker's party waited along the shore of
 the lake1 some of the natives arrived  
from the villages1 bringing a goat1 some
 fowls1 eggs1 milk1 and fresh butter4   
,in return1 ,baker gave the chief a     
quantity of beads1 which greatly        
delighted this child of nature4  ,the   
march up the hill to ,magungo was now in
 order4 ,the day was clear and bright4  
,the soil was sandy and rather poor1 but
 the road was hard and well kept4  ,a   
splendid view lay before the little     
party as they reached ,magungo and      

looked back upon the lake4 ,they were   
now fully two hundred and fifty feet    
above the level of the water4 ,the      
country seemed to have a general        
elevation of about five hundred feet1   
for five or six miles1 when it began by 
gentle undulations to descend to the    
lake4  ,the most prominent objects to be
 seen were the mountains on the ,magella
 side1 forming the western boundary1    
while in the foreground lay the lake4   
,a few miles to the north there appeared
 an opening in the ridge4 ,the lake1    
much contracted1 continued to the west1 
while the mountain range on the north   
side of the gap extended on to the      
northeast4  ,the country due north and  
northeast was remarkably level4 ,as far 
as the eye could see1 an expanse of     
bright green reeds marked the course of 
the ,nile1 as it made its exit from     
,albert ,nyanza ,lake4  ,at ,magungo the
 width of the sheet of water was about  
seventeen miles4 ,it continued its      
course in a long strip to the mouth1    

where it lost itself in a level valley  
of green rushes4  ,baker and his party  
could not yet persuade themselves that  
the quiet1 tranquil stream issuing from 
,albert ,nyanza was the same which      
rushed impetuously on its way at ,karuma
 ,falls4  ,it remained1 then1 to prove  
the statements of the guide that the    
,nile was dead water for a considerable 
distance from its junction with the     
lake2 that a great waterfall rushed down
 from the mountain to swell the current 
near ,karuma ,falls2 and that the river 
was simply a succession of cataracts in 
its course to these falls4  ,on the     
assurance of the chief of ,magungo1 and 
of some of the natives1 that these falls
 were within six days' marching         
distance1 ,baker's little party embarked
 in canoes for the purpose of exploring 
the river and assuring themselves of its
 identity with the stream which made its
 exit from the lake4     ,,chapter      
,,xxvii4  ,,from ,,lake ,,albert ,,to   
,,murchison ,,falls4   ,ten miles from  

,magungo the river suddenly narrowed1   
till it was but two hundred and fifty   
yards broad4 ,the great level tracks of 
rush banks gradually disappeared as they
 entered a channel shut in by high banks
 on either side4 ,the hills here were   
heavily timbered4  ,even here the       
current was so sluggish as to indicate  
no perceptible stream4 ,a heavy fog soon
 covered the river4 ,gradually it       
lifted4 ,as ,baker watched it slowly    
rise from the water1 he noticed the     
little1 floating1 green water plants    
perceptibly moving to the west4 ,looking
 more closely1 he saw that their        
progress1 though slow1 was certainly    
towards ,albert ,nyanza4  ,illustration3
 ,,crocodiles ,,on ,,the ,,banks ,,of   
,,the ,,nile4  ,they were about eighteen
 miles from ,magungo when they perceived
 this very slight current in the river4 
,proceeding on their journey1 they found
 the river gradually narrowing to a     
width of but one hundred and eighty     
yards4 ,as they ceased paddling the roar

 of the water could be distinctly heard4
 ,after two hours of hard pulling1      
during which the velocity of the water  
was noticeably increasing and the roar  
of the fall became extremely loud1 they 
reached a few deserted fishing huts4    
,these were situated at a convenient    
little bend in the river4  ,at this     
point crocodiles were noticed in immense
 numbers4 ,they lay closely packed      
together1 like timber logs in a lumber  
region4 ,upon one bank twenty-seven of  
the ugly reptiles lay basking in the    
sunlight4 ,every nook and turn in the   
bank disclosed crowds of them lurking in
 the stream1 their hideous jaws just    
showing on the surface of the water4    
,the banks on either side1 which had    
gradually been growing steeper1 now     
became decidedly bolder and more rugged4
 ,the roar of the fall grew more        
fearful1 and as they rounded the corner 
of the stream a magnificent view burst  
upon them4 ,on either side of the river 
beautifully wooded cliffs rose          

precipitously to a height of some three 
hundred feet4 ,here and there           
picturesque rocks jutted out from among 
the green foliage4 ,the river1 abruptly 
contracted from its grand proportions   
into a narrow stream1 rushed madly      
through a gap cleft in the rock before  
them4 ,through a gorge scarcely fifty   
feet in width it poured its waters with 
a furious rush and roar1 as it plunged  
with one gigantic leap into a dark abyss
 lying one hundred and twenty feet      
below4  ,to quote from ,baker's journal3
 ,the fall of the water was snow-white1 
which had a superb effect as it         
contrasted with the dark cliffs that    
walled the river1 while the graceful    
palms of the tropics and wild plantains 
perfected the beauty of the view4 ,this 
was the greatest waterfall of the ,nile1
 and in honor of the distinguished      
president of the ,royal ,geographical   
,society1 ,i named it the ,murchison    
,falls1 as the most important object    
throughout the entire course of the     

river4  ,the canoes of the little party 
endeavored to approach the falls1 but   
when about three hundred yards from them
 the strong current and the terrific    
whirlpools prevented any nearer view4   
,at their left a sand bank was literally
 covered with crocodiles4 ,they seemed  
to have no fear of the canoe till it    
approached within twenty yards of them1 
when they slowly and lazily crept out of
 the water4 ,a huge hippopotamus charged
 the canoe1 and struck the bottom of it 
with such tremendous force as nearly to 
throw the crew out of it4 ,proud of his 
achievement1 the ugly monster raised his
 head to look at his strange enemy1 then
 sank rapidly in the stream4  ,the canoe
 now drifted rapidly down to a landing  
at a small deserted fishing village1 and
 the little party bade adieu to the lake
 and river which had interested them so 
much in ,central ,africa4  ,if we look  
at the map of ,africa1 we shall find    
that the great lakes1 which form such an
 important physical feature of the      

continent1 are located chiefly in the   
southern and eastern sections of it1 but
 are distributed overall the great      
drainage systems4 ,let us take a little 
review of the lake system4  ,both lakes 
of the ,nile basin1 the ,victoria and   
,albert ,nyanza lakes1 are really great 
fresh-water seas4  ,if the present      
estimate of this great extent should    
ultimately prove to be fairly correct1  
they are the rivals even of the great   
,american lakes in being the greatest   
expanse of fresh water on the face of   
the globe4 ,in #ahhi1 a great lake lying
 three hundred miles northeast of the   
,victoria ,nyanza was discovered4 ,it   
has been named ,lake ,rudolf4 ,it is    
about one hundred and sixty two miles   
long and over twenty miles wide4  ,the  
principal lakes of the ,congo basin are 
,lake ,bangweolo1 or ,bemba1 one hundred
 and fifty miles long from east to west1
 and ,lake ,moero1 having a length of   
sixty miles4 ,there are several lakes of
 this basin still unvisited4 ,they are  

said to be of vast extent and to lie two
 thousand feet above the level of the   
sea4  ,lake ,nyassa belongs to the      
,zambesi basin4 ,it covers an area of   
nearly nine thousand miles in this great
 river basin4 ,lake ,shirwa1 on the     
plateau southeast of ,lake ,nyassa1 is  
enclosed by mountains4 ,it has an       
elevation of two thousand feet above the
 sea4 ,its water is brackish and has no 
outlet4 ,lake ,tanganyika occupies an   
area of more than ten thousand square   
miles4 ,a broad channel unites it with  
,lake ,liemba1 in the south4 ,no outlet 
was for many years discovered for       
,tanganyika4 ,it is probably a          
continental lake2 for its waters are not
 perfectly fresh1 and its drainage is   
very small4  ,lake ,tchad is the        
greatest lake of the continental system 
of ,north ,africa4 ,it consists of a    
shallow lagoon of very variable extent4 
,numerous islands dot its surface4 ,its 
waters are fresh and clear1 and the     
overflow is carried off by the          

,bahr-el-,gazal to the northeast4 ,lake 
,n'gami is in the southern continental  
system4 ,it corresponds to ,lake ,tchad 
of the northern system4 ,it is a        
shallow1 reedy lagoon4 ,its extent      
varies according to the seasons4 ,its   
surplus water is carried by the ,zuga   
,river off to the eastward4 ,within the 
areas of continental drainage1 salt     
lakes occur frequently4 ,assal ,lake1 in
 ,abyssinia1 is the most remarkable of  
these salt lakes4     ,,chapter         
,,xxviii4  ,,mountains ,,of ,,africa4   
,no other portion of land on the surface
 of the globe is so difficult of access 
as ,africa4 ,this is owing to the       
mountainous character of large portions 
of its coast line4  ,the contrast       
between the broken ,european shores and 
the massive ,african coasts of the      
,mediterranean was observed by the      
earliest geographers2 the same          
continuous1 unbroken margin extends     
along all the sixteen thousand miles of 
its shore line4  ,guarded by its        

inhospitable shores1 large areas of the 
interior of the continent are as yet    
altogether unknown4 ,as a whole1 the    
continent may be regarded as a vast     
plateau1 bordered round by maritime     
ranges1 which form the seaward edges of 
the interior table-lands4  ,the ranges  
of the eastern coast have been so little
 explored that much has yet to be       
learned of their character4 ,they extend
 from the highlands of ,abyssinia to the
 extreme southern point of the          
continent4 ,the so-called ,mountains of 
the ,moon belong to this system4 ,the   
early explorers erred when they supposed
 that they stretched across ,central    
,africa from east to west4 ,so great has
 been the diversity of opinion1 that    
some authors deny the existence of these
 mountains4  ,we must consider the      
interior of ,africa as a vast plateau   
traversed by mountain chains4 ,the only 
lowland known to lie within the interior
 is the section about ,lake ,tchad4  ,if
 we look upon the map of ,africa1 we    

shall find that the principal mountain  
systems are known as the ,atlas1 the    
reputed ,mountains of the ,moon1 the    
,snow1 ,kong1 ,crystal1 ,cameroon1 and  
,lupata4  ,the ,atlas ,mountains give   
character to the ,barbary ,states of    
,morocco and ,algeria4 ,the ,mountains  
of the ,moon are supposed to run from   
south to north1 parallel to the eastern 
coast1 and to form the southern         
continuation of the ,abyssinian         
table-land4 ,the ,snow ,mountains are   
found in the southern part of the       
continent1 stretching through ,cape     
,colony4 ,the ,kong ,mountains1 though  
outlined upon the map1 according to the 
celebrated ,english geographer1 ,keith  
,johnston1 of the ,royal ,geographical  
,society1 do not exist4 ,we shall read  
his descriptions of mountain systems    
later on4 ,it is well to take more than 
one view of any subject4  ,the ,crystal 
and ,cameroon ,mountains stretch along  
the western border1 though at some      
distance from the coast line1 while the 

,lupata ,mountains are found in the     
region of the ,zambesi4 ,but let us look
 more minutely at these mountain        
systems1 as described by ,mr4 ,johnston4
  ,beginning at the extreme northeastern
 corner of ,africa1 the land suddenly   
rises west of ,suez1 at the southern end
 of the ship canal1 to a height of      
twenty-six hundred feet4 ,following     
this1 an abrupt chain of heights extends
 along the western shores of the ,red   
,sea1 till the high edge of the         
,abyssinian highland is reached1 seven  
thousand to eight thousand feet above   
sea level4  ,farther to the south1 on   
the margin of the plateau1 rise         
snow-capped ,kenia1 eighteen thousand   
feet1 and ,kilimanjaro1 eighteen        
thousand seven hundred feet1 between the
 ,indian ,ocean and the ,great ,lake    
region4  ,still farther south rise the  
,livingstone ,mountains1 to the height  
of eleven thousand feet1 walling in     
,lake ,nyassa4 ,farther south still rise
 the steep and wall-like ,drachenberg   

,mountains1 to face the ,indian ,ocean  
and to round to the terraces which form 
,cape ,colony4  ,turning the high ,cape 
of ,good ,hope to the ,atlantic margin1 
the same terraced ascents from the sea  
coast to the borders of the interior    
present themselves1 all along the       
western side of the continent1 from     
,cape ,colony to the head of the ,bight 
of ,biafra4  ,round the ,guinea coast1  
beyond the low delta of the ,niger1 as  
far as ,cape ,verd1 the plateau edge    
approaches the coast only at intervals1 
but the supposed ,kong ,mountains do not
 exist4  ,in ,morocco1 the bordering    
maritime heights are taken up again by  
the ,atlas range1 and are continued     
along the ,mediterranean by the plateau 
of ,barbary1 by the ranges called the   
,black ,mountains of ,tripoli1 and by   
the heights of ,barca1 farther east1 out
 again to the delta of the ,nile4       
,within this border1 or fringe1 of      
maritime heights thus traced1 we may    
consider all southern ,africa as a vast 

plateau having a general elevation of   
about three thousand feet above the sea4
  ,the most prominent interior ranges   
which rise from this section of the     
plateau are those called the ,mushinga  
,mountains4 ,these seem to have an east 
and west direction1 separating the wide 
basins of the ,congo and ,zambesi       
,rivers1 and the mountains to the       
westward of ,lakes ,albert and ,victoria
 ,nyanza and ,tanganyika4 ,the latter   
form the western edge of the great      
plateau of eastern equatorial ,africa1  
the center of which is occupied by      
,unyamwezi1 and slope down towards the  
broad vale of the central ,congo4  ,if  
we look at the map1 ,northern ,africa1  
between the higher southern plateau and 
the mountains of ,barbary on the        
,mediterranean coast1 appears to be     
generally lower1 or at an average       
elevation of from one thousand to       
fifteen hundred feet above the sea1     
though the plateau formation remains the
 same4  ,the prominent lines of height  

known within it are those which extend  
from the ,marrah ,mountains of ,dafur1  
between the ,nile basin and that of     
,lake ,tchad1 northwestward through the 
mountain land of ,tibesti1 in the center
 of ,north ,africa1 to the series of    
plateaus occupied by the ,tuareg tribes 
south of the plateau of ,barbary4       
,illustration3 ,,crossing ,,the         
,,desert4  ,a remarkable volcanic belt  
is traced through the ,bight of ,biafra 
in the line of the islands of ,annobon1 
,st4 ,thomas1 ,princes1 and ,fernando   
,po1 ten thousand one hundred and ninety
 feet high1 to the high ,cameroon       
,mountains1 thirteen thousand seven     
hundred and sixty feet high1 on the     
coast of the mainland1 and thence inland
 on the same abrupt line to ,mounts     
,alantika and ,mendif1 midway to ,lake  
,tchad in the interior4  ,if we could   
follow the course taken by the early    
settlers and the missionaries in        
,africa1 we should1 in going from the   
southern coast northward1 have to cross 

three mountain systems and two table    
lands1 before we could reach the great  
central plateau4  ,the mountains would  
present steep1 wall-like faces on the   
coast side1 as if they were raised to   
prevent all access to the interior2 on  
the other side they descend gradually to
 the broad1 elevated tracts1 which      
retain the name karroos1 barren plains1 
given them by the natives on account of 
their general appearance and character4 
,in such a section as ,cape ,colony1 we 
might expect that the karroos1 enclosed 
by mountains1 would become converted    
into lakes1 did we not remember that    
little rain falls there1 and then for   
only a brief season4 ,the karroos appear
 to have been lakes at some very remote 
period in the history of the earth's    
surface2 for much of the soil is        
impregnated with salt2 shallow salt     
lakes or marshes are numerous1 and beds 
of sea shells are to be found here and  
there4  ,nature has looked well to the  
law of cause and effect2 for1 while the 

rivers are dry during some portions of  
the year1 after a tempest the waters    
flow down over the sides of the         
mountains in torrents4 ,these1 in the   
course of ages1 have worn deep cuts1 or 
valley gorges1 called kloofs4  ,the     
karroos1 or elevated tracts1 of which we
 have read1 are not like the vast seas  
of sand of the ,sahara4 ,they consist of
 shallow beds of rich soil1 which want  
only the fertilizing power of water to  
render them most productive4 ,the soil  
of the karroos is clay and sand1 resting
 on blue slate rock4 ,as the streams are
 dry for three-fourths of the year1 the 
ground becomes during that period as    
hard as brick4 ,after a few days of     
rain1 grasses and other plants with     
bulbous roots1 spring up everywhere from
 the hard soil in which they have been  
encased1 and soon the land is covered   
with bright flowers and verdant         
pasturage4  ,probably no part of the    
globe presents a more beautiful         
appearance than these karroos when      

carpeted by the hand of nature4 ,the    
description of the flowers of ,cape     
,colony by the author of ,life on an    
,ostrich ,farm gives one a fair idea of 
their beauty and variety4     ,,chapter 
,,xxix4  ,,some ,,peculiar ,,features   
,,of ,,african ,,soil4   ,in making some
 of his early explorations ,livingstone 
passed over a country1 the firm1 compact
 soil of which was perfectly level4     
,here he found a little soil covering a 
limelike tufa deposit4 ,this extended   
over a tract of several hundred miles4  
,it supported a vegetation of fine1     
sweet1 short grass1 and baobab and other
 trees4  ,in several parts of this tract
 he found large salt pans1 as they are  
termed4 ,one was fifteen miles broad and
 one hundred miles long4  ,although     
these curious spots seemed perfectly    
level1 yet they have a slight slope to  
the northeast1 towards which the rain   
water1 which sometimes covers them1     
gently trickles4 ,the salt dissolved in 
the water has in this way been gradually

 transferred to one large pan lying to  
the northeast4 ,on this may be seen a   
cake of salt and lime an inch and a half
 thick4 ,some of these pans have merely 
a covering of salty lime2 others are    
covered with a thick deposit of shells4 
,these shells are identical with those  
of the mollusk species of ,lake ,n'gami4
 ,there appear to be three varieties1   
spiral1 univalve1 and bivalve4          
,livingstone found that in every salt   
pan of the country there is a spring of 
water on one side4 ,the water of the    
spring is brackish4 ,in one instance he 
found two springs1 one salter than the  
other4  ,he was of the opinion that the 
supply could not come from beds of rock 
salt2 for1 where the natives have       
removed the salt from the pans1 no new  
deposit has ever formed4  ,he thought it
 probable that these salt deposits are  
the remains of the slightly brackish    
lakes of antiquity4 ,large portions of  
these lakes must1 in the course of ages1
 have evaporated to leave a deposit     

where the waters have receded4  ,an     
instance of this kind is ,lake ,n'gami2 
for the waters of the lake when low     
become brackish4  ,the largest          
quantities of salt have been found in   
the deepest hollows or in the lowest    
valleys1 where there is no outlet4      
,livingstone cites an instance of a     
fountain1 the temperature of which was  
upwards of #ajj deg4 ,this fountain1    
though strongly impregnated with salt1  
had no deposit1 because situated on a   
flat portion of the country4  ,when     
these salt deposits occur in a flat     
country with a tufa layer covering the  
soil1 a chemical change takes place in  
the soil2 the tufa is dissolved and the 
ground kept in a state unfavorable to   
the growth of plants4  ,livingstone     
discovered one large salt pan with a    
deposit of salt an inch and a half in   
thickness4 ,this deposit contained      
bitter salt in addition1 probably the   
nitrate of lime4 ,in order to make the  
deposit wholesome and palatable1 the    

natives mix the salt with the juice of a
 gummy plant4 ,they then place the      
mixture in the sand and build a fire    
over it to bake it4 ,the action of the  
fire renders the lime insoluble and     
tasteless4  ,the natives in the vicinity
 of this salt pan keep large flocks of  
sheep and goats at various points on the
 outskirts of the desert4 ,these flocks 
thrive wonderfully wherever salt and    
bushes are to be found4  ,the milk of   
goats does not coagulate readily1 like  
that of cows1 on account of its rich    
quality4 ,the natives have discovered   
that by mixing a tea made from the fruit
 of a special plant with the milk of    
goats they can cause it to coagulate    
quickly4  ,it is the custom among some  
of the natives to put the milk into     
sacks of untanned hide from which the   
hair has been removed4 ,when these sacks
 are hung in the sun the milk soon      
thickens4 ,the whey is then drawn off by
 a plug at the bottom of the sack4      
,fresh milk is then added1 until a thick

 sour curd fills the sack4 ,when one    
becomes accustomed to this1 its taste is
 delicious4  ,the richer natives mix    
this milk with the porridge they make   
from their meal4 ,it is considered very 
nutritious and strengthening1 and takes 
the place of our roast beef for         
nutriment4  ,the natives1 in speaking   
scornfully of those who are poor or     
weak1 use the expression1 ,they are     
water-porridge men2 since they cannot   
afford to mix their porridge in the     
approved way1 and hence cannot expect to
 gain strength4  ,speaking of other     
sections of the country1 ,livingstone   
tells us that he found some portions    
capped by a conglomerate rock mixed with
 iron4 ,in many places the iron looked  
as if it had been melted2 for the       
rounded masses resembled slag in an iron
 foundry1 and the under surface was     
smooth and even4  ,probably this deposit
 was of an aqueous origin2 for it       
contained water-worn pebbles of various 
kinds4 ,these were generally small in   

size4  ,below the conglomerate lay a    
mass of pale red1 hardened sandstone1   
and beneath that a layer of what are    
called trap rocks4 ,lowest of all lay a 
coarse-grained sandstone1 which         
contained a few pebbles4 ,occasionally a
 white rock of lime formation was found1
 and also banks of loose1 round pebbles 
of quartz4  ,the land slopes contained  
bogs surrounded by clumps of straight1  
lofty evergreen trees1 which looked     
extremely graceful on a ground of       
yellowish grass4 ,many of these bogs    
pour forth a solution of iron4 ,these   
exhibit the prismatic colors upon their 
surface4  ,it would be of interest to   
note the curious conditions and         
formations of the soil in other         
sections1 but we must pass on to other  
views4  ,those of you who are interested
 in the life of ,livingstone will find  
many features of the soil described in  
the journals this explorer bequeathed to
 the world4     ,,chapter ,,xxx4  ,,the 
,,minerals ,,of ,,africa4   ,for many   

years the knowledge of ,africa was so   
indefinite that it was difficult to     
determine how rich the continent might  
be in minerals4  ,gold and silver had   
been found1 but the former was believed 
to be more abundant than the latter1    
judging from the amounts brought down in
 the sands of the great rivers which    
flow through the central portions of the
 continent4 ,gold had also been found   
upon the coast of ,guinea and in        
,southeast ,africa4  ,precious stones   
have been found in most of the tropical 
countries of the globe2 but in ,africa  
they were of rare occurrence until the  
discovery of diamonds in the vicinity of
 the ,cape awakened much interest4 ,the 
attention of the whole world was then   
called to the possible resources of the 
country4  ,just as the discovery of gold
 in ,california drew to the gold mines  
many men who were anxious to acquire    
wealth1 so the ,kimberley diamond mines 
attracted hundreds1 who1 in the pursuit 
of fortune1 forgot fatigue and hardship1

 lured on by visions of the future4     
,the largest diamond in the world1 the  
,excelsior1 was found ,june1 #ahid1 in  
the mines of ,jagersfontein in ,cape    
,colony1 by the inspector of the mine4  
,experts have pronounced it a gem of the
 purest water1 and its worth to be about
 a million sterling4  ,the greatest     
precautions were taken to have it       
conveyed from the mine to the coast4 ,a 
squadron of the ,sixteenth ,lancers     
guarded the carriage to ,cape ,town2    
from there it was conveyed to ,london in
 the gunboat ,antelope1 and was         
deposited for safe keeping in one of the
 vaults of the ,bank of ,england4  ,the 
stone is described as fully three inches
 in height and nearly three inches in   
breadth4 ,its weight is estimated at    
nine hundred and seventy-one carats1 or 
about seven ounces ,troy4 ,its color is 
white1 with a very slightly bluish tint1
 and its luster is matchless4 ,in the   
center of the stone is a very small     
black spot1 but experts consider that it

 can easily be removed in the cutting4  
,it has been reported that the ,british 
,government has offered half a million  
pounds sterling for this diamond4 ,the  
owners1 however1 have refused this      
offer4 ,it has also been reported that  
the ,german ,emperor will be the        
probable purchaser of the gem4  ,the    
great sources of the world's supply of  
gold have been the ,united ,states1     
,russia1 ,australia1 and ,south ,africa1
 together with that portion of ,west    
,africa1 known as ,ashantee1 bordering  
on the ,gold ,coast of ,guinea4  ,there 
is a curious belief among the natives of
 the entire ,gold ,coast1 and ,ashantee 
as well4 ,the ,great ,spirit1 it is     
believed1 created three each of white   
men and women1 and as many black1 and   
placed before them a large calabash and 
a sealed paper4 ,to the black men he    
gave the first choice4 ,they chose the  
calabash4 ,this contained gold1 iron1   
and the choicest products of the earth2 
but the black race remained ignorant of 

their use and value4 ,the white man     
became possessor of the paper1 which    
instructed him in all things1 made him  
the favorite of the ,great ,spirit1 and 
gave him superior advantages over the   
black man4  ,the great bend in the coast
 of ,africa1 which makes room for the   
,gulf of ,guinea1 is one of the singular
 land formations that strikes the eye   
and excites the fancy4  ,the glowing    
pictures of the beautiful ,gold ,coast  
and the wonders of land and sea under   
the equator serve to create a taste for 
travel and a desire to enjoy the strange
 and wonderful sights to be met4  ,an   
,english explorer1 ,alvan ,millson1 has 
recently written much to give an added  
interest to this coast section and to   
call attention to one of the many freaks
 of nature4  ,a little description will 
be of interest4 ,for a distance of about
 five hundred miles along the ,bight of 
,benin there is an intricate chain of   
waterways1 which lies just at the edge  
of the sea4  ,in many places these      

narrow and brimming channels are        
separated from the onslaught of the     
,atlantic rollers by no more than five  
or six level yards of shifting sand4    
,the spray from the ocean drifts over   
them1 and the roar of the surf is heard 
by the native as he glides over their   
calm surface in his fragile canoe4      
,there are hundreds of miles of similar 
lagoons bordering the ,gulf of ,guinea  
farther to the west4 ,many rapid rivers 
pour into them from uplands behind1     
bringing down vast quantities of sand   
and mud4  ,at the same time1 the        
',guinea ,current1' which resembles our 
,gulf ,stream1 brings another endless   
supply of sand1 worn from the headlands 
toward the west1 and this sand1 heaped  
up at the ocean's edge1 arrests the     
rivers just where they are about to     
empty into the sea1 and spreads them out
 into a great system of deltas4  ,the   
resistless strength of the narrow sand  
barriers is attributed principally to   
the vast quantities of papyrus and water

 grass brought down in huge floating    
islands by the rivers1 which take root  
and flourish in the sand4 ,only at rare 
intervals can a passageway be found     
through the sand4 ,and so1 on this      
singular coast1 the ocean and the rivers
 unite to build up and perpetuate a     
barrier between them4  ,no doubt in the 
,gold ,coast section of the ,gulf of    
,guinea there is this same constant     
carrying down of sand by the rivers4    
,whenever these rivers pass through     
gold-bearing regions1 the sand carries  
with it vast quantities of gold grains1 
or scales1 which have to be panned1 or  
separated from it by washing4  ,we have 
in our reading gained some little idea  
of the struggles of the ,dutch to obtain
 possession of the soil of such sections
 as ,natal1 ,cape ,colony1 and what has 
been known until within a few years as  
the ,transvaal ,republic4  ,the         
,witwatersrand may be considered the    
great gold-mining district of ,africa4  
,it is rapidly pushing its way to the   

front in the list of sources for the    
supply of the precious metal4 ,this     
region1 locally called the ,rand1 gives 
,africa the fourth place in the list of 
the sources of the earth's supply4  ,the
 ,rand is situated in what has been     
known as the ,transvaal ,republic4 ,it  
is the home of the ,dutch settlers1 or  
,boers1 but is under the rule of the    
,british power to a great extent4  ,the 
great metropolis of the republic and of 
the ,rand is ,johannesburg4 ,it is a    
regular mining center1 or what is known 
by the miners as a boom town4 ,from a   
small settlement it has1 in the course  
of a few years1 grown to a city of      
nearly twenty thousand inhabitants1     
while around it clusters a mining camp  
of thirty thousand more4  ,the ,boers   
are naturally a contented people1 caring
 little for display1 but fond of comfort
 and plenty4  ,they have had little     
ambition to dig for such treasures as   
the earth might hold in its depths1 but 
have been content to till the soil and  

to gather the harvest or fruits of their
 labor1 or to engage in sheep farming   
for the purpose of raising wool for     
exportation4  ,no doubt1 too1 they      
deemed it better policy not to attract  
strangers to prospect for treasure      
beneath a soil which they preferred to  
call their own1 rather than to see it   
laid out in claims by those eager to    
mine for its stores4  ,now that the     
miners have rushed into the ,rand in    
such numbers1 the ,boers must feel that 
their own claim to the land is but a    
name1 particularly as the largest and   
most profitable mines are owned by      
,london companies4  ,at the close of the
 year #ahic1 the mines in the ,rand were
 producing at the average rate of two   
million five hundred thousand dollars   
value of bullion each month4  ,in #ahib1
 the output of the ,rand was about      
twenty-one million two hundred and fifty
 thousand dollars in value2 in #ahic1 it
 rose to nearly twenty-six million4     
,naturally the question arises how long 

the deposits will last4 ,the best       
authorities1 however1 see no signs of   
early exhaustion4  ,there is a strong   
belief that gold in vast quantities     
exists in ,matabele-land4 ,should this  
prove true1 ,south ,africa is likely to 
become even more important than it is   
to-day1 as one of the great sources of  
the world's supply of gold4             
,,chapter ,,xxxi4  ,,the ,,diamond      
,,fields4   ,directly south of the      
,kalahari ,desert lies a region         
familiarly termed the ,diamond ,fields4 
,this region1 which1 properly1 should be
 known as ,griqualand ,west1 was        
formerly a separate colony4 ,now1       
however1 it is included among the ,cape 
of ,good ,hope colonies1 which comprise 
,cape ,colony4  ,this region consists of
 extensive grazing tracts1 some few     
valleys suitable for agricultural       
purposes1 and sections rich in deposits 
of copper1 lead1 and iron4  ,the chief  
interest at the present time in the     
,diamond ,fields centers about the      

precious stones which have been found   
there4 ,from time to time these gems had
 been picked up1 but the finders did not
 realize their value4  ,it is related   
that a gentleman noticed one of the     
children of a ,dutch farmer playing with
 a peculiar-looking stone1 and offered  
to buy it4 ,the farmer laughed at the   
thought of selling a stone1 and offered 
to give it to him4 ,it subsequently     
proved to be a diamond that weighed     
almost an ounce4 ,later1 it was sold to 
the governor of ,cape ,colony1 who paid 
some five hundred ,english pounds for   
it4 ,this stone was found at ,hopetown1 
and search was immediately made for more
 of the gems1 with the result that the  
diamond fields in that neighborhood and 
about ,kimberley in ,griqualand ,west   
became famous4 ,it was in #ahfg that    
this stone was found1 by accident as it 
were4  ,the largest stone from this     
region is named the ,star of ,south     
,africa4 ,it was in the possession of a 
,kaffir witch doctor1 and was bought by 

a gentleman who afterwards sold it for  
eleven thousand two hundred ,english    
pounds4 ,this stone is about the size of
 an ,english walnut4 ,its weight is     
three ounces and a half4  ,in #ahga the 
first diamonds in the region called     
,kimberley were discovered under the    
root of an old thorn-tree1 in the now   
famous mound from which the region is   
named4 ,since that time the mountain has
 been tunnelled in every direction1 till
 the excavations give its interior much 
the appearance of a gigantic honeycomb4 
,illustration3 ,,interior ,,of ,a       
,,diamond ,,mine4  ,not only in the     
heart of the mountain1 but in the       
neighboring plains and along the banks  
of the ,vaal ,river1 these gems of      
purest ray serene are sought for4 ,the  
water of the river is used to wash the  
precious stones from the clay soil1 in  
which they are often imbedded like plums
 in a pudding4  ,back from the river are
 what are termed dry diggings4 ,these   
consist of pits sunk through decomposed 

rocks of volcanic origin until a layer  
of tufa1 limestone1 and clay is reached4
 ,in this layer the gems are imbedded4  
,masses of this stuff1 as it is called1 
are carried to the banks of the river   
and there washed4 ,the more common      
custom1 however1 is to dry the mixture  
and to sift it by the aid of the        
workmen1 who belong to the ,kaffir      
tribes4 ,these workmen have1 however1   
learned the value of the gems1 and need 
to be carefully watched lest they steal 
more than they deliver into the hands of
 their employers4  ,the most rigid watch
 is kept over the workmen1 who often    
display the greatest ingenuity and      
cunning in hiding away the precious     
stones4 ,notwithstanding their lack of  
clothing these workmen manage to hide   
the stones about them2 often secreting  
them in the hair1 the folds of the skin1
 in the ears1 under the tongue1 under   
the nails of the toes1 while instances  
have been known where they have even    
swallowed the precious gems to secure   

them from the white man4  ,unlicensed   
dealing in diamonds or the purchasing of
 them from the natives is considered an 
offense of the most serious nature in   
,griqualand ,west4 ,in spite of all     
precautions1 much of this illegal       
trading is carried on2 for1 if the risk 
is great1 the profit to those engaged in
 the trade is even greater4  ,it has    
been estimated on good authority that   
fully twenty million pounds' worth of   
diamonds has been exported from these   
fields since the first discoveries4 ,as 
a pound in ,english money is equal to   
very nearly five dollars of our money1  
we can estimate what the revenue of     
these mines has been4  ,it is believed  
that gems of many million pounds' value 
lie yet undiscovered in the unexplored  
portions of the diamond region4         
,statistics show that about two million 
pounds' worth of the gems is unearthed  
annually4  ,naturally1 the great mineral
 wealth of this region has attracted    
thousands to the neighborhood of        

,kimberley4 ,formerly1 the country was  
roamed over by ,griqua ,kaffirs1        
numbering but a few thousands4 ,now1 the
 region has become peopled in spots4    
,many of the settlements have assumed   
the importance of towns of considerable 
size4 ,it is estimated that not only    
some thirteen thousand whites1 but      
upwards of thirty-three thousand blacks1
 from all sections of ,south ,africa1   
have flocked to found such settlements  
as ,kimberley1 ,bult-fontein1 and ,du   
,toit's ,pan4  ,griqualand ,west is     
about one-half as large as ,scotland4   
,the country has nothing attractive in  
its physical features4 ,indeed1 it would
 be difficult to conceive of a dryer1   
uglier1 drearier1 more depressing region
 than the ,diamond ,fields4 ,these      
conditions are intensified when no rain 
has fallen for months and the           
thermometer notes a steady increase of  
temperature day after day1 till it      
reaches #ij deg4 in the shade4  ,the    
great novelist1 ,anthony ,trollope1     

visited the ,diamond ,fields when not a 
blade of grass could be seen growing on 
the thirsty ground1 and when1 as he     
expressed it1 he seemed to breathe dust 
rather than air4  ,his impressions of   
the ,diamond ,fields may be judged best 
from his description3 ,an atmosphere    
composed of flies and dust cannot be    
pleasant1--of dust so thick that the    
sufferer fears to remove it lest the    
raising of it may aggravate the evil1   
and of flies so numerous that one hardly
 dares to slaughter them by the ordinary
 means lest their dead bodies should be 
noisome4  ,when a gust of wind would    
bring the dust in a cloud1 hiding       
everything1--a cloud so thick that it   
seemed that the solid surface of the    
earth had risen diluted into the        
air1--and when flies had rendered       
occupation altogether impossible1 ,i    
could be told1 when complaining1 that ,i
 ought to be there in ,december or      
,february--at some other time of the    
year than that then present--if ,i      

really wanted to see what flies and dust
 could do4 ,i sometimes thought that the
 people of ,kimberley were proud of     
their flies and their dust4  ,bare and  
uninviting as this portion of           
,griqualand ,west is known to be1 there 
are exceptional tracts along the banks  
of the ,vaal and ,orange ,rivers1 for   
they are well wooded and not lacking in 
picturesque beauty of scenery4  ,diamond
 fields have been discovered not only on
 both sides of the ,vaal ,river1 but    
also in the ,orange ,free ,state4 ,at   
several places in this state the dry    
diggings1 as they are called1 have been 
very productive2 for they may be said to
 be literally sown with the precious    
stones4  ,the early scenes about the    
diamond diggings cannot have been       
unsimilar to those witnessed during the 
mining fever in ,california1 when the   
hope of securing fabulous amounts of    
gold drew all sorts and conditions of   
men to the grounds4  ,houses were more  
easily constructed from canvas than from

 wood1 and whole towns1 as if by magic1 
sprang into existence4 ,it must have    
been a curious sight to look upon one of
 those canvas towns4  ,in the red letter
 days of diamond digging1 it was no     
uncommon thing for sixty thousand or    
more people to gather round the dry     
river diggings4 ,when the great rush was
 over1 and men settled down to steady   
labor in the mining districts1 the      
population naturally decreased to a     
great extent1 as the mere fortune       
hunters left the field of labor to the  
real workers4  ,the ,new ,rush ,mine of 
,kimberley has been described as the    
center of interest4 ,a town has been    
built around it1 and there are churches1
 clubs1 hotels1 halls1 and even a fine  
market place1 as attractions4  ,the mine
 is said to have the appearance of a    
hollow4 ,this has a circumference of    
three-fourths of a mile4 ,the mine had  
naturally a slight elevation above the  
plain in which it is situated4 ,since   
mining operations began1 it has been    

scooped out to quite a depth1 the lowest
 point being estimated as lying more    
than two hundred feet below the surface4
  ,the greater part of the work in the  
mines can1 of course1 be done by the    
natives4 ,they labor with pick and      
spade1 load the buckets1 which are      
constantly being pulled up and let down 
by means of ropes and pulleys1 and carry
 them off to the sorting ground4 ,here  
they throw the stuff into sieves1 where 
it is carefully sifted1 then examined   
with the closest scrutiny1 after having 
been spread on tables in the open air   
for the purpose4  ,illustration3        
,,washing ,,sand ,,for ,,diamonds4      
,just as in the early gold-mining days  
in ,america1 claims were set off by the 
diamond diggers in ,south ,africa4 ,the 
owner of a claim then set to work to    
examine the soil1 which he collected in 
a heap by the aid of his pick and       
shovel4 ,this done1 he removed the loose
 stones1 and separated the sand by means
 of fine sieves4 ,the remaining earth   

and stones he then carried to the       
washing place on the river bank4  ,the  
washing was done in a curious kind of   
cradle1 as it was called4 ,it really    
consisted of a double sieve4 ,the upper 
sieve had holes in it about half an inch
 in diameter1 while the lower one had   
holes so small as to prevent a diamond  
of one-half carat from slipping through4
 ,when the washing process was once     
accomplished1 it was followed by that of
 sorting4  ,the diamond sections have   
been the scenes of the most intense     
excitement4 ,it was no uncommon thing   
for one man to pay another a fabulous   
price for his claim4 ,one case is cited 
where half a claim1 which measured only 
thirty by sixteen feet1 and which had   
been dug out to a depth of fifty feet1  
brought the immense sum of twenty-four  
thousand ,english pounds4  ,not         
infrequently these half-worked claims   
were worth the money and time expended1 
and many a lucky find gladdened the     
hearts of the fortunate purchaser4  ,a  

case is mentioned of the finding of a   
diamond1 after a few hours' search1     
which brought the fortunate possessor   
three thousand pounds4 ,another stone   
picked up on a deserted claim was       
described as one of a hundred and       
fifteen carats' weight4  ,in those early
 days life was hard and the barest      
necessities for existence difficult to  
obtain4 ,meat was not only dear1 but of 
poor quality2 butter was even worse1 and
 vegetables so scarce as to be veritable
 luxuries4  ,it must be remembered that 
everything for ,kimberley had to be     
brought up either from the coast1 five  
hundred miles from the ,orange ,free    
,state1 or from some of the more        
accessible parts of ,cape ,colony4  ,all
 goods had to be brought with ox teams4 
,this was a very slow and sure mode of  
transportation1 and an extremely costly 
one4  ,many changes have taken place in 
the neighborhood of the mines and dry   
diggings4 ,some of the mines have become
 exhausted1 but new ones have constantly

 been discovered each year4 ,the        
population has become more settled4 ,the
 queer shanties of canvas and wood have 
disappeared1 and whole towns of         
substantial brick and stone houses have 
replaced them4  ,an air of comfort and  
thrift pervades the settlements1 and the
 energy and activity of the scene are   
enhanced by the steam railway1 which    
forms the connecting link between the   
various mining sections4 ,improved      
methods of irrigation tend to relieve   
the country from the discomfort of dust 
and flies1 and ,griqualand ,west of the 
present time is as great a contrast to  
that of the past as can well be         
imagined4     ,,chapter ,,xxxii4        
,,glimpses ,,of ,,south ,,africa4       
,probably no section of the continent is
 more interesting in its history than   
,south ,africa4 ,the books which have   
been written upon the subject would make
 quite a library in themselves4  ,its   
coast was first visited in the latter   
part of the fifteenth century1 by       

,bartholomew ,diaz1 a ,portuguese1 in   
search of a passage to ,india4 ,he      
sailed along the western coast till he  
came to an inlet with a group of islets 
at its mouth4 ,here he cast anchor1 and 
landed with his crew4  ,the neighboring 
country was a dreary waste of sand4 ,not
 a trace of human beings was to be      
found1 nor could any food other than sea
 birds' eggs be obtained there4 ,little 
wonder then that1 after planting a cross
 as a sign of possession1 the           
,portuguese commander sailed away4      
,early in the sixteenth century some    
white men1 landing on the ,south        
,african coast1 found that on one side  
rose a great mass of rock1 over three   
thousand feet in height1 with its top   
marking a level line more than a mile in
 length on the sky4  ,this grand        
mountain was flanked at either end with 
peaks less lofty1 which were supported  
by buttresses projecting towards the    
shore4  ,the recess was a capacious     
valley1 down the center of which flowed 

a stream of clear sweet water4 ,the     
valley seemed to be without people1 but 
after a while some ,hottentots made     
their appearance2 and from them a cow   
and two sheep were purchased4  ,the     
commander of the white men climbed to   
the top of the rock to which he gave the
 name of ,table ,mountain4  ,the bay in 
which he had anchored his little fleet  
is the so-called ,table ,bay4  ,the     
general conformation of the country is  
such that there are no navigable rivers4
 ,the streams1 even the very largest of 
them1 are all of the nature of mountain 
torrents1 obstructed with rapids and    
falls1 and varying in volume with rain  
and drought4  ,there is an utter absence
 of secure harbors on the coast1 except 
in positions where they could be of     
little service in the early days of     
exploration4 ,in addition to all this1 a
 very large portion of the land along   
the eastern seaboard1 as well as of the 
interior plains1 is so dry that it could
 be traversed only by degrees1 as its   

slender resources became known4  ,though
 the ,portuguese fleets to and from     
,india doubled the ,cape each year1 yet 
they seldom put in at any point south of
 ,sofala1 so unenviable a reputation did
 the natives of ,south ,africa bear4    
,in the course of time ,english1 ,dutch1
 and ,french ships followed in the wake 
of the ,portuguese fleets2 but it was   
not till near the close of the sixteenth
 century that the ,english flag was     
displayed for the first time on ,south  
,african soil4  ,early in the           
seventeenth century1 ,table ,bay became 
a port for the purchase of cattle and   
provisions from the natives4  ,just     
about the time the ,english flag was    
floating over ,south ,africa1--near the 
close of the sixteenth century1--the    
people of the northern ,netherland      
provinces were struggling bravely       
against ,spanish rule4 ,these same      
people were destined to found the first 
,european settlement upon the ,south    
,african coast4  ,the northern          

,netherland provinces soon became united
 as a free republic1 and ranked among   
the greatest commercial powers of the   
world4  ,two great companies1 the       
,english ,east ,india and the ,dutch    
,east ,india1 were instrumental in      
locating stations along the ,south      
,african coast4  ,in #afbj1 two ,english
 sea captains made an inspection of     
,table ,bay1 and proclaimed the         
adjoining country to be under the rule  
of ,king ,james2 but this proclamation  
was never ratified4 ,it is true that    
,english ships called at ,table ,bay1   
but the island of ,st4 ,helena was the  
usual port4  ,the ,dutch fleets were in 
the habit of putting into ,table ,bay   
for fresh water1 to give the crews an   
opportunity to go on shore1 to catch    
fish1 and to obtain news from the places
 to which they were bound4 ,it was the  
custom to bury letters on the shore and 
to mark the places of deposit by        
conspicuous stones4 ,one can imagine    
that ,captain ,kidd's treasure was never

 more eagerly sought for than these     
buried letters4  ,parties of ,dutch seal
 hunters and whale fishers often        
occupied ,table ,valley4  ,near the     
middle of the seventeenth century1 the  
ship ,haarlem of the ,east ,india       
,company was wrecked off the ,blueberg  
coast4 ,the crew succeeded in saving    
themselves1 their own effects1 and the  
ship's cargo4 ,after everything was     
secured against the elements1 a guard   
was left in charge of the stores1 while 
the sailors removed to ,table ,valley4  
,somewhere near the center of the       
present ,cape ,town they built huts in  
the vicinity of a stream of fresh water1
 and threw up an embankment of earth    
around them4  ,as the rainy season was  
now close at hand1 they planted some    
seeds they had saved1 and soon had a    
garden which furnished an abundance of  
fresh vegetables4 ,intercourse with the 
natives was most friendly1 and meat was 
often obtained in barter from them4     
,taken all in all1 the experience of    

this shipwrecked crew gave the          
impression that ,south ,africa was a    
productive and fruitful land4 ,six      
months later1 a returning fleet rescued 
the sailors and took them back to       
,england4  ,illustration3 ,,cape ,,town 
,,and ,,table ,,bay4  ,two of the       
officers of the rescued crew1 upon their
 arrival in their home at the           
,netherlands1 set forth the advantages  
to be derived from the establishment of 
a station in ,table ,valley4  ,a year   
later three vessels set sail from       
,texel1 not for the purpose of carrying 
passengers to ,south ,africa to found a 
colony1 but to establish a refreshment  
station for the fleets on their way to  
and from eastern seas4  ,in #afeb1 the  
little fleet from the ,netherlands      
reached the coast1 and proceeded to form
 such a station at ,table ,valley1 under
 the auspices of the ,dutch ,east ,india
 ,company4  ,the only permanent         
inhabitants at the ,cape were a few     
,hottentots4 ,these subsisted chiefly on

 shellfish4 ,the little band of settlers
 found much discomfort from the winter  
rains4 ,the tents and wooden structures 
leaked badly1 and many of the members   
became ill and died4  ,when these rains 
ceased1 however1 a change for the better
 came4 ,grass began to grow and every   
sort of edible plant4 ,ground was dug   
up1 seeds planted1 and soon luxuriant   
vegetable gardens gladdened the eye and 
the palate4 ,reeds1 to thatch the       
houses1 were obtained1 and thus their   
roofs were made secure from the rainy   
season4  ,the pleasantest weather in    
,south ,africa is immediately after what
 are termed the winter rains4 ,just at  
the close of this season a clan of      
,hottentots came to the ,cape peninsula4
 ,they drove before them great herds of 
horned cattle and flocks of sheep in    
search of fresh pasturage4 ,though      
always suspicious of each other1 this   
clan and the ,europeans maintained the  
pleasantest relations during the three  
months of their stay at the peninsula4  

,during that time the commander of the  
station secured in barter more than two 
hundred head of cattle and nearly six   
hundred sheep4  ,at the end of the first
 year1 the station was well established 
and prosperous4 ,a garden had been      
planted1 a system of irrigation         
introduced sufficiently great to water  
the whole extent of cultivated ground1  
some acres in all4 ,a hospital1 plain   
but substantial1 with earthen walls and 
thatched roof1 and large enough to give 
accommodations to two or three hundred  
men1 had been built2 while a cattle     
trade had been opened with another      
friendly clan that had visited the      
peninsula4  ,the second winter was not  
very eventful4 ,true1 some building was 
done1 oxen were trained to draw timber  
from the forests behind ,devil's ,peak1 
and much new ground was broken up4      
,wild animals gave more trouble than    
anything else4 ,the lions were so bold  
that they invaded the cattle pens by    
night1 though armed men were always     

watching them2 and leopards came down   
from the mountains in broad daylight and
 carried away sheep under the very eyes 
of the herdsmen4  ,one morning before   
daybreak there was a great noise in the 
poultry pens1 and when the guards went  
to see what was the matter1 they found  
that all the ducks and geese had been   
killed by wildcats4 ,the country        
appeared to be swarming with ravenous   
beasts of different kinds4  ,the        
,europeans had been settled in ,table   
,valley about a year and a half1 when   
they had their first difficulty with the
 ,hottentots4 ,the treacherous natives1 
one ,sunday1 while the settlers were    
holding church1 killed the little white 
herdsman of the settlement and ran away 
with almost the entire herd of cattle4  
,this was a sad blow4 ,the fort needed  
to be strengthened by palisades made    
from the timber cut in the forests back 
of ,devil's ,peak4 ,the working oxen    
were gone1 and all timber had to be     
carried on the shoulders of the         

settlers4 ,then1 too1 the clans that had
 supplied the settlers with meat deemed 
it wise to remain at a distance1 and the
 loss of this article of food was keenly
 felt4  ,after a few months1 quiet and  
apparent peace were restored4 ,during   
the next few years1 exploring parties   
were sent out to learn of the physical  
features of the neighboring country1 and
 to make the acquaintance of            
well-disposed ,hottentot clans4  ,during
 these years1 nearly every garden plant 
native to ,europe or ,india was grown at
 the ,cape4 ,potatoes and maize1        
however1 had not yet been introduced4   
,the oak and the fir tree1 various kinds
 of fruit trees1 varieties of vines from
 ,france and ,south ,germany1           
strawberries and blackberries1 were all 
in a thriving condition4 ,horses had    
been introduced from ,java1 and pigs and
 sheep1 together with dogs1 rabbits1 and
 poultry1 from ,europe4  ,in ,february1 
#afeg1 the first real colony was        
established along the ,liesbeek ,river1 

at ,rondebosch1 by nine of the          
,company's servants1 who obtained their 
discharges and had small lots of land   
allotted to them4 ,in this manner the   
colonization of ,south ,africa was      
begun4  ,in #afeh negro slaves were     
introduced4 ,this was a great mistake on
 the part of the colonists4 ,in this    
move they but followed the example of   
all colonizing nations1 who made of the 
negro merely a hewer of wood and a      
drawer of water4 ,no doubt1 the cause of
 all the subsequent troubles of the     
,dutch settlers with ,england was due to
 the establishment of a system of       
slavery4  ,many of the first slaves were
 taken from a ,portuguese slaver which  
had been captured at sea4 ,not long     
after1 quite a number of slaves were    
brought by the vessels of the ,company  
from the coast of ,guinea4 ,a few of    
these were sold to the burghers1 but    
most of them were maintained by the     
government and employed at all kinds of 
rough labor4  ,in addition to negroes1  

the ,east ,india ,company began the     
introduction of ,asiatics into the      
settlement4 ,they were chiefly natives  
of ,malacca1 ,java1 and the ,spice      
,islands4 ,these people were1 for the   
most part1 criminals banished to slavery
 for life or for a term of years by the 
court of justice at ,batavia4 ,south    
,africa was chosen as their place of    
banishment4 ,these men were far more    
intelligent than the natives of ,guinea 
or ,mozambique4 ,many of them were      
employed by the settlers as masons1     
harness makers1 coopers1 and tailors4   
,later1 ,south ,africa was made a place 
of banishment for political prisoners of
 high rank from ,india4 ,these prisoners
 were often accompanied by their        
families4 ,many of them had numerous    
attendants1 both male and female4  ,it  
was thus that the colony at the ,cape   
was settled by three distinct varieties 
of the human family1 and really peopled 
by four varieties1 for we must include  
the native ,hottentots4  ,europeans1    

negroes1 and the ,javanese represented  
the original settlers1 but various mixed
 races of every color soon populated the
 colony4 ,hence1 it is doubtful if      
anywhere else in ,africa could a greater
 diversity of hue and of features be    
found than in the ,cape peninsula4      
,there are now five distinct governments
 represented in ,south ,africa in the   
following divisions of territory3 ,cape 
,colony1 ,natal1 and ,british           
,kaffraria1--all ,british possessions2  
the ,south ,african ,republic1 and the  
,orange ,free ,state1--both independent 
republics4 ,of these divisions ,cape    
,colony and the ,south ,african         
,republic1 formerly known as the        
,transvaal1 are the most interesting4   
,in addition to these divisions there   
are various dependencies1 as ,british   
,bechuanaland1 the ,british             
,protectorate1 the ,german              
,protectorate1 the ,british ,chartered  
,company ,territory1 the ,portuguese    
,possessions1 and ,swaziland4           

,,chapter ,,xxxiii4  ,,natives ,,of     
,,south ,,africa4   ,the aborigines of  
,south ,africa have been described as   
savages of a very degraded type4 ,they  
were pigmies in size1 yellowish-brown in
 color1 hollow-backed1 and with skins so
 loose that in times of famine their    
bodies were covered with wrinkles and   
flaps4 ,on their heads were rows of     
little tufts of wiry hair hardly larger 
than peppercorns1 and leaving the       
greater portion of the surface bald4    
,their faces were broad in a line with  
the eyes1 their cheeks were hollow1 and 
they had flat noses1 thick lips1 and    
receding chins4 ,they anointed their    
bodies with grease when any was         
obtainable1 and then painted themselves 
with soot or colored clay4  ,the        
clothing of the males was the skin of an
 animal hung loosely over the shoulders2
 that of the females was little more    
than a small leathern apron4 ,to the eye
 of a ,european1 no people in any part  
of the world were more unattractive4    

,these savages were thinly scattered    
over every part of the country from a   
very remote period2 for implements1 such
 as arrowheads and perforated stones    
similar to those which they had in use  
when white men first met them1 have been
 found in positions where the overlying 
materials must have been undisturbed for
 an incalculable time4  ,such were the  
,bushmen1 as the ,europeans have named  
these pigmies4 ,they had no domestic    
animal but the dog1 and they made no    
effort to cultivate the soil4 ,they     
lived by the chase and upon wild plants1
 honey1 locusts1 and carrion4  ,they had
 no government other than parental4     
,this they ceased to acknowledge when   
able to care for themselves4 ,they had  
feeble frames1 wholly unfitted for toil1
 yet they possessed very keen vision and
 could detect objects at a great        
distance4 ,they were fleet of foot1 and 
could endure great hardships in the     
chase4 ,their only weapon was a frail   
bow4 ,the arrowhead was coated with a   

poison so deadly that even the slightest
 wound was mortal4  ,in addition to the 
,bushmen1 the first settlers on ,south  
,african soil found a people much       
superior4 ,they belonged to the race now
 known as the ,hottentots1 and must have
 occupied the soil long before the      
advent of the white man4 ,several points
 of resemblance can be traced between   
these two peoples1 yet there are many   
essential differences in the shape of   
the head and face2 for instance1 the ear
 of the ,bushman is lobeless1 a marked  
contrast to that of the ,hottentot4     
,the ,bushmen and ,hottentots were      
constantly at war with each other4 ,the 
,hottentots lived in communities1 each  
with its own chief4 ,they depended      
mainly upon the milk of cows and ewes   
for food2 for they did not practice     
agriculture4 ,they had horned cattle1   
gaunt and bony1 and sheep covered with  
hair in place of wool4 ,these sheep had 
fatty tails of great weight4 ,with the  
exception of the dog1 these were the    

only domestic animals4 ,the men lived in
 indolence2 their only occupation was   
moving from place to place with their   
herds and flocks1 as pasturage failed4  
,if the supply of milk became short1 the
 women gathered bulbs and roots of      
nutritious properties to eke out an     
existence4 ,these people slept in huts1 
which consisted of slender wooden frames
 covered over with matting1 and which   
could be easily taken down at a moment's
 notice1 and set up again on a new      
camping ground almost as quickly as     
tents4  ,such were the people with whom 
,europeans had to deal1 when the first  
settlements were made in ,south ,africa4
 ,there was another branch of the human 
family that began to invade ,south      
,africa even before it was settled by   
the white man4 ,it formed a part of the 
great ,bantu family1 which occupies all 
of ,central ,africa extending from the  
,atlantic to the ,indian ,ocean4  ,they 
were a stalwart people1 versed in       
agriculture and working in metal4 ,they 

had a strict government and a           
well-defined system of law4 ,they were a
 people of mixed ancestry1 doubtless2   
some individuals displaying all the     
physical features and mental            
peculiarities of the negro1 others      
showing marked ,asiatic features and the
 quick mental powers of a superior race4
 ,the ,bantu tribes were healthy and    
vigorous1 but they were rarely at peace4
  ,the three classes of people who      
occupied ,south ,africa before its      
settlement by the white man enjoyed the 
lives they were leading quite as much as
 ,europeans enjoy their lives1 though   
their pleasures were of a lower kind4   
,given freedom from disease and a slain 
antelope1 and there could be no merrier 
creature than a ,bushman4 ,he was       
absolutely devoid of harassing cares4   
,a ,hottentot kraal1 in the clear       
moonlight of ,africa1 with men1 women1  
and children dancing to the music of    
reeds1 was a scene of the highest       
hilarity4  ,the ,bantu woman1 tending   

her garden by day and preparing food in 
the evening1 which she may not partake  
of herself until her husband and his    
friends have eaten1 is regarded as an   
unhappy drudge by her ,european sister4 
,in her own opinion her lot is far more 
enviable than that of the white woman1  
whom she regards as being always in a   
state of anxiety4  ,as with most of the 
tribes of ,africa1 the chief element of 
disturbance in their lives was war4 ,the
 hand of the ,bushman was usually       
against every man1 and every man's hand 
was against him4 ,the ,hottentot tribes 
were constantly robbing one another of  
cattle1 and on their eastern border were
 struggling in vain against the         
advancing ,bantu4 ,most of the time     
every ,bantu clan was at war with its   
nearest neighbors1 whoever these might  
be4  ,various reasons have been given   
for the origin of the term ,hottentot4  
,one writer declares1 and doubtless he  
is correct1 that the name arose from the
 peculiarity of the language spoken by  

this people4 ,it is much broken1 full of
 monosyllables1 uttered with strong     
aspirations from the chest1 and a       
guttural articulation which it is       
difficult to acquire4  ,in conclusion he
 says1 ,it is as if one heard nothing   
from them but hot and tot4 ,a peculiar  
sound1 called the click1 is made in     
pronouncing words4 ,this is done by     
pressing the tongue up against the      
palate and suddenly removing it4  ,all  
early records of the ,dutch settlers    
praise the good traits of the           
,hottentots4 ,the tribes were all       
distinguished by the title good men4    
,one writer states that during the first
 fifty years of the colony not a single 
instance of theft from the colonists was
 known4  ,later1 a waistcoat decorated  
with silver buttons was stolen4 ,this   
was hard to conceal1 and was soon       
discovered in the possession of a       
,hottentot who belonged on a kraal a    
short distance from ,cape ,town4  ,the  
thief was no sooner discovered by his   

fellows than he was taken by them to    
town and delivered into the hands of the
 magistrates4 ,so great a disgrace did  
they deem his offense1 that they        
demanded that he be punished in order to
 wipe out the stain of his evil deed4   
,nor was their sense of justice         
satisfied even when he had received a   
severe flogging1 for they banished him  
from his clan as unworthy to associate  
with it4  ,it is sad to relate that the 
injuries inflicted on the ,hottentots by
 the colonists have had a very bad      
influence upon their characters4 ,in the
 past one hundred and fifty years they  
have1 like the red man1 been driven from
 the lands of their forefathers1 and    
have lost the sturdy independence of    
which they had reason to be proud4  ,the
 ,hottentots1 before subjugation1       
usually arranged their encampment about 
a kraal1 or cattle fold1 in the shape of
 a half-moon4 ,the encampment consisted 
of the cabins1 or huts1 which1 with     
their covering of mats1 looked more like

 overturned baskets than dwelling       
places4 ,if possible1 the encampment    
ground was chosen so that a hedge of    
thorn completed the circle of which the 
huts formed a part4 ,thus were the      
natives and their cattle secure against 
the wild beasts prowling around the     
camp4  ,in sections where lions were    
numerous1 the natives built a curious   
kind of house1 or cabin1 on the top of  
poles or branches1 sometimes ten or     
twelve feet above the ground4 ,this was 
to protect the children1 who soon       
learned to climb the poles to their airy
 cabins and to feel secure from harm4   
,the ,hottentots have a curious manner  
of drinking water4 ,it is thrown into   
the mouth by means of the right hand1   
which is seldom brought nearer than a   
foot's length from the mouth4 ,so       
quickly and dexterously is this done    
that thirst is soon quenched4  ,the     
,hottentots are very skillful in        
breaking in their oxen for riding       
purposes4 ,this they do when the animals

 are about a year old4 ,they first      
pierce the nose to receive the bridle4  
,this is done by making a slit through  
the cartilage between the nostrils4     
,this slit is large enough to admit a   
finger4 ,into this hole a long stick    
from which the bark has been stripped is
 thrust4 ,at one end of the stick is a  
forked branch4 ,this is to prevent its  
passing through4 ,to each end is then   
fastened a thong of hide long enough to 
reach around the neck4 ,these thongs    
serve as reins4 ,a sheep skin on which  
the wool still remains is placed across 
the back of the animal4 ,another is     
folded and bound on with a rein long    
enough to pass around the body several  
times4 ,this serves for a saddle4       
,sometimes a pair of stirrups is added4 
,these consist merely of a thong with a 
loop at each end1 slung across the      
saddle4 ,very often these loops are     
distended by a piece of wood to form an 
easier rest for the foot4  ,before the  
nose of the animal has healed1 the      

,hottentot mounts him and puts him in   
training4 ,in a week or two he becomes  
very obedient to his master4 ,the       
facility and adroitness with which the  
,hottentots manage the ox has often     
excited the traveler's admiration2 it is
 made to walk1 trot1 or gallop1 at the  
will of its master4  ,being longer      
legged and rather more lightly made than
 the ,english ox1 it travels with       
greater ease and speed1 walking three or
 four miles in an hour1 trotting five1  
and1 on an emergency1 galloping seven or
 eight4  ,the ox in ,south ,africa seems
 little inferior to that most sagacious 
of all quadrupeds1 the dog4 ,among the  
,hottentots these animals are their     
domestics1 and the companions of their  
pleasures and fatigues4 ,while the sheep
 are grazing1 the faithful backley1 as  
this kind of ox is called1 stands and   
grazes beside them4 ,still attentive1   
however1 to the looks of its master1 the
 backley flies round the field1 obliges 
the flocks of sheep that are straying to

 keep within proper limits1 and shows no
 mercy to robbers who attempt to        
plunder1 nor even to strangers who come 
near4  ,it is not the plunderers of the 
flock alone1 but even the enemies of the
 nation1 that these oxen are taught to  
combat4 ,every army of ,hottentots was  
furnished with a proper herd of these   
creatures1 which were let loose against 
the foe4 ,thus sent forward1 they       
overturned all before them1 and often   
procured their masters1 even before they
 had struck a blow1 an easy victory4    
,if a driver loses one of his oxen1 he  
shows much patience and perseverance in 
searching for it1 even though suffering 
from the oppressive heat of the sun4 ,he
 will continue the search for days1     
scanning the ground carefully for       
footprints1 until he comes upon the     
track of the wanderer4 ,regardless then 
of fatigue1 hunger1 or thirst1 he       
presses on until the lost has been      
found4     ,,chapter ,,xxxiv4  ,a ,,view
 ,,of ,,cape ,,colony4   ,the original  

colony was settled by the ,dutch as     
early as the middle of the seventeenth  
century4 ,near the beginning of the     
nineteenth century it passed into the   
hands of the ,british4 ,the laws1       
customs1 and names of places remained   
essentially ,dutch1 and the language    
spoken is1 to a great extent1 that of   
the first settlers4  ,the old colony    
comprised the section that occupies the 
most southern part of the continent of  
,africa1 and borders the ,atlantic and  
,indian ,ocean on either side4          
,griqualand ,west has been so recently  
received into the family of ,cape       
provinces that it is hardly as yet      
recognized as being included in the     
colony4  ,the physical features of the  
country are peculiar4 ,though           
intersected by many rivers1 yet the     
,cape is1 practically speaking1 a dry   
country4 ,none of the rivers are        
navigable1 and the rainfall is scant and
 fitful over a large part of the colony4
  ,generally speaking1 the climate of   

the country is temperate4 ,in most of   
the hot valleys1 however1 the           
temperature is ovenlike in summer4 ,we  
must not forget that the summer season  
at the ,cape occurs during our winter4  
,on the higher grounds the average      
temperature in the warmest months equals
 that of ,italy4 ,in winter the         
temperature often falls below the       
freezing point4 ,then the air is clear1 
fresh1 and invigorating4  ,fevers and   
epidemics--scourges of most of the      
sections of ,africa--are here unknown4  
,on the east coast and in the extreme   
south there is an abundant fall of rain4
 ,the province of ,natal is especially  
fortunate in this respect4  ,in the     
interior of the colony there is less    
rainfall1 while in the vicinity of the  
,orange ,river there are only a few     
light showers4 ,it has been asserted    
that towards the mouth of the river     
there have been periods when no rain has
 fallen for many years4  ,one writer    
records the curious fact that the       

westerly winds which prevail in the     
winter season1 from ,april to ,october1 
bring rain to the southeast maritime    
regions1 while on the eastern coast the 
rainy season is in the summer1 from     
,september to ,april4  ,the highest     
mountain ranges are covered with snow   
for several months4 ,in the inland      
sections frequent thunderstorms occur2  
these bring brief but copious falls of  
rain4  ,if we should start from the     
southern portion of the ,cape and travel
 northward1 we should find the country  
rising in a series of terraces4 ,these  
finally culminate in what is known as   
,spitz ,kop1 or ,compass ,mountain4     
,from this elevation1 eight thousand    
five hundred feet above the sea1 the    
country gradually declines to the       
,orange ,river4  ,these terraces1 on    
their outer edges1 resemble mountain    
ranges4 ,they run in a direction from   
east to west1 or1 as one writer has     
described them1 parallel to the coast   
and to each other4  ,the outer1 or the  

seaboard slopes of the ridges1          
constitute the best parts of the colony4
 ,they are for the most part thickly    
inhabited4 ,the chief towns and villages
 are located here1 and the fields of    
grain1 the vineyards and orchards1 and  
the tobacco plantations have given the  
country a well-deserved fame and        
reputation4  ,the narrow mountain gorges
 serve as passageways from one terrace  
to another4 ,they bear the name of      
kloofs4 ,their sides are the only passes
 into the interior4 ,it is believed that
 the mountain torrents1 which flow      
during certain seasons of the year1 have
 worn deep valleys in their sides1 and  
thus occasioned these kloofs1 or        
mountain passes4  ,beyond the           
,zwartebergen1 or the ,black ,mountain1 
is the great grazing district of ,cape  
,colony4 ,it consists of vast undulating
 plains1 and is known as the ,great     
,karroo4  ,no trees are found upon the  
,great ,karroo1 and but very few shrubs4
 ,as soon as the wet season begins1     

however1 this great district is covered 
with rich verdure and a profusion of    
flowers4 ,then the flocks of sheep enjoy
 all the luxuriance of a paradise of    
herbage1 which clothes field1 valley1   
and hillside alike4  ,it is at this     
season that the ,great ,karroo seems    
like a beautiful garden4 ,one can       
scarcely believe the testimony of those 
who1 having visited it a few days before
 the wet season begins1 describe it as a
 bare1 barren1 brown waste4  ,during the
 summer months this region is dry and   
dreary in its character4 ,little or no  
running water is to be found1 and only  
after a thundershower are the pools     
filled4 ,for a brief season then the    
beds of the streams have running water4 
,they soon run dry1 and only by digging 
deep down in their beds can a scant     
amount of brackish water be obtained to 
supply both man and beast until the     
rainy season begins4  ,snow rarely falls
 upon the coast of ,cape ,colony1 and   
when it does1 it remains but a short    

time4  ,the most prominent object seen  
from ,cape ,town is ,table ,mountain1   
which rises to a height of over         
thirty-five hundred feet4 ,the summit is
 sometimes covered with a sprinkling of 
white1 but almost before the people at  
,cape ,town have had time to notice its 
novel dress1 it presents again its      
wonted aspect4  ,cape ,colony is by no  
means the flat1 undulating country that 
many writers would erroneously lead us  
to believe4 ,on the contrary1 it is a   
wildly picturesque region1 with         
mountainous sections1 even1 to diversify
 its character4 ,interspersed among bold
 mountain ridges we find light upland   
tracts and broad elevated plains4       
,while1 coursing through the rugged     
mountain gorges1 the drainage of the    
country finds a path to the ,indian or  
,atlantic ,ocean1 and even north to the 
,orange ,river1 and is eventually       
discharged on the barren northwestern   
coast4 ,cape ,colony can boast1 even    
within the limits of the sections       

longest settled by the white man1 some  
of the most picturesque scenery in the  
world4 ,hill and valley1 barren plain   
and rich woodland1 alternate to add     
beauty to the landscape4  ,the rivers of
 ,cape ,colony vary as to their extent4 
,the ,orange ,river1 though the largest1
 is so broken up by the various         
cataracts as to be unsuitable for       
navigation4 ,this is true of many of the
 other rivers4 ,a very few of them can  
be sailed on for a short distance for   
pleasure1 but so short as to be         
impractical for navigation or transit4  
,the general appearance of ,cape        
,colony1 like that of the whole of the  
,south ,african region1 is dry4 ,during 
the rainy season the orchids and        
different bulbous plants give to the    
ground the appearance of a gayly        
flowered carpet4 ,the many varieties of 
heath1 for which the ,cape is noted1    
lend a most beautiful character to small
 patches of territory4  ,the objects    
which are most striking to the traveler 

are1 however1 the thorny shrubs4 ,these 
not only manifest themselves to his     
sight1 but to his sense of feeling1 as  
they come in contact with his skin4     
,mingled with these shrubs are various  
cactuslike plants4 ,these are quite     
characteristic of a country where the   
vegetation must store up moisture during
 the abundance of the rainy season for  
the drought of the dry season4  ,wheat  
is grown in the richer sections1        
together with maize1 oats1 barley1      
millet1 and ,kaffir corn4 ,rye is raised
 in some sections1 and rice grows well  
in some of the best undulated districts4
 ,tobacco is grown in many sections1 and
 cotton has been introduced as an       
experiment4  ,the ,cape still continues 
to be1 to some extent1 a hunting ground4
 ,in the early days of the colony vast  
herds of many varieties of the antelope 
family1 lions1 giraffes1 rhinoceroses1  
leopards1 hyenas1 and jackals1 roamed   
over it4 ,now the hunter must seek his  
game far to the north of the ,orange    

,river4  ,ostriches were once common1   
but are now few4 ,most of the feathers  
of these birds are obtained from beyond 
the borders of the colony1 or from tame 
ones kept on farms and reared from eggs 
heated artificially4 ,the rearing of    
ostriches has now become a recognized   
industry in the ,cape4  ,many species of
 venomous snakes are common4            
,troublesome insects are not so common  
here as in other parts of ,africa4  ,the
 chief industry of the colony is wool   
raising4 ,it has been estimated that    
there are fifteen million sheep         
throughout the colony4 ,many of them are
 of the ,merino breed4 ,these are       
rapidly displacing the big-tailed sheep 
raised by the early ,dutch settlers4    
,the ,angora goat is kept quite         
extensively for the sake of its long    
silky hair4 ,cattle of the finest       
description are found in every part of  
the country1 the better varieties having
 displaced those owned by the natives   
and early settlers4  ,among the         

commonest sights at the colony are the  
long lines of wagons1 which lumber      
slowly over the roads4 ,these are drawn 
by six1 eight1 or even ten yokes of     
oxen1 which subsist upon such scanty    
herbage as they can find along the road4
 ,coaches are common1 and the many      
railways now form a network across the  
colony4 ,the latter1 valuable as they   
are for the utility of the country1 can 
never rival the picturesqueness of the  
typical ,cape wagon1 which1 doubtless1  
for many years will continue to be the  
most characteristic mode of ,south      
,african travel4  ,the history of ,cape 
,colony is one of many vicissitudes4    
,the various ,kaffir wars1 nine in all1 
together with the five seasons of       
warfare with the ,basuto tribes1 were   
enough to paralyze and cripple the      
energies of any government4 ,the        
peculiar characteristics of the ,dutch  
settlers were not always pleasing to    
,great ,britain1 and she had occasion   
many times to exercise her power in     

sections to which she could lay any     
possible claim4 ,now1 however1 that the 
management of their own affairs has     
passed into the hands of the ,dutch     
settlers1 ,cape ,colony has made great  
progress towards good government and    
prosperity4  ,the chief industries still
 continue to be pastoral and            
agricultural4 ,in the vicinity of the   
,great ,karroo grazing plains1          
agriculture can be carried on only where
 there is running water4 ,consequently1 
much labor has been expended in making  
reservoirs1 the waters of which irrigate
 the gardens and orchards4 ,the sinking 
of artesian wells has recently been     
attempted1 and has proved a successful  
experiment4  ,in the districts which    
adjoin the eastern border1 and on the   
first and second terraces from the      
southern coast1 where the rainfall is   
sufficient for all purposes of          
agriculture and cattle raising1 both    
pursuits are followed4 ,while wheat and 
maize form the principal crops1 oats are

 raised extensively for horses1 and     
almost every variety of vegetable and   
fruit is grown in abundance4  ,in this  
portion of the colony1 namely the       
southwestern corner1 which was founded  
as early as the seventeenth century1 the
 vine1 as well as wheat1 is largely     
cultivated4  ,in the middle of the      
present century1 rich copper mines were 
opened in that portion called           
,namaqualand4 ,this part of the colony  
had long been regarded as the least     
valuable of any of the provinces4  ,to  
quote from ,theal's ,south ,africa1 in  
the ,the ,story of the ,nations series3 
,it is impossible to give the value of  
the purely colonial products1 but the   
quantity from the whole of ,south       
,africa exported in the year that ended 
on the #cjth of ,june1 #ahic1 was valued
 at a little over thirteen and a half   
million pounds sterling1 of which twelve
 and a quarter million passed through   
the ports of ,cape ,colony1 and one     
million and a quarter through ,durban1  

,natal4  ,this same writer tells us3 ,of
 the items that made up this amount gold
 was first1 being valued at four        
millions and a half1 and diamonds came  
next1 being valued at nearly four       
millions4 ,the copper ore exported was  
worth over a quarter of a million1 and  
the coal over fifty thousand pounds4    
,these figures1 representing nearly     
two-thirds of the total exports1 show   
the importance of the mining industry of
 ,south ,africa1 and it must be         
remembered that this industry is only in
 its infancy4  ,among the other exports 
may be mentioned wool1 ,angora hair1    
hides1 skins1 horns1 and ostrich        
feathers4 ,these have been increased in 
value about tenfold since #ahej4        
,nearly everything in the way of        
agricultural products is required for   
home use4 ,some fruits and grains are1  
however1 sent out of the country4 ,among
 the agricultural products that find a  
foreign market may be named aloes1 bark 
for tanning purposes from ,natal1 and   

dried flowers from ,cape ,colony4 ,the  
fisheries1 too1 not only supply enormous
 quantities of food for home            
consumption1 but also export largely to 
,mauritius4 ,natal furnishes also great 
quantities of sugar4  ,it is interesting
 to learn that the supply of fish which 
the harbor of ,cape ,town affords is    
apparently inexhaustible4 ,not only is  
there a great variety of species1 but   
there are several that are very         
wholesome and of a fine flavor4  ,the   
,cape salmon1 in size and appearance    
somewhat resembling that of ,britain1   
and the snook1 a voracious marine pike1 
are both very abundant4 ,after an       
excursion of a few hours1 boats often   
return laden with these fish1 which are 
sold very cheap1 and form the principal 
food of the colored population4 ,at the 
west end of ,cape ,town1 fish may be    
seen suspended on long lines1 as clothes
 are with us1 that they may be dried2   
and vast quantities are salted for      
exportation1 ,mauritius being the       

principal market4  ,fishing for snook is
 a source of amusement4 ,they may be    
caught while the boat is in motion1 by  
trailing a leaded hook astern1 with some
 white streamers of rag attached1 or    
when at anchor1 by alternately throwing 
the bait to a distance and drawing it   
quickly back4 ,penguins1 ,cape pigeons1 
albatross1 and some kinds of sea gull1  
surround the boat1 while flocks of      
gannets and cormorants fly around the   
fishermen4  ,the ,cape pigeons are an   
interesting feature about ,cape ,colony4
 ,they seem to welcome the arrival of   
each ship in the harbor1 and to take    
delight in the sight of mankind about   
them4 ,after a storm1 and when the wind 
has subsided so that the surface of the 
ocean becomes calm1 these ,cape pigeons 
settle upon the water and swim gayly    
about1 like ducks in a pond1 and with as
 little fear1 apparently1 of any danger4
  ,it is no uncommon thing for the      
sailors on board ship to bait their     
hooks and catch these pigeons as they   

would fish4 ,it seems a cruel sport1 yet
 the rest of the crew will line the side
 of the ship and find amusement in      
watching what they call the fun with the
 poor creatures4  ,if caught and placed 
in a hen coop till morning1 they will1  
on being released1 stagger awkwardly    
about over the slippery deck2 for they  
are unable to take to the wing unless   
they can have some good starting point1 
as the edge of a ship's railing or the  
crest of a heaving wave4  ,in captivity1
 if kept alone1 they are peaceable2 but 
if not in solitary confinement they are 
very quarrelsome1 and fight continually4
  ,their powers of flight are somewhat  
remarkable4 ,when a ship is going at the
 rate of two hundred miles a day1 the   
,cape pigeon will hover around it1 sheer
 off or approach it1 and soar aloft or  
descend1 as if the vessel were          
absolutely stationary4 ,they really fly 
without much effort4  ,it is interesting
 to watch their flight2 for it seems to 
consist of a series of maneuvers1 as    

they fly1 now against the wind1 when    
they always ascend1 thus taking         
advantage of its force2 now before the  
wind1 when they descend1 that little    
exertion may be needed to keep them     
above water2 then1 whirling rapidly1    
like a hawk1 to exhaust their speed when
 wishing to check their rapid flight4   
,very different in character is the     
albatross1 one of the most conspicuous  
of the birds which follow the ships that
 plow the ocean4 ,when on the wing his  
appearance is very striking4 ,in solemn1
 even flight he soars along with        
outstretched pinions measuring from     
fifteen to eighteen feet between the    
tips4 ,scarcely seeming to stir1 he     
appears rather to float along in his    
course4  ,now and then1 with a slow     
flapping of his wings1 he mounts higher 
into the air2 but he seems to scorn the 
swift motion and animated flutter that  
characterize the movements of other     
birds4  ,like a specter1 he sails       
silently along almost close to you4 ,his

 still1 motionless form would seem      
devoid of life were it not that his     
keen1 piercing eye and an occasional    
quick turn of the head1 which gives him 
a sharp1 prying expression1 betray him4 
,but1 if you wish to see a complete     
transformation scene1 throw a piece of  
rusty pork overboard1 and the long1     
curiously crooked beak employs its      
enormous strength in a manner very      
suggestive of life and energy4  ,now and
 then the black petrel1 with its        
piercing eye1 darts across the ship's   
stern1 while the stormy petrel flutters 
just overhead1 yet beyond the reach of a
 gun4 ,truly1 the entrance to ,cape     
,colony is as novel as it is            
interesting1 and is filled with pleasant
 pictures4     ,,chapter ,,xxxv4        
,,annexations ,,to ,,cape ,,colony4     
,about the middle of the present century
 ,cape ,colony comprised all the land   
between the ,orange ,river on the north1
 the ,indian ,ocean on the south1 the   
,atlantic ,ocean on the west1 and       

,british ,kaffraria and the rivers      
,indwe and ,tees on the east4 ,during   
recent years the greater portion of the 
territory between the ,indwe and ,kei   
,rivers on one side1 and ,natal on the  
other1 has been annexed to ,cape        
,colony2 but in some respects it is     
still regarded as a dependency4  ,the   
annexed territory is described as a very
 beautiful and fertile tract of land4   
,it bears1 as we shall see1 a           
resemblance to ,natal4 ,the temperature 
along the coast is not1 however1 quite  
so high4  ,just below the ,drachenberg  
,mountains lies an elevated tract of    
country1 where the nights are extremely 
cold1 too cold1 in fact1 for the ,bantu 
tribes2 hence1 no tribes except the     
,bushmen have ever resided there        
permanently until within a short time4  
,there are fine forests on the lower    
terraces4 ,rain is abundant and the     
drainage perfect1 the rivers1 on account
 of their rapid fall1 speedily carrying 
off all superfluous moisture4 ,the      

climate is on this account exceedingly  
healthy1 though the grass is so rich and
 other vegetation so luxuriant that1 had
 the land been more nearly level1 fever 
would probably be common4  ,south       
,africa abounds in waterfalls1 of which 
the most celebrated are the great falls 
of the ,orange1 the ,tugela's leap of   
sixteen hundred feet over the face of   
the ,drachenberg1 and the fall of the   
,nmgeni1 a few miles from ,maritzburg2  
but the most imposing of all1 perhaps1  
is in the ,tsitsa in the annexed        
territory4  ,ordinarily this stream     
tumbles over the precipice in three or  
four rills1 but in times of flood a     
volume of water from four to five       
hundred feet wide drops nearly four     
hundred feet into a narrow chasm4       
,various sections have from time to time
 been annexed to ,cape ,colony4 ,these  
sections had become involved in native  
feuds and wars1 with such disastrous    
results that the chiefs gladly placed   
their lands under the protection of the 

,british rule4 ,thus1 in #ahgi1 eight   
districts were formally annexed4  ,along
 the coast of ,great ,namaqualand there 
are several small rocky islands upon    
which sea birds congregate in vast      
flocks2 and as there is but little rain 
in that region1 the guano is of         
considerable value4 ,these islands      
became dependencies of ,cape ,colony a  
good many years ago4 ,the men employed  
to gather the guano are their only      
inhabitants4  ,farther north on the same
 coast is ,walfish ,bay1 the only port  
through which access can be had to      
,great ,namaqualand and ,damaraland4    
,the country around it is a dreary waste
 of sand1 and a more uninviting spot can
 hardly be imagined4 ,it became a       
dependency of ,cape ,colony in #ahhd4   
,on this little strip of land some six  
or seven hundred ,hottentots of a very  
degraded type are living4 ,the only     
other inhabitants are the colonial      
magistrate1 with his staff of police1 a 
missionary family1 and a few traders and

 forwarders of goods into the interior4 
,basutoland1 which was annexed to ,cape 
,colony in #ahga1 contains at the       
present time about two hundred and      
twenty-five thousand ,bantu and six     
hundred ,europeans4 ,the white people   
consist of officials1 missionaries1 and 
traders4 ,none other are permitted to   
settle within its borders1 for by the   
annexation of the territory ,cape       
,colony became responsible for the      
welfare and good order of the land4     
,,chapter ,,xxxvi4  ,,another ,,view    
,,of ,,cape ,,colony4   ,cape ,colony   
has now a population of three hundred   
and sixty-six thousand ,europeans and   
seven hundred and fifty-five thousand   
colored people4 ,this does not include  
the people occupying the various annexed
 territories4 ,the colored population   
includes several native tribes1 more    
than half of which are ,bantu1 and      
various mixed races of ,asiatics1       
descendants of freed slaves and         
,hottentots4  ,the missionaries have    

been laboring for many years among the  
,bantu4 ,taken as a whole1 the results  
of their labors are discouraging1 though
 a portion of the people have made a    
considerable advance in civilization4   
,great efforts have been made to give   
them a good education4  ,the system of  
public schools is excellent4 ,those of  
the first and second class are attended 
almost exclusively by white children4   
,there are several colleges where the   
higher branches of education are taught1
 and many private schools of excellent  
standing are maintained by the various  
religious societies4 ,there is also a   
university1 but with rather limited     
advantages4 ,the towns and villages are 
well supplied with public libraries2    
these are aided by the government4      
,there is scarcely a town or a village  
that has not two or three churches1     
banks1 insurance offices1 newspaper     
printing offices1 and various benevolent
 institutions4  ,good roads have been   
made throughout the colony1 even in the 

wildest sections4 ,the rivers1 on the   
principal routes1 have been bridged4    
,scarcely a hamlet can be found that is 
not connected by postal service and     
telegraph wire with all parts of ,south 
,africa4  ,the railway lines form an    
important feature in the colony4 ,one   
from ,cape ,town passes through the     
,orange ,free ,state to ,pretoria in the
 ,south ,african ,republic1 while lines 
from ,cape ,elizabeth1 ,port ,alfred1   
and ,east ,london connect these ports   
with important towns in both of the     
above sections4 ,these lines were all   
constructed by the government1 under    
very liberal conditions and terms4      
,numerous improvements have been made in
 the harbors1 particularly in ,table    
,bay4 ,here1 a long time ago1 the beach1
 after winter storms1 was frequently    
strewn with the wrecks of costly fleets2
 now ships lie in a dock in perfect     
safety1 and are protected by a          
magnificent breakwater4  ,on the coast  
are many lighthouses1 which stand as    

sentinels to warn seamen of danger by   
night1 and the ancient terror of stormy 
seas off the ,cape of ,good ,hope has   
long since been forgotten4  ,the colony 
is connected with ,europe by two        
submarine cables2 so that everything of 
importance that occurs there one day is 
known in ,england through the newspapers
 on the next4 ,splendid steamships1     
carrying mails and passengers1 arrive   
from1 and leave for1 ,england weekly4   
,they make the run of six thousand miles
 in less than fifteen days2 and the     
passage is certainly one of the         
pleasantest in the world4  ,cape ,town1 
the capital of ,cape ,colony1 has a     
pleasant situation on the south side of 
,table ,bay4 ,it is a flourishing city  
of forty-five thousand inhabitants4 ,it 
has many fine buildings and pretty      
villas1 lighted by gas4  ,tramways and  
railways pour into it the rich          
agricultural products of the adjacent   
countries4 ,there is little1 indeed1 to 
remind the visitor that he is in a      

colonial capital founded1 and for a long
 time inhabited1 solely by ,dutch       
settlers4  ,cape ,town is1 in many      
respects1 very unlike any city seen in  
,europe4 ,no two houses can be found of 
the same size or architecture4 ,the     
finest stores and other buildings stand 
in close proximity to the humblest and  
poorest homes and shanties of galvanized
 iron4 ,here the shedlike shop of a     
grocer or provision dealer stands side  
by side with the almost palatial        
building which shelters the display of a
 wealthy jeweler4  ,here may be seen    
,kaffirs clothed in the rags of a       
uniform2 ,chinamen in their clean blue  
frocks2 lanky ,boers in brown           
velveteens1 with their wives in black   
gowns1 with thick black veils and huge  
poke bonnets2 merchants in gray silk    
coats and white hats2 officers in       
uniform2 ,parsee washerwomen2 ,moslem   
,malays1 all passing1 in a quick        
procession1 the hotel door4  ,hansoms   
and two-horse broughams are used here2  

and in the hotels accommodations can be 
obtained equal to anything found in     
towns of the same size in ,europe and   
,america4  ,cape ,town is the point of  
departure for two lines of railways4    
,the one line runs to ,worcester1 and is
 to be extended across the ,karroo2 the 
other ends in the center of the         
,constantia wine district4  ,the        
atmosphere of ,cape ,colony is so clear 
and dry that objects can be distinctly  
seen even at great distances4 ,the first
 object which attracts the attention of 
the traveler1 as he approaches the      
colony from the sea1 is ,table          
,mountain4 ,its massive walls rise to   
the height of thirty-five hundred feet4 
,the colonists look with interest upon  
,table ,mountain and watch the clouds as
 they assume fantastic shapes about and 
above it4 ,sometimes a snowy1 fleecy    
vapor seems to spread over its top4     
,this the colonists1 not                
inappropriately1 call the tablecloth4   
,when1 under the potent rays of the sun1

 this vapor disappears1 they say1 ,the  
tablecloth has been rolled up and put   
away for some other time4  ,here and    
there on some of the mountain spurs may 
be seen the remains of the blockhouses  
of the early colonial days4 ,these were 
stout structures erected by the early   
settlers to protect themselves from     
native tribes with whom they disputed   
the possession of the soil4 ,but let us 
return to the capital4  ,it is of       
interest to read that early in this     
century ,cape ,town contained only about
 one thousand houses4 ,it had a ,dutch  
castle1 a ,government ,house1 and a     
couple of churches1 together with a     
government slave pen2 for the colonists 
were strongly in favor of the sale of   
slaves4  ,the town of to-day presents   
strong contrasts to the old town4 ,the  
suburbs alone have an extent of some    
fourteen miles4  ,there are broad1 open 
streets lined with handsome modern      
buildings1 and various shops1 stores1   
and banks1 together with ,houses of     

,parliament1 an art museum1 and a       
university1 which give a prosperous and 
modern appearance to the town4  ,gas    
lights the town1 cabs rattle over the   
streets1 trams and railways are actively
 at work4 ,along the beach stretches a  
straggling line of buildings4 ,some of  
these are used for the drying of skins1 
the pressing of wool1 the curing of     
fish1 and boat building1 soap making1   
and other industries4  ,the ,botanical  
,gardens are kept in beautiful order4   
,they furnish not only a charming       
promenade for the people1 but serve as a
 nursery for young plants and trees4 ,on
 every side the town presents an        
appearance of thrift and industry4  ,a  
walk through the street offers many an  
attractive picture4 ,the gay and        
picturesque dress of the people must    
needs attract the eye of the stranger4  
,women with faces of every hue1 from    
tawny black to olive brown1 may be seen 
with their headdresses of gayly colored 
handkerchiefs1 while their shoulders are

 draped with others of still gayer hues1
 to lend a finish to the stiffly        
starched1 beflowered cotton gown of     
gorgeous coloring4  ,on every side      
sturdy1 healthy children romp about1    
laughing and displaying their glistening
 white teeth1 as they engage in their   
various sports4     ,,chapter ,,xxxvii4 
,,natal4   ,in all the world there is   
not a fairer country than the pleasant  
land of ,natal1 stretching in steps from
 the ,drachenberg1 which bounds it like 
a mighty wall1 downward to the shore of 
the ,indian ,ocean4 ,the coast belt is  
covered with subtropical vegetation1 for
 it is heated by the warm ,mozambique   
current1 which runs southward along it1 
and gives it a higher temperature than  
is due to its distance from the equator4
  ,each terrace1 as the traveler        
ascends1 is cooler than the one below1  
though it is nowhere cold4 ,it is a     
well-watered land4 ,numerous streams1   
issuing from the ,drachenberg and the   
fronts of the lower terraces1 rush along

 in deep gorges to the sea1 and carry   
off the super-abundant moisture1 so that
 it is also well drained4  ,its soil is 
rich1 its forests produce excellent     
timber1 and its grazing valleys resemble
 meadows4 ,its climate everywhere is    
healthy for ,europeans4  ,compared with 
,cape ,colony1 ,natal is of slight      
importance4 ,it is much smaller in size1
 having an area only about one half that
 of ,scotland4  ,one writer has         
described the country as spurs of wooded
 mountain and picturesque hills1 which  
slope down like the fingers of a hand   
from the higher cliff-like edge of the  
,drachenberg1 some eleven hundred feet  
high4  ,fertile valleys1 watered by     
steadily flowing rivers1 lie between    
these mountain fingers of the land2     
while between the coast and the         
mountains lie tracts of level           
grass-covered land1 or fertile          
undulating sections1 on which are       
pastured great herds of cattle1 sheep1  
and goats4  ,the climate of ,natal we   

may consider as semi-tropical4 ,it has a
 favorable position1 hence the summer   
heat is not excessive4 ,the winters are 
unusually pleasant4  ,probably no       
portion of ,south ,africa is so well    
watered as ,natal4 ,as many as          
twenty-three rivers flow through the    
country and enter the ,indian ,ocean4   
,owing to the mountainous nature of the 
country1 none of these rivers are       
navigable4  ,in many places the scenery 
is very picturesque4 ,only a small      
portion of the colony is as yet settled4
 ,there are sugar plantations scattered 
here and there throughout the entire    
country1 however2 for they can be worked
 to advantage by ,indian coolies4 ,these
 coolies have1 upon trial1 been found   
more skillful and more steady laborers  
than the natives4  ,coffee is grown in  
the low sections4 ,wheat1 oats1 and     
maize are raised to quite an extent4    
,the latter cereal is universally known 
by the name mealies in ,south ,africa4  
,the coast region extends inland for    

about fifteen miles4 ,it is here that   
the principal settlements are found4    
,the capital of ,natal1 called          
,maritzburg1 has a situation about sixty
 miles inland from ,port ,natal4  ,port 
,natal is the only harbor1 and not a    
specially fine one2 for a sand bar      
across its mouth impedes navigation4    
,quite a wagon traffic is carried on    
through the interior of the colony down 
into the ,orange ,free ,state and also  
to the ,transvaal1 or ,south ,african   
,republic4 ,from these countries the    
products of ,natal are transported to   
,cape ,colony4 ,considerable quantities 
of the products of ,central ,africa and 
neighboring sections1 such as wool1     
ostrich feathers1 and ivory1 are sent   
out of the country through the ,natal   
,port4  ,natal seems to have a promising
 future4 ,it was originally chosen by   
the ,dutch ,boers1 who1 fleeing from    
,british rule1 sought a home where they 
might establish their own laws4 ,as far 
back as the middle of the present       

century it was made a separate colony1  
though it had not the strong government 
to be found at the ,cape4  ,the fertile 
coast section is capable of producing   
the various tropical crops in abundance4
 ,here the pineapple ripens out of      
doors1 and sugar1 coffee1 arrowroot1    
indigo1 tobacco1 ginger1 rice1 pepper1  
and cotton are grown to a large extent4 
,farther within the interior1 in the    
more elevated sections1 the various     
cereals and the ordinary crops of cooler
 climates thrive well4 ,upon the hills  
and upland valleys is a luxuriant growth
 of herbage1 which fits them for grazing
 purposes4 ,in some tracts near the     
coast and in the deep glens of the      
,drachenberg ,mountains fine forests of 
timber are found4 ,coal exists in some  
sections1 and limestone is very         
abundant4  ,the settlers have sometimes 
complained of the want of laborers4     
,although there are but twenty-three    
,europeans in ,natal to two hundred and 
ninety ,zulus and ,kaffirs1 yet the     

complaint is made that the white man    
must depend upon coolie labor4 ,this    
seems an exaggeration of facts1 when we 
consider that on every farm and in every
 sugar mill many natives may be found at
 work1 earning profitable wages4 ,true1 
these native workmen are not very       
prepossessing laborers2 for a long time 
must elapse before a savage can be      
trained into habits of industry and     
thrift4  ,sometimes the natives are     
employed for domestic service1 and they 
generally do remarkably well4 ,the ,cape
 ,boys1 or the colored descendants of   
the ,st4 ,helena tribes that emigrated  
to the ,cape1 usually drive the coaches2
 but the ,zulus are employed to attend  
to the wagons1 and may be found making  
themselves generally useful throughout  
the country4  ,port ,natal and          
,maritzburg are both small towns1 yet   
they are the largest to be found in     
,natal4  ,the ,zulu war caused great    
expense to the colony1 and the contract 
to build three hundred and forty-five   

miles of railway has swelled the public 
debt to an enormous sum4  ,war and      
national debt are a heavy burden for any
 country to bear4 ,yet with peace comes 
prosperity1 and thrift and enterprise   
will accomplish great results in a      
country's progress4 ,hence some changes 
for the better are now apparent4        
,maritzburg and ,durban have become very
 thrifty towns of late years4 ,durban is
 said to be the only gateway of         
commerce1 not only for the colony itself
 and for ,zululand1 but for part of the 
,orange ,free ,state and the ,south     
,african ,republic4  ,in order to       
improve the entrance to the inner harbor
 extensive works have been constructed1 
and large ships can now cross the bar   
and lie beside a wharf as safely as in a
 dock4  ,numerous handsome buildings    
embellish this town1 conspicuous among  
which is the grandest municipal hall in 
,south ,africa4  ,a railway has been    
constructed from ,durban to             
,charlestown1 on the border of the      

,south ,african ,republic4 ,it passes   
through ,maritzburg and also through the
 villages of ,estcourt1 ,ladysmith1 and 
,newcastle1 farther inland4 ,from       
,ladysmith there is a branch-line by way
 of ,van ,reenen's ,pass in the         
,drachenberg to ,harrismith in the      
,orange ,free ,state4 ,it goes up the   
,drachenberg in a series of zigzag      
sections4  ,the government has in       
contemplation the completion of this    
railway from ,harrismith until it       
reaches the great ,northeastern1 which  
runs through ,cape ,colony and the      
,orange ,free ,state4 ,this will give an
 unbroken line of communication between 
,cape ,town and ,durban4 ,it is very    
probable that the ,charlestown line will
 be continued to the gold fields of the 
,south ,african ,republic at an early   
date4  ,the chief branch of the system  
of railways passes through an extensive 
tract of coal of very good quality4     
,this is a great advantage to the       
country1 for fuel can thus be obtained  

at a low rate4  ,this main branch is on 
the plateau which is at the foot of the 
,drachenberg4 ,it has a central         
situation and easily transports the coal
 to the coast along a descending grade4 
,not only do these railways and towns   
receive their coal from the coal-bearing
 section1 but great quantities are      
exported4 ,in #ahib nearly three hundred
 thousand dollars' worth was sent       
abroad4     ,,chapter ,,xxxviii4        
,,kaffraria1 ,,or ,,kaffirland4         
,northeast of ,cape ,colony lies a      
country rich in the natural beauty of   
its scenery and noted for the great     
variety of animal life to be found      
there4  ,kaffraria1 or ,kaffirland1     
serves to separate ,cape ,colony from   
,natal4 ,it is occupied by various      
semi-independent tribes of ,kaffirs4    
,they number more than five hundred     
thousand4  ,they occupy a region about  
twice the size of ,greece4 ,compared    
with ,natal1 it about equals it in area4
 ,while if we compare it with the       

,orange ,free ,state1 we find its area  
only about one-half as large4  ,the     
territory is bounded on the south by the
 ,kei ,river4 ,it is for this reason we 
find it sometimes bearing the name      
,transkei4 ,it is well watered and      
fertile4 ,in its more elevated sections 
it is well wooded4  ,the country        
possesses vast tracts of land suitable  
for agricultural and grazing purposes4  
,both these branches of industry are    
followed to some extent by the natives4 
,while the natives are classed together 
under the general name of ,kaffir1 yet  
there are a number of distinct tribes   
bearing special names and occupying     
well-defined tracts in the territory4   
,most of these tribes have been some    
time under ,british rule to a certain   
extent4 ,constant insurrections and     
rebellions have been the direct cause of
 the ,kaffir wars1 so frequently        
discussed among the current topics of   
the newspapers4  ,the cost to ,great    
,britain in the attempt partially to    

subjugate these tribes must have been   
enormous4  ,several of the more powerful
 of them have occupied some of the best 
agricultural sections of ,south ,africa4
 ,others1 while inferior to some tribes 
in strength and warfare1 are superior in
 intelligence and an adaptability to    
civilization4  ,under the influence of  
civilization some of the natives have   
learned not only to cultivate corn and  
wool1 but have become versed in trade   
and have even learned to acquire money4 
,periods of war have been of such       
frequent occurrence that the effects of 
civilization have not been as lasting as
 the ,british nation could desire4      
,there are several ,kaffir countries not
 included within the area of ,kaffraria4
 ,the most important of these is        
,zululand4 ,this country became quite   
important under the military discipline 
of a line of warrior chiefs1 and soon   
extended its boundaries until they      
reached the ,limpopo and the limits of  
,cape ,colony4  ,a war with ,great      

,britain was disastrous to ,zululand2   
hence1 its boundaries since #ahhj are   
not so extensive4 ,the country has been 
divided among a dozen or more native    
chiefs1 some of whom are in nowise      
,zulus4  ,the region north of ,delagoa  
,bay has been under the rule of an      
independent ,zulu chief4 ,he has allowed
 the ,portuguese to found settlements   
here and there along the coast4  ,many  
dissensions have arisen among the       
different ,zulu conquerors2 and         
neighboring tribes1 taking advantage of 
them1 have1 in turn1 subjugated the     
,zulu tribes or have risen in arms to   
exterminate them4  ,the ,kaffirs that   
live beyond the ,fish ,river1 on the    
eastern border of the colony1 belong to 
one tribe of the ,bechuana family4  ,in 
character they are bold1 warlike1 and   
very independent4 ,from the possession  
of these qualities and from their cast  
of features1 it is believed by many that
 they are of ,arabian origin4  ,the men 
are well proportioned and extremely     

tall2 some of them are six feet and     
upwards in height4 ,the women have good 
tempers and are animated and cheerful in
 their temperament4 ,they have beautiful
 teeth1 white1 and regular in form4     
,they have neither the thick lips nor   
the flat noses of most of the ,african  
natives4 ,their figures1 however1 form a
 strong contrast to those of the men2   
for they are short and sturdy4  ,the    
name ,kaffir1 or unbeliever1 was given  
by the ,moors to the tribes dwelling    
along the southeastern coast of ,africa1
 and was afterwards adopted by the      
,portuguese4 ,later1 the term was       
applied to all the tribes in the same   
region4  ,the ,kaffirs' mode of life is 
very simple4 ,the diet consists         
principally of milk4 ,this is kept in   
leathern bottles till it becomes        
sufficiently thick and acid4 ,boiled    
corn is a favorite dish4 ,this is served
 in small baskets1 from which each one  
helps himself with his hands4 ,some     
times a kind of pottage is made of the  

corn4 ,again1 it is formed into thick   
cakes1 and baked upon the hearth4  ,the 
winter's provisions are stored either in
 pits or subterranean granaries4 ,these 
cakes1 with an occasional feast of fresh
 meat1 form a diet substantial enough   
for this hardy people4  ,the dress of   
the ,kaffirs is made entirely from the  
skins of beasts4 ,these are prepared in 
such a way as to make them soft and     
elastic4 ,the covering of the men       
consists of a long cloak1 which hangs   
loosely from the shoulders and reaches  
nearly to the feet4 ,in order to protect
 themselves from the parching effects of
 the sun's rays1 these people anoint    
their bodies with some oily substance4  
,the dress of the women is also made of 
skins1 but fashioned differently4  ,the 
chief wealth of the ,kaffir consists of 
his herds of cattle4 ,his highest       
ambition is to increase the size of his 
herds1 and his chief thought is to look 
after the welfare of his four-footed    
friends4  ,the life of a ,kaffir woman  

is one of bondage4 ,she is expected to  
perform the most laborious tasks1 such  
as tilling the ground1 felling wood1 and
 erecting dwellings4  ,the ,kaffirs are 
very shrewd when bartering their goods4 
,when one has goods to dispose of1 he   
will sit down among his comrades and    
await the approach of one of the        
colonial traders1 who has beads and     
other articles of traffic to exchange   
for ,kaffir goods4  ,as neither party   
can understand the language of the      
other1 the trade is carried on by means 
of signs2 for an interpreter is seldom  
present4  ,if the quantity of beads     
offered for any article does not seem   
sufficiently large1 the ,kaffir merely  
shakes his head to express his          
dissatisfaction with the price offered4 
,if more beads are added to the quantity
 already offered1 the ,kaffir may still 
continue to show dissent by a still more
 vigorous shake of the head4  ,sometimes
 such an interview terminates1 after    
much time has been spent in negotiation1

 without either party coming to terms4  
,the bead merchant does not hesitate to 
show his vexation and chagrin at the    
result of the interview1 but the ,kaffir
 appears cool and indifferent from first
 to last4  ,often a second and a third  
dealer will approach the ,kaffir1 hoping
 to secure a bargain1 but the stubborn  
fellow not unfrequently refuses to      
consider any offer1 and departs1 with   
his undiminished load1 for the next     
market or fair ground4  ,here he may or 
may not dispose of his goods1 according 
to the mood he may be in4 ,but it is no 
uncommon thing for him ultimately to    
exchange his articles for a less        
quantity of beads than he was originally
 offered for them4     ,,chapter        
,,xxxix4  ,,kaffir ,,traits ,,and       
,,customs4   ,a curious custom prevails 
among the tribes of ,south ,africa2     
namely1 the so-called making of rain4   
,each tribe has its rain maker1 who     
pretends1 by certain charms1 of which he
 alone holds the secret1 to command the 

clouds to do his bidding4  ,these rain  
doctors1 as they are termed by the      
,kaffirs1 are looked upon with awe by   
the ignorant savages4 ,it is believed   
that rain can be withheld or granted at 
the will of these men1 who pose as      
magicians1 but who are really the worst 
of impostors4  ,when a tribe wishes to  
invoke the aid of one of these rain     
makers1 much ceremony is shown in       
approaching him4 ,the chief and his     
bodyguard of warriors proceed in state  
to the dwelling of the magician1 with   
presents of cattle to secure his favor4 
,after making known their request a     
feast is held1 lasting often for many   
days4 ,during all this time the rain    
maker pretends that he is invoking his  
magic spells4  ,one of his devices is to
 gather a few leaves from each variety  
of tree in a neighboring forest1 and    
simmer them in large pots over an       
immense fire4 ,he then kills a sheep by 
pricking it through the heart with a    
long needle4  ,as the simmering goes on 

in the several pots upon the fire1 the  
steam arises from them4 ,this is        
supposed to ascend to the clouds and    
render them propitious1 so that the     
desired rain may fall in grateful       
showers4  ,in the meantime the whole    
tribe joins in a dance4 ,this is        
continued throughout the day at least1  
and often until after midnight4 ,songs  
are often sung in which a chorus of     
long-continued praise is shouted forth  
by the superstitious natives4  ,often   
this praise may be premature4 ,the rain 
maker may fail1 and the young and tender
 corn wither in the drought4  ,other    
charms are then tried4 ,the young men of
 the tribe form a large circle to       
encompass the side of a mountain1--the  
haunt of the klipspringers4 ,gradually  
they surround the poor creatures1 until 
several specimens of this antelope have 
been taken captive4 ,it is believed that
 the voices of these animals have the   
power to attract rain4  ,the cunning1   
wily rain doctor urges the poor hunted  

creatures about the kraal1 or cattle    
pen1 and by pinching1 prodding1 and     
other tortures1 induces them to utter   
their cries4 ,should his efforts prove  
unavailing and the drought continue1 the
 impostor1 believing flight to be his   
only protection1 seeks refuge in this   
cowardly way1 and some other member of  
the tribe is selected to serve as rain  
maker4  ,truly1 in the eyes of the      
tribe1 the rain maker is an important   
personage4 ,when members of a tribe     
visit him to induce him to invoke the   
aid of the elements1 he often exhibits  
his so-called magic powers for the      
amusement and to the amazement of his   
credulous visitors4  ,when he believes  
them to be sufficiently awed by his     
charms1 he dismisses them with minute   
directions as to certain observances to 
be held1 without which his charms will  
fail4 ,some of these instructions are of
 the most trivial nature4 ,on no account
 are they1 like ,lot's wife1 to look    
backward1 nor must they hold any        

conversation2 they must compel every    
person they meet to turn back and       
accompany them home2 and there are many 
other directions equally absurd4        
,should rain fall1 all credit is given  
to the wonderful power of the rain      
maker2 should the drought continue1 the 
simple-hearted fanatics blame themselves
 and say they must have failed to carry 
out the magician's instructions to the  
letter4  ,of course1 much time is spent 
in all these ceremonies1 and1 in the    
natural tide of events1 the drought     
frequently passes1 and the rain maker is
 gratefully regarded as the benefactor  
of his tribe4  ,the peculiar and        
terrific war dance of the ,kaffirs is   
described by an observer as a           
performance far more astonishing than   
pleasing1 exciting alarm rather than    
admiration1 and displaying in rapid     
succession the habits and ferocious     
passions of a savage community4  ,let   
the reader picture to himself a hundred 
or more unclad ,africans1 besmeared and 

disfigured with copious defilements of  
red clay1 and assuming with frantic     
gestures all the characteristic         
vehemence of a furious engagement4  ,the
 dance commenced with a slow movement to
 a sort of humming noise from the women 
in the rear1 the men stamping and       
beating time with their feet1 until the 
gradual excitement occasioned a         
simultaneous spring with corresponding  
shouts1 when the action proceeded to an 
unnatural frenzy1 and was calculated to 
produce in the mind of a stranger the   
most appalling sensations4  ,the dusky  
glare of the fire blazing in front of   
these formidable warriors gave an       
additional degree of awful effect to    
this extraordinary scene2 and all that  
,i had ever read in poetry or romance   
fell infinitely short of the realities  
before me4  ,it was indeed a most       
seasonable relief1 amidst the           
bewildering fancies of the moment1 to   
hear the gratifying sound of ',all's    
well' from the sentries on the out-posts

 of the fort1 which imparted to the mind
 a feeling of security and composure    
that1 as may well be conceived1 was     
truly welcome4  ,the ,kaffirs gave the  
colonial government a great deal of     
trouble in the early part of the present
 century4 ,exasperated at defeat1 and   
hostile after their country had been    
invaded and devastated by the colonists1
 these barbaric clans occupied the      
mountains and forests near by and sent  
out numerous marauding expeditions4     
,these poured into the colony1          
determined to have revenge1 to recapture
 the cattle of which they had been      
robbed1 or to satisfy their claims by   
carrying off those belonging to the     
colonists4  ,the colonists depended upon
 the courageous1 sturdy ,hottentots1    
armed with guns1 to guard their cattle1 
and ten or twelve of the boldest of them
 were selected to act as herdsmen4  ,the
 ,kaffirs used only clubs and javelins  
for weapons4 ,they knew from experience 
that these ,hottentot herdsmen were     

unerring marksmen1 and that their own   
weapons and their mode of warfare could 
in no wise compete with the trusty      
firelock in the hands of their          
opponents4  ,but the ,kaffirs were wily 
and watched their opportunity4 ,this    
occurred one day when the ,hottentots   
had driven the colonists' cattle into   
one of the woodland prairies1 and were  
seated in a group about a hundred feet  
from the edge of the jungle4 ,seeing no 
sign of danger1 they began to smoke     
their pipes1 their loaded guns in       
readiness on the grass beside them4 ,the
 ,kaffirs were watching every movement  
from the neighboring heights and found  
this a favorable opportunity to make an 
attack4 ,with all the stealth of the    
panther they crept through the thickets1
 and advanced with the greatest caution 
till they reached the edge of the copse 
nearest to the unsuspecting herdsmen4   
,waiting till their enemies were engaged
 in conversation and had turned their   
faces in the opposite direction1 they   

burst out upon them1 uttering their     
hideous war cry4  ,throwing a perfect   
avalanche of javelins as they           
approached1 they closed in upon the     
bewildered ,hottentots1 club in hand1   
and soon overpowered them4 ,a single    
herdsman escaped by fleeing to the      
jungle1 two of the javelins sticking in 
his body as he ran4 ,the cattle of the  
colonists1 to the number of a thousand  
head at least1 were captured by the     
enemy4  ,this is but one instance where 
the ,kaffirs attacked and overpowered   
those who had inconsiderately dealt with
 them1 or who had shown them cruel and  
oppressive treatment4 ,the ,english     
nation has only too good reason to      
remember the ,kaffir wars4 ,the ,kaffir 
race has1 however1 suffered much        
diminution1 and is likely to become1    
like the red races of ,north ,america1  
less and less4 ,quite recently1 between 
thirty and forty thousand ,kaffirs      
surrendered themselves to the colonial  
government at the ,cape4 ,these are now 

largely employed as domestics and       
laborers4     ,,chapter ,,xl4           
,,hottentot ,,customs4   ,it will not1  
perhaps1 be out of place here to        
consider the ,hottentots in their native
 condition1 before the white man invaded
 their country and homes4  ,it was no   
uncommon thing to find skilled artisans 
among them1 practicing the art of       
skinner1 tailor1 or blacksmith1 while   
the women were expert mat and rope      
makers4  ,their methods of procedure    
were as simple as they were novel4 ,the 
tanner took the sheep's skin1 warm from 
the freshly slaughtered carcass1 and    
rubbed as much fat into it as it would  
contain4 ,this process was conducted    
slowly and carefully1 until the skin    
became tough and smooth1 and the wool   
rendered secure from falling off4  ,this
 was the process if he cured the skin   
for a ,european2 but if for the use of  
one of his own tribe1 he would give it  
alternate rubbings with fat and manure  
from the cattle pen1 and then place it  

in the sun to dry4  ,the tanner rubbed  
wood ashes in abundance into the hair of
 the hide he wished to tan1 whether that
 of a cow or an ox4 ,he then sprinkled  
it with water4 ,if this process did not 
sufficiently loosen the hair1 another   
application of the wood ashes and water 
was made1 and so on until the hair could
 easily be removed4 ,after the hair had 
been taken from the skin and as much fat
 rubbed into it as it would absorb1 the 
skin was then vigorously curried4  ,the 
,hottentot skinner usually plied the    
vocation of tailor too4 ,when he cut out
 the different parts of the native      
dress1 he employed neither pattern nor  
rule1 but measured accurately with his  
eye1 and performed his work with speed  
and dexterity4 ,when the several parts  
were cut out1 he assumed a squatting    
position1 and employed as his tools the 
bone of a bird for an awl1 and the split
 sinews of animals for thread1 in       
fashioning his garment4  ,if he wished  
to cut a hide up into straps1 he made   

holes at short distances along its      
edges4 ,he then tied a string in each   
hole4 ,to each string he then fastened a
 peg1 and by means of the several pegs  
stretched the hide to its full extent   
upon the ground4  ,then with a knife1   
guided only by his eye1 he cut out a    
strap1 no matter what its length1 with  
the greatest precision4 ,whether short  
or long1 the width of the strap rarely  
varied from one end to the other4       
,these straps were of great service4    
,the natives used them to tie up the    
materials for building their huts and   
their hut furniture1 when they migrated 
to new cattle kraals4 ,by means of the  
straps they girded these goods upon the 
backs of their oxen1 and employed them  
in various ways4  ,the mat makers were  
chiefly women4 ,they went out in bands  
to gather the flags1 reeds1 and         
bulrushes which they needed4 ,these they
 brought home and laid in the sun to    
dry4 ,when sufficiently dry for the     
purpose1 they were woven by the fingers 

into mats4 ,if the materials for weaving
 became too dry1 they were moistened    
slightly in water to render them        
pliable4 ,so closely were these mats    
woven that neither light1 wind1 nor rain
 could penetrate them4  ,the mats were  
used to cover the frames for the huts1  
and hence the care taken to render them 
impervious to the action of the         
elements4 ,a good stock was usually kept
 on hand2 for1 in the course of time1 as
 some decayed1 new ones had to be       
provided to replace them4  ,the ropes   
were made of the same materials as those
 used for the mats4 ,the flags1 reeds1  
and bulrushes were twisted separately   
into small strings4 ,these strings were 
joined1 till each length measured about 
four yards4 ,when a sufficient number of
 these lengths had been obtained1 they  
were twisted tightly one around another 
until the cord was about an inch in     
thickness4 ,the entire work was done by 
the hands2 yet so strong were these     
ropes that if they were perfect ones1   

even oxen rarely broke them when drawing
 a load4  ,the ,europeans at the ,cape  
frequently bought these ropes of the    
,hottentots and used them for drawing   
their plows and in various other ways4  
,when required to do so1 these rope     
makers could by the same process produce
 a rope of any desired length4  ,each   
family of ,hottentots made its own      
supply of earthen pots4 ,they used for  
the purpose the mold from the immense   
ant hills1 of which we shall read in    
time4  ,this mold was taken from the    
surface of the ground1 cleaned from     
every particle of sand or gravel1       
kneaded closely in order to bruise and  
mix with it the ant eggs which were     
scattered through it4 ,these ant eggs   
acted as a cement4  ,the mold1 which had
 now become a clay1 or dough1 was then  
taken1 in sufficient quantity to make a 
pot of the required size1 and shaped on 
a smooth1 flat stone by the aid of the  
hands4 ,these pots were similar in form 
to the ,roman urn4  ,when shaped1 the   

vessel was first carefully smoothed both
 inside and out1 and then set on the    
stone for a couple of days to dry in the
 sun4 ,when thoroughly dried1 it was    
removed from the stone1 to which it had 
adhered1 by drawing a dried sinew back  
and forth between the stone and the base
 of the vessel1 or pot4  ,the pot was   
then put into a hole just its depth1 but
 more than twice its circumference4 ,a  
brisk fire was then built over and      
around it4 ,here it was left to bake    
till the fire burnt itself out4 ,the    
,hottentots believed that while the pot 
was baking in this simple oven1 the     
substances of which the ant eggs were   
composed spread throughout its surface  
and gave it the great strength which    
characterized all their pottery4  ,the  
process of smelting iron ore was as     
primitive as it was unique4 ,a hole was 
first made in a mound of earth4 ,this   
hole was large enough to contain a good 
quantity of iron stones1 of which there 
was an abundance4 ,a fire was then      

kindled about the mouth of it4 ,on the  
slope of the mound1 about a foot and a  
half from this hole1 a second hole1 much
 smaller than the first1 was made4 ,this
 was to receive the melted iron4  ,when 
the iron in this receiver became cold1  
it was taken out and broken into pieces 
with stones4 ,when needed1 these pieces 
of iron were heated in fresh fires and  
beaten out into shape by means of       
stones4  ,one writer thus describes the 
process1 though he neglects to say      
anything of the action of the fire3     
,they take a piece of new or old iron1  
and without any other implement than    
stone1 make a weapon of it4 ,they get   
the hardest flat stone they can1 and    
putting the iron upon it as on an anvil1
 bend it with a roundish stone1 which   
serves them for a hammer1 into the      
desired form4 ,they then grind it on the
 flat stone1 and afterwards polish it so
 nicely that it comes out a very        
valuable piece of work both for beauty  
and service1 and which no ,european     

smith could1 perhaps1 produce the like  
to1 by the like means4  ,one traveler   
watched with interest the process by    
which a ,hottentot smith made knives and
 spears4 ,his tools were few and        
primitive4 ,a stone served him for an   
anvil1 while a roughly made hammer and  
two small bellows made of skin completed
 his outfit4  ,the head of the hammer   
weighed perhaps a pound4 ,the bellows   
had a piece of cow horn at one end      
through which the blast went1 the other 
end being open like a purse and sewed to
 two round pieces of wood4 ,the two     
pairs of bellows were laid upon the     
ground opposite the fire1 with a heavy  
stone to keep the under side steady4 ,in
 order to make a blast the workman      
quickly raised and lowered the upper    
side of each pair of bellows1 and with  
the greatest ease blew both pairs at    
once4  ,the ,hottentot woman1 as she sat
 in the shade near her dwelling1 often  
employed her time by twisting cord from 
the bark of the acacia tree1 while some 

of her companions chopped down its      
branches or stripped off long pieces of 
bark from its stems4 ,others1 while     
working at cord making1 busily chewed   
the fibers of the bark instead of       
pounding them upon a stone4 ,this was   
not considered a task1 but rather a     
pleasant pastime1 since the juices of   
the bark had an agreeable taste4        
,notwithstanding the laborious process  
of making this cord1 it was done very   
expeditiously4 ,the worker sat upon the 
ground with a quantity of prepared bark 
close beside her4 ,by a clever process  
she was able to make two yards at once4 
,by rolling them down her thigh with her
 palm1 and then1 by bringing them close 
together and rolling them upwards1 with 
a turn in the contrary way1 they were   
quickly and neatly twisted into a       
strong1 compact cord4  ,the making of   
wooden bowls was another industry among 
the ,hottentots when the ,cape was first
 colonized4 ,these bowls and jugs were  
skillfully carved from green willow     

wood4  ,as these willow trees had trunks
 often a foot or a foot and one-half in 
diameter1 cutting them down was a task  
well calculated to test the perseverance
 of this people1 whose only tools were  
small hatchets1 that could make but     
little impression at a time upon        
anything so formidable4 ,yet often a    
fallen tree might be found hacked       
through by these apologies for hatchets4
  ,the tree once felled was cut into    
desired lengths1 according to the       
utensils destined to be carved from the 
pieces4 ,the soft1 tough nature of the  
wood made it especially valuable for the
 purpose4  ,after a rough log had been  
chopped with the hatchet into a         
semblance of the desired shape1 a common
 knife was the only tool used to smooth 
and complete the outer surface4 ,another
 knife1 with its top bent into a        
semi-circular hook1 was used with the   
greatest dexterity and neatness to cut  
and hollow out the inner surface4  ,when
 this work was done1 the whole surface  

of the bowl1 or jug1 was thoroughly     
rubbed over with fat4 ,this was to keep 
the wood from warping and splitting on  
account of the heat and dryness of the  
atmosphere4  ,the bowls were of various 
sizes4 ,most frequently they measured   
from twelve to eighteen inches in       
diameter4 ,in form they were mostly oval
 and quite shallow4 ,the jugs1 or jars1 
were made in the form of a cylinder1    
quite short1 with the mouth1 or neck1   
only about two-thirds the size of the   
body4 ,these jugs held usually about a  
gallon2 but they were made of other     
sizes also1 to hold from a pint to five 
gallons4  ,the ,hottentots also carved  
ivory rings4 ,these were worn as arm    
ornaments4 ,they were cut from an       
elephant's tooth1 and from the time the 
carver began the operation till the     
completion of the perfect ring--round1  
smooth1 and brightly polished--he       
employed no other tool than his knife4  
,the process1 of course1 was an         
exceedingly tedious and laborious one4  

,,chapter ,,xli4  ,,orange ,,free       
,,state4   ,the ,dutch settlers at the  
,cape had always been strongly in favor 
of slavery2 hence1 when ,great ,britain 
caused the emancipation of slavery      
throughout her dependencies in ,south   
,africa1 great dissatisfaction and      
discontent were felt and manifested by  
the ,boers4  ,their only desire seemed  
to be to get into a country where they  
might not only steal land from the      
original owners1 but capture and enslave
 the natives of the sections they chose 
to invade2 in fact1 to do as seemed best
 in their own eyes1 irrespective of what
 others might think1 and regardless of  
the laws of humanity and brotherly love4
 ,accordingly1 a large number migrated1 
with their wagons and various           
possessions1 in a northerly direction   
across the ,drachenberg ,mountains and  
the ,orange ,river4 ,here they settled  
in the territories now known as ,natal1 
,orange ,free ,state1 and the           
,transvaal1 or ,south ,african          

,republic4  ,the ,british government1   
however1 did not relinquish its power1  
but asserted it to such an extent that  
in a few years ,natal was no longer a   
refuge for these independently inclined 
,dutchmen1 who1 anxious to live after   
their own fashion1 had little regard for
 the distinctions between mine and      
thine4  ,after much trouble and         
fighting1 creditable to neither party1  
the ,dutch were permitted to locate in  
the central district of ,south ,africa4 
,this concession was made only on       
condition that they would not molest the
 native tribes4  ,the present republic  
was then established between the two    
main streams of the ,orange ,river1 west
 of the ,drachenberg ,mountains4        
,errors in the government which was     
established threatened1 at one time1 to 
sink the country not only into          
bankruptcy but anarchy4 ,the discovery  
of the ,diamond ,fields gave the state a
 great advantage1 and it is now thriving
 and flourishing1 and will continue so  

while the government can keep on good   
terms with the neighbors1 both black and
 white4  ,orange ,free ,state can never 
become a very great country4 ,its       
natural situation is a disadvantage1    
shut off as it is from the sea1 and     
accessible only by long railway or wagon
 journeys either from ,port ,elizabeth  
in the ,cape1 or from ,port ,natal in   
the colony of ,natal4  ,orange ,free    
,state is like all this portion of      
,south ,africa4 ,as part of the plateau 
of the inner section1 it comprises      
undulating grassy plains4 ,these are    
elevated four thousand feet above the   
level of the sea4 ,they stretch to the  
north1 with scarcely a break to         
interrupt the view1 for miles and miles4
 ,in the south we find a little         
exception to this rule2 for the broad   
level is broken by a number of small1   
detached hills4  ,agriculture is pursued
 only where there is water or where the 
system of irrigation can be applied2    
hence1 the people occupy themselves     

mainly in sheep and cattle grazing4     
,wool1 consequently1 is the staple      
export4  ,the mineral wealth is         
considerable4 ,diamonds1 garnets1 and   
other precious stones have been found1  
and gold is reported to exist4  ,the    
,dutch settlers have not cared to       
encourage the search for the hidden     
treasures of their country4 ,they       
neither wished to awaken the greed of   
their neighbors nor to attract crowds of
 adventurers to invade their land4  ,the
 climate is favorable to ,europeans4    
,the winters are cold1 but the summers  
are not very hot4 ,even when the heat is
 intense1 its remarkable dryness keeps  
it from being unhealthy in its effect4  
,frequently the weather will be sultry  
for days1 with a sulphurous odor in the 
air4 ,suddenly the rumbling and the     
rolling of thunder is heard1 and amid a 
veritable storm of lightning the        
superabundance of electricity is        
discharged1 and the air becomes once    
more cool and pleasant4  ,it is         

interesting to note the contrast in the 
lives of a ,dutchman and an ,englishman 
in ,south ,africa4 ,even when a ,boer   
has accumulated considerable wealth1 he 
is content to live in a house the floor 
of which consists of the hard-trodden   
earth4 ,here he will live happily1 with 
scarcely any of the luxuries1 or even   
comforts1 which the average ,english    
settler would deem necessary to his     
well-being4  ,the ,dutchman is a picture
 of content2 the ,englishman one of     
discontent with the country1 the        
government1 the climate1 the soil1--with
 everything and everybody1 his          
neighbors1 even1 not excepted4 ,he draws
 the line only at himself and his own   
disposition4  ,while the ,englishman is 
naturally a social body1 liking company 
and the general gossip heard among his  
own people1 the ,dutchman is rather     
solitary in his tastes4 ,he cares for no
 neighbors1 and would resent the sight  
of smoke rising from any chimney within 
sight of his own4 ,his tastes are       

pastoral1 and this leads him to acquire 
vast tracts of land4 ,he is tormented by
 the fear that1 in the course of time1  
his cattle and his sheep will increase  
to such an extent that he will not have 
grass enough to offer them1 nor land    
enough on which to pasture them4  ,a    
,dutchman finds nothing forbidding in   
the aspect of the dreary country lying  
north of the ,orange ,river2 the        
stranger1 however1 finds the change from
 the most unattractive sections of the  
,cape to either the ,orange ,free ,state
 or the ,transvaal a most depressing    
one4  ,there is nothing of a picturesque
 nature4 ,the land is not wooded1 and in
 the season of drought no more          
unattractive country can be thought of  
than this of the ,orange ,free ,state4  
,still1 it is far from being a          
wilderness4 ,work is plenty2 for it is a
 country that is well adapted to keep   
men from indolence or from drifting into
 that dreamland of ease and idleness1 in
 which the rich man is often led to     

wander when he has not had to toil for  
his possessions4  ,there is much        
,english property and capital1 and a    
good deal of energy is displayed by the 
,english subjects4 ,a few of the        
,englishmen1 or ,africanders1 were born 
in the ,cape4  ,they are scattered      
through the country1 and occupy         
themselves mostly as shopkeepers in the 
,english towns1 where the ,english      
language is generally spoken4  ,mr4     
,trollope does not advise the ordinary  
traveler to visit the ,orange ,free     
,state in search of scenery2 still1     
there are other attractions to the      
tourist1 one being the promise of       
renewed health4 ,at ,bloemfontein1 the  
capital1 situated on a branch of the    
,vaal ,river1 the dryness of the air    
renders it a safe resort for invalids4  
,it is1 in fact1 an inland ,madeira for 
persons suffering from weak or diseased 
lungs4 ,the only objection is the       
tedious five or six days' journey by    
coach1--even though the railway has now 

reached ,kimberley and promises to cross
 the border1--which renders the journey 
not only expensive1 but very trying to  
nerves and patience4  ,the town itself  
lies very solitary1 but is perhaps the  
most attractive spot in the country4    
,kimberley1 which is its nearest        
neighbor of any special importance1 is  
more than one hundred miles away4 ,cape 
,town is nearly seven hundred miles     
distant to the southeast1 while ,port   
,elizabeth1 from which it obtains most  
of its supplies1 lies about four hundred
 miles to the south of it4              
,bloemfontein is situated upon a plain4 
,its boundaries are well defined1 but it
 has no suburb1 if we except the native 
village of ,wray ,hook4  ,to the        
traveler1 who has been wearily jolted   
over grassless plains1 the sight of even
 this isolated ,dutch town is as welcome
 as an oasis in the desert4  ,the       
inhabitants number about four thousand  
people4 ,there is nothing about the town
 to indicate its importance2 yet1 here  

the ,orange ,free ,state has established
 a capital1 and here it is in this      
quiet1 respectable1 and scrupulously    
clean town that the government assembles
 to transact its business without       
display or ostentation1 but with        
dignity1 common sense1 and judgment4    
,the town seems like a ,dutch metropolis
 with a veneering of ,english and       
,african customs and ways4 ,very few of 
the houses are more than one story high4
 ,while water is plenty1 fuel is very   
scarce1 and1 in consequence1 very       
expensive4 ,in fact1 everything commands
 a high price4 ,when ,mr4 ,trollope     
visited the place1 butter was more than 
a dollar a pound1 which indicated that  
dairy farming was not a very general    
occupation4  ,the town--in fact1 the    
whole country--is well supplied with    
schools4 ,dutch is the special language 
supposed to be taught1 but ,english is  
the far more important1 and1 as a rule1 
most of the school books are printed in 
that tongue4  ,to quote from the author1

 ,mr4 ,trollope1 who has so charmingly  
described it3 ,i will not say that      
,bloemfontein is itself peculiarly      
beautiful4 ,it has no rapid rivers      
flowing through it1 as had the capital  
of ,tyrol2 no picturesqueness of hills  
to make it lovely1 as had ,edinburgh2 no
 glory of buildings1 such as belongs to 
,florence4 ,it is not quaint1 as        
,nuremberg1 romantic as ,prague1 or even
 embowered in foliage1 as are some of   
the ,dutch villages in the western      
provinces of ,cape ,colony4 ,but it has 
a completeness and neatness which make  
it very pleasing to the eye4 ,no one is 
kept hungry there1 or is overworked4    
,the work1 indeed1 is very light4       
,friday is a half holiday for every one4
 ,three o'clock ends the day for all    
important business4 ,i doubt whether any
 shop is open after six4 ,at eight1 all 
the servants--who1 of course1 are       
colored people--are at home at their own
 huts in ,wray ,hook4 ,no colored person
 is allowed to walk about ,bloemfontein 

after eight4 ,this1 it may be said1 is  
oppressive to them2 but1 if they are    
expelled from the streets1 so also are  
they relieved from their work4 ,at ,wray
 ,hook they can walk about as much as   
they please1 or go to bed4  ,orange     
,free ,state1 like most of the ,south   
,african countries1 is now provided with
 railway lines4 ,the ,grand ,trunk line 
extends throughout the state and        
connects with the chief ports of ,cape  
,colony4     ,,chapter ,,xlii4  ,,the   
,,south ,,african ,,republic4   ,to the 
north of the ,orange ,free ,state lies a
 country known as the ,south ,african   
,republic1 or1 more familiarly1 the     
,transvaal4  ,the ,transvaal remained   
undisturbed as a ,dutch republic until  
the year #ahgg4 ,in that year1 however1 
it was formally annexed to the ,british 
possessions as a crown colony4  ,the    
,transvaal was established as early as  
the year #ahda by ,boers1 who had become
 discontented with ,english rule4 ,it is
 doubtful whether ,england would have   

made any effort to annex so undesirable 
a colony1 with its unsettled1 turbulent 
government1 had not an impending war    
with the natives threatened to involve  
her also in the quarrel4  ,certain it is
 that the fate of so unimportant a      
country as the ,transvaal was a matter  
of small concern until it became a      
recognized fact that the natives on the 
border of the ,transvaal meditated a    
descent on this thinly populated        
country4 ,the ultimate result of such an
 attack was only too apparent1 and the  
outlook most unpromising for ,england4  
,self-preservation is one of the        
recognized laws of nature4 ,hence1 in   
self-protection the ,transvaal was      
annexed to ,england4  ,in #ahhj the     
,boers took up arms against ,england4   
,after many little events1 which we need
 not dwell upon1 had taken place1 a     
convention was concluded in ,august1    
#ahhj1 and the ,south ,african ,republic
 was again constituted under the        
protection of the ,british crown4 ,under

 this new condition the country became  
exceedingly prosperous4  ,the area of   
the ,south ,african ,republic1 or       
,transvaal1 is not much less in extent  
than ,great ,britain or ,ireland4  ,the 
white population does not exceed        
fifty-five or sixty thousand4 ,it must  
be remembered1 however1 that this       
population is but a small proportion of 
the people who inhabit the country2 for 
there are two hundred and seventy       
thousand ,zulus and other ,kaffir       
tribes1 in addition to the white men4   
,the white settlers are scattered all   
over the country4 ,they live in isolated
 family groups1 each family living in   
the center of a huge farm of from six to
 ten thousand acres4 ,in fact1 the      
family life of the ,south ,african      
farmer of ,dutch descent follows the    
universal custom which resembles the    
patriarchal system as described in the  
,scriptures4  ,recently1 gold1 both in  
alluvial deposits and in the reefs of   
quartz1 has been discovered4 ,these     

deposits have been worked with profit in
 several districts4 ,silver1 lead1      
copper1 cobalt1 iron1 and coal are all  
plentiful4  ,generally speaking1 the    
average ,boer cares very little for any 
other occupation than farming4 ,he has  
little or no aptitude for commerce1 and1
 in consequence1 in the various         
commercial settlements with which the   
country is dotted there is little that  
is ,dutch except the names of the towns2
 for the inhabitants are mostly ,english
 merchants1 and the shopkeepers are     
invariably ,english4  ,there are a few  
,germans in the ,transvaal2 but1 as in  
the ,orange ,free ,state1 the population
 is essentially ,dutch4 ,in the rural   
districts it is almost without exception
 of that nationality4  ,compared with   
the ,orange ,free ,state1 this country  
is more favorable for a large population
 than one might suppose1 for its general
 features and climate are to its        
advantage4  ,like the ,orange ,free     
,state1 the ,transvaal is an elevated   

pastoral plateau1 or series of plateaux1
 broken by low ranges of hills4 ,on the 
west it has for its boundary the country
 which gradually merges into the        
,kalahari ,desert4 ,towards the north1  
along the ,limpopo ,river1 the country  
has a partially tropical character4  ,a 
range of hills1 which forms the southern
 edge of the plateau1 is known as the   
,high ,veldt1 or ,field4 ,it comprises  
an area of about thirty-five thousand   
square miles1 composed chiefly of       
pastoral land1 having an elevation of   
from three thousand to eight thousand   
feet above the sea4 ,this section1      
necessarily1 must possess a bracing     
climate1 and is1 for the most part1 well
 watered in the summer1 but dry during  
the winter months4 ,we must remember how
 the seasons are reversed in ,africa1   
hence winter would extend from ,march or
 ,april to ,october4  ,several detached 
ranges of hills join with the           
,drachenberg ,mountains on the northeast
 to form the region known as the ,middle

 ,veldt4 ,this occupies about           
twenty-five thousand miles of broken    
country1 intersected with kloofs1 or    
gullies1 and many valleys4 ,it is well  
suited in some portions for the         
cultivation of grain and other crops of 
the temperate climates4 ,as a rule1 it  
has not the extent of open country which
 would fit it for grazing purposes on a 
large scale4  ,the ,low ,veldt1 or ,bush
 country1 is the region on the north in 
the direction of the ,limpopo ,river4   
,it rarely has an elevation of more than
 from two to four thousand feet above   
the sea4  ,it is in this section that   
the usual characteristics of the        
,transvaal disappear and the features of
 the hot lands of the north become      
noticeable4  ,mimosa groves and thorn   
thickets become so numerous as to be    
disagreeable features in the landscape4 
,the climate1 too1 changes its          
character2 hitherto it has been healthy2
 it now becomes malarial1 particularly  
during the rainy season1 which takes    

place in the summer months4  ,it seems  
quite probable that1 were it not for the
 nature of the country1 the ,transvaal  
would possess a semi-tropical climate   
throughout1 since its extension         
northward places it among countries     
which1 farther to the east or to the    
west1 are hot and pestilential4  ,the   
,vaal and the ,limpopo are the chief    
rivers4 ,neither of them is navigable4  
,during the dry season both rivers are  
interrupted to such an extent by        
shallows1 rapids1 and sand bars as to be
 useless for purposes of transport even 
in small boats4  ,to a certain extent   
agriculture is pursued in the ,middle   
,veldt4 ,the pasturing of vast herds of 
cattle and flocks of sheep1 and the     
caring for droves of pigs and the       
rearing of horses1 constitute the great 
occupations of the ,transvaal ,dutchmen4
  ,the horse disease1 a kind of low     
fever1 is a sad pest4 ,in the summer    
time it is especially prevalent in      
localities near standing water4 ,hence1 

during the summer months the horses are 
removed to the high hills for safety4   
,animals which have had the disease and 
have recovered bring high prices4 ,the  
country phrase in speaking of such a    
horse is that it has been salted4  ,dogs
 which are ,english-bred rarely survive 
long in the climate of the ,transvaal4  
,in the low-lying regions to the north  
the bite of the tsetse fly is fatal to  
horses and to other domestic animals4   
,throughout a large portion of ,africa  
this fly is a terrible scourge to the   
farmer4 ,livingstone thus describes it3 
,it is not much larger than the common  
house fly1 and is nearly of the same    
brown color as the common honeybee2 the 
after part of the body has three or four
 yellow bars across it2 the wings       
project beyond this part considerably1  
and it is remarkably alert1 avoiding    
most dexterously all attempts to capture
 it with the hand at common             
temperatures2 in the cool of the        
mornings and evenings it is less agile4 

,its peculiar buzz when once heard can  
never be forgotten by the traveler whose
 means of locomotion are domestic       
animals2 for it is well known that the  
bite of this poisonous insect is certain
 death to the ox1 horse1 and dog4  ,a   
most remarkable feature in the bite of  
the tsetse is its perfect harmlessness  
in man and wild animals4  ,at one time  
in the history of the country1 lions1   
elephants1 giraffes1 buffaloes1 and     
ostriches were common in every part of  
it4  ,in the process of settlement the  
haunts of these animals have been       
disturbed1 and the raids of the hunters 
have driven them northward or into the  
more inaccessible parts of the ,veldt   
mountains4  ,herds of antelopes1 zebras1
 quaggas1 springboks1 and other wild    
beasts are1 however1 still to be found1 
and furnish a large portion of the      
farmers' supplies of animal food4  ,the 
,bush ,veldt is the least settled       
portion of the country4 ,still1 even    
here a few planters find it profitable  

to grow coffee and the sugar cane4  ,a  
greater number of these planters are    
settled in the ,middle ,veldt4 ,they are
 engaged in mixed farming1 wheat        
growing1 and other pursuits4 ,stock     
keeping is the principal occupation1    
however4  ,various metals are known to  
exist4 ,four years after the republic   
was established1 extensive and rich gold
 fields were discovered in the district 
of ,leydenburg1 and a little later in   
the highland that forms the watershed   
between the ,vaal and the ,limpopo      
rivers4 ,long before this1 gold mines   
had been worked in different parts of   
the country2 but the amount of metal    
procured was not of sufficient quantity 
to attract attention4  ,people soon     
began to migrate from all parts of      
,south ,africa and from ,europe in      
search of the hidden treasure4 ,a       
settlement named ,barbertown was built  
in the center of the eastern mining     
district1 and for some months was one of
 the busiest places in the country4 ,not

 long after1 most of the inhabitants    
removed to the more important fields of 
the ,witwatersrand4 ,here the city of   
,johannesburg arose1 as if by magic1 and
 streets lined with handsome1           
substantial buildings1 with all modern  
appliances1 added character and beauty  
to the town4  ,the ,south ,african      
,republic possesses an abundance of a   
good quality of iron4 ,in fact1 the     
supply of iron ore is almost limitless4 
,silver1 copper1 lead1 and several other
 minerals are also found to quite an    
extent4  ,a railway will shortly be     
completed from ,pretoria to ,delagoa    
,bay1 with a branch line to ,barbertown4
 ,the railroad to ,delagoa ,bay will    
open the republic to many favorable     
conditions and opportunities4 ,even at  
the present time good carriage roads    
cannot be said to exist4 ,those         
dignified by the name of roads are mere 
wagon tracks4  ,a line of railroad from 
,pretoria to ,vereeniging on the ,vaal  
,river1 passing through ,johannesburg1  

is now open4 ,at ,vereeniging it is     
connected with the ,great ,trunk line   
through the ,orange ,free ,state1 which 
branches off to the three chief ports of
 ,cape ,colony4 ,from ,krugersdorp there
 is a railway through ,johannesburg to  
the ,springs4 ,this passes over a great 
coal mine1 which supplies fuel to the   
city itself and to the quartz-crushing  
machinery along a route of fifty-four   
miles4 ,with railroads at its command1  
the ,south ,african ,republic must needs
 have a brilliant future4  ,it is rather
 a curious fact in the history of the   
country1 that as soon as the unbeaten   
tracks were opened to civilization and  
cultivation they became freed from      
malarial fevers4 ,this was particularly 
noticeable along the borders of the     
forests and the streams in the lowlands4
 ,in course of time vast tracts north of
 the ,vaal became the property of the   
emigrant farmers1 who had been attracted
 by the facilities for grazing and      
stock-raising4  ,as the large game1     

becoming alarmed1 fled from the presence
 of man1 who had invaded their haunts1  
the dreaded tsetse fly1 which had been  
so numerous as to threaten the          
extinction of the herds of cattle1 also 
disappeared1 much to the delight and    
satisfaction of the farmers4 ,hence the 
republic holds many attractions for the 
would-be settler1 now that its chief    
plagues no longer have an existence4    
,,chapter ,,xliii4  ,,over ,,the        
,,drachenberg ,,mountains4   ,in order  
to enter the ,south ,african ,republic  
the traveler must pass the ,drachenberg 
,mountains4 ,these form the source of   
the ,orange and the ,vaal rivers4  ,the 
undertaking is far from alluring4 ,some 
portions of the mountains have a height 
of over ten thousand feet4  ,a wagon    
road has been made by which the range   
can be crossed4 ,the summit of this road
 is about sixty-five hundred feet above 
the sea4  ,the toil and the danger in   
crossing the ,drachenberg ,mountains    
with an ox wagon has been admirably     

described by one writer3 ,our wagon is  
to go up first1 being supposed to be the
 heaviest4 ,hendrick's and ,pater's     
teams are to be put to it1--thirty-six  
oxen in all1--and if we get to the      
summit in ten hours we are to deem      
ourselves fortunate4  ,all is in        
readiness2 the cattle are yoked and the 
treek-trow is stretched out to its      
greatest length4 ,the drivers have taken
 their places1--,william in front1      
,pater in the middle1 and ,hendrick1 as 
the most skillful1 behind2 whilst       
,morris and ,i are instructed to follow 
close after with a large stone in our   
hands1 which is to be jammed under the  
hind wheels whenever the wagon stops or 
we hear the word klip shouted4 ,the sun 
had long gone down1 but we had a grand  
moon1 one that seemed much overgrown1   
still had lost none of its brilliancy by
 the process4  ,hendrick passes the     
signal to the other drivers to know if  
they are ready2 having received a       
favorable reply1 with good bass voice he

 shouts1 ',amba treek6' the words being 
echoed by each of the others1 and off   
moves the wagon in gallant style4  ,for 
about a hundred yards our course is over
 the sward2 after that comes an abrupt  
turn entering a steep incline1 and the  
ascent has begun4 ,for a hundred yards  
or more it was a tremendous pull2 but as
 it was the start1 the oxen were        
comparatively fresh1 and no stones were 
required2 but in fifty yards more       
',klip6' was called out1 and my friend  
and ,i did the klipping1 ,hendrick at   
the same time rushing behind to the rear
 of the wagon to put on the brake4      
,now1 this klipping may be a very       
playful amusement for some people1 but  
,morris and myself very soon came to the
 conclusion that it bore a very strong  
resemblance to hard work1 with every    
probability of getting your fingers     
crushed or yourself run over4 ,neither  
was it a joke to carry a rock1 about    
twenty-five pounds in weight1 up a      
hill--mountain1 ,i should say--far more 

favorable for the progression of goats  
or ,shetland ponies than human beings4  
,though seeing the matter in this light1
 yet we dare not remonstrate1 for if we 
did not klip1 the wagons1 as likely as  
not1 would go over the ledge1 and       
halt--in fragments4  ,grade after grade 
the hill increased in steepness1 and    
often the oxen were compelled to stop   
every twenty or thirty yards4 ,the      
drivers certainly did their work1 and   
did not spare themselves2 and the heavy 
breathing of the cattle showed that     
their task was no easy one4 ,although   
our stoppages were most numerous1 still 
we crawled on1--truly1 step by          
step1--still forward2 so if we met      
nothing more formidable1 in time we     
should reach the top4 ,we were in luck1 
too1 as far as the weather was          
concerned1 for a more lovely night could
 not have been made to order4444  ,we   
have come to a terrible grip2 the       
gun-like reports of the whips1 crack6   
crack6 crack6 incessantly1 like the     

irregular fire of a company skirmishing2
 and ,i had just remarked1 ',that's hot1
 ,morris6' when that most               
objectionable--nay1 abominated--shout of
 ',klip6' struck on our ears4 ,i did my 
best to be quick1 and in consequence got
 a finger pinched4  ,that last pull was 
a near thing1 but the driving and the   
energy of ,hendrick saved us1 or at     
least the wagon1 from trying to discover
 the sea level4  ,that1 doubtless1 was  
the worst trial we had2 for1 although it
 was only in the middle of the incline1 
halts afterwards became less frequent   
and less prolonged4 ,at this time it was
 fearfully cold1 and there was no wind2 
still our progress was so slow that the 
blood chilled in our veins4444  ,again  
we are off2 the whips crack1 the drivers
 scold and shout the names of lagging   
oxen1 while the poor beasts groan and   
wheeze with their exertions and the     
effects of the rarefied atmosphere4     
,from the abyss on our left rises an    
immense riven rock4 ,here we are        

informed that a wagon1 at no long       
distant time back1 had gone over1 but we
 pass the dangerous place in safety1    
and--hurrah6 hurrah6 we are descending1 
having passed the summit4  ,the         
,drachenberg ,mountains were the scene  
of fierce encounters between the        
,english and the ,boers1 or settlers1   
during the late ,transvaal war4 ,two    
most disastrous battles were fought1 in 
which the ,english were overpowered and 
defeated by the ,boers1 who1 though     
valiant and brave in many respects1 did 
not hesitate to resort to treachery and 
deceit in their dealings with the       
,english1 while they displayed not only 
cruelty but heartlessness and greed in  
the victories which they won4 ,they     
spared neither women nor children in    
their blind fury and ruthless slaughter1
 and were indifferent to the cries of   
the wounded as they searched them for   
plunder4     ,,chapter ,,xliv4  ,,views 
,,of ,,the ,,boers4   ,the ,boers may be
 considered the real strength of the    

population of the ,transvaal1 or ,south 
,african ,republic4  ,they number at    
least eight thousand families1 which    
support themselves by farm work of some 
description4  ,the ,boers are generally 
peasants1 though they are usually the   
wealthiest land owners in the country4  
,the character of the ,boers has been   
strongly impressed by their wanderings  
and sufferings4 ,their habits of life1  
too1 have necessarily been greatly      
modified through adverse circumstances  
and by the peculiar features of their   
surroundings4  ,if one of a family is   
about to ride but a few miles away from 
his home1 he takes leave of the members 
of his household with almost as much    
ceremony and affection as though going  
on a journey to a foreign country4 ,in  
the same manner1 persons1 whether they  
are visitors1 neighbors1 or relatives1  
on entering a household for the first   
time1 greet each member of the family1  
and1 in turn1 receive a hearty clasp of 
the hand from each1 as a welcome and a  

token of hospitality and rejoicing4     
,this custom evidently originated from  
the feelings of uncertainty experienced 
in the vicissitudes of life forty years 
ago4 ,friends meeting after an absence  
were in the habit of greeting one       
another as though they had been         
delivered from some great danger4 ,while
 those who were about to leave home     
parted from their friends as though they
 were never to meet again4  ,in the     
early days of their settlement the      
,boers had few candles4 ,constantly     
driven from one point to another1 their 
life in the wilderness1 where they hoped
 and planned to found their homes1      
proved a long and weary pilgrimage4 ,a  
little coarse fat from the animals which
 they slaughtered and a bit of rag made 
their only lamp4 ,crude as it was1 it   
answered their needs1 for these people  
acquired a habit of going early to their
 rest and rising at the first break of  
dawn1 in order to utilize every bit of  
daylight for their labor4  ,this habit  

of early to bed and early to rise has   
become characteristic of the ,boers4 ,it
 is a very rare thing to meet with a    
family that enjoys the pleasant evening 
hour1 clustered around the fireside or  
about the center table with its cheerful
 lights1 its books1 papers1 and other   
features of comfort and culture4  ,the  
daily life of the ,boers is of the most 
primitive character4 ,at the close of   
the day1 or as soon as the sun has sunk 
below the horizon1 the cattle and other 
stock are gathered into the kraals and  
places of safety1 and the labor of the  
day is practically over4 ,a short       
twilight is enjoyed1 then follows the   
evening meal1 a dinner and supper in    
one4 ,this is the social meal of the    
day4 ,at its close1 the table is no     
sooner cleared than the family assembles
 for prayers2 this has been the custom  
for years in the wanderings of these    
people4 ,the hour of prayer over1 the   
members of the family retire to their   
several quarters to enjoy their         

well-earned night's rest4  ,the         
complaint has often been made that the  
,boers keep their houses untidy1        
unfloored1 and poorly lighted4 ,we must 
not forget1 however1 that a house in the
 country of the ,boers is usually the   
work of the owner's own hands4 ,such a  
house was erected under extreme         
difficulty in a country recently        
frequented by wild beasts and still     
wilder barbarians4  ,whether we find it 
located beside some beautiful stream1 or
 standing upon some barren1 desolate    
plain1 or nestled under a steep hillside
 in some lonely and almost inaccessible 
kloof among the mountains1 we may feel  
sure that it was erected without the aid
 of skilled labor1 and that only the    
roughest material1 found on or near its 
site1 was used in its construction4  ,it
 must be remembered that beams and      
timbers are not to be found ready cut   
and prepared for the builder's hands4   
,those that the ,boers used to construct
 their houses had to be brought from    

very distant points and at an enormous  
expense4  ,the extreme difficulty in    
obtaining heavy timbers made it         
necessary to change the shapes of the   
houses somewhat from the most approved  
plan of dwellings4 ,necessity is the    
mother of invention2 and the ,dutch     
,boers1 in accordance with the trite    
saying1 ,cut your coat to fit your      
cloth1 erected their houses to fit the  
timbers they were able to procure4 ,they
 had to content themselves with small   
rooms1 and deny themselves the luxury of
 a broad spreading roof4  ,window frames
 and the glass to fit them were for     
years almost unobtainable by such       
settlers as located themselves north of 
the ,orange and ,vaal rivers4 ,in many  
of the houses the windows were not only 
few in number1 but exceedingly small1   
often seeming like mere shot holes4     
,the ,dutch farmer has been called slow1
 and he no doubt is slow2 for he belongs
 to a race not noted for its swiftness  
of thought or action4 ,for generations  

his ancestors have lived in the wilds of
 ,africa1 and such surroundings have not
 tended to quicken the nature of the    
average farmer4 ,yet with all his       
moderation the ,boer makes an excellent 
pioneer4  ,the towns in the ,transvaal  
are as primitive in their way as the    
houses4 ,in most instances they are mere
 villages2 others are barely more than  
hamlets1 which remind one of some of the
 drier portions of ,holland and         
,germany4  ,a town in the ,transvaal has
 generally a square in the center4 ,this
 is usually the site for the church4    
,there is generally one main street1 on 
which one finds the hotel1 several      
taverns1 and a store or two4  ,the town 
has usually rather a squalid look4      
,evidently neither time nor money is    
ever wasted in mere external ornament4  
,utility seems to be the plan of life4  
,the one thought of the practical ,boer 
is not1 ,is it beautiful8 but1 ,is it   
useful8  ,in the building of ,pretoria1 
the capital of the ,transvaal1 the      

,boers have had some thought of the     
future4 ,it has a situation in a        
basinlike hollow on a plateau some      
forty-five hundred feet above sea level4
 ,while so fortunate as to have a mild  
climate1 ,pretoria is subject to great  
and sudden changes of temperature1 which
 are most trying to people of weak lungs
 or of a rheumatic constitution4        
,frequent hailstorms of great violence  
are a peculiar feature of the climate4  
,these affect the temperature to such a 
degree that a hot day is often followed 
by a dismal1 chilly night4  ,pretoria1  
as the seat of government1 has quite a  
dignity of its own1 and with the        
forty-five hundred or more people within
 its limits has quite an imposing air of
 grandeur4 ,it has broad streets1       
spacious squares1 and many fine         
architectural features4 ,there are few  
houses as yet upon its broad streets4   
,the square has the usual features1 the 
church and the residences of the chief  
magistrate1 the lawyers1 judges1 and    

merchants4 ,the center of the square is 
a paradise for wayfaring horses1 for it 
is their favorite grazing ground4  ,the 
inhabitants of ,pretoria1 warned by     
experience1 and knowing the value of    
water1 have caused plenty of it to be   
conveyed into their town4 ,so plentiful 
is the supply that it not only irrigates
 the flourishing gardens but runs in    
streams through the streets4            
,notwithstanding these streams may be   
very refreshing to look at1 they must be
 a source of annoyance to the           
pedestrian1 who would prefer to walk    
dry-shod through the streets4  ,on all  
sides may be seen hedges of roses4 ,the 
weeping willow trees1 which are         
characteristic of all towns in the      
,transvaal1 seem to be1 if possible1    
still more numerous here4  ,provisions  
are exceedingly dear1 except such as are
 native to the soil4 ,in consequence1   
while the ,boers have the actual        
necessaries of life1 they find it       
impossible to secure the comforts and   

the refinement that the average         
,englishman can obtain at home4         
,potchefstroom bears a strong           
resemblance to ,pretoria4 ,the ,boers1  
in laying out the city1 planned it on so
 large a scale that it is rather a      
difficult matter correctly to estimate  
its extent4  ,here we find the great    
open grass-covered space1 the rose      
hedges1 and rows of weeping willows     
lining either side of the narrow        
grass-grown roads with their well-worn  
cart ruts4  ,many writers have given    
interesting accounts of the home life of
 the ,boers4 ,mr4 ,burchell1 a traveler1
 tells us that he met with great        
hospitality1 not only from the wealthy  
farmers1 but from the poorest and       
humblest laborers4 ,they carried this   
hospitality to such an extent as to     
manifest a readiness and a willingness  
to open their doors to every hungry and 
belated traveler that appealed for help 
and shelter4  ,on one occasion he was   
the guest of a farmer of the middle     

class4 ,the house had a bleak and       
exposed situation1 and there was little 
about it to indicate either art or      
culture4 ,this house1 which was built   
upon a broad level space bounded by     
rugged mountains1 had one large room1   
which occupied the main part of the     
house4 ,the floor was made of mud1 and  
the solitary window with its broken     
panes showed very plainly the scarcity  
and the costliness of glass4  ,the main 
occupation of the ,boers is raising     
wool1 and great quantities of this      
product are exported each year from     
,cape ,town4 ,as a matter of economy the
 meat of the sheep is consumed for food1
 and the fat1 or tallow1 is made into   
soap4  ,at the time of ,mr4 ,burchell's 
visit to one of the ,boers1 there was a 
large kettle of boiling soap suspended  
over the deep and spacious open         
fireplace1 in which a cheerful fire was 
blazing4 ,this open fireplace occupied  
one end of the main building1 the       
bedrooms occupied the other4 ,a door in 

the wall at the back led into the       
kitchen4 ,near the fireplace was a small
 window1 kept closely covered by means  
of a wooden shutter4 ,this was the only 
protection from the cold wind2 for the  
window had neither sash nor glass4      
,near the glazed window in the main room
 of the house was a small table1 and on 
it stood the little old-fashioned copper
 urn1 which was almost constantly in    
use4  ,on opposite sides of this table  
were placed ordinary wooden chairs4     
,these were for the master and mistress4
 ,several chairs and benches and a      
good-sized dining table were ranged     
about the room4 ,upon a shelf lay a     
large ,bible and a few other books4     
,the labor of the farm was performed by 
a man slave and a few ,hottentots4 ,the 
work in the kitchen and about the house 
was superintended by the mistress1 with 
a black slave and a ,hottentot girl to  
assist her4  ,there were three daughters
 in the family4 ,these were under the   
instruction of a tutor1 a native of     

,holland1 who had lived for nearly      
thirty years in ,cape ,colony4 ,he had  
been an inmate of this family for       
several months4 ,he could speak quite   
fluently in ,english and ,french1 and   
seemed well able to instruct his pupils 
for the positions they would occupy in  
life4  ,it is no uncommon thing to find 
teachers of this description scattered  
over the country4 ,they generally       
traverse the colony and remain stationed
 at each house for a period of from a   
half to a whole year4 ,during this time 
such teachers agree to instruct their   
pupils in reading1 writing1 and         
arithmetic1--in fact1 to finish their   
education4  ,the head of the family     
where ,mr4 ,burchell visited employed   
his time in rearing cattle4 ,for the    
disposing of his stock he depended upon 
the butcher's agent4 ,such a person is  
sent by his employer in ,cape ,town to  
travel through the grazing districts to 
select and purchase such cattle as he   
may deem best4 ,for these cattle he does

 not pay money1 but gives notes or      
drafts signed by his employer1 and      
bearing an official stamp to indicate   
their genuineness4 ,such drafts are     
considered as good as money1 and can be 
converted into cash by the grazier1 or  
he can tender them in payment to his    
neighbors4  ,the inland trade connected 
with ,cape ,town was in earlier times a 
matter of great risk and inconvenience4 
,this was owing to its remote situation 
at the extremity of the country and to  
the miserable condition of the roads    
leading to it4 ,the barren condition of 
the soil and the lack of good pasturage 
in the section about the town was a     
matter of serious inconvenience to the  
,dutch farmers4  ,it was the custom for 
those residing at a great distance to   
undertake the journey but once in the   
course of a year4 ,the vehicles on such 
an occasion resembled very much a       
traveling menagerie4 ,in addition to the
 principal members of the family1 the   
poultry1 goats1 sheep1 dogs1 monkeys1   

and other animals reminded the stranger1
 looking at the motley array1 of ,noah  
and the animals that entered the ark4   
,as a matter of protection1 and for the 
purpose of procuring game for food      
during the journey1 a musket or two were
 carried by the farmer and his aids4    
,the wagon conveying this mixed load was
 drawn by a train of at least eight1    
often ten1 or even sixteen1 oxen4       
,these1 with the enormously long whip of
 the driver1 and the scantily clothed   
figure of the little ,hottentot who led 
the foremost pair1 made a most curious  
and amusing sight for the stranger      
visiting the country4 ,the driver's seat
 was considered a post of honor2 the    
office of leading the oxen was          
considered a most degrading one1 fit    
only for a ,hottentot or a slave4       
,between ,cape ,town and the cultivated 
farming sections lie extensive sandy    
plains4 ,these are commonly called the  
,cape ,downs4 ,they are marked by       
numberless road and wagon ruts in every 

direction4 ,the soil of these downs1    
which is composed of loose white sand   
resting on a bed of clay1 is capable of 
supporting only a few stunted shrubs and
 coarse rushes4 ,here and there are     
scattered a few solitary huts4  ,owing  
to the general barren nature of the     
country1 travelers find no inducement to
 remain more than a day at ,cape ,town4 
,after a journey that has perhaps lasted
 twenty days1 during which the barren   
downs have been crossed1 the farmers    
frequently unyoke their oxen at ,salt   
,river1 so as to be in readiness to     
enter the town the next morning at break
 of day4 ,in this way they frequently   
dispose of their produce1 procure such  
articles as they may require1 and set   
out immediately upon the homeward       
journey in the course of a single day4  
,now that the ,south ,african ,republic 
is so well supplied with railways1 no   
doubt even the primitive and slow-moving
 ,boer will in time avail himself of the
 advantages of modern ways1 and the old 

time customs will cease to exist1 just  
as in our own country traveling by      
stagecoach is a thing of the past1      
except over some of the mountain roads  
not yet crossed by railways4            
,,chapter ,,xlv4  ,,other ,,sections    
,,of ,,south ,,africa4   ,british       
,bechuanaland consists of vast tracts   
which have been set apart for the       
,bechuana clans1 large sections occupied
 by ,european farmers1 and a great      
extent of country still unoccupied4     
,the country is well adapted for grazing
 grounds1 or cattle runs4 ,agriculture  
is a success only in limited localities1
 owing to the scarcity of surface water4
 ,with the exception of salt1 no mineral
 wealth has been discovered1 hence there
 is nothing to attract the fortune      
seeker or adventurer to the country4    
,the climate of ,bechuanaland is        
exceedingly healthy1 though the         
midsummer days are unpleasantly warm4   
,the nights are always enjoyable1 for   
they are invariably cool and pleasant4  

,under the ,british rule order is well  
preserved in ,bechuanaland4 ,there are  
said to be over five thousand ,europeans
 in the country4  ,vayling is the seat  
of government4 ,it is connected by rail 
with the ports of ,cape ,colony4 ,this  
line is now being continued to ,mafeking
 on the northern border4 ,as this is    
along the great trade route to the      
interior of the country1 it thus brings 
a large area under the protection of the
 ,british flag4  ,at a distance         
considerably north of ,bechuanaland lies
 a tract under ,british protection1 and 
named1 not inappropriately1 the ,british
 ,protectorate4  ,all white people      
within its borders are under the        
guidance of magistrates appointed by the
 high commissioner4 ,the native tribes1 
in their relations to each other1 are   
all under the control of the same       
government2 yet the rule of each chief  
over his tribe is seldom1 if ever1      
subject to interference4  ,a large      
portion of this territory is without    

surface water4 ,the country is thinly   
inhabited by ,bushmen and wandering     
,bechuana4 ,these were formerly held in 
slavery by various clans in the         
neighborhood of the ,springs4 ,although 
the circumstances of these people have  
improved much of late years1 yet their  
lives are still characterized by want   
and misery1 for they are largely        
dependent upon the caprices of their    
masters4  ,order is ,heaven's first law1
 and it is a recognized factor within   
this territory1 for it is enforced by a 
strong body of mounted police selected  
from among the ,europeans4  ,the        
,british ,chartered ,company's          
,territory is another division of ,south
 ,africa4 ,it is situated beyond the    
protectorate1 and is a vast territory   
containing fully half a million square  
miles4 ,this territory was opened by the
 ,british ,south ,african ,company under
 a royal charter granted in #ahhi4  ,the
 country has often been called          
,rhodesia1 from the originator of the   

company1 and who is still its chief     
manager4  ,the native chiefs of this    
section have given the company          
proprietary rights to immense tracts of 
fertile land and to extensive areas of  
gold-bearing quartz reefs4 ,in some     
places there are shafts and tunnels to  
indicate that at some unknown period in 
the past the mines were worked1 and     
ruins of buildings far superior to the  
skill of the ,bantu give evidence that  
the land was not always occupied        
exclusively by ,europeans4  ,the country
 does not lack modern ways and means of 
communication with the adjoining ones2  
for there is a telegraphic connection   
and a postal service between all the    
forts and ,cape ,colony1 and a railway  
is fast being constructed inland from   
,port ,beira4 ,this will give easy      
access to the northeastern portion1     
while the northwestern portion can be   
reached without much difficulty from the
 terminus of the ,cape ,town ,mafeking  
line4  ,such is the march of progress   

that many appliances of modern times1 as
 printing presses1 etc41 can be found   
to-day in a region which a few years ago
 was known only to a few explorers and  
hunters4  ,the ,german ,protectorate1 as
 its name indicates1 is under the       
protection of the ,german government4   
,the territory1 which1 since #ahhd1 has 
been thus protected1 occupies the       
southwest coast of ,africa and extends  
from ,cape ,frio on the north to the    
,orange ,river on the south2 from the   
,atlantic ,ocean on the west to an      
irregular line running from the head    
waters of the ,zambesi to the twentieth 
meridian from ,greenwich on the east4   
,from this vast territory we must       
exclude the only port on the coast1     
,walfish ,bay1 which with a little tract
 of land around it belongs to ,cape     
,colony4  ,the southern part of the     
country is almost rainless4 ,there are  
but few fountains1 but towards the north
 the moisture increases4 ,still no part 
of this extent of territory is capable  

of supporting an agricultural           
population4 ,notwithstanding this1 the  
land is well adapted for cattle raising4
  ,the mineral wealth of the country is 
not fully determined4 ,copper is known  
to exist in large quantities1 and it is 
generally believed that there are other 
minerals4  ,as far north as ,walfish    
,bay the population consists of         
,hottentots1 and beyond here the ,bantu 
are found4 ,the ,europeans are chiefly  
missionaries and a few prospectors4     
,thus far the natives have had no       
trouble with the authorities1 except    
that when one clan refused to           
acknowledge the ,german rule1 war was   
imminent2 but it was happily averted    
before the country became involved in a 
struggle which would have been ruinous  
to both sides4  ,early in the sixteenth 
century the ,portuguese established     
forts along the principal harbors of the
 southeastern coast of ,africa1 but did 
not attempt to plant colonies4  ,they at
 one time occupied a small fort in the  

magnificent harbor of ,delagoa ,bay2    
but1 as little trade could be commanded 
on that part of the coast1 the fort was 
often left abandoned for many years at a
 time4 ,mozambique became a resting     
place for the royal fleets to and from  
the east1 and was of considerable       
importance4 ,the other ,portuguese      
stations were mere outlying trading     
posts4  ,the ,portuguese never had any  
well-defined boundary to their          
territory2 in fact1 none was needed1    
since they had no ,european rival4      
,though they planted no colonies during 
their days of glory and prosperity1 they
 exerted themselves to open the country 
to the missionaries1 who were zealous to
 convert the natives4 ,these worthy men 
penetrated far into the interior1 and   
even established themselves in the      
deadly localities along the coast4  ,the
 traders who crossed the continent from 
,angola to ,mozambique brought vast     
quantities of gold and ivory and many   
slaves to the chief ports1 to be shipped

 to ,brazil and ,europe4  ,when the     
,dutch wrested ,india from ,portugal1   
they cared little for its possessions   
along the ,east ,african coast4 ,true1  
they occupied ,delagoa ,bay for some    
years in the eighteenth century1 but did
 not remain long4 ,the ,portuguese      
continued to hold their old stations in 
a state of decay1 and had a slight claim
 over the interior lands4  ,some years  
after the ,south ,african ,republic was 
established1 the ,lebombo ,mountains    
became the boundary line between it and 
the ,portuguese possessions4 ,the       
,british ,chartered ,company took       
possession of the interior plateau      
farther north4 ,a dispute arose1 but the
 boundary finally agreed upon is not yet
 marked off4  ,many improvements are    
noticeable4 ,from ,delagoa ,bay a       
railroad is being constructed to        
,pretoria4 ,from ,port ,beira at the    
,pungwe ,river a railway is being       
constructed inland1 which will reach a  
large portion of the ,british ,chartered

 ,company's possessions4 ,thus all these
 apparently inaccessible portions of the
 continent are being rapidly brought    
into easy communication with one        
another4 ,swaziland is a tract of       
country inclosed on three sides by the  
,south ,african ,republic1 and on the   
remaining side by the ,lebombo mountain 
ranges4  ,the country contains valuable 
gold fields1 and is characterized by    
fertile1 well-watered sections4 ,the    
climate is generally healthy4  ,the     
,swazis are regarded as the bravest of  
all the ,bantu tribes1 and were the     
stanch friends of the early emigrant    
farmers4  ,they number at the present   
time about sixty or seventy thousand4   
,their chief1 who died a number of years
 ago1 granted to different white men so 
many concessions of all kinds--to       
extract metals1 to till ground1 to graze
 cattle--that he left few possessions or
 rights to his followers4 ,this state of
 affairs led to the establishment of a  
mixed government1 whereby the           

,europeans1 acting under the approval of
 the chief1 were to rule the country4   
,at the present time the reigning chief 
of the ,swazis1 acting in harmony with  
the ruling powers in ,great ,britain and
 in the ,south ,african ,republic1 has  
established a form of government which  
is recognized and upheld by the         
,europeans of the territory4            
,,chapter ,,xlvi4  ,,retrospective      
,,views4   ,it will be remembered that  
the country east of ,cape ,colony1      
extending along the slope of the        
,drachenberg ,mountains to the ,indian  
,ocean1 as far as the southern border of
 the province of ,natal1 bears the name 
of ,british ,kaffraria1 or ,kaffirland4 
,doubtless1 the ,european colonists1 as 
they gradually extended their           
settlements eastward1 gave this name to 
the home of the people whom they found  
inhabiting this maritime slope and the  
country beyond it4 ,the term ,kaffir1 or
 infidel1 was first given to this people
 by the ,moors or by the ,arabs4  ,we   

must make a broad distinction between   
the coast ,kaffirs and the ,kaffirs of  
the plateau4 ,those of the coast are    
high-spirited and warlike1 while those  
of the plateau are of a milder and more 
quiet temperament4  ,early in the       
present century1 the ,zulus1 a clan of  
the coast ,kaffirs1 began to imitate the
 military discipline and system of the  
,europeans4 ,forming themselves into    
well-organized and severely disciplined 
bands1 they soon had all ,kaffirland    
south of the ,limpopo to the borders of 
,cape ,colony under their sway4  ,these 
fierce warriors gave the ,boers serious 
trouble when they first migrated to     
,natal4  ,some of these bands of        
warriors marched to the north and       
conquered all that lay in their pathway4
 ,their leaders not unfrequently founded
 extensive kingdoms in the range of     
country lying north of the ,zambesi4    
,most of these kingdoms have remained   
strong military despotisms until the    
present time4  ,zululand may be called  

the home of the ,zulu ,kaffirs4 ,it     
comprises that portion of ,southeast    
,africa which extends from the northern 
boundary stream of ,natal towards       
,delagoa ,bay4 ,until #ahgi it was under
 the rule of a strong1 warlike chief1   
and was well peopled4 ,all men of adult 
age were placed under military          
discipline1 so that the armies of the   
tribe were estimated at from thirty-five
 to forty thousand men4  ,illustration3 
,,zulus 7,,natives ,,of ,,south         
,,africa74  ,so strong a military power 
as this on the frontier made it         
imperative to place the ,transvaal1 or  
,south ,african ,republic1 under more   
effective rule than that of the ,boers4 
,the ,british have succeeded in breaking
 up this military power and have divided
 the country into districts4 ,each      
district is governed by its own chief1  
subject to the supervision of ,british  
magistrates4  ,the ,gasa country        
stretches north from ,delagoa ,bay to   
the ,lower ,zambesi1 and is under the   

rule of a powerful ,zulu chief4 ,he has 
power over all this vast territory1 with
 the exception of a few places on the   
coast under the protection of the       
,portuguese4  ,inland from the ,gasa    
country extends the kingdom of the      
,matabele ,kaffirs4 ,it is a complete   
military despotism4  ,the land of this  
kingdom rises higher than that of the   
,gasa country4 ,the picturesque granite 
hills of the ,matoppo and ,mashona      
ranges often attain an elevation of     
forty-five hundred feet4  ,the king of  
this country has his residence at the   
kraal1 or village1 on the southern slope
 of the ,matoppo hills4  ,a plateau     
,kaffir tribe1 named the ,makololo1     
having adopted the military system of   
government1 marched northward1 early in 
the present century1 through the        
,transvaal to the central valley of the 
,zambesi1 in search of conquest4        
,having enslaved the natives of the     
river valleys1 they established a       
powerful kingdom1 which extended south  

and north across the ,zambesi4          
,disputes arose in the kingdom as to the
 right of succession4 ,those who had    
been conquered took up arms against     
their conquerors1 and having revenged   
themselves for the years of servitude   
they had had to endure1 completely      
destroyed the ,makololo tribe4  ,the    
,kalahari ,desert represents that       
portion of the interior of ,south       
,africa which has the greatest          
deficiency in moisture4 ,it may be      
termed the heart of ,bechuanaland4  ,it 
reaches away in a northerly direction   
from the ,orange ,river as far as ,lake 
,n'gami4  ,the change from the fertile1 
verdant plains of the ,transvaal and the
 ,orange ,free ,state to the arid desert
 is a very gradual one1 corresponding to
 the change from the ,soudan to the     
,sahara in the north4  ,the ,kalahari1  
as we know1 has no running water4 ,it   
is1 for the most part1 a dry1 sandy     
region4 ,it is not wholly lacking in    
vegetation1 for it has tufty grass and  

creeping plants1 together with deeply   
buried bulbous roots1 except in the most
 central section4  ,the ,bushmen are the
 nomads1 or wandering tribes of the     
desert4 ,they are of low figure1 very   
thin and wiry4 ,they make no attempt to 
cultivate the land and have no regular  
homes4 ,their chief occupation is to    
chase the herds of antelopes from place 
to place1 and to lie in wait for them   
with their bows and poisoned arrows1 in 
readiness to shoot them4  ,the ,bushmen 
are sallow rather than black in color1  
and in their features and coloring are  
said to resemble the ,chinese more than 
any other people4 ,they may in reality  
be termed the children of the desert2   
for1 owing to the march of civilization 
and colonization1 they have sought      
refuge from the haunts of white men in  
the wastes and barren mountain ravines4 
,the locusts1 which may well be looked  
upon as a scourge to any land1 are      
hailed with joy by the ,bushmen1 for    
they form an important article of food  

with them4  ,the wild ,bushman1 happy in
 his nomadic life1 sings a song1 the    
words of which may thus be              
interpreted3--      ,i plant no herb1   
nor pleasant fruits1     ,i toil not for
 my cheer1     ,the desert yields me    
juicy roots1     ,and herds of bounding 
deer4      ,yea1 even the wasting       
locusts' swarm1     ,which mighty       
nations dread1     ,to me nor terror    
brings nor harm1     ,i make of them my 
bread4  ,the ,bushmen are not fastidious
 in their tastes2 for they eat many     
plants and bulbs which other people     
would despise as food4 ,grasshoppers and
 other insects1 and even serpents1 are  
eaten by them with much relish4  ,their 
huts are very inferior to those of other
 tribes4 ,they are usually mere holes in
 the ground4 ,they sometimes serve the  
purpose of a bed4 ,they are only a few  
inches deep1 of rather an oval form1 and
 no more than five or six feet wide4    
,in extremely cold weather these people 
gather twigs and earth1 till they have a

 mound heaped up as a protection on the 
windward side of the hole4 ,in summer   
they seek the beds of rivers and1 lying 
under the shade of the mimosas1 they    
draw down the branches to shield        
themselves from the glare of the sun4   
,the condition of the ,bushmen has been 
very much changed by the circumstances  
which have governed their lives4 ,every 
one's hand has seemed against them1 and 
theirs raised against every one4 ,like  
partridges in the mountains1 they have  
been hunted for generations4 ,deprived  
of all that the bountiful hand of       
,nature had given them1 they became at  
first desperate1 then rebellious1 wild1 
and fierce in their characters4  ,truly1
 their condition is a most degraded one1
 yet it is not hopeless4 ,the           
civilization of this people seems not   
only practicable1 but there are reasons 
for feeling that it might be easily     
accomplished4  ,the ,bushmen are not    
lacking in intellect1 are moved by      
kindness1 and manifest gratitude for    

favors4 ,they are trustworthy if any    
service is expected of them1 and ready  
and willing to receive instruction4     
,under proper management and through the
 right spirit there is little doubt that
 they could be easily persuaded to      
exchange their barbarous way of living  
for a life offering civilization and    
comfort4  ,just west of the ,kalahari we
 find the extensive countries of the    
,nama ,hottentots and of the ,damara    
tribes4 ,these reach over the hilly     
border lands of the continent down to   
the arid shores of this part of the     
,atlantic4  ,namaqualand may1 generally 
speaking1 be considered a dreary region1
 affording but a scanty vegetation of   
grasses and prickly shrubs4 ,the land is
 furrowed by water channels4 ,these flow
 for only a short time after the scanty 
showers have fallen4 ,the coast land is 
of a sandy character and destitute of   
water4 ,it is rendered still more       
disagreeable by an almost constant haze 
which overhangs it4  ,damaraland is a   

little farther to the north4 ,it has an 
aspect a little more favorable1 on      
account of its hill slopes4 ,still1 it1 
too1 lacks any permanently flowing      
rivers4  ,copper has been found in      
considerable deposits1 and doubtless    
gold lies yet undiscovered4  ,of the    
animal kingdom we find the ostrich in   
large numbers1 and many specimens of    
cattle are seen4  ,the people of        
,damaraland are principally of two      
tribes1 the ,cattle ,damaras1 who       
probably migrated from the valley of the
 ,zambesi1 and a black1 negro-like      
people1 or aboriginal tribe4 ,the latter
 were once slaves of the ,namaquas1 and 
adopted the ,hottentot language4 ,a few 
,bushmen and ,griquas1 together with    
,german missionaries1 are the remaining 
population4  ,there is but one highway1 
or regular track into ,namaqualand from 
the ,atlantic4 ,this leads from ,angra  
,pequena ,bay to the mission station of 
,bethany on the plateau4 ,it was        
formerly visited by guano ships4        

,recently it has been occupied by a     
,german trading company4 ,from ,walfish 
,bay there are tracks which lead inland 
to a mission station in ,damaraland4    
,just north of ,damaraland there are a  
number of tribes that bear a strong     
resemblance to the ,damaras4 ,these are 
classed together as ,ovampos4 ,they     
occupy the fertile tract of country     
south of the ,cunene ,river1 or the     
province of ,mossamedes1 belonging to   
the ,portuguese4  ,we must not forget   
that most of these lands occupied by    
native tribes are1 in a measure1        
governed by the nation to which they    
have been ceded2 and hence these tribes1
 in many instances1 come under the      
protection of ,great ,britain1 ,germany1
 or ,portugal1 as the case may be4      
,,part ,,two4  ,,broader ,,views ,,of   
,,the ,,continent4     ,,chapter        
,,xlvii4  ,,views ,,of ,,western        
,,africa4   ,western ,africa comprises  
the west coast of the continent from the
 borders of the ,great ,desert to the   

,nourse ,river1 together with a         
considerable amount of inland territory4
  ,this inland territory varies         
considerably in its extent from the     
shores2 and1 in fact1 is quite undefined
 as to its limits within the interior of
 the continent4  ,senegambia is the     
country drained1 you will remember1 by  
the ,senegal and ,gambia1 hence its     
name4 ,it is generally understood to    
include the tract of country from the   
,senegal southward to the promontory of 
,sierra ,leone4  ,the ,french1          
,portuguese1 and ,british have          
settlements4 ,france has the largest    
possessions4 ,they extend all along the 
left bank of the lower ,senegal ,river1 
and along the coast past ,cape ,verd to 
near the ,gambia4  ,the seat of         
government of the ,french is ,st4       
,louis4 ,it is situated at the mouth of 
the ,senegal4 ,the chief commercial town
 is ,dakir4 ,it is situated on the      
peninsula of ,cape ,verd4 ,the islet    
fortress of ,goric stands guard over it4

  ,farther to the south there are a     
number of smaller1 isolated possessions4
 ,these1 too1 belong to the ,french4    
,there are also several stations on the 
banks of the various smaller rivers4    
,since #ahhj these scattered possessions
 of the ,french have become             
consolidated4 ,several native states    
have placed themselves under a ,french  
protectorate4 ,thus no little progress  
has been made in consolidating the      
,french possessions in ,senegambia with 
those on the coast of ,guinea4  ,quite a
 large extent of seacoast is nominally  
claimed by the ,portuguese2 but their   
actual possessions are exceedingly      
small4  ,the ,gambia ,river is navigable
 for three hundred miles up from the    
sea4 ,the greater part of the river is  
held by the ,british4 ,they have an     
important little colony at the mouth of 
the river1 and several smaller stations 
higher up the stream4  ,sherboro ,island
 lies fifty miles south of the ,british 
colony1 ,sierra ,leone4 ,this island and

 the coast line as far as ,liberia form 
a part of the ,british possessions4     
,the inhabitants of ,senegambia1 if we  
except the ,europeans and the traders   
living in the towns and trading         
stations1 are mainly native negroes4    
,all are black in color and have good   
figures4  ,we find here1 too1           
representatives of a remarkable people1 
called the ,fellatah4 ,they belong to a 
much more advanced family than the      
negro4 ,they differ from the true negro 
type in their red-brown color1 their    
finer features1 slim figures1 and less  
woolly hair4 ,these ,fellatah are to be 
found1 also1 considerably farther       
inland4 ,in the ,soudan they are very   
zealous advocates of the ,mohammedan    
faith4  ,illustration3 ,,natives ,,of   
,,senegambia4  ,the western portion of  
,senegambia is very flat4 ,the ,great   
,desert1 its near neighbor1 affects it  
by the dry1 hot winds2 hence the        
atmosphere is often loaded with fine    
sand1 and dark with clouds of locusts4  

,the eastern portion of the country is  
diversified by hills and elevated land4 
,there are a great many rivers1 the     
,senegal1 ,gambia1 and ,rio ,grande     
being the most important4  ,in the heat 
of its climate ,senegambia ranks with   
,egypt and ,nubia4 ,during the rainy    
season the heat is most oppressive4     
,then1 from ,june to ,november1 the     
country is completely drenched by the   
enormous fall of rain4 ,during this     
season the prevailing wind is from the  
southwest2 during the dry season it     
blows from the east4  ,the vegetation of
 ,senegambia is very luxuriant and      
vigorous4 ,the baobab1 or monkey-bread  
tree1 is found here4 ,the cottonwood    
trees1 a species of poplar1 are very    
numerous4 ,they rank among the loftiest 
trees in the world4  ,the chief trade of
 ,senegambia is in the gums which the   
acacia forests yield4 ,these forests    
cover the entire country north of the   
,senegal4  ,farther south we find the   
factories for the manufacture of palm   

oil4 ,these are all conducted by        
,europeans4 ,the palm oil is exported to
 ,english ports and is used largely in  
the manufacture of a superior toilet    
soap4  ,the interior sections yield     
abundant quantities of groundnuts1      
hides1 and wax4 ,these are sent down the
 rivers and shipped from the coast4     
,many valuable products1 as ginger1     
pepper1 arrowroot1 coffee1 and rice1 are
 capable of cultivation4  ,so great is  
the production of cotton that great     
quantities can be shipped to ,england at
 any time when the supply from other    
countries is so small as to raise the   
market price4 ,no matter how            
extortionate the price may have been    
before the arrival of the ,senegambia   
supply1 it must soon become reasonable  
when the ,african cargo reaches ,english
 ports4  ,the west coast of ,africa1    
from ,senegambia to the ,nourse ,river1 
is called the ,guinea ,coast4 ,this name
 was derived from the ,portuguese       
language4  ,the coast line is1 generally

 speaking1 very low4 ,navigators        
approaching it are obliged to make the  
tree tops along the shore their sailing 
guides until quite close to land2 for   
only then is the outline of the coast   
visible4  ,illustration3 ,,guinea       
,,coast ,,native4  ,just north of the   
equator1 in the ,bight of ,benin1 the   
coast loses this marked characteristic  
and becomes high and bold1 with the     
,cameroon ,mountains for a background4  
,again1 near ,sierra ,leone it presents 
a bold front to the sea4  ,these rugged 
features in the coast line are1 however1
 noticeable exceptions to its general   
character4 ,frequently it presents a    
dead level1 which extends from thirty to
 fifty miles inland4  ,the heights which
 skirt the northern coast line of the   
,gulf of ,guinea1 and which stretch as  
far as the head waters of the ,senegal  
and ,gambia1 and in the inner slopes of 
which the ,niger also has its sources1  
may be considered as an extension of the
 ,great ,south ,african ,plateau4 ,but  

they are of less general elevation2 and 
that best known part of the ridge1 which
 has the name of the ,kong ,mountains1  
is1 apparently1 not higher than from two
 thousand to three thousand feet4       
,this1 perhaps1 will help us to         
understand more clearly why one         
authentic author has stated that the    
supposed ,kong ,mountains do not exist4 
,doubtless1 he does not consider the    
ridge of a lofty enough elevation to be 
designated as a mountain range4  ,there 
are numerous rivers4 ,some of these     
extend far back into the deepest        
recesses of ,central ,africa4  ,the     
climate of the ,guinea ,coast is very   
fatal to ,europeans2 for the muddy      
creeks and inlets1 the putrid swamps1   
and the mangrove jungles that line the  
banks of the rivers are all productive  
of pestilence and malaria4  ,there are  
two seasons1 the wet and the dry4 ,in   
the more southern portions the rainy    
season begins in ,march1 but at ,sierra 
,leone and farther north it begins a    

month later4  ,the vegetation is not    
only very luxuriant but varied4 ,one of 
the most important trees is a species of
 palm4 ,the covering of the seed1 or    
nut1 of this tree is used for the       
extraction of the palm oil of commerce4 
,a bunch of red and yellow fruit will   
often have a thousand oil-yielding      
plums1 and weigh in some cases half a   
hundredweight4  ,it is no uncommon thing
 for several thousand tons to be        
exported in a year to ,english ports1 as
 ,liverpool1 ,london1 and ,bristol4     
,the palm-oil tree is native to the     
country between the ,gambia and the     
,congo1 and is found in great abundance4
 ,the oil from the nuts1 however1 is    
manufactured chiefly in the country of  
the ,gold and ,slave coasts4  ,nearly   
all the remarkable animals of ,africa   
are found in the country along the ,gold
 ,coast4 ,the domestic animals are      
mostly of an inferior order2 but of the 
wild animals we find an abundance1 as   
elephants1 hippopotamuses1 monkeys1     

lions1 leopards1 together with          
crocodiles1 serpents1 and parrots4  ,the
 principal minerals of the country are  
gold and iron4 ,the chief exports are   
palm oil1 ivory1 gold1 wax1 and various 
kinds of timber1 as well as spices1     
gums1 and rice4  ,the population        
consists of a few ,european colonists   
and a variety of negro nations4 ,these1 
though bearing a strong physical        
resemblance to one another1 and holding 
many customs in common1 differ widely in
 their dispositions and characters4     
,,chapter ,,xlviii4  ,,upper ,,guinea4  
,guinea is usually divided into         
,northern1 or ,upper ,guinea1 and ,lower
 ,guinea4  ,upper ,guinea has several   
divisions1 which still retain the       
characteristic names first given to     
them4 ,these names were founded mostly  
on the productions of different         
sections1 and becoming popular were     
retained4  ,sierra ,leone1 named from   
its bold front ,lion ,mountain1         
stretches from ,rokelle ,river in the   

north to ,kater ,river in the south1 and
 for about twenty miles inland4 ,it is a
 ,british colony1 founded in #aghg for  
the suppression of the slave trade in   
,west ,africa1 and has been maintained  
for that purpose4  ,illustration3       
,,sierra ,,leone4  ,the larger portion  
of the colony is a rugged peninsula of  
mountains4 ,this has a sterile soil1 but
 it is surrounded by a belt of fertile  
coast land with a humid and pestilential
 climate4  ,the population consists     
mostly of those who were once slaves1   
but who have been liberated4 ,in #ahfi  
the population numbered over fifty-five 
thousand2 of these only one hundred and 
twenty-nine were white men4 ,freetown is
 the capital4 ,next to ,st4 ,louis it is
 the largest ,european town on the      
western coast of the continent4  ,the   
,grain ,coast is named from the grains  
of the ,malaghetta pepper plant4 ,this  
plant is a species of parasite1 and     
yields very abundantly4  ,the           
,malaghetta1 or ,grain ,coast1 is often 

called the ,windy1 or ,windward ,coast1 
on account of the many brief but furious
 tornadoes which it experiences         
throughout the year4  ,the negro        
republic of ,liberia occupies nearly    
four hundred miles of this coast4 ,it   
was founded by the ,american            
,colonization ,society in #ahbb1 for the
 purpose of establishing a settlement   
for the freedmen of the ,united ,states4
 ,its capital is ,monrovia1 named after 
,mr4 ,monroe1 the president of the      
,colonization ,society4 ,it is situated 
on the rising ground of the coast1      
within the shelter of ,cape ,mesurado1  
which forms a breakwater against the    
incessant roll of the high surf from the
 ,atlantic4 ,it carries on quite a      
commerce with ,england1 ,holland1       
,germany1 and the ,united ,states4  ,the
 ,ivory ,coast extends from ,cape       
,palmas through three degrees of west   
longitude4 ,it derived its name from the
 great quantities of ivory it afforded  
at one time4 ,now that the elephant is  

becoming extinct1 the supply must1 of   
course1 cease4  ,numerous ,french forts 
and settlements along this coast have1  
since #ahga1 been abandoned4  ,the ,gold
 ,coast is controlled entirely by the   
,british government1 and is1 in fact1 a 
,crown colony4 ,it reaches from west of 
,cape ,three ,points to the river       
,volta4  ,the ,gold ,coast has long been
 visited for gold dust and other        
products4 ,it has been described as an  
outer margin of plain1 on the coast of  
which a roaring surf continually breaks4
 ,it extends east and west for about    
three hundred miles1 and is bounded     
inland by hills covered with primeval   
forests4 ,it is rich in the oil palm and
 oil-bearing groundnut1 but the climate 
is exceedingly dangerous to ,europeans4 
,attempts have been made to introduce   
cattle and horses4 ,these have all been 
unsuccessful1 owing to that ,african    
scourge1 the poisonous tsetse fly4  ,as 
far back as #ahdi all the ,dutch        
possessions along this coast were ceded 

to ,england1 and by a treaty of #ahga   
all the ,dutch possessions became       
,british property4  ,the principal      
,british station is ,cape ,coast        
,castle4 ,it is named from its great    
church-like fort on the water's edge    
beside the filthy native town1 above    
which the ,european residences peep out 
from among the woods4 ,elmina1 the mine1
 is situated about midway along the     
coast4  ,it was1 doubtless1 the earliest
 ,european settlement1 and is to-day one
 of the largest towns4 ,it has a        
population of about ten thousand4  ,just
 behind the ,gold ,coast lies the       
country of the ,ashantees1 a warlike    
negro people4 ,the greater part of the  
country consists of forest and jungle4  
,the river ,volta forms the western     
boundary of the ,ashantee country4 ,next
 to the ,niger it is the most important 
river of this portion of the coast line 
of ,africa4 ,both of its banks1 in the  
vicinity of the mouth1 are included in  
the ,gold ,coast colony4 ,the ,volta    

seems to be navigable for about two     
hundred miles4 ,no doubt1 in the near   
future it will become an important      
highway of trade4  ,east of the ,volta  
is a small ,german territory named      
,togo4 ,farther up we find ,popo1 a     
,french settlement1 and ,whydah4 ,the   
latter is the port of the negro kingdom 
of ,dahomey4 ,this kingdom is noted for 
its cruel rites and barbarous customs4  
,farther on is the ,british town ,lagos4
 ,this is the largest seaport of the    
,yoruba country and of all this portion 
of ,west ,africa4 ,it is in direct      
communication with ,liverpool by        
steamers4 ,these carry out cargoes of   
palm oil and cotton1 in an unfailing    
supply1 to ,england4  ,the kingdoms of  
,ashantee1 ,dahomey1 ,yoruba1 and       
others1 occupy the interior of the      
,guinea ,coast country4  ,ashantee is   
about two hundred and eighty miles long 
and about as many broad4 ,although a    
mountainous region1 it has no abrupt or 
precipitous elevations4 ,it is well     

watered1 notwithstanding that it does   
not lie in any of the basins of the     
great ,african rivers4 ,along the coast 
there are the mouths of several large   
streams1 and the various affluents of   
these streams form a network over the   
country4  ,the ,asinee ,river is a      
stream of some size4 ,it is considered  
the boundary line between the ,gold and 
the ,ivory coasts4 ,for a considerable  
distance from its mouth it forms the    
western boundary of ,ashantee4 ,the     
,volta1 which is the largest river1 is  
estimated to be four hundred miles in   
length4 ,there are also several lakes in
 the country4 ,these frequently overflow
 during the rainy season4  ,the heat and
 unhealthiness of the ,guinea ,coast are
 well known4 ,this is partly due to the 
hot days succeeded by the chilly nights4
 ,the main cause1 however1 is the       
sulphurous mist which rises from the    
valleys and river sections in the       
mornings4 ,this mist is particularly    
heavy during the rainy season4 ,the     

kingdom of ,ashantee has one dry season 
and two wet seasons4  ,the first rains  
occur near the end of ,may or the first 
of ,june4 ,they are heralded by violent 
tornadoes4 ,the rains are followed by   
fogs and haze4 ,these are disagreeable  
enough at all times1 but are            
particularly so in ,july and ,august4   
,the second rains occur in ,october4    
,these are followed by the hot1 dry     
season1 which lasts till ,april4        
,elephants1 rhinoceroses1 giraffes1     
buffaloes1 deer1 antelopes1 goats1 apes1
 monkeys1 and baboons are among the     
least harmful animals2 but there are    
lions1 tigers1 leopards1 jackals1       
wolves1 and wild boars of the most      
ferocious nature4 ,the rivers are found 
swarming with hippopotamuses and        
alligators1 while serpents1 scorpions1  
and lizards are found in great numbers4 
,the population of ,ashantee proper has 
been estimated at one million4 ,the     
whole empire1 if we include the         
territories under the rule of the native

 king1 is said to have a population of  
three millions4  ,the natives are well  
formed and in many respects do not show 
the peculiarities of form and feature   
found in the negro race4 ,they are      
cleanly in their habits1 and do not     
neglect their daily bath4 ,after bathing
 they anoint themselves with the oil    
from the butter tree4 ,this is a good   
cosmetic1 and keeps the skin in fine    
condition in so hot and trying a        
climate4  ,among the better class the   
clothing consists of an immense cloak4  
,sometimes it is made of the most costly
 silk4 ,in time of warfare this dress is
 changed for a close vest covered with  
metal ornaments and scraps of ,moorish  
writing4 ,these are considered charms   
against danger4 ,loose cotton drawers1  
and large boots made of a dull red      
leather1 complete the costume4 ,the     
great chiefs wear gold breastplates2 and
 as many of the natives as are able wear
 a profusion of gold ornaments4  ,the   
king of ,ashantee has over three        

thousand women laborers1 whom he has    
purchased from their parents for a small
 sum4 ,during the working season these  
women are scattered over his numerous   
plantations4 ,when they are at home1 in 
the capital of the country1 they live on
 two streets4 ,here they remain in      
seclusion1 seeing only the king and his 
female relatives4 ,so strict are the    
laws with regard to the seclusion of    
these women1 who are practically slaves1
 that to look upon one1 even by         
accident1 is to be sentenced to death4  
,in every town well-stocked and         
well-regulated markets are held4 ,these 
supply the natives with the necessaries 
of life and with the various ,european  
manufactures that are in demand4 ,the   
poorer classes subsist almost wholly    
upon fish4 ,the common drink of the     
people is palm wine4  ,at all festivals 
and public meetings the most cruel acts 
and brutal customs prevail4 ,should a   
chief die1 many lives must be sacrificed
 in his honor2 and1 on the death of the 

king1 all his personal attendants and   
many others1 male and female1 numbering 
often several thousands1 are sacrificed4
  ,the chief employment of the ,ashantee
 agriculturist is clearing the ground   
from the rank1 luxuriant growth which   
covers it4 ,this he does by means of    
fire4 ,in this way he clears his ground 
and spreads it over with a layer of rich
 fertilizer4  ,the only agricultural    
implement is the hoe4 ,this is of the   
crudest description2 but it answers the 
purpose in a country whose productive   
soil is flooded twice each year1        
yielding two crops of most kinds of     
corn1 and an abundance of yams and rice4
  ,the natives lay out the plantations  
with a good deal of regularity4 ,the    
cultivated grounds are extensive1 though
 not equal to the wants of the people4  
,the ,ashantees do not smelt ores like  
some of the ,african tribes1 yet they   
have blacksmiths and gold-smiths much   
superior to what we might expect to find
 among them4 ,there are also dyers1     

potters1 tanners1 and carpenters4  ,the 
fineness of texture and the variety and 
brilliancy of coloring in the native    
cloths would do credit to an ,english or
 an ,american manufacturer4 ,several    
specimens of the handiwork of the       
,ashantees are to be found in the       
,british ,museum4  ,various             
insurrections and frequent wars have    
occurred1 in some of which the          
,ashantees have come into collision with
 the ,british nation4 ,finally1 a few   
years ago1 war was formally declared2   
for the ,ashantees paid no regard to    
treaties formed with neighboring states 
under the protection of the ,british    
flag1 and resented bitterly any         
interference on the part of ,great      
,britain with the slave trade4  ,they   
not only insulted and robbed persons    
trading with the ,british settlements1  
but even killed them1 in their bitter   
hatred4 ,at last they took up arms      
against the ,british4 ,a war followed1  
which terminated quite recently1 and    

resulted in the defeat and disbandment  
of the ,ashantees1 and in the overthrow 
of the kingdom4  ,the capital1 as well  
as the palace1 was burned1 and the king1
 in spite of his cunning and duplicity1 
was finally forced to sue for peace4  ,a
 treaty was formed1 the conditions of   
which were most important2 human        
sacrifices were to be abolished1 the    
slave trade discontinued1 and honorable 
commerce protected4 ,well will it be for
 ,ashantee land if these conditions can 
be enforced2 for the defeat of a native 
king in ,africa means1 usually1         
political chaos and ruin4  ,even at the 
present time many of the ,ashantees have
 thrown off their allegiance to the     
king2 and the kingdom will1 no doubt1   
resolve itself into a number of petty   
chieftainships similar to those from    
which it was formed4  ,the kingdom of   
,dahomey is the most celebrated of all  
the ,west ,african countries4  ,the     
limits of the kingdom are somewhat      
uncertain2 but the whole country over   

which the king of ,dahomey originally   
ruled cannot have been less than four   
thousand square miles4  ,formerly1 the  
kingdom was engaged in the slave trade4 
,whydah1 its seaward outlet1 was one of 
the ports where the slavers were loaded 
with their human cargoes4 ,now it is an 
insignificant little town of ruined     
factories4  ,the kingdom1 since the     
abolishment of the slave trade1         
furnishes little of value to commerce1  
with the exception of olive oil4  ,the  
people1 and the king in particular1 have
 long furnished the subjects of the most
 marvelous of stories4 ,travelers have  
brought back accounts of the curious    
serpent house at ,whydah4 ,here are kept
 the sacred fetich serpents4  ,the      
edifice is merely a round structure1    
with a conical thatched roof4 ,the hut1 
as we should call it1 is from ten to    
twelve yards in diameter and seven or   
eight in height4 ,the walls consist of  
dried earth1 similar to those of the    
dwellings4 ,two openings1 on opposite   

sides1 furnish the doorways through     
which these serpent divinities trail    
their hideous forms1 in their passage in
 and out the sacred temple4  ,strings of
 cotton yarn hang from the roof4 ,on the
 floor1 which1 like the walls1 is       
whitewashed1 are several pots of water4 
,one traveler found as many as one      
hundred serpents within the sacred      
house4 ,another found but twenty-two on 
his visit4 ,they were harmless1 for     
their fangs had been removed4  ,the     
length of these reptiles varied from one
 to three meters4 ,they had             
spindle-shaped bodies1 which terminated 
gradually in a tail one-third the entire
 length of the body4  ,they had large   
heads1 somewhat flattened and           
triangular1 but shaped as if the corners
 had been rounded off4 ,their necks were
 somewhat thinner than their bodies4    
,their color varied1 ranging from a     
clear yellow to yellow green4 ,most of  
them were marked with two brown lines   
down the back2 a few were irregularly   

spotted4 ,dr4 ,repin believed them to   
belong to the species of non-poisonous  
reptiles classified as pythons and      
adders4  ,as he watched them1 some      
ascended and descended the tree trunks  
placed within the sacred house for them4
 ,others suspended themselves by their  
tails1 balanced themselves above his    
head1 and peered down at him with their 
narrow eyes4 ,some were coiled up asleep
 under the rafters which supported the  
roof1 after a feast from the last       
offerings of the faithful worshipers4   
,strangely1 weirdly fascinating as the  
sight was1 and wholly devoid of danger1 
yet he could but give a sigh of         
satisfaction as he stepped into the open
 air4  ,every one of these serpents is  
held sacred4 ,if one of them1 astray    
from its home1 is encountered by one of 
the superstitious negroes1 it is        
approached in a most reverential manner1
 often on the knees1 and then lifted    
carefully in the arms and carried back  
into the sacred house with the most     

humble apologies from the worshiping    
savage for the liberty he is taking in  
touching anything so sacred4  ,when1 by 
accident1 a ,european1 unaware of its   
sacred character1 has killed one of     
these serpents1 it has been only with   
the greatest difficulty that his life   
has been saved from paying the forfeit  
for the sacrilegious act2 so great has  
been the wrath of the priests and their 
fanatical people4  ,the serpent is thus 
reverenced because during a siege in war
 time it appeared to the army1 and so   
inspired the soldiers with courage and  
ardor that a victory was won4  ,abomey  
is the capital of ,dahomey4 ,it is      
situated seventy miles inland1 and      
stands upon a level plateau4 ,it is a   
walled city4 ,the walls are of clay1 and
 measure about eight miles in length4   
,they are pierced by four gates1        
according to some writers2 by six1      
according to others4 ,each has a double 
opening1 one for the exclusive use of   
the king1 the other for his subjects4   

,the walls of the town are twenty feet  
in height4 ,a ditch from four to six    
feet deep is an added protection1 in    
case an enemy should storm the walls4   
,this ditch is crossed by means of light
 bridges of wood1 which can easily be   
moved in case of danger4  ,the houses   
are widely separated1 and in some       
instances are surrounded by small farms4
 ,the streets are broad and tolerably   
clean1 but by no means crowded2 many of 
them are shaded by magnificent trees4   
,near the center of the city is a small 
edifice1 with a round roof sustained by 
a wooden colonnade4 ,this is the        
building in which the human sacrifices  
formerly took place4  ,near this is the 
palace of the king1 consisting of a     
number of ordinary dwellings separated  
by courts and gardens1 and serving as   
the lodgings of the king's female       
soldiers and his domestic slaves4       
,these dwellings are made of clay dried 
in the sun1 and roofed with bamboos1    
which extend over the fronts and form   

verandas2 only one of them has a doorway
 which opens on the principal street4   
,this is the royal treasure house and is
 two stories high4 ,its walls are       
festooned with strings of cowries1      
hanging from the eaves to the ground1 an
 ornamentation which is found nowhere   
else4  ,the king has no special         
apartment out of the many that comprise 
his palace1 but chooses any1 from time  
to time1 which suits his fancy4         
,surrounding all these dwellings is a   
wall of clay4 ,this is from fifteen to  
twenty feet high1 and pierced with      
several gates4 ,here and there at       
intervals iron hooks project1 and from  
these are suspended the heads of        
decapitated subjects1 some whitened and 
bleached by time1 others ghastly tokens 
of recent sacrifices in pagan worship4  
,in front of the doorways of the        
dwellings1 piles of elephant bones may  
be found heaped up4 ,these are probably 
trophies of the chase1 and yet they seem
 to be held in superstitious fear by the

 natives4  ,the ,dahomans are tall1 well
 formed1 and intelligent4 ,for an       
,african race they are wonderfully      
honest1 and are well advanced in a      
knowledge of agriculture4 ,they are     
almost all pagans1 and practice the most
 heathenish rites4 ,the king is an      
absolute despot1 having complete control
 over the lives and the possessions of  
his people4  ,one of the cruel          
practices1 formerly1 was the tremendous 
sacrifice of human lives during any of  
the religious ceremonies4 ,one king     
caused seven thousand followers to be   
killed at the death of his father4  ,a  
peculiar feature of the army was the    
corps of ,amazons1 or female soldiers4  
,they have been described as more       
effective than their male comrades in   
time of war4 ,the flower of the corps   
perished in a siege in #ahfg1 and the   
soldiers were greatly reduced in        
numbers4 ,the remaining force since then
 has been divided into three brigades1  
each of which has a distinguishing mode 

of dressing the hair4  ,leaving the     
,dahomey kingdom1 we reach the dead     
levels of the delta of the ,niger1 which
 has twenty-two main channels1 separated
 by swamps of mangrove trees4  ,the     
navigation of the ,niger is now carried 
on by a half dozen or more light        
steamers4 ,these ascend the current from
 the ,atlantic to the factories situated
 at the junction with the ,binue1 and   
even farther up both streams4 ,these    
steamers carry on an exchange of        
,european goods for ivory1 palm oil1 and
 butter from the olivelike seeds of the 
butter tree4 ,all these steamers need to
 be well armed1 in case of an attack    
from hostile natives4  ,abo1 at the head
 of the delta1 is in the very heart of  
the oil section4 ,there are two or three
 important native towns farther up the  
river1 and at the mouth of the ,binue is
 an important mission station4 ,this is 
under the management of a negro bishop4 
,this mission station1 ,lukoja1 is also 
a great depot and trading station of the

 ,british ,niger ,company1 which has    
control over the government of the      
river4  ,egga1 a large ,mohammedan town 
a day's journey by steamer above        
,lukoja1 is at present the limit of the 
,european trade on the ,niger4  ,beyond 
the delta of the ,niger we find the     
estuaries of the ,old ,calabar and      
,cameroons rivers4 ,these are famed as  
being the oil rivers of ,west ,africa1  
owing to the great supply of oil which  
is brought down their currents from the 
interior4  ,at the coast all kinds of   
,european goods are given in barter for 
the oil in a crude form4 ,this crude oil
 is then melted and stored in sheds1    
ready for transportation4  ,the oil     
rivers1 as far as ,rio del ,rey1 are    
controlled by the ,british4 ,the        
,cameroons coast has been ceded to      
,germany4     ,,chapter ,,xlix4  ,,lower
 ,,guinea4   ,southern1 or ,lower       
,guinea1 begins at the equator4 ,it is  
generally understood to include the     
maritime coast line of ,west ,africa4   

,for about fifteen hundred miles it     
extends in a north and south direction  
from the head of the ,bight of ,biafra  
to ,cape ,frio4  ,on the northern part  
of the coast1 out from the high peaks of
 the ,cameroons1 which stand on a       
peninsula of the mainland1 are four     
volcanic islands in line4  ,the largest 
of these is ,fernando ,po1 which belongs
 to ,spain4 ,its perfectly conical      
summit1 which rises to an elevation of  
over ten thousand feet1 is wooded       
completely over4 ,its harbor of         
,clarence ,cove is one of the most      
picturesque points in ,west ,africa4 ,at
 one time it was a place of banishment  
for political offenders from ,spain4    
,prince's ,island1 which has been       
compared to a volcanic garden1 and ,st4 
,thomas1 beyond it1 whose lofty peak    
rises over seven thousand feet above the
 sea1 belong to ,portugal4 ,the little  
rugged island of ,annobon1 which is the 
last of the chain1 belongs to ,spain4   
,the section around the ,cameroon peaks 

has1 within a short period1 been        
occupied by the ,germans4 ,near the     
equator1 on the coast of ,lower ,guinea1
 the ,spaniards have some small         
settlements in the beautiful ,bay of    
,corisco1 and on the promontory of ,san 
,juan1 which adjoins it4 ,the ,french1  
too1 hold not only the inlet of the     
,gaboon1 but a large portion of the     
coast1 together with an extensive inland
 section1 which was ceded to them by the
 ,berlin ,conference1 when the ,congo   
,state was established4  ,illustration3 
,a ,,native ,,of ,,the ,,gaboon ,,river4
  ,one of the chief negro tribes of     
,west ,africa1 the ,fans1 occupy the    
coast line of ,lower ,guinea4 ,they are 
a fine race1 but are pronounced         
cannibals4 ,since they have come in     
contact with ,europeans this revolting  
practice has been less prevalent4  ,the 
,fans have long been famed for their    
skill in forging weapons and making     
poisoned arrows4 ,these occupations have
 declined since the advent of           

,europeans4  ,du ,chaillu1 the explorer1
 relates his experience upon arriving at
 one of the ,fan villages4 ,so alarmed  
were the men1 women1 and children1 that 
they fled in terror the moment they     
perceived the white spirit1 as they     
called him4  ,in his journal he writes3 
,if ,i was not frightened1 ,i was at    
least as much surprised by all ,i saw as
 the ,fans could be4 ,these fellows1 who
 now for the first time saw a white man 
with straight hair1 were to me an equal 
surprise1 for they are real1            
unmistakable cannibals4 ,and they were  
by long odds the most remarkable people 
,i had thus far seen in ,africa4 ,they  
were much lighter in shade than any of  
the coast tribes1 strong1 tall1 well    
made1 and evidently active2 and they    
seemed to me to have a more intelligent 
look than is usual to the ,african      
unacquainted with white men4  ,he       
describes these people as almost without
 clothing4 ,such as they had was made   
from the soft inside bark of a tree1    

while from the waist was suspended the  
skin of some wild animal4 ,their teeth  
were filed1 which gave the face not only
 a ghastly but a ferocious appearance2  
and1 in addition to filing1 some had    
blackened the teeth4  ,the hair1 or     
rather wool1 was pulled out into long1  
stiff1 thin plaits2 and on the end of   
each1 white beads or rings of copper or 
iron were strung4  ,some of these       
natives wore caps made of feathers4     
,others wore long queues4 ,these were   
made of their own wool1 lengthened out  
by a kind of tow1 which had been dyed   
black and mixed with it4 ,this gave the 
wearers a very droll appearance4  ,over 
the shoulders they wore suspended the   
huge1 long knife of the country1 and in 
their hands they bore spears and an     
immense shield made of elephant hide4   
,about their necks they wore various    
charms and ornaments1 which rattled     
constantly as they walked4  ,the shield 
the ,fan carries is made of the hide of 
a very aged elephant4 ,only the part    

which lies across the back of the animal
 is used4 ,it is dried and smoked1 and  
thus rendered as hard and impenetrable  
as iron4 ,the shield when finished is   
about three feet long and two and a half
 feet wide4  ,the charms1 or fetiches1  
which are worn suspended around the neck
 by the ,fans1 consist of the fingers   
and tails of monkeys2 human hair1 skin1 
teeth1 and bones2 clay1 old nails1      
copper chains1 shells2 feathers1 claws1 
and skulls of birds2 pieces of iron1    
copper1 or wood2 seeds of plants2 and   
ashes of various substances4 ,this      
belief in charms indicated to ,du       
,chaillu the highly superstitious nature
 of the people4  ,the women of the ,fan 
tribe wear still less clothing than the 
men4 ,they are small and hideously ugly4
 ,they wear their teeth filed like the  
men1 and1 in place of clothing1 decorate
 their bodies with red dye4  ,the babies
 of this tribe were carried by the      
mothers in a sling1 or rest1 which was  
made of the bark of a tree and worn     

suspended from the neck4  ,du ,chaillu  
writes of these people that they crowded
 about him as soon as they became       
convinced that he meant them no harm1   
calling him spirit1 and examining every 
detail of his person and dress that he  
would permit them to touch4 ,they seemed
 especially impressed by his hair and   
feet4 ,they could not sufficiently      
admire the former4 ,on his feet he wore 
boots1 and1 as his pantaloons hid the   
tops of these1 they very naturally drew 
the conclusion that his boots were his  
feet1 and expressed wonder that they    
should be of so different a color from  
his face4  ,their color is dark brown1  
rather than black1 and they tattoo      
themselves more than any of the other   
tribes north of the equator1 though     
south of it there are tribes that pursue
 this practice to a much greater extent4
 ,the men do not disfigure themselves as
 much as the women1 who take pride in   
the many blue lines and curves with     
which they cover their bodies4 ,their   

cheeks1 too1 they mark with various     
designs1 and to add to their hideous    
appearance they wear in their ears huge 
copper and iron rings1 which are so     
heavy as to weigh down the lobes to an  
ugly length4  ,the men of this tribe are
 very expert blacksmiths4 ,the tools    
they make are rude1 but they are far    
superior to those made by any other     
,african tribe4 ,their weapons are very 
effective4 ,their battle-axe is a       
terrible instrument4 ,one blow from it  
will split open a human skull4 ,another 
weapon is a singular pointed axe4 ,this 
is thrown from a distance1 very much as 
the ,american ,indian used the tomahawk 
when on the war-path4  ,the war knife   
carried by this tribe is a cruel weapon 
when used in a hand-to-hand conflict4   
,when not in use it is worn suspended   
from the side4 ,another deadly weapon is
 a huge knife1 over a foot long and     
two-thirds of a foot wide4 ,this is used
 to cut through the shoulders of an     
enemy4  ,the spears1 which are fully    

seven feet long1 are thrown with        
wonderful skill and accuracy to the     
distance of thirty yards4 ,crossbows are
 used in war and on hunting expeditions4
 ,some of the larger arrows1 which are  
used in the hunt1 are about two feet in 
length1 and are tipped with an iron head
 resembling the sharp barbs of a        
harpoon4  ,some of the axes and knives  
are decorated with a kind of scroll     
work4 ,this is wrought in iron with     
graceful lines and curves1 showing      
considerable artistic taste on the part 
of the native workmen4  ,the most deadly
 of all weapons used by the ,fans is a  
small1 insignificant-looking rod of     
bamboo4 ,it is not more than a foot     
long1 and is simply sharpened at one    
end4 ,this is the famous poison arrow1 a
 single pin's point prick of which means
 death4 ,the poison for these arrows is 
obtained from the sap of a plant which  
grows in the forests4 ,the point of each
 arrow is carefully dipped several times
 in the sap and allowed to dry1 when it 

turns a red color4  ,these arrows are   
carried in a small bag made from the    
skin of some wild beast4 ,they are much 
dreaded by the tribes at war with the   
,fans1 for they can be thrown with great
 force at a distance of fifteen feet1   
and with such velocity that they cannot 
be evaded4 ,there is no possible cure   
for a wound inflicted by one of these   
deadly yet harmless-looking missiles4   
,death soon follows in its wake4  ,in   
addition to skill in iron work1 the     
,fans show considerable ingenuity in    
making vessels of clay4 ,these they make
 surprisingly regular in shape1         
considering that they have no lathe1    
like ordinary potters4  ,just beyond the
 low coasts above the delta of the      
,ogowe lies the hilly1 thickly wooded   
shore of ,loango4 ,here oil palms1 gum  
trees1 copper1 ivory1 coffee1 cotton1   
and bananas are found in abundance4     
,the great river ,congo1 or ,zaire1     
forms a line of division across ,west   
,africa2 and the coast lands south of   

this line are very different from those 
which lie north of it4  ,in place of the
 lagoons and swamps1 backed by evergreen
 forests1 which lie north of the great  
river1 level sandy bays appear along the
 shores farther south1 and the forest   
vegetation is more distant from the     
coast2 so that only long stretches of   
coarse grass1 with here and there a tall
 tree1 are seen from the ocean4  ,behind
 the coast plain1 however1 the land     
rises in terraces1 each of which is     
marked by a change of vegetation1 from  
the first1 with its larger shady trees  
and broad-leaved grasses1 to the second1
 in which creeping plants abound1       
clasping the biggest trees with a mass  
of foliage and flowers1 up to the third1
 where the plains are covered with      
gigantic grasses4 ,each of these changes
 of level corresponds to a change of    
climate1 from the hot coast land up to  
the cool interior4  ,here1 in the ,congo
 ,state1 under the rule of the ,king of 
the ,belgians1 we find ,banana ,point1  

,boma1 ,vivi1 names familiar to us in   
our reading of the ,congo ,river        
district4 ,higher up the river1 we find 
,leopoldville1 on ,stanley ,pool1 the   
principal station amongst the many that 
dot the river along this part of its    
course4  ,all the country for a great   
distance south of the river was once    
subject to the king of ,congo1 from     
whose dominion the river is named2 his  
capital became the center from which the
 early ,jesuit missionaries spread      
cultivation and industry far and wide4  
,here they built the cathedral and      
monasteries of ,san ,salvador1 the ruins
 of which still exist1 and by their     
influence extended the territory of the 
king of ,congo4  ,on their expulsion1   
however1 the kingdom gradually          
diminished1 till its territory now      
includes little more than the           
neighborhood of the capital2 though its 
king still controls several of the chief
 trade routes to the interior4          
,portuguese ,west ,africa is generally  

called the ,province of ,angola4 ,it is 
divided from north to south into five   
districts4 ,each district has its chief 
town corresponding to it in name4  ,in  
former times the slave trade was the    
main traffic of this coast4 ,since the  
cessation of that traffic the ivory     
trade has also declined4 ,the groundnut 
is now largely cultivated for the oil it
 yields4 ,coffee grows wild1 cotton is  
cultivated1 and palm oil is brought down
 the ,kuanza ,river in considerable     
quantity4 ,iron has long been smelted in
 the district of ,cazengo1 a little     
north of the ,kuanza1 and copper and    
gold appear in small quantity in many   
parts4  ,most of the smaller kinds of   
game abound1 but the elephant has       
disappeared from the mountain districts4
  ,the capital of the colony is ,st4    
,paul de ,loanda4 ,it is mainly a       
,european town1 situated on a fine bay4 
,it has large houses roofed over with   
tiles4 ,the open verandas1 so           
characteristic of these houses1 give an 

artistic and beautiful finish to them1  
and are a source of pleasure and comfort
 to the owners1 since they give free    
admission to the cool sea breezes4      
,benguela1 a large port on the coast1   
was formerly one of the great slave     
marts1 from which thousands of          
unfortunates were sent to ,brazil and to
 the island of ,cuba4 ,mossamedes lies  
farther south4 ,it is a pretty town1    
built of stone houses and commanded by a
 fort4 ,ambriz is the northern port1 but
 is sadly neglected1 and presents a     
desolate picture of ruin and decay4  ,it
 is a matter of much interest to note   
the spread of ,christianity in different
 sections of the dark continent1 which1 
once shrouded in the gloom of           
superstition and barbarism1 now receive 
the light of the ,gospel4 ,to quote from
 a daily paper3--  ,along the west coast
 of ,africa there are now about two     
hundred and twenty-five churches1 forty 
thousand converts1 one hundred thousand 
adherents1 three hundred schools1 forty 

thousand pupils4 ,thirty-five languages 
or dialects have been mastered1 and     
parts of the ,bible and other books have
 been printed in these languages1 while 
it is estimated that eight million of   
the natives have more or less knowledge 
of the gospel of ,christ4     ,,chapter 
,l4  ,,the ,,climate ,,of ,,africa4     
,we have considered the climate of      
,africa but incidentally in connection  
with the sections which we have viewed4 
,it will be of interest to note the     
changes in its character in connection  
with the form of the continent4  ,while 
,africa lies almost entirely within the 
torrid zone1 and is therefore the       
hottest country known to us1 yet it     
presents three great varieties of       
climate4 ,these correspond with its     
physical structure4 ,hence1 we find the 
plateaus1 the terraces which lead to    
them1 and the coasts1 showing great     
varieties of climate1 though lying very 
nearly in the same latitude4  ,the      
highest temperature is to the north of  

the equator4 ,in ,nubia and in ,upper   
,egypt the intense heat of the sun1     
acting upon the sands1 renders it       
possible to roast eggs in them2 while1  
along the shores of the ,mediterranean  
the influence of the sea makes the      
climate much more temperate4  ,in the   
vast desert of ,sahara1 which has an    
area equal in extent to that of the     
,mediterranean ,sea1 and yet is almost  
destitute of water and well-nigh barren 
of vegetation1 we find the climate      
showing a uniform yet striking contrast 
between the heat of the day and the     
coldness of the night4 ,towards the     
south of the ,sahara the country is more
 elevated and consequently somewhat     
cooler4 ,some of the more elevated      
portions near the equator reach the     
altitude of perpetual snow4  ,there is  
no regular fall of snow even in the     
northern or southern portions of the    
continent4 ,radiation of the heat is    
very great in some parts of ,africa1 as 
in the northern sections4 ,the soil of  

the ,sahara1 for instance1 absorbs heat 
very rapidly during the day1 but during 
the night it radiates the heat still    
more rapidly1 thus making a great fall  
in temperature4 ,so rapid is this       
radiation of heat that ice is said to be
 formed sometimes during the night when 
water is left exposed to the atmosphere4
  ,in strong contrast to the hot days   
and cool nights of the ,sahara is the   
climate of the terraces of ,limbu1      
situated behind the region of the       
,sierra ,leone4 ,here we find the       
climate not only temperate but          
wholesome2 while in the region behind   
the ,slave ,coast there are beautiful   
landscapes1 abundant springs1 new forms 
of vegetation to delight eye or palate1 
and an atmosphere as mild and balmy as  
that of sunny ,italy4  ,in the regions  
of the ,congo the natives call their    
terrace lands1 which are under          
cultivation and thickly populated1 ,the 
,paradise of the ,world1 suggestive of  
every detail of the beauty of the       

,garden of ,eden1 when ,adam and ,eve   
were permitted to dwell in it4  ,the    
flat coasts of ,africa are often flooded
 over in the rainy season4 ,this renders
 the climate very oppressive1 owing to  
the humidity of the atmosphere4 ,from   
the morasses found around the mouths of 
the rivers a malarious vapor arises1    
which is most destructive to health4    
,malarial fever1 when it attacks        
,europeans1 is much of the nature of a  
pestilence in its destruction of life4  
,this pestilential air along the coast  
region is supposed to be caused by the  
decaying vegetable matter brought down  
from the dense mangrove woods through   
which the rivers take their course in   
their journey to the sea4  ,as this     
decaying vegetable matter mingles with  
the salt water of the sea1 it forms a   
poisonous gas1 sulphureted hydrogen1    
most fatal to health4 ,the air of these 
regions1 freighted with this            
pestilential gas1 often extends for one 
hundred miles inland4  ,out at sea we   

find this gas poisoning the air for     
about forty miles from the coast1 while 
it affects the atmosphere for about four
 hundred feet above sea level4 ,hence1  
it would seem desirable to take up one's
 abode either in the interior of such   
regions1 far out at sea1 or even in a   
balloon1 were it possible1 rather than  
to breathe the pestilential atmosphere  
of these coast terraces4  ,the influence
 of the regular winds is felt very      
little in ,africa1 with the exception of
 what comes from the monsoons of the    
,indian ,ocean4 ,these extend over      
possibly a third of the eastern shores1 
but they affect to a considerable extent
 the whole of ,africa4 ,hurricanes are  
sometimes felt in the southeastern      
extremity1 but rarely in any other      
portion4  ,the northern part of ,africa 
is exposed to the hot winds and the     
storms which sweep from the ,sahara4    
,these winds have a distinctive         
character and are noted for their       
extreme dryness and heat4 ,they often   

prove to be most disagreeable and       
disastrous2 for they not only lift the  
sand in great volumes and fill the air  
with dust1 but they prove fatal to      
animal life and vegetation in any region
 over which they sweep4  ,the supply of 
rain in ,africa is very scanty4 ,as we  
have seen1 the ,sahara is almost        
rainless1 as is also the ,kalahari      
,desert4  ,the clearness of the         
atmosphere of ,africa exceeds that of   
any other known parts of the globe4 ,it 
has been a constant surprise and delight
 to ,european astronomers1 when making  
their explorations4 ,with wonder and    
amazement they have beheld the glory and
 the splendor of the ,african heavens4  
,with awe and admiration they have gazed
 at the planets shining with great      
brilliancy and often making well-defined
 shadows1 such as we are accustomed to  
look for from our nearest neighbor1 the 
moon1 when it is most brilliant during  
the harvest months4  ,the amount of rain
 which falls in ,africa varies not only 

in the different sections of the        
continent1 as we have seen1 but with the
 season of the year4  ,to the regions   
between the ,kawara and the ,senegal the
 southeast trade winds bring copious    
rains4 ,it has been stated that at      
,sierra ,leone as much as one hundred   
and thirteen inches of rain have been   
known to fall during the year4 ,these   
summer monsoons1 however1 bring the     
largest supply of rain to ,africa upon  
its eastern coast4 ,they last from      
,april till ,october1 and bring rain to 
drench the extensive plains and elevated
 grounds of the great eastern extremity 
of ,africa4  ,the force of these winds  
becomes somewhat broken1 and their      
influence diminished1 by the vast       
table-lands of ,abyssinia4 ,when the    
monsoon comes from the ,asiatic         
continent no rain falls in these        
regions4  ,the southeast monsoon extends
 north as far as ,lake ,tchad and       
,kordofan1 and even farther north4 ,the 
influence of this monsoon is felt in    

,may1 though along the coast it is      
usually felt a month later in the       
season4  ,this fact1 it is believed1    
disproves the old theory that ,central  
,africa has a connected chain of high   
mountains4 ,for1 at the east1 where     
lofty mountains do exist1 these same    
rain-bearing winds become seriously     
interrupted and retarded4 ,hence1 they  
do not reach the most northern portions 
of ,abyssinia until fully a month later 
than they reach ,lake ,tchad4  ,the     
upper basin of the ,nile1 not far from  
the coast1 no doubt receives its supply 
of water with the beginning of the      
monsoon1 and continues to rise till     
,september4  ,the many extremes of      
climate necessarily affect the          
vegetation of ,africa4 ,in connection   
with such views of ,africa as we have   
had1 we have gained some little         
knowledge of the vegetation1 but it will
 be interesting to gain a broader and   
more comprehensive knowledge in order to
 understand the great diversity of      

animal life to be found in ,africa4     
,,chapter ,,li4  ,,the ,,vegetation ,,of
 ,,africa4   ,the vegetation of ,africa 
presents less variety than that of      
,europe or ,asia1 yet it has many       
peculiarities4  ,along the coast of the 
,mediterranean it bears a close         
resemblance to that of ,southern        
,europe4 ,a traveler starting from the  
south of ,europe for ,tangier would note
 little difference in the vegetation1   
and might suppose he was still in sunny 
,spain or ,france4 ,groves of orange and
 olive trees would greet him2 wide      
plains covered with waving grain and    
barley1 thick woods of evergreen and    
oak1 would appear like familiar friends 
in nature4 ,even the cork trees and sea 
pines would not be unknown to him4      
,intermixed with these he would find the
 cypress and the myrtle1 the arbutus and
 the fragrant tree heath1 pleasant      
reminders of home scenes2 while plains  
covered with rock roses or with palmetto
 trees and the wild caper would all tend

 to remind him of his ,european home4   
,in the early part of the year the      
weather seems very much like late spring
 in ,new ,england4 ,the meadows are     
grassy and bright with myriads of       
beautiful wild flowers1 and the gardens 
blossom with fresh beauty4 ,the almond1 
apricot1 and peach trees are then in    
full bloom4  ,in the summer season a few
 flowers may still be found along the   
river banks1 although the intense heat  
in most sections has burned and withered
 almost every form of vegetable life4   
,the tropical regions of ,africa are not
 so rich in the variety of plants as    
those of ,south ,america1 but they      
present several kinds peculiar to       
,africa alone4  ,as the traveler leaves 
the sultry coast regions and ascends to 
the higher portions of land in the      
interior1 he perceives a change in the  
character of the productions2 for they  
present all the gradual changes         
noticeable in passing from a torrid to a
 temperate zone4  ,the forests of       

,africa cannot be said to rival those of
 ,brazil1 but they are rich in valuable 
woods1 particularly the harder species4 
,many of them furnish excellent timber1 
suitable for shipbuilding4 ,in these    
tropical forests1 ebony1 certain kinds  
of rosewood1 and the timber called      
,african teak1 are produced4 ,the       
gigantic baobab is also peculiar to     
these sections of woodland4 ,livingstone
 mentions instances where the gigantic  
trunks of some of these trees had become
 hollow from old age and served as      
natural cisterns for rain water4  ,the  
branches of the baobab make a canopy of 
a hemispherical form1 often from one    
hundred to one hundred and fifty feet in
 diameter1 the outermost branches       
drooping till they touch the ground4    
,the leaves of this tree are            
five-fingered or seven-fingered4 ,the   
flowers are white in color and extremely
 large1 suspended on drooping stems     
often a yard in length4  ,the fruit1    
sometimes called monkey-bread1 is about 

the size of a citron melon4 ,its pulp is
 slightly acid and agreeable to the     
taste1 so that it may be eaten with or  
without sugar4 ,the juice of the fruit1 
when mixed with sugar1 makes a          
refreshing drink4 ,it is not only       
effective in quenching thirst1 but it is
 used largely in the treatment of       
pestilential fevers caused by the       
malarial vapors arising from many       
sections of ,africa4  ,the natives of   
tropical ,africa mix the bruised leaves 
of the tree with their daily food4      
,travelers use them for fevers and other
 sicknesses4 ,the bark1 too1 is used for
 medicinal purposes4  ,in the central   
portions of ,africa a most remarkable   
three1 called the butter tree1 is found4
 ,the fruit of this tree yields a       
species of oil1 which has much the      
appearance of butter and serves the same
 purpose for food4  ,some of the        
extensive level plains of ,africa are   
covered with acacias4 ,from the stalks  
of these trees the sap exudes in large  

drops1 or beads1 which1 when hardened1  
form the gum arabic of commerce4  ,in   
different sections of ,africa there are 
species of palm trees1 characteristic of
 special localities4 ,these are of the  
greatest value and importance to the    
natives4  ,in the north the date palm1  
in particular1 is a never-failing means 
of sustenance1 and seems to be a special
 provision of ,providence for the wants 
of man1 flourishing in regions of       
comparatively barren1 and often         
surrounded by the hot1 arid sands of the
 desert4   ,,the ,,arab ,,to ,,the      
,,palm  ,,bayard ,,taylor4      ,if ,i  
were a king1 ,o stately tree1     ,a    
likeness1 glorious as might be1     ,in 
the court of my palace ,i'd build for   
thee6      ,with a shaft of silver1     
burnished bright1     ,and leaves of    
beryl and malachite2     ,with spikes of
 golden-bloom ablaze1     ,and fruits of
 topaz and chrysoprase4      ,and there 
the poets in thy praise1     ,should    
night and morning frame new lays1--     

,new measures sung to tunes divine2     
,but none1 ,o palm1 should equal mine6  
,the doom palm is another species1 and  
is remarkable for its many-forked stem4 
,it is found in ,upper ,egypt and in    
,central ,africa1 and in some sections  
is very plentiful1 forming forests2     
while in others it is found in isolated 
groups1 growing in the very sands of the
 desert4  ,the leaves of this tree are  
shaped like a fan4 ,from the fibres of  
its leafstalks ropes are sometimes made4
 ,the tree is1 however1 still more      
useful1 for it bears a fruit about the  
size of an orange4 ,in shape it is      
somewhat different1 being larger and    
more irregular4  ,the outer skin of the 
fruit is red4 ,upon peeling this off1 a 
thick1 spongy1 dry substance is found1  
having rather an insipid sweet taste1   
and very much the appearance of         
gingerbread4 ,for this reason the tree  
is sometimes called the gingerbread     
tree4  ,the substance found within the  
fruit is used for food1 and it is       

sometimes infused and used as a drink1  
which is very cooling and useful in     
fevers4 ,the seeds1 one of which is     
found in each fruit1 are                
semi-transparent and very hard4 ,beads  
and other ornaments are made from them4 
,amid the tropical growth of the west of
 ,africa the oil palm flourishes4 ,its  
products furnish the incentive to an    
immense commerce1 attracting ,european  
ships to coasts once given completely   
over to the slave trade4  ,along the    
tropical coasts the cocoa palm grows1   
while along the ,gambia ,river vast     
quantities of a species of plant called 
the groundnut are extensively           
cultivated4 ,nine million bushels of    
groundnuts have been exported during one
 year from the valley of the ,gambia4   
,this plant has a peculiar habit of     
thrusting its pods into the ground for  
the nuts to ripen2 hence the name       
groundnut4 ,vast quantities of oil1     
resembling olive oil and used for the   
same purposes1 are obtained by crushing 

the nuts4 ,a bushel of nuts will usually
 yield a gallon of oil4  ,the plant     
grows like a trailing vine1 with small  
yellow flowers4 ,after the flower falls1
 the stalk on which it grew grows       
longer1 and1 bending downward1 the pod  
on the end forces its way into the      
ground to ripen4  ,the vines are dug up 
by means of a pronged fork or hoe4 ,they
 are then spread out to dry1 and finally
 stacked up to become thoroughly cured4 
,the pods are first picked by hand from 
the vines1 and then cleaned in a fanning
 mill to clear them of dust and chaff4  
,sometimes they are bleached with       
sulphur before they are packed for      
market4  ,the groundnut forms one of the
 chief articles of food in some         
sections4 ,it is sometimes eaten raw1   
but is usually roasted4 ,recently an    
interesting account of the process of   
making a meal from groundnuts appeared  
in one of the daily journals4 ,the      
experiment had been tried1 in the       
,german armies1 of using this meal in   

place of others obtained from the       
various cereals4 ,it was found on trial 
to be very nutritious1--far more so than
 oat or rye meal4  ,by actual           
experiment1 not only did the soldiers   
thrive upon porridge and bread made of  
this meal1 so rich in vegetable oils1   
but they became very fond of it as a    
daily food and ate it with good         
appetite1 even in their soups4  ,as the 
cost of the meal is very slight1 it will
 be a matter of economy to make         
groundnut meal one of the ingredients of
 the daily food of the ,german soldier4 
,arrangements have already been made to 
import large quantities each year from  
,africa for use in making meal for army 
consumption in ,germany4  ,you will     
doubtless be surprised to learn that the
 groundnut is really only a species of  
the familiar peanut4 ,so it is really an
 old friend with a new name4 ,it is     
sometimes called ground pea1 or earth   
nut4 ,the former name is given to it    
because its pod resembles the pod of the

 pea vine4  ,in the southern portion of 
the ,united ,states a similar nut bears 
the name gouber4 ,not only are the nuts 
of this plant of value as an article of 
food and commerce1 but the vines form an
 excellent fodder for cattle4           
,,chapter ,,lii4  ,,varieties ,,of      
,,vegetation4   ,in the ,barbary        
,states1 which border upon the          
,mediterranean ,sea1 there is an        
extensive cultivation of grain4 ,wheat1 
barley1 maize1 rice1 and a variety of   
corn called ,kaffir corn1 are found in  
considerable quantities4 ,figs and      
olives thrive luxuriantly1 and          
pomegranates1 grapes1 and melons abound4
  ,tobacco has been introduced and has  
been cultivated to quite an extent4 ,the
 white mulberry tree is also cultivated1
 for use in the silkworm culture4 ,here1
 too1 are found the indigo and cotton   
plants1 together with the sugar cane1   
while most of the kitchen vegetables of 
,europe are easily cultivated4  ,south  
of the ,barbary ,states1 in the         

mountainous districts of the ,atlas     
range1 is found a peculiar kind of      
timber growth4 ,it bears the name       
sandarach1 and is almost imperishable4  
,it is generally supposed to be the same
 species of wood mentioned as the       
shittim wood in the ,scriptures4 ,the   
ceilings of the ,mohammedan mosques are 
largely1 if not exclusively1 built of   
it4  ,passing beyond the chain of the   
,atlas ,mountains1 the vegetation       
changes4 ,there are now but few trees1  
and there is a noticeable dryness in the
 atmosphere4 ,it is in these regions    
that rain seldom falls1 while such is   
the heat of the winds that it is        
scarcely bearable even by the natives4  
,here1 the palm1 by divine ,providence1 
affords a grateful shade4 ,the mass of  
foliage formed by its fan-like leaves is
 almost impervious to the scorching     
heat1 and beneath its towering yet      
graceful form the orange1 lemon1        
pomegranate1 and vine flourish4 ,strange
 to say1 their fruits1 grown thus in the

 cooling shade1 seem to acquire a       
peculiar richness of flavor not         
noticeable in those grown in the        
ordinary way4  ,the vegetation of ,egypt
 may be said to be somewhat of an       
intermediate character1 for it partakes 
of the characteristics of the several   
sections we have already had described4 
,in the parts watered by the ,nile there
 are found rich productions of grains of
 all kinds1 while in the southern and   
drier portions are found only stunted1  
miserable-looking bushes and shrubs4    
,these dispute with the drifts of       
accumulating sand for the possession of 
the native soil of these sections4      
,indigo and tobacco are found in the    
parts of ,egypt which have the richest  
soil4 ,cotton has been cultivated to    
some extent1 by means of an expensive   
and laborious system of irrigating the  
soil4  ,along the ,senegal the cotton   
plant flourishes1 in its rich1          
well-watered soil1 almost without care  
or cultivation4 ,one can scarcely       

estimate what quantities of cotton could
 be raised under careful and painstaking
 labor4 ,coffee grows luxuriantly in all
 the fertile sections of ,africa1 and is
 very abundant4  ,in the deserts of the 
interior the eye is greeted by very     
different pictures from those which the 
other sections of ,africa present4      
,these deserts are mostly destitute of  
plants1 and the few they have are of    
stunted growth4 ,a very remarkable kind 
of grass covers entire districts1 to the
 great annoyance of the traveler1 on    
account of its prickles4 ,agoul1 a plant
 peculiar to the desert1 furnishes food 
for the camel4  ,in the equatorial parts
 of ,africa all trees peculiar to       
,european countries are lacking4 ,even  
the date tree is seldom seen4 ,while the
 flora of these tropical regions        
resembles somewhat that of ,india1 yet  
there are peculiarities of vegetation   
which belong strictly to ,african       
localities4  ,here are found masses of  
the baobab trees of which we have read1 

and whose fruit furnishes the refreshing
 drink so necessary to the natives4     
,here1 also1 are found the cotton trees1
 the bases of which form great          
buttresses2 while shrubs in no          
inconsiderable variety and rich and     
varied verdure cover the soil4 ,groups  
of palm trees1 sago palms1 and other    
varieties of the same family bend down  
to the water's edge along the great     
streams4  ,in the thickets climbing     
plants of every description twine among 
the branches of the trees4 ,one variety 
has recently been discovered which      
yields a very good species of india     
rubber4 ,these specimens of plant life1 
with the masses of wild flowers1 showing
 a brilliant coloring of mingled        
scarlet1 orange1 and white1 make a scene
 of rare beauty4  ,while there is so    
much that is new and strange in these   
tropical regions1 yet the absence of    
waving fields of grain and corn is      
strongly noticeable4 ,here1 too1 the    
vine is quite unknown4 ,the fig is of   

little or no use1 except in a few       
localities4 ,only the orange and the    
lime remain to remind us of the usual   
fruits of the tropics4  ,here and there 
may be found various kinds of apples and
 plums2 but1 owing to the intense heat1 
they do not attain any perfection of    
size or flavor4 ,it is a curious fact   
that all the fruit is not only small and
 undeveloped1 but seems to lose1 in a   
large degree1 not only its peculiar     
flavor1 but its succulent juices as     
well4  ,in some places in the wooded    
sections pineapples are very abundant1  
and seem to be as well established as in
 their native soil in tropical ,america4
  ,in the tropics1 wherever a broad belt
 of alluvial soil is exposed by the fall
 of the tide1 as on the shores of the   
sea1 in the estuaries of rivers1 and in 
the shallow lagoons1 we may expect to   
find a dense vegetation of mangroves4   
,these water-loving trees seem to seek  
the salt water sections in preference   
even to other localities equally damp4  

,their growth is peculiar and           
picturesque4 ,the seeds germinate on the
 branches1 increase to a considerable   
length1 and then fall into the mud4     
,here1 with their sharp points lying    
buried1 they soon take root4  ,as the   
mangrove grows upwards1 roots issue from
 the trunk and low branches1 and        
ultimately strike into the muddy ground1
 where they grow and present the        
appearance of a series of loops and     
arches1 from five to ten feet high1     
which support the body of the tree like 
so many stakes4  ,their matted roots    
interrupt the flow of the waters1 and by
 retaining the earthy particles that    
sink to the bottom between them1        
gradually raise the level of the land4  
,as the new land is thus built up1 seeds
 begin to grow in it1 and thousands of  
roots descend1 still further to         
consolidate it4 ,thus1 year after year1 
the mangroves extend the land into the  
sea4  ,as we approach the southern      
portion of the great peninsula of       

,africa1 we find a wilderness of sand4  
,this barren tract occupies the central 
portion of the country4 ,here there is  
little or no vegetation to attract the  
eye4  ,in the table-lands of ,cape      
,colony there are numerous fleshy1      
leafless tribes of aloes and other      
plants4 ,these fix their hold in the    
sand by means of a single tough1 wiry   
root4 ,for conveying nourishment to the 
plants1 these roots must be practically 
useless1 since the soil affords little  
food4 ,hence the main sustenance of     
these plants must come from the dews    
with which a wise ,creator supplies     
their needs4 ,many varieties of heath   
are found here1 among other plants4     
,upon the hills and rocks of some       
sections of ,africa is a curious tribe  
of plants which seem partly of the      
nature of palms and partly of the nature
 of ferns4 ,they may be said to be of an
 intermediate family4 ,these fernlike   
palms literally cover the hills and     
rocky slopes4 ,after a rain1 such       

portions of the country as have been    
watered by nature's hand blossom forth  
into indescribable beauty2 for the      
gladiolus1 oxalis1 and other native     
plants are in brilliant bloom4  ,at     
,cape ,town the ,american aloe tree has 
been introduced1 and vast impenetrable  
hedges have been formed by the          
interlacing of its spinelike leaves1    
which are often six feet in length4     
,here1 too1 flourish the oak and pine of
 ,europe1 for the climate is most       
favorable to their growth4  ,we have had
 occasion to speak of the thick-leaved1 
cactuslike plants of the desert1 which  
seem to prefer the arid soil of the     
naked plains1 where they are fully      
exposed to the burning rays of a        
tropical sun4  ,they furnish a great    
contrast to the delicately feathered    
mimosas of the more fertile sections of 
the continent4 ,among all the lovely    
children of ,flora1 the goddess of      
flowers1 none can rival these plants in 
the beauty of their foliage4  ,one can  

gain but a faint idea of the beauty     
these plants attain under a tropical    
sun4 ,in most species the branches      
extend horizontally1 or are             
umbrella-shaped1 and the deep blue sky1 
shining through the light green foliage1
 has a very picturesque effect4         
,,chapter ,,liii4  ,,views ,,of ,,animal
 ,,life4   ,as we study the animal life 
of ,africa1 we can but notice the great 
variety in its species4 ,we find not    
only those kinds with which we are most 
familiar1 and those which have become   
known to us through our study of other  
continents1 but many new and strange    
ones1 characteristic of ,africa alone4  
,here are found the lion1 leopard1      
jackal1 hyena1 and other carnivora of   
the cat and dog families4 ,varieties of 
the thick-skinned animals are numerous2 
for we find a species of elephant       
somewhat different from the elephant of 
,asia1 several varieties of the         
rhinoceros1 the hippopotamus1 the wart  
hog1 and boar1 all ugly1 unwieldy and   

clumsy in their form and movements4  ,in
 the tropics are found great varieties  
of monkeys1 chattering wildly as they   
spring among the branches of the trees4 
,the fierce gorilla haunts the dense    
forests1 to the terror of the natives   
and travelers4  ,du ,chaillu1 the       
explorer1 had an encounter with gorillas
 while crossing the ,sierra del ,crystal
 to reach the ,fan country4 ,during the 
journey he had occasion to scale a range
 of granite hills and to traverse an    
elevated table-land4 ,here he found the 
temperature quite cold at night4  ,as he
 climbed a second range of hills he came
 upon the ,ntambounay ,falls4 ,these he 
declared to be one of the grandest      
sights he ever beheld1 and adds3--  ,it 
was not a waterfall1 but an immense     
mountain torrent1 dashing downhill at an
 angle of twenty-five or thirty degrees1
 for not less than a mile right before  
us1 like a vast1 seething1 billowy sea4 
,the river course was full of the huge  
granite boulders which lie about here as

 though the ,titans had been playing at 
skittles in this country2 and against   
these the angry waters dashed as though 
they would carry all before them1 and   
breaking up1 threw the milky spray up to
 the very tops of the trees which grew  
along the edge4  ,where we stood1 at the
 foot of the rapids1 the stream took a  
winding turn up the mountains2 but we   
had the whole mile of foaming rapids    
before us1 seemingly pouring its mass of
 waters down on our heads4  ,it was just
 above these falls that ,du ,chaillu    
shot an immense serpent4 ,one can       
imagine the feeling of repulsion with   
which he saw his men cut off its head   
and divide the body into pieces1 which  
they roasted and ate with relish4  ,a   
short distance beyond the spot1 he came 
upon the footprints of what the natives 
declared to be gorillas4 ,these         
footprints were so fresh that it was    
decided to give chase to the creatures  
which had made them4 ,the gorillas were1
 however1 very agile1 and soon escaped  

into the forest depths4  ,du ,chaillu1  
in speaking of his experience1 says3 ,i 
protest ,i felt almost like a murderer  
when ,i saw the gorillas the first time4
 ,as they ran1 on their hind legs1 they 
looked fearfully like hairy men1 their  
heads down1 their bodies inclined       
forward1 their whole appearance like men
 running for their lives4  ,take this   
with their awful cry1 which1 fierce and 
animal as it is1 has something human in 
its discordance1 and you will cease to  
wonder that the natives have the wildest
 superstitions about these 'wild men of 
the woods4'  ,one of the superstitions1 
common wherever the gorilla is to be    
found1 is that the spirits of certain   
departed negroes have entered the bodies
 of a particular species of gorilla4    
,the gorillas of this species can never 
be caught or killed1 since they bear a  
charmed life4 ,the natives claim1 too1  
that these gorillas show more shrewdness
 and sense than ordinary animals4 ,in a 
word1 they combine the intelligence of  

man and the strength and fierceness of  
the brute creation4  ,in further        
description of a gorilla hunt ,du       
,chaillu continues3 ,i noticed1 ahead of
 us seemingly1 a noise as of some one   
breaking down branches or twigs of      
trees4 ,this was the gorilla1 ,i knew at
 once by the eager and satisfied looks  
of the men4  ,they looked once more     
carefully at their guns1 to see if by   
chance the powder had fallen out of the 
pans2 ,i also examined mine1 to make    
sure that all was right1 and then we    
marched on cautiously4 ,the singular    
noise of the breaking of the branches   
continued4 ,we walked with the greatest 
care1 making no noise at all4  ,the     
countenances of the men showed that they
 thought themselves engaged in a very   
serious undertaking2 but we pushed on1  
until finally we thought we saw through 
the thick woods the moving of the       
branches and small trees which the great
 beast was tearing down1 probably to get
 from them the berries and fruits he    

lives on4  ,suddenly1 as we were yet    
creeping along1 in a silence which made 
a heavy breath seem loud and distinct1  
the woods were at once filled with the  
tremendous barking roar of the gorilla4 
,then the underbrush swayed rapidly just
 ahead1 and presently before us stood an
 immense male gorilla4 ,he had gone     
through the jungle on all fours1 but    
when he saw our party he erected himself
 and looked us boldly in the face4  ,he 
stood about a dozen yards from us1 and  
was a sight1 ,i think1 never to forget4 
,nearly six feet high1 with immense     
body1 huge chest1 and great muscular    
arms1 with fiercely glaring1 large1     
deep-gray eyes and a malignant          
expression of face1 which seemed to me  
like some nightmare vision1--thus before
 us stood the king of the ,african      
forests4  ,he was not afraid of us4 ,he 
stood there and beat his breast with his
 huge fists till it sounded like an     
immense bass drum1 which is their mode  
of offering defiance1 meantime giving   

vent to roar after roar4  ,the roar of  
the gorilla is the most singular and    
awful noise heard in these ,african     
woods4 ,it begins with a sharp bark1    
like an angry dog1 then glides into a   
deep bass roll1 which literally and     
closely resembles the roll of distant   
thunder along the sky1 for which ,i have
 sometimes been tempted to take it where
 ,i did not see the animal4 ,so deep is 
it that it seems to proceed less from   
the mouth and throat than from the deep 
chest of the creature4  ,his eyes began 
to flash fiercer fire as we stood       
motionless on the defensive1 and the    
crest of short hair which stands on his 
forehead began to twitch rapidly up and 
down1 while his powerful fangs were     
shown as he again sent forth a          
thunderous roar4  ,and now he truly     
reminded me of nothing but some horrible
 dream creature1--a being of that       
hideous order1 half man1 half beast1    
which we find pictured by old artists in
 some representations of the lower      

regions4  ,he advanced a few steps1 then
 stopped to utter that hideous roar     
again1 advanced again1 and finally      
stopped when at a distance of about six 
yards from us4 ,and here1 as he began   
another of his roars1 and beating his   
breast in rage1 we fired1 and killed    
him4 ,with a groan which had something  
terribly human in it1 and yet was full  
of brutishness1 he fell forward on his  
face4  ,as soon as the great beast was  
dead1 the men cut up the carcass and    
divided it in portions to be cooked4    
,the brains were carefully preserved as 
charms4 ,when prepared in one way1 the  
charm gives the wearer a mighty arm for 
the chase2 when in another1 it renders  
the possessor popular and a favorite in 
savage society4     ,,chapter ,,liv4    
,,the ,,antelope ,,family4   ,in place  
of the deer1 so familiar to us in the   
study of other countries1 we find       
numerous specimens of the great family  
of antelopes4 ,some writers have named  
as many as twenty varieties4  ,among the

 antelope family the gnu1 or horned     
horse1 is perhaps the most curious      
specimen4 ,in size it is about as large 
as an ass4 ,in form it has the body1    
neck1 mane1 and tail1 like those of a   
horse1 while the legs and horns are like
 those of the antelope4  ,the gnu is    
very spirited1 and full of gambols4 ,its
 sense of smell is acute1 and its sight 
very keen4 ,it may be seen in herds on  
the plains which border upon the ,orange
 ,river1 where its free and varied      
movements1 full of grace1 can but       
attract the attention and awaken the    
interest of the observer4  ,the gazelle 
is the fleetest of the antelopes of     
,africa4 ,it is usually quite small4    
,one variety is no larger than a hare4  
,other varieties are as large as a deer4
 ,it is famed for the beauty of its eyes
 and the grace of its movements4  ,the  
eland is another species which abounds  
in ,south ,africa wherever fertile      
planes or low hills exist4 ,in the parts
 of ,cape ,colony which have been       

longest settled1 however1 it has been so
 hunted that specimens are rarely seen4 
,livingstone describes the eland as the 
most magnificent of the antelopes4 ,it  
belongs to the variety called bovine    
antelope1 from the fact that it has some
 of the characteristics of the ox tribe4
 ,in spite of these peculiarities of    
structure1 the eland is not only a very 
beautiful1 but a very graceful animal4  
,it is about the size of a horse4 ,it   
stand fully five feet high at the       
shoulders1 and weighs from seven to nine
 hundred pounds4  ,the horns of the     
eland are almost straight1 turning      
backwards and inwards4 ,they are quite  
pointed at the ends4 ,they are very     
strong1 and their great strength is     
increased by the peculiar spiral        
formation4 ,they remind one vividly of  
the old-fashioned paper lamp-lighters   
used when matches were not so common and
 the large open fireplaces were found in
 every home4  ,the eland has quite a    
swelling1 or protuberance1 of the       

larynx1 similar to that found in the    
elk4 ,its tail resembles that of the ox1
 and has a tuft of long black hair at   
the end4 ,it may be termed a gregarious 
animal1 since it is always found in     
herds1 which are often very large4      
,these animals are generally very plump 
and well filled out in all parts4 ,as   
they are gentle and not difficult to    
capture1 they furnish sport for the     
hunters who pursue them4 ,the flesh is  
much prized4 ,the muscles of the thighs 
are considered the finest parts4 ,these 
are dried like tongues4  ,it is rather a
 matter of surprise that no attempt has 
been made to domesticate the eland1     
possessing1 as it does1 so many         
excellent qualities and serving so many 
useful purposes4  ,livingstone describes
 a species which he found north of ,cape
 ,colony as having a very marked bovine 
form to the body1 more so than in the   
common species1 marked with narrow      
transverse bands of white4  ,the        
springbok is another variety of         

antelope4 ,it is one of the most        
beautiful and graceful1 as well as one  
of the most numerous1 species to be     
found in ,south ,africa4 ,it is found in
 immense herds of a thousand or more    
when the season arrives for it to       
migrate to the north or when the weather
 is suitable for it to return to the    
south4  ,the springbok derives its name 
from the habit it has of leaping as it  
runs4 ,its leaps are often from fifteen 
to twenty-five feet4 ,it is extremely   
beautiful1 with its graceful form and   
fine colors4 ,in size it is larger than 
the roebuck4 ,its neck and limbs are not
 only longer but much more slender4     
,the general color of the springbok is a
 tawny brown on the upper parts of the  
body4 ,beneath the body the color is    
pure white4 ,the colors are separated   
upon the flanks by a broad band of deep1
 rich1 red wine color4  ,the head of the
 animal is white1 with the exception of 
a broad band of brown on each side1     
which reaches from the eye to the mouth4

 ,there are two curious folds of skin   
which start from the tail and extend to 
the middle of the back4 ,these folds are
 usually closed1 but open out when the  
animal is bounding4 ,when open they     
disclose a large triangular space1 which
 at other times is entirely hidden4     
,the springbok ordinarily makes its home
 in the arid1 sandy plains called       
karroos4 ,when1 however1 the pasturage  
becomes burned from the heat of the sun1
 the herds migrate in immense numbers to
 other sections4 ,often1 as they        
migrate1 they destroy the fields of the 
colonists in their line of travel4  ,one
 writer speaks of seeing the country    
around ,little ,fish ,river specked1 as 
far as eye could reach1 with immense    
herds of springboks4 ,these he estimated
 as numbering twenty-five to thirty     
thousand animals4  ,another writer      
describes a still more wonderful sight1 
where1 through an opening among hills1 a
 vast herd poured for hours together in 
a compact moving mass1 half a mile      

broad4  ,so immense are these herds of  
springboks that when a lion or a        
leopard1 lurking on the outskirts of the
 mass1 is swept into the ranks1 he is   
virtually taken prisoner and has to     
march along in the midst1 a captive not 
a captor4  ,when young the springbok is 
easily tamed4 ,it then becomes a very   
active1 over-familiar1 tricky1 and      
troublesome pet4     ,,chapter ,,lv4    
,,some ,,of ,,the ,,ruminants4   ,the   
domestic animals1 such as the cow and   
sheep1 have been introduced into ,africa
 with great success1 but they are not   
native to the continent4  ,of the       
ruminants1 or cud-chewing animals1 of   
,africa1 the giraffe is a most beautiful
 yet peculiar specimen4 ,it is found in 
a wild state only in ,south ,africa4    
,its name is taken directly from the    
,spanish language1 which received the   
word from the ,arabic tongue4 ,the word 
in the original signifies long neck4    
,the animal is sometimes called         
camelopard1 from two ,greek words which 

signify camel and panther1 since in some
 respects it is like a camel1 while its 
spots are suggestive of the panther4    
,the first giraffe ever seen in ,europe 
was exhibited in the circus at ,rome    
under ,julius ,caesar4 ,other emperors  
exhibited them at different times2 but1 
after the fall of ,rome1 no living      
specimen of the animal was ever taken to
 ,europe until the early part of the    
present century4 ,at that time the      
,pacha of ,egypt gave a specimen to     
,france and one to ,england4  ,since    
then specimens have often been brought  
from ,africa for exhibition in          
menageries1 both in ,england and in our 
own country4  ,when full-grown the      
giraffe is from sixteen to seventeen    
feet high4 ,this is nearly three times  
as tall as a man4 ,the long neck of the 
animal enables it to reach the tops of  
trees1 from which it gathers the leaves 
as its chief food4  ,it has a long1     
slender tongue1 which it can extend far 
out of its mouth to draw down leaves and

 branches within its reach4  ,two short 
horns grow between its ears4 ,these are 
not like those of an ox1 but are merely 
bones covered with a hairy skin4  ,the  
giraffe has rather a short body4 ,the   
front legs are longer than the hind     
legs1 so that the body is higher in     
front than behind4 ,the back forms a    
decided slope from the neck to the tail4
 ,the legs are slender1 while the feet  
are cleft1 like those of an ox4 ,the    
skin is of a light reddish-orange color1
 marked with large spots of a decidedly 
darker shade1 and covered with short    
hairs4 ,upon the neck is a long mane1   
and at the end of the tail is a tuft of 
black hair4  ,african travelers state   
that the giraffe1 when found in a wild  
state1 is much handsomer than when kept 
in captivity4 ,in a wild state the color
 of the skin changes its tints in strong
 lights and shades1 as the animal moves 
about4  ,the giraffe has eyes more      
beautiful even than those of the        
gazelle1 according to some writers4 ,it 

can see to a great distance and has a   
keen sense of smell4 ,when the wind is  
blowing towards it1 it can scent a      
hunter a long way off4 ,for this reason 
it is very difficult for a hunter to    
approach it4 ,sometimes he conceals     
himself behind tall grass and bushes2   
but he is often discovered there by the 
giraffe1 for its tall neck enables it to
 look over almost any bush4  ,the       
giraffe1 like the camel1 has an awkward 
gait1 since it moves both legs on one   
side of its body at a time1 as a horse  
does in pacing4 ,it can run very fast1  
and only a very swift horse is ever able
 to overtake it4 ,it usually lives in   
families of a dozen or more4 ,the home  
is generally along the edges of the     
deserts4 ,instinct seems to teach the   
animal to make its home where it can see
 in all directions and be on the watch  
for its enemies1 the lion and the       
panther4  ,in the open country the      
giraffe can usually get away by running2
 but should it be attacked in the woods1

 it strikes out for its foe with great  
force from its fore feet4 ,the blow     
often disables or kills its enemy1      
though sometimes the giraffe is         
overpowered and killed4  ,the           
,hottentots lie in ambush around the    
haunts of the giraffe1 chiefly where it 
has watering places4 ,they kill it by   
means of poisoned arrows4 ,the flesh is 
eaten1 and the thick skin is made into  
cups1 leather bottles1 and straps4  ,the
 ,arabs1 too1 hunt the giraffe4 ,they   
are very fond of its flesh1 and out of  
its skin they make leather shields4 ,its
 sinews and tendons they make into      
thread and strings4  ,the giraffe1 as we
 see it in the menageries1 has probably 
been kept in captivity from babyhood4   
,it is very seldom that a full-grown    
specimen is caught4 ,when a baby giraffe
 is captured it soon becomes tamed1     
provided it can be made to eat4 ,often1 
however1 it will refuse all food1 and   
will pine for its mother1 like any other
 baby4 ,it soon dies then for lack of   

nourishment4  ,in the menageries the    
keepers feed the giraffe upon grain1    
,indian corn1 carrots1 and hay4  ,the   
buffalo is probably the fiercest and the
 most powerful of all the cud-chewing   
animals4 ,the ,cape buffalo is regarded 
by naturalists as quite a distinct      
species from other buffaloes4 ,it is    
about eight feet long from the base of  
the horns to the tail1 and stands five  
and one-half feet high4 ,it is          
considered much more formidable than any
 other animal of ,south ,africa4 ,this  
species does not seem to have ever been 
domesticated1 although there is good    
reason to believe that it could be4     
,its horns are very large and spread out
 almost horizontally over the top of the
 head4 ,they then bend downward and at  
the ends take an upward turn4 ,like the 
common buffalo1 the animal carries its  
muzzle in a projecting position1 with   
its horns reclining on its shoulders4   
,as it grows older1 the narrow space    
between the horns at the base becomes   

filled with solid bone as hard as iron4 
,it is thus able to defend itself       
against any enemy1 whether man or beast4
  ,the buffalo is almost always a match 
for a lion or a leopard4 ,a herd of     
buffaloes will become as much excited at
 the sight of a lion as oxen would over 
a strange dog4 ,if the lion does not    
succeed in escaping1 the herd will kill 
him by tossing him from one to another  
on their horns and trampling him under  
foot4  ,on no account will a hunter     
provoke an encounter with a buffalo1    
unless the chances are greatly in his   
own favor1 and unless he has every      
facility for escape4 ,its great size and
 strength render it a formidable foe4   
,it is still found in large herds in the
 interior of ,south ,africa4 ,in ,cape  
,colony1 however1 though once very      
common1 it is now seldom seen4  ,the    
hide of the buffalo is so tough and     
thick that the ,kaffirs make their      
shields of it4 ,these shields are       
impenetrable even to musket shot4       

,huntsmen in shooting at buffaloes use  
bullets mixed with tin2 yet these often 
become flattened when they strike the   
tough1 resisting hide of the animal4    
,its coat is of very scant1 irregular   
hair1 somewhat bristly in appearance1   
and often so thin that the smooth brown 
skin shines through when the sunlight   
falls upon it4 ,the smooth1 oily polish 
of the skin is no addition to the       
appearance of the animal4 ,in fact1 it  
is rather an unpleasant feature of it4  
,the buffalo is well adapted for marshy 
districts4 ,it will frequently immerse  
itself in muddy waters1 till only its   
head can be seen4 ,here it will stand   
for hours1 protecting its body from     
insects by a coating of mud4 ,its food  
consists of coarse1 rank herbage common 
to the marshes4 ,for this food it seems 
to have a preference4  ,the ,cape       
buffalo has a habit of grazing generally
 in the evening4 ,during the day it lies
 at rest in the woods and thickets4     
,,chapter ,,lvi4  ,,views ,,of          

,,elephants4   ,of the thick-skinned    
animals the elephant is perhaps the most
 interesting to be found in ,africa4    
,the ,african elephant is much larger   
than that of ,asia1 and is rarely1 if   
ever1 found tame in menageries4 ,it may 
be known by its enormous ears1 which are
 three times as large as those of       
,asiatic elephants4 ,it is very wild and
 fierce4  ,the ,arabs hunt the elephant 
for its tusks4 ,these form a staple     
export1 namely1 the ivory of commerce4  
,doubtless thousands of elephants are   
killed yearly in ,africa to supply the  
demand for ivory4 ,hence the supply must
 needs in time cease1 as the animal     
becomes extinct4  ,the ,arabs are the   
chief of elephant hunters4 ,they usually
 hunt them on horseback1 though they not
 unfrequently go on foot4 ,when on foot 
they follow the tracks of the animal1   
planning to come upon it at noon1 when  
it is usually asleep or lying in the    
shade to rest4  ,when an elephant is    
found asleep1 a hunter creeps up and    

cuts off its trunk with a cruel stroke  
of the sword4 ,the poor creature1       
feeling the blow1 struggles to its feet1
 but is so bewildered and stupefied with
 pain that the hunter escapes and the   
sufferer bleeds to death in about an    
hour4  ,should the animal happen to be  
awake1 the hunters creep up behind it   
and cut the sinews of one of the hind   
legs just above the heel4 ,this disables
 it so it cannot stand upon the leg1 and
 hence cannot run4 ,it is but the work  
of a few minutes to cut the sinews of   
the other hind leg1 when the animal     
falls to the ground4 ,an artery is then 
cut1 and the unfortunate creature soon  
bleeds to death4  ,in a hunt on         
horseback1 the ,arabs chase the elephant
 until they get it so angry that it will
 turn upon them4 ,it is the work of one 
hunter then to let the elephant almost  
overtake him1 while he keeps his horse  
just out of reach of the enraged        
animal's trunk1 with which it tries to  
seize the steed4  ,so intent is the     

elephant upon chasing and capturing this
 enemy that it does not pay any         
attention to the other mounted hunters4 
,as soon as one of them can get near    
enough1 he jumps off his horse and cuts 
the cord of the animal's leg with a     
powerful blow of his sword1 which he    
wields with both hands4  ,this done1 he 
jumps upon his horse again4 ,the        
elephant is now disabled2 but1 in its   
frenzy of pain1 it struggles to keep its
 footing upon three legs and retaliates 
upon its foes4 ,they are too powerful   
for it1 and in a short time the other   
hind leg is likewise disabled4 ,the     
animal then falls to the ground1 and    
soon dies from loss of blood4 ,elephant 
hunts of this description are           
exceedingly dangerous4 ,hunters are not 
infrequently caught and killed by the   
infuriated animals4  ,there are various 
other ways of capturing the elephants4  
,among these may be mentioned the native
 custom of digging pits and covering    
them with branches of trees and brush   

concealed under a layer of earth4 ,the  
elephant is likely to step into one of  
these pits if pursued1 and is soon at   
the mercy of its captors4 ,sometimes the
 natives burn the grass of the steppes1 
or plains1 and thus surround the        
bewildered animal by fire4  ,it is not  
pleasant to think that the poor         
inoffensive elephant is thus cruelly    
hunted to its death that man may be the 
gainer4 ,all sport that tends to cruelty
 can but make us wish that man would be 
more humane to dumb creatures4  ,arabs  
esteem the flesh of the elephant as a   
great delicacy4 ,the meat is fat and    
juicy1 but it has coarse fibers and a   
rank smell4 ,the trunk and feet are     
considered the most delicate portions   
for eating1 and they are very good when 
well cooked4  ,when the natives wish to 
cook one of the enormous feet1 they     
first dig a hole1 nearly a yard wide1 in
 the ground4 ,this is filled with wood1 
which is kept burning until the sides of
 the hole are very hot4 ,the fire is    

then put out and the food to be roasted 
laid upon the hot embers4 ,the hole is  
first covered over with green wood and  
wet grass4 ,it is then plastered with   
mud1 which is stamped down until hard   
and compact4 ,in order to keep all the  
heat in1 earth is then piled over this  
queer oven1 and the whole structure1    
with its contents1 is left undisturbed  
for more than a day and a half4 ,when   
the mound is opened1 the foot is found  
so well baked that the bottom drops off1
 like the sole of an old shoe1 while    
there is sufficient tender1 juicy meat  
inside to feed fifty hearty men4  ,the  
elephant in its native state is quite a 
pioneer4 ,the jungle thickets are not   
infrequently choked by underbrush and   
interlaced with ropelike1 trailing      
plants4 ,these would make the forests   
well-nigh impenetrable were it not that 
the monarch of the elephant herd and his
 followers break a pathway through these
 sylvan shades4  ,they force a way      
through the thickets and trample down   

and break off the larger branches that  
obstruct the way4 ,the lighter and      
loftier branches yield to the pressure  
of the huge1 massive bodies of the herd1
 as the creatures pass1 but spring back 
into place again to meet in ,gothic     
arches overhead4 ,the immense animals   
march along in ,indian file1 and having 
once broken a pathway soon tread it down
 as bare and almost as regular as a     
gravel path4  ,were it not for the      
service thus rendered by the elephant as
 a pioneer1 many of the dense1 thorny   
forests would soon become choked with   
underbrush and the interlacing of the   
branches of trees and various creeping  
plants4 ,even with the help thus given  
in forcing a passage through these      
forest jungles1 progress seems almost   
impossible1 though one be very adroit   
and willing to exert himself to the     
utmost limit of endurance4  ,it is      
interesting to note the chief           
differences between the ,asiatic and the
 ,african elephant4 ,in the latter the  

head is much more rounded1 the tusks    
much larger1 and the ears of enormous   
size1--so large1 in fact1 as sometimes  
to cover the entire shoulders4 ,it is   
said that the natives use the ears as a 
sort of truck on which to drag loads4   
,in the ,african elephant the molar     
teeth are marked with large1 irregular1 
oval-shaped ridges upon their thin1 flat
 surfaces4 ,these ridges pass from side 
to side4 ,in the ,asiatic elephant these
 ridges are like narrow ribbons with    
indented edges running in parallel      
lines4  ,the poet has thus pictured the 
elephant in its native forest jungles3--
      ,wisest of brutes1 the            
half-reasoning elephant1     ,trampling 
his path through wood and brake     ,and
 canes1 which crackling fall before his 
way1     ,and tassel-grass1 where       
silvery feathers play1     ,o'ertopping 
the young trees2     ,on comes the      
elephant1 to slake     ,his thirst at   
noon in yon pellucid springs1     ,lo6  
from his trunk upturned1 aloft he flings

     ,the grateful shower2 and now      
,plucking the broad-leaved bough     ,of
 yonder plume1 with waving motion slow  
,fanning the languid air1     ,he waves 
it to and fro4     ,,chapter ,,lvii4    
,,views ,,of ,,the ,,hippopotamus4      
,the hippopotamus is a most peculiar1   
unwieldy animal1 found only in ,africa4 
,numerous fossil remains that have been 
found in other parts of the globe1 would
 tend to prove that this animal was more
 widely distributed in prehistoric      
times4  ,until quite recently but one   
variety of the hippopotamus was known in
 ,africa4 ,a new and distinct variety   
has been found frequenting the large    
rivers of ,west ,africa within the      
tropics4 ,this differs from the other   
very materially in size4 ,it is much    
smaller1 in fact4 ,it is said1 also1 to 
differ from the common hippopotamus and 
from all fossil specimens in having only
 two incisors1 instead of four1 in the  
lower jaw4  ,the hippopotamus is aquatic
 in its habits4 ,it lives mostly in     

lakes or in rivers4 ,sometimes it is    
found in tidal estuaries1 where the     
saltness of the water forces it to      
resort to springs in order to find water
 to drink4 ,it has been found sometimes 
in the sea1 but never at any great      
distance from the shore4  ,it may be    
said to be amphibious in its nature2 for
 it spends most of its time in the      
water1 but frequents the land in search 
of food1 which consists of various      
plants that grow in shallow waters1 or  
that may be found along the shores of   
lakes and margins of rivers4  ,the      
animal is of no little service in       
keeping the current of sluggish streams 
free from the luxuriant growth of       
tropical vegetation4 ,were it not that  
the creature browses upon this growth1  
the streams would soon become choked1   
and their beds would become dismal      
swamps1 of the kind common to ,africa4  
,when in want of food from the land     
these animals leave the water at night  
to feed along the banks1 or to make     

havoc in the cultivated fields1 as they 
trample down and devour the crops4 ,as  
they always travel in herds of twenty or
 thirty1 it is no small misfortune for a
 herd to visit any section under        
cultivation4 ,it is little wonder1 then1
 that war has been waged against them1  
until in some regions they have ceased  
to exist4 ,doubtless this accounts for  
the fact that they are no longer found  
in the districts of ,lower ,egypt1      
though found to quite a large extent    
farther up the ,nile4  ,the common      
hippopotamus is one of the largest of   
all living animals4 ,the bulk of its    
body is very nearly as great as that of 
the elephant4 ,its legs1 being very     
short1 give it a most ungainly gait as  
it tries to support its great bulk in   
walking4 ,unlike the elephant1 it is not
 a very tall animal1 its height rarely  
reaching above five feet4  ,the         
hippopotamus1 like the elephant1 belongs
 to the family of thick-skinned animals4
 ,the skin on its back and sides is more

 than two inches thick4 ,the skin is    
described as dark brown in color1 and   
almost destitute of hair4 ,it is kept   
constantly lubricated by means of the   
numerous pores1 which exude a thick1    
oily fluid in great abundance4  ,the    
neck of the hippopotamus is short and   
thick1 while the head is very large4    
,its small eyes and ears are placed so  
high on the head that1 in spite of the  
shortness of the neck1 they can easily  
be kept above the surface of any body of
 water in which the animal may lie      
almost hidden from view4 ,the muzzle is 
very large1 with a rounded1 swollen     
surface4 ,the great ugly nostrils and   
huge lips1 which conceal the large front
 teeth1 give the animal a most          
unattractive and repulsive expression4  
,it can cut down grass or corn with its 
large front teeth as well as if it were 
done with a scythe4 ,so great is the    
strength of the teeth that stems of     
considerable thickness can be easily and
 neatly bitten through like a blade of  

grass4  ,the legs of the hippopotamus   
are1 as we have seen1 short and thick4  
,its feet are divided into four toes of 
nearly equal size1 each covered with a  
horny hoof4 ,its short tail and the     
shape of its skull remind one of the pig
 family4  ,it breathes very slowly1 and 
hence is enabled to remain under water  
for a long time1 coming to the surface  
only at intervals for air4 ,it can swim 
and dive easily1 and often amuses itself
 by walking along the bottom of the     
river or lake with its body completely  
under water4  ,it is very active and    
playful in the water1 but it soon learns
 to hide away from man4 ,if it cannot   
conceal itself among the reeds1 it dives
 under water and remains there hidden   
from sight1 raising only its nose above 
water1 as it finds it necessary to take 
another breath4 ,it is no unfrequent    
thing to see the mother hippopotamus    
swimming across a stream with her little
 one clinging to her back4  ,by nature  
the hippopotamus is rather an           

inoffensive animal4 ,occasionally it    
becomes greatly enraged1 as when pursued
 by hunters in boats1 and then may be   
well considered dangerous4 ,its voice1  
which is loud1 harsh1 and grating1 has  
been likened to the creaking and        
groaning of a large wooden door upon its
 rusty hinges4  ,like the elephant1 the 
hippopotamus can be tamed4 ,it then     
becomes much attached to man4 ,in its   
wild state it commits such mischief     
among the crops of the fields and in    
sections under cultivation that it is   
closely hunted4 ,sometimes it is taken  
in pits which are dug along its usual   
tracks4 ,sometimes it is killed by      
poisoned arrows1 or by pursuing it in   
canoes4 ,the natives harpoon it or shoot
 it with rifles4  ,its flesh is highly  
prized4 ,under the skin there is a thick
 layer of fat1 which is considered a    
great ,african delicacy4 ,this fat1 when
 salted1 is called lake-cow bacon at the
 ,cape of ,good ,hope4 ,the tongue is   
much esteemed1 as is also a jelly made  

from the feet4 ,the thick hide is used  
for a variety of purposes4 ,the great   
front teeth are very valuable as ivory  
and form an important feature of        
,african commerce4  ,livingstone gives  
an interesting description of a tribe of
 hippopotamus hunters1 whose ancestors  
for generations had followed the same   
pursuit3--  ,they follow no other       
occupation1 but when their game is      
getting scanty at one spot they remove  
to some other part of the ,loangwa1     
,zambesi1 or ,shire1 and build temporary
 huts on an island1 where their women   
cultivate patches4 ,the flesh of the    
animals they kill is eagerly exchanged  
by the more settled people for grain4   
,they are not stingy1 and are ever      
welcome guests4 ,i never heard of any   
fraud in dealing1 or that they had been 
guilty of an outrage on the poorest2    
their chief characteristic is their     
courage4  ,their hunting is the bravest 
thing ,i ever saw4 ,each canoe is manned
 by two men2 the canoes are long1 light 

crafts1 scarcely half an inch in        
thickness1 about eighteen inches beam1  
and from eighteen to twenty feet long4  
,they are formed for speed and shaped   
somewhat like our racing boats4  ,the   
crew use broad1 short paddles1 and as   
they guide the canoe slowly down stream 
to a sleeping hippopotamus1 not a single
 ripple is raised on the smooth water4  
,they look as if holding in their       
breath1 and communicate by signs only4  
,as they come near the prey1 the        
harpooner in the bow lays down his      
paddle and rises slowly up1 and there he
 stands erect1 motionless1 and eager1   
with the long-handled weapon poised at  
arm's length above his head1 till1      
coming close to the beast1 he plunges it
 with all his might in towards the      
heart4  ,during this exciting feat he   
has to keep his balance exactly4 ,his   
neighbor in the stern at once backs his 
paddle1 the harpooner sits down1 seizes 
his paddle1 and backs1 too1 to escape4  
,the animal1 surprised and wounded1     

seldom meets the attack at this stage of
 the hunt4 ,the next stage1 however1 is 
full of danger4  ,the barbed blade of   
the harpoon is secured by a long and    
very strong rope wound round the handle4
 ,it is intended to come out of its     
socket1 and while the iron head is      
firmly fixed in the animal's body1 the  
rope unwinds and the handle floats on   
the surface4  ,the hunter next goes to  
the handle and hauls on the rope until  
he knows that he is right over the      
beast4 ,when he feels the line suddenly 
slacken1 he is prepared to deliver      
another harpoon the instant that hippo's
 enormous jaws appear1 with a terrible  
grunt1 above the water4  ,the backing by
 the paddles is again repeated1 but     
hippo often assaults the canoe1 crunches
 it in his jaws as easily as a pig would
 a bunch of asparagus1 or shivers it    
with a kick by his hind foot4  ,deprived
 of their canoe the gallant comrades    
instantly dive and swim to the shore    
under water4 ,they say that the         

infuriated beast looks for them on the  
surface1 and being below they escape his
 sight4 ,when caught by many harpoons1  
the crews of several canoes seize the   
handles and drag him hither and thither 
till1 weakened by loss of blood1 he     
succumbs4 ,this hunting requires the    
greatest skill1 courage1 and nerve that 
can be conceived4     ,,chapter ,,lviii4
  ,,views ,,of ,,the ,,rhinoceros4      
,the rhinoceros derives its name from   
two ,greek words meaning nose-horned4   
,like the elephant and the hippopotamus 
it belongs to the thick-skinned animals4
 ,it ranks among the largest and most   
powerful of the land animals4 ,the      
elephant1 however1 we may consider its  
superior in size and strength4  ,the    
form of the rhinoceros is clumsy and    
uncouth2 while its appearance is dull   
and heavy4 ,it has thick strong limbs1  
with feet that are divided into three   
toes covered with broad1 horny nails    
resembling hoofs4 ,the tail is short1   
with a small tuft of hair at the end4   

,the ears are of moderate size1 but the 
eyes are extremely small4 ,the head is  
large1 with a somewhat lengthened       
muzzle2 while the bones of the nose are 
formed into an arch to give support to a
 kind of rudimentary horn1 which grows  
out from the skin4 ,this horn is a very 
peculiar organ1 and can be used as a    
powerful weapon when needed1 or it can  
be used to root up bushes and small     
trees from which the animal wishes to   
eat the foliage and fruit4 ,though      
solid1 it is not of a bony substance1   
but resembles in some ways the horny    
excrescences on the inner surface of a  
horse's legs4 ,it is1 in reality1 a mass
 of tubes around which the horny        
substance is packed in circular layers  
one within the other4 ,sometimes a      
second horn1 also starting from the     
skin1 grows above the first1 and rests  
for support upon the bones of the       
forehead4 ,the upper lip of the         
rhinoceros is somewhat prolonged1 and   
also prehensile to no small degree4 ,by 

means of it the animal can pick up very 
small objects4  ,the whole body1 the    
head1 and the limbs are covered with a  
very thick1 hard skin4 ,this skin has   
very little hair1 showing1 generally1   
mere traces of it4 ,a striking          
peculiarity of the skin is that its     
extreme hardness does not permit the    
free movements of the animal4 ,this lack
 of pliancy in the skin is overcome in a
 measure by means of thick folds1 almost
 joints1 in it1 in the region of the    
neck1 behind the shoulders1 in front of 
the thighs1 and on the limbs4  ,the     
rhinoceros is not a very intelligent    
animal4 ,it is usually harmless1 but can
 be easily provoked4 ,it is then capable
 of showing a very capricious temper4   
,when irritated it becomes very         
dangerous2 and though usually very slow 
in moving1 it can1 when worked into a   
frenzy1 run at a rapid rate4  ,its great
 weight and strength enable it to force 
a passage through jungles and forests1  
and thus to break down all small trees  

that come in its way4  ,its hide is so  
tough that the animal has nothing to    
fear from the lion or the leopard1 and  
little to dread in man4 ,it is only at a
 short distance that the hunter can     
penetrate the hide with a leaden bullet1
 and then only in some of the thinnest  
parts along the neck and chest4 ,usually
 bullets of iron or tin are used to     
shoot the animal4  ,the rhinoceros1 like
 the hippopotamus1 is hunted for its    
flesh1 which is used as food by the     
natives1 though it is not as highly     
prized as that of the hippopotamus4 ,the
 tough hide of the ,south ,african      
species is sliced up into thongs1 which 
the natives use in various ways4  ,the  
rhinoceros is found sometimes alone1    
sometimes in pairs1 but never in a herd4
 ,there are various species of the      
animal in ,asia and ,india as well as   
,africa4 ,let us confine our attention  
to the ,african species alone4 ,the     
bovele1 or black rhinoceros of ,south   
,africa1 is the smallest of all known   

species4 ,its first horn is thick at the
 base and not very long1 while its      
second is quite short and conical4 ,it  
is a very fierce1 dangerous animal4     
,when hunted it is capable of such      
activity that it is more to be dreaded  
than the lion4  ,the keitloa is larger  
than the bovele1 and has its two horns  
of nearly the same length4 ,the forward 
horn is curved backward1 while the other
 is curved forward4 ,this species of    
rhinoceros is also a native of ,south   
,africa4 ,it is much dreaded on account 
of its great strength and ferocity4 ,the
 white rhinoceros is the largest of all 
the ,african species4 ,one of its horns 
attains the length of four feet4  ,the  
food of the black rhinoceros differs    
from that of the white4 ,the former     
species lives almost wholly upon roots1 
which it digs up with its larger horn4  
,sometimes it eats the branches and the 
young sprouts of the thorny acacia tree4
 ,the white rhinoceros lives almost     
wholly upon grasses4 ,possibly this     

mild1 succulent food gives it a nature  
resembling more that of the ordinary    
grazing animals1 for it falls an easy   
prey to the invading ,europeans4 ,even  
the flesh of the two species varies4    
,that of the black rhinoceros is thin   
and tough1 and has a sharp bitter taste4
 ,that of the white rhinoceros is juicy 
and of a good flavor1 and is counted a  
delicacy by the natives and by the      
settlers4  ,the rhinoceros has an       
extraordinary acuteness of smell and    
hearing4 ,it listens closely to the     
sounds of the desert1 and can scent the 
approach of man from a great distance4  
,the size of its unwieldy horns often   
impedes the range of its small1 deep-set
 eyes1 hence it can see only what comes 
immediately before it4 ,to compensate   
for its imperfect sight1 the rhinoceros 
is often accompanied by a bird4 ,this   
bird seems as much attached to it as the
 dog is to man4 ,its warning cry        
acquaints the beast with the approach of
 danger4 ,when the natives address a    

superior they call him ,my ,rhinoceros4 
,this is by way of compliment1 and      
serves to show that the inferior1 like  
this bird1 is ready to be of service4   
,the black rhinoceros has a gloomy1     
melancholy temper4 ,it often falls into 
a perfect frenzy of rage from no        
apparent cause4 ,yet1 to see this       
creature in its wild haunts1 cropping   
its favorite leaves from the bushes1 or 
moving quietly along over the plains1   
one might think it one of the most      
inoffensive and good-tempered animals of
 the whole continent of ,africa4 ,when  
roused to anger1 no more terrific sight 
can be imagined4 ,the very beasts of the
 wilderness tremble in fear of it4 ,the 
lion silently steals away out of its    
path2 even the elephant is glad to      
escape its notice4  ,illustration3      
,,rhinoceros ,,charging ,,the ,,hunters4
  ,the hippopotamus and the rhinoceros  
have been styled gigantic hogs1 and they
 well deserve the name4 ,in ,south      
,africa1 however1 the hog proper reaches

 a size and strength which we1 familiar 
only with the sleepy1 indolent farm     
species1 can hardly conceive4           
,andersson1 the explorer1 says ,wild    
boars were rather numerous1 and afforded
 us excellent coursing4 ,the speed of   
these animals is surprisingly great4 ,on
 open ground1 when fairly afoot1 ,i     
found the dogs no match for them4 ,they 
fight desperately1 and ,i have seen wild
 boars individually keep off most       
effectually half a dozen fierce         
assailants4 ,i have also seen them when 
hotly pursued1 attack and severely wound
 their pursuers4     ,,chapter ,,lix4   
,,lion ,,hunting4   ,the lion has been  
called the king of beasts1 and his      
majestic form1 noble bearing1 stately   
tread1 piercing eye1 and dreadful roar  
not only strike terror to the heart of  
the other animals1 but combine to mark  
him1 as it were1 with the stamp of      
royalty4  ,he is all nerve and muscle1  
while his enormous strength is shown in 
the tremendous bound he makes in rushing

 upon his prey1 and in the rapid lashing
 of his tail4 ,one stroke from his tail 
is sufficient to fell a man to the      
ground4  ,the expressive wrinkling of   
his brows is a strong characteristic of 
the lion4 ,judging from his appearance1 
man has endowed him with qualities he   
does not possess4 ,modern travelers1 far
 from describing him as a noble beast1  
deem him a mean-spirited robber1        
prowling about under the secrecy of     
night to surprise animals weaker than   
himself4  ,the chief food of the lion   
consists of the flesh of the larger     
herbivorous animals4 ,there are very few
 animals he is unable to master4 ,the   
swift-footed antelope has no foe to be  
so much dreaded as the lion4 ,concealing
 himself in the high rushes which line  
the river's bank1 he lies in ambush for 
the timid herd1 till they approach the  
water at nightfall to quench their      
thirst4 ,slowly1 cautiously1 the        
beautiful antelopes approach4 ,they     
listen with ears erect1 straining their 

eyes to pierce the gloom of the thicket4
 ,nothing suspicious nor alarming       
appears1 and the beautiful creatures    
move along the bank4  ,they quaff long1 
deep draughts of the delicious water1   
without thought of danger4 ,suddenly1   
with a mighty spring1 as lightning      
bursts from the cloud1 the wary lion    
bounds upon the unsuspecting herd1 and  
in a twinkling the leader lies prostrate
 at the mercy of his foe1 while his     
frightened companions fly blindly into  
the desert4  ,andersson witnessed the   
very uncommon sight of a lion seizing   
his prey in broad daylight4 ,he had had 
an encounter late one evening with a    
lion1 and had badly wounded him4 ,the   
following morning he set out with some  
of his men to follow the tracks of the  
wounded animal4  ,presently1 he writes1 
we came upon the trail of a whole troop 
of lions1 as also that of a solitary    
giraffe4 ,so many tracks confused us1   
and while endeavoring to pick out from  
the rest those of the wounded lion1 ,i  

observed my native attendants suddenly  
rush forward1 and the next instant the  
jungle re-echoed with the shouts of     
triumph4  ,thinking they had discovered 
the lion we were in pursuit of1 ,i also 
hurried forward2 but imagine my surprise
 when1 emerging into an opening in the  
jungle1 ,i saw1 not a dead lion1 as ,i  
expected1 but five living lions1--two   
males and three females1--two of which  
were in the act of pulling down a       
splendid giraffe1 the other three       
watching close at hand1 and with        
devouring looks1 the deadly strife4     
,the scene was of so imposing a nature  
that for the moment ,i forgot ,i carried
 a gun4 ,the natives1 however1 in       
anticipation of a glorious gorge1 dashed
 madly forward1 and with the most       
piercing shrieks and yells compelled the
 lions to a hasty retreat4 ,when ,i     
reached the giraffe1 now stretched at   
full length on the sand1 it made a few  
ineffectual efforts to raise its head1  
its body heaved and quivered for a      

moment1 and the next instant the poor   
animal was dead4  ,it had received      
several deep gashes about the flanks and
 chest1 caused by the claws and teeth of
 its fierce assailants4 ,the strong and 
tough muscles of the neck were also     
bitten through4 ,all thought of pursuing
 the wounded lion was now out of the    
question4 ,the natives remained gorging 
on the carcass of the giraffe until it  
was devoured4 ,a day or two afterward1  
however1 ,i had the good fortune to fall
 in with my royal antagonist1 and       
finished him without difficulty4   ,,the
 ,,lion',s ,,ride4      ,the lion is the
 desert's king2 through his domain so   
wide     ,right swiftly and right       
royally this night he means to ride4    
,by the sedgy brink1 where the wild     
herds drink1 close couches         the  
grim old chief2     ,the trembling      
sycamore above whispers with every leaf4
      ,at evening on the ,table ,mount1 
when ye can see no more     ,the        
changeful play of signals gay2 when the 

gloom is speckled o'er     ,with kraal  
fires2 when the ,caffre wends home      
through the lone karroo2     ,when the  
boshbok in the thicket sleeps1 and by   
the stream the gnu2      ,then bend your
 gaze across the waste2 what see ye6    
,the giraffe1     ,majestic1 stalks     
towards the lagoon1 the turbid lymph to 
quaff2     ,with outstretched neck and  
tongue1 adust he kneels him down to cool
     ,his hot thirst with a welcome     
draught from the foul and brackish pool4
      ,a rustling sound1 a roar1 a      
bound1--the lion sits astride     ,upon 
his giant courser's back4 ,did ever king
 so ride8     ,had ever king a steed so 
rare1 caparisons of state     ,to match 
the dappled skin whereon that rider sits
 elate8      ,in the muscles of the neck
 his teeth are plunged with ravenous    
greed2     ,his tawny mane is tossing   
round the withers of the steed     ,up  
leaping with a hollow yell of anguish   
and surprise1     ,away1 away1 in wild  
dismay1 the camel-leopard flies4        

,his feet have wings2 see how he springs
 across the moonlit plain6     ,as from 
the sockets they would burst1 his       
glaring eyeballs strain2     ,in thick  
black streams of purling blood1 full    
fast his life is         fleeting2      
,the stillness of the desert hears his  
heart's tumultuous beating4      ,like  
the cloud that1 through the wilderness1 
the path of ,israel         traced1--   
,like an airy phantom1 dull and worn1 a 
spirit of the waste1--     ,from the    
sandy sea uprising1 as the waterspout   
from ocean1     ,a whirling cloud of    
dust keeps pace with the courser's fiery
 motion4      ,croaking companion of    
their flight1 the vulture whirs on high2
     ,below1 the terror of the fold1 the
 panther fierce and sly1     ,and hyenas
 foul1 round graves that prowl1 join in 
the horrid race2     ,by the footprints 
wet with gore and sweat1 their monarch's
 course         they trace4      ,they  
see him on his living throne1 and quake 
with fear the while2     ,with claws of 

steel he tears piecemeal his cushion's  
painted pile4     ,on6 on6 no pause1 no 
rest1 giraffe1 while life and strength  
remain6     ,the steed by such a rider  
backed may madly plunge in vain4        
,reeling upon the desert's verge1 he    
falls1 and breathes his last2     ,the  
courser1 stained with dust and foam1 is 
the rider's full repast4     ,o'er      
,madagascar1 eastward far1 a faint flush
 is descried2--     ,thus nightly1 o'er 
his broad domain1 the king of beasts    
doth ride4      --,from the ,german4    
,the lion is said to have a special     
liking for the flesh of the ,hottentots1
 and with great obstinacy will follow   
one of these unfortunate savages4  ,it  
commits so much devastation among the   
herds of antelopes that roam over the   
plains that hunters in ,north and ,south
 ,africa pursue him and kill him        
wherever he appears4  ,dr4 ,livingstone 
states that the ,bushmen take advantage 
of the torpidity of the lion after a    
full meal to surprise him in his        

slumbers4 ,their mode of attack differs 
widely from that of the fierce ,arabs of
 ,north ,africa4 ,while one native      
discharges a poisoned arrow from a      
distance1 his companion dexterously     
throws his skin coat over the animal's  
head4 ,in its surprise and amazement the
 lion loses its presence of mind and    
bounds away in a panic1 terrified and   
confused4  ,the poison used in the      
arrows of the ,bushmen is obtained from 
a caterpillar about half an inch long4  
,it is a very active poison1 causing    
intense agony to any one wounded by one 
of these arrows4 ,the effect on the lion
 is equally distressing4 ,he can be     
heard moaning in distress1 and finally  
becomes furious1 biting the trees and   
ground in his rage and torment4  ,the   
,african lion differs somewhat from the 
,asiatic4 ,the latter has a more        
compressed form and a shorter mane2     
sometimes the mane is entirely wanting4 
,its tail1 however1 has a much larger   
tuft of hair at the end4  ,africa may be

 said to be the chief home of the lion4 
,it is the part of the world where his  
peculiar strength and beauty appear in  
all their perfection4     ,,chapter     
,,lx4  ,,incidental ,,views ,,of        
,,animal ,,life4   ,in some parts of    
,africa great numbers of different kinds
 of mice exist4 ,the ground is often so 
pierced with their burrows that the foot
 sinks in at every step4 ,little        
haycocks two feet high1 and more than   
that in breadth1 are made by one variety
 of these little animals4  ,wherever    
mice abound1 serpents may be expected1  
for the one preys on the other4 ,some of
 these are venomous4 ,they all require  
water1 and come long distances to the   
rivers and pools in search of it4       
,other serpents1 according to           
,livingstone1 are harmless1 and even    
edible4 ,of the latter sort is the great
 python1 the largest specimens of which 
are about fifteen or twenty feet in     
length4 ,they are perfectly harmless1   
and live on small animals1 chiefly the  

rodentia4 ,the flesh is much relished by
 the ,bakalahari and ,bushmen4 ,when one
 is killed1 they carry away their       
portions1 like logs of wood1 over their 
shoulders4  ,the carrion-feeding hyenas 
may be called the vultures among the    
four-footed animals4 ,like the owl and  
the bat they are averse to light1 and   
conceal themselves in dark ruins or     
burrows so long as the sun is above the 
horizon2 but1 as soon as the shades of  
night appear1 they come forth from their
 gloomy retreats with a lamentable howl 
or a satanic laugh4  ,the striped hyena 
is found in ,north ,africa as far as the
 ,senegal1 while the spotted hyena roams
 over ,south ,africa from the ,cape to  
,abyssinia4 ,both species are about the 
size of a wolf and have the same habits4
 ,the brown hyena1 found in ,south      
,africa from the ,cape to ,mozambique   
and ,senegambia1 has a more shaggy fur  
than the preceding species4 ,its habits 
are widely different4 ,it is exceedingly
 fond of the shellfish1 which the waves 

at ebb tide leave upon the beach1 or    
which are found there in great          
quantities after a severe storm4  ,it   
inhabits the coasts exclusively1 and is 
known as the seashore wolf4 ,one can    
trace its tracks plainly upon the       
strand2 for night after night it prowls 
along the borders of the sea to examine 
the refuse left behind by the retreating
 waves of the restless waters4  ,africa1
 as if to make up for the hideousness of
 the rhinoceros and hippopotamus1 can   
lay claim to being the birthplace of the
 beautifully striped zebras4 ,these are 
the most gorgeously attired members of  
the equine family4  ,the tawny quagga1  
with its irregularly banded body marked 
with dark-brown stripes1 is one species4
 ,the peculiar appearance of the animal 
is enhanced by the arrangement of these 
stripes2 for1 though stronger on the    
head and neck1 they gradually become    
fainter until lost behind the shoulders4
 ,its high crest is surmounted by a     
standing mane1 banded alternately in    

brown and white4 ,formerly it was found 
in great numbers within the confines of 
,cape ,colony4 ,it still roams in large 
herds in the open plains farther to the 
north4  ,one traveler states that in the
 desert of ,meritsane1 after crossing a 
park of magnificent camel-thorn trees1  
he perceived large herds of quaggas and 
brindled gnus4 ,these continued to join 
each other1 until the whole plain seemed
 alive4 ,the clatter of their hoofs was 
perfectly astounding1 resembling the din
 of a tremendous charge of cavalry1 or  
the rushing of a mighty tempest4 ,they  
numbered not less than fifteen thousand1
 a great extent of country being        
checkered black and white with their    
congregated masses4  ,burchell's zebra  
does not differ materially from the     
common quagga1 either in shape or size4 
,the quagga is faintly striped only on  
the head and neck1 but the zebra is     
adorned on every part of the body with  
broad black bands1 which contrast       
beautifully with a pale yellow ground4  

,major ,harris remarks of this animal1  
,beautifully clad by the hand of nature1
 possessing much of the graceful        
symmetry of the horse1 with great bones 
and muscular power united to easy and   
stylish action1 thus combining          
comeliness of figure with solidity of   
form1 this species1 if subjugated and   
domesticated1 would assuredly make the  
best pony in the world4 ,the senses of  
sight1 hearing1 and smell are delicate  
in the extreme4 ,the slightest noise1   
the least motion1 or the sight of any   
unfamiliar object1 will at once rivet   
their attention and cause them to stop  
and listen with the greatest care4 ,any 
disagreeable odor in the air will as    
quickly attract their sense of smell4   
,instinct having taught these beautiful 
animals that in union consists their    
strength1 they combine in a compact body
 when menaced by an attack either from  
man or beast2 and1 if overtaken by the  
foe1 they unite for mutual defense1 with
 their heads together in a close        

circular band1 presenting their heels to
 the enemy1 and dealing out kicks in    
equal force and abundance4 ,beset on all
 sides1 or partially crippled1 they rear
 on their hind legs1 fly at their       
adversary with jaws distended1 and use  
both teeth and heels with the greatest  
freedom4 ,while the quagga roams over   
the plains1 the zebra seeks only the    
high mountainous regions4 ,the beauty of
 its light1 symmetrical form is enhanced
 by the narrow black bands with which   
the whole of the white-colored body is  
covered4  ,the zebra is supposed to be  
the tiger horse of the ancients4 ,this  
is the more probable as it has a much   
farther range to the north than the     
quagga2 for it approaches the regions of
 ,africa once comprised within the      
,roman ,empire4 ,it seeks the wildest   
and most secluded spots1 hence it is    
extremely difficult of approach4 ,the   
herds frequent the steep hillsides for  
their grazing grounds4 ,a sentinel is   
always posted on some adjacent cliff1   

ready to give the alarm in case of      
danger4 ,no sooner is the signal of     
alarm given than away they all scamper1 
with pricked-up ears1 and seek shelter  
in places where few people would venture
 to follow them4     ,,chapter ,,lxi4   
,,bird ,,life ,,in ,,africa4   ,it would
 be interesting to view more of the     
mammals of ,africa1 did space permit4   
,certainly the field is a wide one2 for 
out of the three hundred species which  
are known to exist among the animals of 
,africa more than two hundred varieties 
are found exclusively in that country   
and in the island of ,madagascar4  ,as  
in all tropical countries1 the birds of 
,africa are distinguished1 in the main1 
for the brilliancy of their coloring1   
rather than for the beauty of their     
song4  ,in our views of the ,nile we    
have seen that various reed and water   
birds1 as well as birds of prey1        
frequent its banks4  ,the ,african      
parrot is a bird worthy of mention4     
,though not as brilliant in coloring as 

the parrots of other tropical sections1 
yet it is considered the most valuable1 
perhaps1 of all parrots1 since it can   
easily be trained to speak fluently and 
very distinctly4 ,its coat of soft gray 
feathers and its scarlet-tipped tail    
make it by no means an unattractive     
bird1 when compared with its more       
gorgeously dressed relatives from other 
lands4  ,the grosbeak of the wilds of   
,africa affords a wonderful example of  
nest building2 for not one single pair1 
but hundreds1 may be found living under 
the same roof4 ,these nests resemble a  
thatch-roofed house with a projecting   
ridge1 so that it is an impossibility   
for any reptile to approach the         
entrances1 which are deftly hidden      
below4  ,one writer states1 ,their      
industry seems almost equal to that of  
the bee4 ,throughout the day they appear
 to be busily employed in carrying a    
fine species of grass1 which is the     
principal material they employ for the  
purpose of erecting this extraordinary  

work1 as well as for additions and      
repairs4  ,though my short stay in the  
country was not sufficient to satisfy   
me1 by ocular proof1 that they added to 
their nest as they annually increased in
 numbers1 still from the many trees     
which ,i have seen borne down by the    
weight1 and others which ,i have        
observed with their boughs completely   
covered over1 it would appear that this 
really was the case4  ,when the tree    
which is the support of this aerial city
 is obliged to give way to the increase 
of weight1 it is obvious they are no    
longer protected1 and are under the     
necessity of rebuilding in other trees4 
,one of these deserted nests ,i had the 
curiosity to break down1 so as to inform
 myself of its internal structure1 and  
,i found it equally ingenious with that 
of the external4 ,there are many        
entrances1 each of which forms a        
separate street with nests on both      
sides1 at about two inches from each    
other4  ,livingstone gives the following

 description of a curious bird called   
the korwe3 ,we passed the nest of a     
korwe just ready for the female to      
enter4 ,the orifice was plastered on    
both sides1 but a space was left of a   
heart shape1 and exactly the size of the
 bird's body4  ,the hole in the tree was
 in every case found to be prolonged    
some distance upward above the opening1 
and thither the korwe always fled to    
escape being caught4  ,in another nest  
we found that one white egg1 much like  
that of a pigeon1 was laid4  ,the first 
time that ,i saw this nest ,i had gone  
to the forest for some timber4 ,standing
 by a tree1 a native looked behind me   
and exclaimed1 ',there is the nest of a 
korwe4' ,i saw a slit only1 about half  
an inch wide and three or four inches   
long1 in a slight hollow of the tree4   
,thinking the word korwe denoted some   
small animal1 ,i waited with interest to
 see what he would extract4 ,he broke   
the clay which surrounded the slit1 put 
his arm into the hole1 and drew out a   

red-beaked hornbill4 ,he informed me    
that when the female enters her nest the
 male plasters up the entrance1 leaving 
only a narrow slit by which to feed his 
mate1 and which exactly suits the form  
of his beak4  ,the female makes a nest  
of her own feathers1 lays her eggs1     
hatches them1 and remains with the young
 till they are fully fledged4 ,during   
all this1 which is stated to be two or  
three months1 the male continues to feed
 her and the young family4 ,the prisoner
 generally becomes quite fat1 and is    
esteemed a very dainty morsel by the    
natives1 while the poor slave of a      
husband gets so lean that1 on the sudden
 lowering of the temperature which      
sometimes happens after a fall of rain1 
he is benumbed1 falls down1 and dies4   
,the bird comes forth when the young are
 fully fledged1 at the period when the  
corn is ripe4 ,indeed1 her appearance   
abroad with her young is one of the     
signs for knowing when it ought to be   
harvested4  ,she is said sometimes to   

hatch two eggs1 and when the young of   
these are full-fledged1 another pair are
 just out of the eggshell4 ,she then    
leaves the nest with the two elder1 the 
orifice is again plastered up1 and both 
male and female attend to the wants of  
the young which are left4  ,the ,african
 weavers are remarkable for the         
eccentricity of the shape and design of 
their nests4 ,most of these nests dangle
 at the end of twigs and sway in every  
breeze4 ,some of them are long1 others  
short4 ,many have the entrance to the   
nest at one side1 some have it at the   
bottom1 others near the top4  ,some of  
these nests are slung like hammocks2    
others are suspended from the end of a  
twig2 others still are built in palms1  
and since these trees have no branches  
nor twigs the nests are fastened to the 
ends of the leaves4  ,some nests are    
made of the finest and most delicate    
fibers1 while others are of the coarsest
 kinds of straw4 ,many are of open      
texture1 so that the eggs within can be 

easily seen2 others are extremely strong
 and thick1 so that one might well      
believe that they had been constructed  
by a professional thatcher4  ,one       
variety of weaver1 though a pretty      
little bird1 is no great favorite with  
the ,african farmers4 ,it is very       
numerous in the cultivated regions1 and 
does not scruple to help itself to the  
produce of the gardens4 ,hence the      
owners are obliged to keep a close watch
 if they would secure a fair share of   
the crops4  ,another weaver1 the        
yellow-capped1 is remarkable for the    
extreme neatness and compactness of the 
nest it builds4 ,the body of the nest is
 of seed-stems1 so closely interwoven   
that it may be roughly handled1 or even 
kicked about like a football1 without   
being destroyed4 ,its interior is a     
lining which consists of layers of flat 
leaves1 kept in place by their own      
elasticity1 and thus affording a soft   
resting place for the eggs and          
nestlings4  ,on one occasion            

,livingstone1 while collecting wood for 
the evening fire1 found a bird's nest   
which consisted of live leaves sewn     
together with threads of the spider's   
web4 ,nothing could exceed the airiness 
of this pretty contrivance4 ,the threads
 had been pushed through small          
punctures1 and thickened to resemble a  
knot4 ,unfortunately he lost this nest1 
which was the second one he had seen    
resembling that of the tailor bird of   
,india4  ,this same traveler states that
 while exploring the rapids of the      
,leeambye1 in passing along under the   
overhanging trees of the banks1 he often
 saw the pretty turtle doves sitting    
peacefully on their nests above the     
roaring torrent4 ,in one instance an    
ibis had perched her home on the end of 
a stump4 ,her loud1 harsh scream of     
,wa-wa-wa1 and the piping of the        
fish-hawk1 were sounds which could never
 be forgotten by any one who had sailed 
on the rivers north of #bj deg4 south   
latitude4  ,as he stepped on shore1 a   

species of plover followed him1 flying  
overhead1 and it was most persevering in
 its attempts to give fair warning to   
all the animals within hearing to flee  
from the approaching danger4  ,the alarm
 note1 tinc-tinc-tinc1 of another       
variety of the same family has so clear 
a metallic ring that the bird is called 
hammering iron4 ,it has a sharp spur on 
its shoulder1 much like that on the leg 
of a rooster1 but scarcely half an inch 
in length4     ,,chapter ,,lxii4  ,,the 
,,ostrich ,,in ,a ,,wild ,,state4   ,the
 ostrich may be looked upon as the most 
peculiar bird of ,africa4 ,it is found  
in almost all sections1 and is by far   
the largest of all living birds1 though 
doubtless many extinct species were much
 larger4 ,it is an immense bird1 often  
two feet taller than the tallest man1   
and frequents the barren1 sandy plains1 
such as are common in ,africa4  ,the    
male is generally of a fine glossy black
 color1 with long1 loose1 white1        
plumelike feathers in the wings and     

tail4 ,these are the feathers for which 
the bird is hunted4 ,they are largely   
used for decorating hats and bonnets4   
,the female bird and the young are of a 
brownish-gray color4  ,the head and the 
neck of the ostrich are almost bare of  
feathers4 ,upon the body the feathers do
 not grow closely as they do upon other 
birds4 ,the wind can thus blow through  
the feathers1 cooling the body1 while   
the covering is sufficient to protect   
the bird1 like a shade1 from the heat of
 the sun4  ,the ostrich has a keen sense
 of sight and hearing1 and1 as it is a  
swift runner1 it is very hard to catch4 
,it cannot fly1 but it can use its wings
 like sails in running1 and has been    
known to run at the rate of thirty miles
 an hour4  ,its food is chiefly fruits1 
grain1 leaves1 tender twigs and shoots  
of plants1 snails1 and various kinds of 
insects4 ,we often hear people speak of 
the digestion of an ostrich2 it is      
rather astonishing what this bird will  
take into its stomach to assist in      

grinding its food4 ,not only does it    
swallow instinctively vast quantities of
 small stones1 but it has been known to 
swallow pieces of leather1 bits of      
glass1 iron1 and other hard substances4 
,the ostrich has generally been         
considered rather a stupid bird4        
,indeed1 the ,arabs have a saying1 ,as  
stupid as an ostrich4 ,this judgment of 
the bird doubtless arose from the habit 
it has of hiding its head in the sand or
 in a bush when hard pressed by its     
pursuers4 ,no doubt it thinks that1     
because it cannot see1 it cannot be seen
 by1 the hunters it is trying to elude4 
,the ostrich is not easily caught2 for1 
although its wings are small and weak1  
yet their flapping aids very materially 
in the flight from its pursuers4 ,so    
rapid is this flight that the feet seem 
scarcely to touch the ground1 while the 
length between the strides is frequently
 from twelve to fourteen feet4 ,an      
ostrich at this rate might easily       
outstrip a locomotive running at good   

speed4  ,the strength of the legs is a  
great help to the bird in battling with 
its enemies1 for it uses them as a means
 of defense4 ,many a panther or wild dog
 has had reason to wish it had kept at a
 safer distance from these formidable   
feet4  ,during its flight the ostrich   
frequently throws large stones backward 
with its feet1 thus making the chase a  
more difficult one for its pursuers4    
,still1 in spite of its great strength  
and rapid flight1 the bird must often   
succumb to the hunter who is well versed
 in ways of making it a captive4  ,the  
ostrich makes its home in the ,african  
plains and wildernesses4 ,where the lion
 wanders in search of its prey1 where   
the elephant1 rhinoceros1 and           
hippopotamus make the earth tremble     
under their heavy tread1 where the      
long-necked giraffe plucks the leaves   
from the top-most branches of the       
acacia1 where the herds of antelope     
bound gracefully over the ground1 a     
troop of ostriches may not unfrequently 

be found enjoying the full liberty of   
the plain1 as they wander1 unsuspicious 
of danger1 over its vast expanse1 where 
the monotony of the scenery is relieved 
only by a clump of palms1 a patch of    
candelabra-shaped trees1 or a gigantic  
and solitary baobab4  ,the scene is an  
interesting one1 as some leisurely feed 
upon the sprouts of the acacias1 the    
hard1 dry leaves of the mimosas1 or the 
prickly1 cactuslike shrub of the desert 
of which the bird is extremely fond4    
,some flutter their wings to allow the  
air to circulate through the delicate   
plumage1 which is looked upon as a prize
 by the covetous eyes of the hunter4    
,no other birds ever associate with     
them1 nor do any other birds lead a life
 so isolated as theirs2 so we might well
 consider their lives solitary1 did not 
the zebra and the antelope seek their   
company1 evidently relying on their     
keenness of vision1 which enables them  
to discern danger even on the extreme   
edge of the horizon4  ,this vigilance   

can avail the ostrich troop but little  
when the ,arab hunters encircle them    
with their fleetest steeds4 ,vainly each
 bird tries to escape4 ,it is driven    
from one hunter to another2 the circle  
of riders grows narrower and narrower1  
till the bird sinks to the ground from  
exhaustion and resigns itself to its    
fate4  ,before the rainy season1        
however1 it is not necessary to capture 
the ostrich through a protracted chase4 
,when the heat is most intense1 the bird
 is often found lying upon the sand with
 outstretched wings and open beak1      
suffering from the hot1 sultry air1 and 
burning sun4 ,it is then an easy matter 
for a single horseman or a swift-footed 
,bushman to capture it after a short    
pursuit4  ,just as the ,esquimo of the  
north covers himself with the skin of   
the seal1 and1 by imitating its         
movements1 is enabled to mingle with an 
unsuspicious group of them1 so the      
,bushman of ,south ,africa resorts to   
similar strategy to outwit the ostrich4 

,he first forms a saddlelike cushion1   
which he covers with feathers1 to       
resemble the bird4 ,he then stuffs the  
head and neck of an ostrich and         
introduces a small rod as a support4 ,in
 preparing for the chase1 he whitens his
 black legs with any suitable substance 
which he can find1 and places the saddle
 on his shoulders4 ,he then takes the   
bottom part of the neck in his right    
hand1 while he holds his bow and        
poisoned arrows in the left4  ,behind   
this mask he mimics the ostrich in the  
smallest details2 picks at the verdure1 
turns his head from side to side as if  
to keep a sharp lookout for danger1     
flutters his feathers1 walks1 trots1    
till he gets within bowshot1 shoots his 
arrow1 and1 if the flock runs in its    
alarm1 runs too4  ,should some wary old 
bird suspect the trick1 the ,bushman    
must get out of its way as the bird     
tries to approach him2 for on no account
 does he wish it to catch the scent and 
thus break the spell4 ,if an ostrich    

should get too near in its pursuit1 the 
,bushman has but to run to the windward 
or throw aside his saddle1 to avoid a   
blow from the bird's wing1 powerful     
enough to lay him prostrate4  ,although 
the ostrich has been called a stupid    
bird1 yet it resorts to many cunning    
artifices to protect its young4         
,andersson and a companion1 while       
traversing a sterile plain1 caught sight
 of a male and female ostrich1 with a   
brood of young ones about the size of   
barnyard fowls4 ,they immediately gave  
chase1 and the pursuit proved of no     
ordinary interest4  ,illustration3      
,,ostriches4  ,andersson writes of this 
experience3 ,the moment the parent birds
 became aware of our intention1 they set
 off at full speed1 the female leading  
the way1 the young following in her     
wake1 and the male1 though at some      
little distance1 bringing up the rear of
 the family party4  ,it was very        
touching to observe the anxiety the old 
birds evinced for the safety of their   

progeny4 ,finding that we were quickly  
gaining upon them1 the male at once     
slackened his pace1 and diverged        
somewhat from his course2 but1 seeing   
that we were not to be diverted from our
 purpose1 he again increased his speed1 
and with wings drooping1 so as almost to
 touch the ground1 he hovered round us1 
now in wide circles1 and then decreasing
 the circumference1 till he came almost 
within pistol shot1 when he abruptly    
threw himself on the ground1 and        
struggled desperately to regain his     
legs1 as it appeared1 like a bird that  
had been badly wounded4  ,having        
previously fired at him1 ,i really      
thought he was disabled1 and made       
quickly towards him4 ,but this was only 
a ruse on his part2 for on my nearer    
approach he slowly rose1 and began to   
run in an opposite direction to that of 
the female1 who by this time was        
considerably ahead with her charge4     
,after an hour's severe chase1 we       
secured nine of the brood1 and1 though  

it consisted of about double that       
number1 we found it necessary to be     
contented with what we had4  ,the       
ostrich resorts to various stratagems to
 remove intruders from the vicinity of  
its crude nest1 which is merely a cavity
 scooped out of the sand1 usually about 
a yard in diameter1 but only a few      
inches in depth4 ,one writer happened to
 ride by the place where a hen ostrich  
was sitting upon her nest1 when the bird
 sprang up and gave chase1 in order to  
distract his attention from the nest of 
either young birds or eggs1 he could not
 ascertain which2 for every time he     
turned his horse towards her1 she       
retreated a few paces1 but as soon as he
 rode on again she would pursue him4    
,the ,creator has given the ostrich a   
wonderful instinct for providing its    
young with food4 ,it was formerly       
supposed that the bird left her young to
 be hatched by the heat of the sand and 
sun2 but it has been proved that she    
hatches them with the greatest care1 and

 even reserves some of the eggs for food
 for the young birds when they first    
leave the shell4 ,thus1 though a nest   
may hold from fifteen to twenty eggs1   
the mother bird sits upon not more than 
ten or a dozen2 the rest are pushed to  
one side1 in anticipation of the time   
when her hungry brood of little ones    
will look to her for food4 ,this is a   
wonderful provision1 when we consider   
how little the arid plains can offer for
 the support of the young birds4        
,nature provides for their protection in
 still another way2 for it gives them a 
covering suitable for the localities    
they frequent4 ,this is neither one of  
down nor feathers2 it is of the nature  
of a prickly stubble1 and serves as a   
fine shield against the gravel and the  
coarse1 stunted vegetation of the       
plains4 ,its color1 too1 renders it     
difficult to discern the chicks1 even   
when crouching close at hand1 so nearly 
do they resemble the color of the sand  
and gravel4  ,in ,senegal the heat is so

 very intense that the ostrich sits upon
 her eggs only at night4 ,where the heat
 is less intense the eggs must be       
guarded night and day4 ,the father bird 
usually sits on the nest at night1      
leaving the care of it to the mother    
bird during the day4  ,every morning and
 evening the nest is left uncovered for 
a quarter of an hour1 to allow the eggs 
to cool4 ,the sight of the nests at this
 time has probably given rise to the    
erroneous idea that the ostrich leaves  
her eggs to hatch in the sun4  ,she has 
more sense than to believe in the sun's 
hatching her eggs2 she is indeed quite  
aware of the fact that1 if allowed to   
blaze down on them1 even during the     
short time she is off the nest1 it would
 injure them2 and therefore on a hot    
morning she does not leave them without 
first placing on the top of each a good 
pinch of sand4 ,when she has thus set   
her nest in order1 she walks off1 to    
fortify herself with a good meal for the
 duties of the day4  ,now comes the     

white-necked crow's opportunity1 for    
which1 ever since the earliest dawn1 he 
has been patiently watching2 for an     
ostrich egg is to him the daintiest of  
all delicacies2 but1 nature not having  
bestowed on him a bill strong enough to 
break its hard shell1 he is able only by
 means of an ingenious device to regale 
on the interior4 ,so he watches till the
 parent's back is turned and she is a   
long distance from the nest2 then he    
flies up into the air and drops a stone 
from a great height with so accurate an 
aim as to break an egg4 ,he makes so    
good use of his quarter of an hour1 that
 he1 no less than the hen ostrich1 has  
had an ample meal by the time the latter
 returns to the nest4  ,though this crow
 is an inveterate egg stealer1 he has a 
most respectable appearance1 with his   
neat suit of black and his little white 
tie4 ,the ,boers have a legend to the   
effect that these birds are the ravens  
which fed ,elijah4 ,they say that a     
little of the fat from the meat remained

 on the birds' necks1 in commemoration  
of which their descendants have this one
 white spot on their otherwise black    
plumage4  ,tortoise shells of immense   
size are often found on the plains of   
,cape ,colony1 broken in much the same  
manner as the ostrich eggs4 ,this crow  
evidently is as fond of the inmate of   
the tortoise shell as he is of the      
contents of an ostrich egg4  ,the white 
crow is not the only enemy of an ostrich
 nest4 ,the worst foes are the jackals4 
,these plunder the nests1 often rolling 
the eggs off with their paws to some    
considerable distance4  ,the ,hottentots
 are very fond of ostrich eggs4 ,if they
 discover a nest they will often remove 
one or two of the eggs from time to     
time4 ,in her endeavors to raise a brood
 the mother bird has been known1 like   
the domestic fowl1 to lay from forty to 
fifty eggs in a season4  ,an ostrich egg
 is usually as large as two dozen hen's 
eggs4 ,one might suppose a slice of one 
of these eggs would make a breakfast for

 a person of ordinary appetite1 while a 
whole one would seem more than          
sufficient for a person of the most     
voracious appetite2 yet ,andersson saw  
two natives dispose of five of these    
eggs during an afternoon1 together with 
a large portion of flour and fat4  ,dr4 
,livingstone did not agree with         
,andersson1 who considered that ostrich 
eggs made an excellent repast2 to the   
great explorer they had a rank1         
disagreeable flavor1 which only the keen
 appetite of the desert made acceptable 
to the palate4  ,the shells of ostrich  
eggs are highly prized1 for they are    
used for holding various kinds of       
liquids4 ,among the ,bushmen there are  
scarcely any household utensils other   
than the ostrich eggshells4 ,the shells 
are often covered with a light network1 
so that they may be slung across the    
saddle4 ,grass and wood are employed as 
substitutes for corks to these crude    
bottles4  ,in the ,kalahari ,desert it  
is no uncommon sight to see the women   

resorting to some hidden supply of      
water1 with twenty or thirty of their   
water vessels in a bag or net slung over
 their backs4 ,these vessels consist of 
ostrich eggshells1 with a hole in the   
end of each large enough to admit one's 
finger4 ,the process of filling them we 
have already learned in the description 
of the ,kalahari ,desert4  ,the ,bushmen
 never touch the eggs1 nor leave marks  
of human feet near them1 when they find 
a nest4 ,they go against the wind to the
 spot1 and with a long stick remove some
 of them occasionally1 and by preventing
 any suspicion keep the hen laying for  
months1 as we do with fowls4  ,when the 
,hottentots discover a quantity of eggs1
 they remove their lower garment1 the   
legs of which they tie up like bags1 to 
serve as receptacles in which to carry  
home their bulky and queer-looking load4
 ,one can imagine the grotesque         
appearance a ,hottentot would present   
with a pair of these inflated bags      
astride his shoulders1 while he wends   

his way homeward to the kraal4          
,,chapter ,,lxiii4  ,,ostrich ,,farming 
,,at ,,cape ,,colony4   ,in the early   
settlement of ,cape ,colony1 ostriches  
were found in great numbers4 ,no later  
than fifty years ago flocks could be    
seen in almost any section of it4 ,the  
salty nature of the soil1 the sweet     
grass1 and the dry atmosphere of the    
karroo plains are very favorable to the 
health of these birds4  ,as the hunters 
became more and more eager to secure the
 feathers1 which were the real plunder  
of the chase1 they wantonly hunted and  
killed great numbers of ostriches4 ,in  
consequence the birds became very       
scarce1 and the hunters had to seek     
their sport farther and farther to the  
north4  ,the settlers soon turned their 
attention to the rearing of ostriches as
 they would turkeys or hens1 and ostrich
 farms became a common feature of ,cape 
,colony4 ,ostrich farming is not only an
 interesting industry for the ,boers1   
but it is a most lucrative business4    

,the feathers1 too1 from these farms    
surpass in quality and value those      
brought from the wilds of the interior4 
,as a pound of ostrich plumes is worth  
about three hundred dollars1 the owner  
of an ostrich farm finds it a profitable
 business to own as many full-grown     
birds as possible2 for each will yield a
 quarter of a pound of feathers yearly4 
,a tiny chick a week old is valued at   
the sum of fifty dollars1 while a       
full-grown bird will command as high a  
price as two hundred and fifty4  ,the   
ugly scenery of ,cape ,colony1 its      
eccentric plants1 queer beasts1 and     
general look of incompleteness1         
according to one writer1 have called    
forth the remark from some jocular      
,american that ,south ,africa was       
finished off in a hurry late on         
,saturday night1 with a few diamonds    
thrown in to compensate4  ,the owner of 
an ostrich farm1 however1 finds much in 
compensation4 ,the author of ,home ,life
 on an ,ostrich ,farm thus describes a  

farm of some twelve hundred acres3 ,we  
are in that part of the ,karroo which is
 called the ,zwart ,ruggens1 or 'black  
rugged country1' so named from the      
appearance it presents when1 during the 
frequent long droughts1 the bush loses  
all its verdure1 and becomes outwardly  
so black and dry-looking that no one    
unacquainted with this most curious kind
 of vegetation would suppose it capable 
of containing the smallest amount of    
nutriment for ostriches1 sheep1 or      
goats4  ,but if you break one of these  
apparently dried-up sticks1 you find it 
all green and succulent inside1 full of 
a very nourishing saline juice2 and     
thus1 even in long droughts1 which      
sometimes last more than a year1 this   
country is able to support stock in a   
most marvelous manner1 of which1 judging
 by outward appearance1 it certainly    
does not seem capable4 ,it seems strange
 that in this land of dryness the plants
 are so full of moisture2 one wonders   
whence it can possibly have come4  ,the 

little karroo plant1 from which the     
district takes its name1 is one of the  
best kinds of bush for ostriches1 as    
well as for sheep and goats4 ,it grows  
in little compact round tufts not more  
than seven or eight inches from the     
ground1 and though so valuable to       
farmers it is but unpretending in       
appearance1 with tiny narrow leaves1 and
 a little1 round1 bright yellow flower1 
exactly resembling the center of an     
,english daisy after its last petal has 
been pulled4  ,the fei-bosch is another 
of our commonest and useful plants4 ,its
 pinkish lilac flower is very like that 
of the portulacca1 and its little flat  
succulent leaves look like miniature    
prickly pear leaves without the         
prickles2 hence its name1 from          
,turk-fei1 ,turkish fig4 ,when flowering
 in large masses1 and seen at a little  
distance1 the fei-bosch might almost be 
taken for heather4  ,the brack-bosch1   
which completes our trio of very best   
kinds of ostrich bush1 is a taller and  

more graceful plant than either of the  
preceding1 with bluish green leaves1 and
 blossoms consisting of a spike of      
little greenish tufts2 but there are an 
endless variety of other plants1 among  
which there is hardly one that is not   
good nourishing food for the birds4     
,all are alike succulent and full of    
salt1 giving out a crisp1 crackling     
sound as you walk over them4 ,all have  
the same strange way of growing1 each   
plant a little patch by itself1 just as 
the tufts of wool grow on the           
,hottentots' heads2 and the flowers of  
nearly all are of the portulacca type1  
some large1 some small1 some growing    
singly1 others in clusters4 ,they are of
 different colors1--white1 yellow1      
orange1 red1 pink1 lilac1 etc4 ,they are
 very delicate and fragile flowers2 and1
 pretty as they are1 it is useless to   
attempt carrying them home1 for they    
close up and fade as soon as they are   
gathered4  ,the spekboom1 which is a    
good-sized shrub1 sometimes attaining   

the height of fifteen or twenty feet1   
grows plentifully a little way up the   
mountains2 and in very protracted       
droughts1 when the karroo and other bush
 of the plains begin at last to fail1 it
 is our great resource for the          
ostriches1 which then ascend for the    
purpose of feeding upon it2 and though  
they do not care for it as they do for  
their usual kinds of food1 it is good   
and nourishing for them4 ,it has a      
large1 soft stem1 very thick1 round1    
succulent leaves1 and its clusters of   
star-shaped1 waxlike flowers are white1 
sometimes slightly tinged with pink4    
,thorny plants abound1 especially on the
 mountains1 where indeed almost every   
bush which is not soft and succulent is 
armed with strong1 sharp1 often cruelly 
hooked spikes4 ,on foot you are         
perpetually assailed by the great strong
 hooks of the wild asparagus1 a         
troublesome enemy1 whose long straggling
 branches trailing over the ground are  
most destructive to the skirts of       

dresses2 while boots have deadly foes1  
not only in the shape of rough ground   
and hard1 sharp-pointed stones1 but also
 in that of numerous prickly and        
scratchy kinds of small bush4  ,among   
our troublesome plants1 one of the worst
 and most plentiful is the prickly pear4
 ,it spreads with astonishing rapidity1 
and is so tenacious of life that a leaf1
 or even a small portion of a leaf1 if  
thrown on the ground1 strikes out roots 
almost immediately1 and becomes the     
parent of a fast-growing plant4         
,sometimes ostriches help themselves to 
prickly pears1 acquire a morbid taste   
for them1 and go on indulging in them1  
reckless of the long stiff spikes on the
 leaves1 with which their poor heads and
 necks soon become so covered as to look
 like pincushions stuck full of pins1   
and of the still more cruel1 almost     
invisible fruit thorns which at last    
line the interior of their throats1     
besides so injuring their eyes that they
 become perfectly blind1 and are unable 

to feed themselves4  ,speaking of the   
prickly pear still further1 the author  
acknowledges that it is not without its 
good qualities3 ,its juicy fruit1 though
 rather deficient in flavor1 is         
delightfully cool and refreshing in the 
dry heat of summer1 and a kind of       
treacle1 by no means to be despised1 is 
made from it4  ,great caution is needed 
in peeling the prickly pear1 the proper 
way being to impale the fruit on a fork 
or stick while you cut it open and      
remove the skin4 ,on no account must the
 latter be touched with the hands1 or   
direful consequences will ensue4  ,to   
the inexperienced eye the prickly pear  
looks innocent enough1 with its smooth1 
shiny skin1 suggestive only of a juicy  
interior1 and telling no tales of       
lurking mischief2 yet each of these     
soft-looking tufts1 with which at       
regular intervals it is dotted1 is a    
quiver filled with terrible1 tiny1      
hairlike thorns1 or rather stings1 and  
woe betide the fingers of the unwary1   

who with no kind friend at hand to warn 
him1 plucks the treacherous fruit4  ,in 
dry weather at the ,cape these spiteful 
little stings do not even wait for the  
newly arrived victim2 but fly about1    
light as thistle down1 ready to settle  
on any one who has not learned by       
experience to give the prickly-pear     
bushes a wide berth4  ,the leaves of the
 prickly pear are good for ostriches and
 cattle1 though the work of burning off 
the thorns and cutting the leaves in    
pieces is so tedious that it is only    
resorted to when other food becomes     
scarce4 ,one kind1 the 'bald-leaf1' has 
no thorns4 ,it is comparatively rare1   
and farmers plant and cultivate it as   
carefully as they exterminate its       
troublesome relative4  ,another queer   
plant this author describes as          
candle-bush1 a stunted1 thorny plant1   
which1 if lighted at one end1 will burn 
steadily just like a wax candle1 and can
 be used as a torch for burning off the 
thorns of the prickly pear4  ,speaking  

of the dry season1 this writer says3    
,the long droughts are certainly very   
trying2 indeed1 they could not possibly 
be endured by any country less          
wonderfully fertile than ,south ,africa1
 where it is calculated that three good 
days' rain in the year1 could we but    
have this regularly1 would be sufficient
 to meet all the needs of the land4 ,but
 often for more than a year there will  
be no rain worth mentioning4  ,the dams1
 or large artificial reservoirs1 of     
which each farm usually possesses       
several1 gradually become dry1 and the  
land daily loses more of its verdure1   
till at last all is one dull1 ugly      
brown1 and the whole plain lies parched 
and burnt up under a sky from which     
every atom of moisture seems to have    
departed4  ,the stock1 with pathetic    
tameness of thirst1 come from all parts 
of the farm to congregate close round   
the house1 the inquiring ostriches      
tapping with their bills on the windows1
 as they look in at you1 and the cattle 

lowing in piteous appeal for water4     
,then the hot winds sweep across the    
country1 making everybody tired1        
languid1 headachy1 and cross4 ,even our 
pets were sulky on a hot1 windy day2 and
 as for the ostriches1 they were        
deplorable-looking objects indeed1 as   
they stood gasping for breath1 with     
pendant wings1 open bills1 and inflated 
throats1 the pictures of imbecile       
misery4  ,when the weary drought is     
over1 and the long-wished-for rain      
begins to fall1 every one's heart is    
gladdened by the sound of abundance of  
rain1 and the voice of many waters4  ,it
 means everything to the farmer3 the    
long drought over at last1 the dams     
full1 the parched country revived1 the  
poor thin cattle no longer in danger of 
starvation1 healthier ostriches1 a      
better quality of feathers1 a near      
prospect of nests1 and1 in fact1 the    
removal of a load of cares and          
anxieties4  ,how early we are all astir 
on the morning after a big rain6 and    

with what eager excitement we look out1 
in the first gleam of daylight1 for that
 most welcome sight1 the newly filled   
dam6 ,everywhere the water is standing  
in immense pools and ponds4 ,a troop of 
ostriches come down to drink4 ,they are 
no doubt delighted to find such an      
abundant supply of water1 after the     
somewhat scanty allowance which has been
 portioned out to them of late2 and they
 stand greedily scooping up large       
quantities with their broad bills1 then 
assuming comical attitudes as they      
stretch out their distended necks to    
allow the fluid to run down4 ,in the    
distance1 about a dozen other ostriches 
are spreading their white wings and     
waltzing along magnificently--a pretty  
way of expressing their satisfaction at 
this new and delightful change in       
circumstances4     ,,chapter ,,lxiv4    
,,views ,,of ,,an ,,ostrich ,,farm4     
,it would be delightful to quote without
 limit from this intensely interesting  
book1 but there is not time to linger   

over its pages longer than to glean a   
few items3  ,there are not many young   
animals prettier than an ostrich chick  
during the first few weeks of life4 ,it 
has such a sweet1 innocent baby face1   
such large eyes1 and such a plump1 round
 little body4 ,all its movements are    
comical1 and there is an air of conceit 
and independence about the tiny creature
 which is most amusing4  ,instead of    
feathers it has a little rough coat     
which seems all made up of narrow strips
 of material1 of as many different      
shades of brown and gray as there are in
 a tailor's pattern book1 mixed with    
shreds of black1 while the head and neck
 are apparently covered with the softest
 plush1 striped and colored just like a 
tiger's skin on a small scale4 ,on the  
whole the little fellow1 on his first   
appearance in the world1 is not unlike a
 hedgehog on two legs1 with a long neck4
  ,one would like these delightful      
little creatures to remain babies much  
longer than they do2 but they grow      

quickly1 and with their growth they soon
 lose all their prettiness and          
roundness2 their bodies become angular  
and ill-proportioned1 a crop of coarse1 
wiry feathers sprouts from the          
parti-colored strips which formed their 
baby clothes1 and they enter on an ugly 
stage1 in which they remain for two or  
three years4  ,a young ostrich's rough1 
bristly1 untidy-looking 'chicken        
feathers' are plucked for the first time
 when he is nine months old4 ,they are  
stiff and narrow1 with very pointed     
tips1 and their ugly appearance gives no
 promise of future beauty4 ,they do not 
look as if they could be used for       
anything but making feather brooms4 ,in 
the second year they are rather more    
like what ostrich feathers ought to be1 
though still very narrow and pointed1   
and not until their wearer is plucked   
for the third time have they attained   
their full width and softness4  ,at five
 years of age the bird has attained     
maturity2 the plumage of the male is    

then of a beautiful glossy black1 and   
that of the female of a soft gray1 both 
having white wings and tails4 ,in each  
wing there are twenty-four long white   
feathers1 which when the wing is spread 
out hang gracefully round the bird like 
a lovely deep fringe4  ,on a large farm1
 when plucking is contemplated1 it is   
anything but an easy matter to collect  
the birds2 the gathering together of    
ours was generally a work of three days4
 ,men have to be sent out in all        
directions to drive the birds up1 by    
twos and threes1 from the far-off spots 
to which they have wandered4 ,little    
troops are gradually brought together1  
and collected1 first in a large         
inclosure1 then in a small one1 the     
plucking kraal1 in which they are       
crowded together so closely that the    
most savage bird has no room to make    
himself disagreeable4  ,besides the gate
 through which the ostriches are driven 
into the kraal1 there is an outlet at   
the opposite end1 through the           

'plucking-box4' ,it is a very solid     
wooden box1 in which1 though there is   
just room for an ostrich to stand1 he   
cannot possibly turn round2 nor can he  
kick1 the sides of the box being too    
high4 ,at each end there is a stout     
door1 one opening inside1 the other     
outside the kraal4 ,each bird in        
succession is dragged up to the first   
door1 and1 after more or less of a      
scuffle1 is pushed in1 and the door     
slammed behind him4  ,then the two      
operators1 standing one on each side of 
the box1 have him completely in their   
power1 and with a few rapid snips of    
their shears his splendid wings are soon
 denuded of their long white plumes4    
,these1 to prevent their tips from being
 spoilt1 are always cut before the      
quills are ripe4 ,the stumps of the     
latter are allowed to remain some two or
 three months longer1 until they are so 
ripe that they can be pulled--generally 
by the teeth of the ,kaffirs--without   
hurting the bird4 ,it is necessary to   

pull them1 the feathers1 which by their 
weight would have caused the stumps to  
fall out naturally at the right time1   
being gone4  ,in describing the         
condition of the plumes1 this author    
writes3 ,sometimes the white feathers   
would be dirty1--for there is nothing an
 ostrich likes better than sitting down 
to cool himself in the muddiest dam he  
can find2 then it was necessary to wash 
them1 dip them into strong raw starch1  
and shake them in the hot sun1 beating  
two bundles of them together till quite 
dry4 ,the starch makes them look very   
pretty and fluffy4 ,ostrich feathers are
 quite tabooed by ladies in ,south      
,africa2 they are too common1 every     
,kaffir or ,hottentot wearing one in his
 dirty1 tattered hat4  ,if an ostrich   
feather is held upright1 its beautiful  
form1 graceful as the frondlike branch  
of the cocoanut palm1 which it somewhat 
resembles1 is at once seen to be        
perfectly even and equal on both sides1 
its stem dividing it exactly in the     

center1 whereas the stems of other      
feathers are all more or less on one    
side4  ,ostriches begin to make their   
nests soon after a good rain4 ,the      
father bird becomes very savage1 as if  
to warn all intruders away from the     
vicinity of the nest4 ,his note of      
defiant warning can be heard then in    
every direction4 ,he inflates his neck  
in a cobralike fashion1 and gives       
utterance to three deep roars2 the first
 two short1 the third very prolonged4   
,lion hunters all agree in asserting    
that the roar of the king of beasts and 
that of the most foolish of birds are   
identical in sound2 with this difference
 only1 that the latter1 when near1      
resembles the former when far away4     
,when an ostrich challenges1 he sits    
down2 and1 flapping each broad wing     
alternately1 inflates his neck1 and     
throws his head back1 rolling it from   
side to side1 and with each roll        
striking the back of his head against   
his bony body with so sharp and         

resounding a blow that a severe headache
 seems likely to be the result4  ,when  
the birds become aggressive1 one dares  
not walk about the camp unless armed    
with a weapon called a tackey4 ,this is 
merely a long1 stout branch of the      
mimosa tree1 from which all the thorns1 
except upon one end1 have been stripped4
 ,it does not seem to be much of a      
protection against so ferocious and     
formidable a foe1 one stroke of whose   
powerful leg can easily kill a man1 and 
whose kick1 as violent as that of a     
horse1 is much more dangerous1 owing to 
the terrible claw with which nature has 
armed the foot4  ,those versed in the   
use of the tackey allow the enraged     
assailant to approach almost            
unpleasantly near1 and then thrust the  
weapon of defense boldly in his face    
just as he is about to strike4 ,the     
thorns are so annoying that he is       
obliged to close his eyes1 and can      
merely run forward in a blind1 helpless 
fashion4 ,this gives the person bearing 

the tackey a chance to spring to one    
side and to proceed upon his way for    
some little distance1 before the        
bewildered bird is ready for another    
attack1 when he is again met by the same
 simple but effective instrument4  ,some
 ludicrous stories are related of the   
encounters newcomers at the ,cape have  
had with ostriches4 ,a sturdy newcomer1 
six feet in height1 on starting for an  
early morning walk1 was cautioned       
against going into a certain camp where 
the ostriches were dangerous4 ,he       
laughed at his friends' advice1 told    
them he was not afraid of a dicky-bird1 
and disdaining the proffered tackey     
started off straightway in the forbidden
 direction4 ,he did not return to       
dinner2 a search was made for him1 and  
eventually he was found perched up on a 
high ironstone boulder1 just out of     
reach of a large ostrich1 which was     
doing sentry1 walking up and down1 and  
keeping a vicious eye on him4  ,he had  
sat there for hours1 nearly roasted     

alive1 and there he would have had to   
sit till sundown1 but for the timely    
appearance of his friends4  ,another    
story is related of a gentleman whose   
theory was that any creature1 however   
savage1 could be quelled by the human   
eye4 ,one day he tried to quell one of  
his own ostriches1 with the result that 
he was presently found in a very        
pitiable predicament1 lying flat on the 
ground1 the subject of his experiment   
jumping up and down on him1 and         
occasionally varying the treatment by   
sitting on him4     ,,chapter ,,lxv4    
,,views ,,in ,,equatorial ,,africa4     
,the explorer1 ,paul ,du ,chaillu1 gives
 some interesting views of sections of  
,equatorial ,africa1 which from the     
western coast1 as far as he had been1   
are covered with an almost impenetrable 
jungle1 which begins where the sea      
ceases to beat with its continual waves2
 how much farther this woody belt       
extends1 only further explorations will 
be able to show4 ,from the farthest     

point it extends eastward as far as the 
eye can reach2 near the banks of a large
 river1 however1 running from a         
northeast direction towards the         
southwest1 prairie lands are to be seen4
  ,now and then prairies looking like   
islands1 resembling so many gems1 are   
found in the midst of this dark sea of  
everlasting foliage2 and how gratefully 
my eyes met them no one can conceive1   
unless he has lived in such a solitude4 
,here and there prairies are seen from  
the seashore1 but they do not extend far
 inland1 and are merely sandy patches   
left by the sea in the progress of time4
  ,in this great woody wilderness man is
 scattered and divided into a great     
number of tribes4 ,the forest1 thinly   
inhabited by man1 was still more        
scantily inhabited by beasts4 ,there    
were no beasts of burden1 neither horse1
 camel1 donkey1 nor cattle4 ,men and    
women were the only carriers of burdens4
 ,beasts of burden could not live1 for  
the country was not well adapted to     

them4 ,the only truly domesticated      
animals were goats and fowls1 the goats 
increasing in number as ,i advanced into
 the interior1 and the fowls decreasing4
  ,i was struck by the absence of those 
species of animals always found in great
 number in almost every other part of   
,africa4 ,neither lions1 rhinoceroses1  
zebras1 giraffes1 nor ostriches were    
found2 and the great variety of elands  
and gazelles1 although found almost     
everywhere else in ,africa1 were not to 
be seen there4  ,travelers in my        
locality would never dream that such    
vast herds of game could be found on the
 same continent1 as those described by  
different travelers4 ,hence1 large      
carnivorous animals are scarce1 leopards
 and two or three species of hyenas and 
jackals only being found4 ,little       
nocturnal animals are more common1 but  
they are very difficult to get at4      
,reptiles abound in the forest4 ,there  
are a great many species of snakes1 the 
greater part of which are very          

poisonous4 ,some are ground snakes1     
others spend part of their lives upon   
trees1 while some are water snakes4 ,a  
very dangerous snake is the black       
variety of the cobra4 ,this snake is    
much dreaded2 for1 when surprised or    
attacked1 it rises up as if ready to    
spring upon you4  ,there is also a large
 water snake found often in the         
beautiful clear water of the streams of 
the interior4 ,i have often seen this   
snake coiled up and resting on the      
branches of trees under water4  ,lizards
 are also abundant in some districts1   
and it is interesting to watch how they 
prey on the insect world4 ,among them ,i
 noticed a night species1 that lives in 
the houses1 and that is the great enemy 
of cockroaches4 ,they are continually   
moving from one place to another during 
the night in search of their prey4      
,during the day1 they remain perfectly  
still1 and hide themselves between the  
bark of trees forming the walls of the  
huts4  ,the country is also very rich in

 spiders2 they are of wonderful         
diversity of form4 ,some of them are so 
large and their webs so strong that     
birds are said to be caught in them4    
,there are house spiders1 tree spiders1 
and ground spiders4 ,the spiders are    
exceedingly useful1 and rid the country 
of many unpleasant flies4 ,how many     
times ,i have seen them overpower prey  
which seemed much stronger than         
themselves4  ,the web spiders seemed to 
have but a few enemies1 but the house   
and wall spiders1 which make no web1    
have most inveterate enemies in the     
shape of two or three kinds of wasps4   
,during the day ,i have seen these wasps
 travel along the walls with a rapidity 
that astonished me1 and1 finally1 when  
coming to a spider1 immediately pounce  
upon the unfortunate insect and         
overpower it by the quickness of the    
movements of their legs1 and succeed in 
cutting1 one after the other1 the legs  
of the spider close to the body1 and    
then suck it1 or fly away with it to    

devour it somewhere else4  ,i consider  
some species of ants1 snakes1 lizards1  
and spiders as most useful2 for they    
destroy a great quantity of insects and 
other vermin4 ,the great moisture of the
 country ,i have visited1 with its      
immense jungle1 is well adapted for the 
insect world1 and would prove a very    
rich field for a naturalist and         
collector4  ,i was surprised to see how 
closely several of them mimicked or     
imitated other objects4 ,some looked    
exactly like the leaves on which they   
most generally remain2 others are       
exactly of the color of the bark of     
trees on which they crawl2 while others 
looked exactly like dead leaves1 and one
 or two like pieces of dead branches of 
trees4 ,dragon flies of beautiful color 
were met near the pools4  ,bats are very
 abundant1 and ,i had succeeded in      
making a fine collection of them4 ,they 
sometimes came by hundreds and spent the
 whole of the night flying round a tree 
which bore fruits they liked1 and the   

noise made by their wings sounded       
strangely amid the stillness which      
surrounded them4  ,squirrels are rather 
numerous1 and there are a good number of
 species4 ,birds of prey and snakes are 
their great enemies4  ,there are eight  
species of monkeys1 but they are not all
 found in every district4 ,they live in 
troops1 but when old they live generally
 by themselves or in pairs4  ,of all the
 mammalian animals inhabiting the forest
 the monkey tribe is the most numerous2 
but the poor monkey is surrounded by    
enemies1 the greatest being man1 who    
sets traps everywhere to catch him4     
,then he is continually hunted by the   
negroes with guns or arrows4 ,the       
guanonien1 an eagle1 is also his        
inveterate enemy4  ,the guanonien is a  
most formidable eagle1 and1 in spite of 
all my endeavors1 ,i have been unable to
 kill one4 ,several times ,i have been  
startled in the forest by a sudden cry  
of anguish from a monkey which had been 
seized by this 'leopard of the air1' as 

the natives often call it1 and then have
 seen the bird with its prey disappear  
out of sight4  ,one day1 hunting through
 the thick jungle1 ,i came to a spot    
covered with more than one hundred      
skulls of monkeys of different sizes4   
,some of these skulls must have been    
those of formidable animals1 and these  
now and then succeeded1 it appears1 in  
giving such bites to this eagle that    
they disabled him4  ,for a while ,i     
thought myself in the ,valley of        
,golgotha4 ,then ,i saw at the top of a 
gigantic tree1 at the foot of which were
 the skulls1 the nest of the bird1 but  
the young had flown away4 ,i was told by
 the natives that the guanonien comes   
and lays in the same nest year after    
year4 ,when an adult specimen has been  
secured1 it may be found to rival in    
size the condor of ,america4  ,by the   
side of wild men1 roamed the apes1 the  
chimpanzee forming several varieties4   
,then came the largest of all1 the      
gorilla1 which might be truly called the

 king of the forest4 ,they all roamed in
 this great jungle1 which seems so well 
adapted to be their homes2 for they live
 on the nuts1 berries1 and fruits of the
 forest1 found in more or less numbers  
throughout the year2 but they eat such a
 quantity of food that they are obliged 
to roam from place to place1 and are    
found periodically in the same district4
  ,the elephant has become scarce1 and  
recedes farther and farther every year  
into the fastnesses of the interior4    
,mile after mile was traveled over      
without hearing the sound of a bird1 the
 chatter of a monkey1 or the footstep of
 a gazelle1 the humming of insects1 the 
falling of a leaf2 only the gentle      
murmur of some hidden stream came upon  
our ears to break the deadness of this  
awing silence1 and disturb the grandest 
solitude man can ever behold--a solitude
 which often chilled me1 but which was  
well adapted for the study of nature4   
,,chapter ,,lxvi4  ,,crocodiles4   ,long
 before the advent of man upon the      

globe1 there was a period when huge     
crocodiles swarmed in the rivers of the 
temperate zones4 ,the diminished heat of
 the temperate regions of the earth1 as 
we know them to-day1 has driven these   
scourges of all that live in the waters 
they frequent into the great rivers and 
lagoons of the torrid zone4  ,the       
crocodile is characterized by the       
depressed head1 so indicative of a low  
order of intelligence2 the vast jaw1    
which1 armed with formidable rows of    
conical teeth1 seems designed to snatch 
and to swallow2 and the elongated1      
mud-colored body1 with its long         
lizard-like tail1 resting on short legs4
 ,these all stamp him with a peculiar   
ugliness and frightfulness4  ,the female
 crocodile generally lays her eggs1 like
 the sea turtle1 in a hole in the sand1 
and leaves them to be hatched by the    
potent rays of a tropical sun4 ,these   
eggs are about the size of those of a   
goose1 and are covered with a limy      
shell4  ,the young of the crocodile have

 numerous enemies4 ,many an egg is      
destroyed by the smaller flesh-eating   
animals1 or by birds1 before it can be  
hatched in the hot sand4 ,even if the   
eggs hatch1 no sooner do the young creep
 out of the broken shells and           
instinctively move towards the water1   
than the ichneumon1 a species of weasel1
 and the long-legged heron make haste to
 swallow them2 hence their span of life 
is not usually a long one4  ,should they
 escape these enemies and take refuge in
 the water1 they become the prey of the 
different sharp-toothed fishes4 ,even   
the full-grown crocodile1 in spite of   
its bony covering1 is not exempt from   
attack4 ,like many other of the lower   
animals1 when surprised1 it endeavors to
 escape by feigning death4 ,crocodiles  
are very numerous in the river ,shire4  
,on one occasion some travelers on board
 a small vessel counted sixty-seven of  
them basking in the sun on the same     
bank4  ,women1 while drawing water1 are 
sometimes seized by these creatures1 and

 the protection of a fence is required  
to keep the crocodiles from the river's 
brink4 ,it is the scourge of the lakes  
and rivers wherever it is found4 ,like  
the eagle among birds1 or the lion among
 beasts1 so is the crocodile among      
reptiles4  ,its main food consists of   
fishes1 various aquatic birds1 and such 
animals as it can seize along the       
borders of the water4 ,it is not only a 
powerful foe but a cunning one as well4 
,like the various carnivorous animals1  
it can1 though a reptile1 fast in its   
aquatic home for weeks and even months  
without apparent inconvenience4 ,when   
opportunity offers1 it becomes a        
veritable glutton1 and is then indolent 
and torpid at the close of its meal4    
,it is when excited by hunger that the  
crocodile displays its great force and  
activity4 ,wherever a river enters a    
lake1 or where a lake empties its waters
 into some larger body1 there the ugly  
reptile may be found lurking1 on the    
watch for fish4 ,as these pass in the   

rapidly moving waters1 it darts upon    
them with astonishing velocity4  ,again1
 it conceals itself near where animals  
have their favorite drinking spot1 and  
rushes out upon the unsuspecting        
creatures as they approach the water's  
edge4 ,in the same way it seizes upon   
the various water birds2 often it swims 
quietly and warily under them and pulls 
them down by their legs4  ,sometimes the
 crocodile is carried inland by floods1 
but1 as a general rule1 it does not     
advance far on shore in search of prey4 
,on land it is not difficult to escape  
from its attack2 for its legs are poorly
 fitted for running and the construction
 of its neck is such as to prevent its  
turning easily from one side to the     
other when in pursuit of a victim4      
,winter is the most favorable time for  
catching the crocodile2 then it may be  
found on the sand banks basking in the  
warm rays of the sun4 ,spring1 too1 is a
 favorable season1 for the mother       
reptile keeps watch over the sand hills 

where she has deposited her eggs2 and   
the native who is so successful as to   
discover this place digs a hole in the  
sand to the leeward and throws up the   
earth on the side from which he expects 
the crocodile to approach4 ,he then     
conceals himself and awaits its coming4 
,if the reptile has failed to observe   
him1 it soon comes to the accustomed    
spot and falls asleep4 ,the native      
huntsman then throws his harpoon with   
all his might into the creature2 for1 to
 make the stroke successful1 the iron of
 the harpoon must penetrate to the depth
 of four inches4 ,as soon as it is      
wounded1 it rushes into the water4 ,then
 the huntsman retreats to the canoe1    
which a companion has brought to his    
aid4  ,when a crocodile is struck by the
 harpoon1 it lashes violently with its  
tail and tries to bite the rope in two4 
,to prevent such a thing happening1 the 
rope is not woven1 but consists of about
 thirty separate fine lines bound       
together at intervals of every two feet4

 ,these separate lines often get between
 the creature's teeth or become tangled 
about them4  ,as it moves through the   
water1 a piece of wood attached by a    
long cord to the harpoon swims upon the 
surface2 this serves to indicate the    
direction the creature is taking4 ,by   
pulling upon the rope the natives drag  
the crocodile to the surface and soon   
pierce it by a second spear4 ,it        
frequently happens1 however1 that the   
harpoon is pulled out of its body1 and  
thus the prize escapes4  ,in some of the
 rivers of ,africa the natives are very 
bold and skillful in attacking the      
crocodile in the water4 ,their mode is  
to arm themselves with a short dagger1  
dive beneath the reptile1 and plunge the
 weapon into its body4 ,often the combat
 becomes a very fierce one1 and the only
 chance of escape on the part of the    
native is to force his dagger1 or1 if by
 any misfortune he has lost this1 to    
thrust his thumbs into the reptile's    
eyes with all his strength1 thus causing

 great pain and loss of sight4  ,among  
the ancient ,egyptians the crocodile was
 an object of worship1 and thus held    
sacred4 ,in consequence of this         
idolatry1 it became very bold and       
troublesome4 ,had it not been for its   
natural enemy1 the ichneumon1 this      
reptile would have increased to an      
alarming extent in the ,nile countries4 
,,chapter ,,lxvii4  ,,ants ,,of         
,,africa4   ,probably no insect is of   
more interest in ,africa than the       
termite1 or white ant4 ,it is found in  
vast numbers and may well be dreaded4   
,the amount of damage an army of        
termites can do is quite appalling2 for1
 in their line of travel1 they destroy  
everything in their pathway4  ,du       
,chaillu devoted the greater part of his
 leisure hours to studying the habits of
 the many species of these white ants1  
the nests of which are very conspicuous 
on the prairies4 ,he describes them as  
having wonderful diversity1 not only in 
the form of their bodies and heads1 but 

in their architectural tastes4 ,one     
species builds a mushroom-shaped        
structure4 ,their singular hives are    
shaped like gigantic mushrooms scattered
 by tens of thousands over the prairies4
  ,du ,chaillu believed these white ants
 of the prairies to be of a very        
different species from those which live 
in subterranean nests1 and make their   
appearance through the floor of one's   
hut1 removing all substances made of    
cotton or wood that they find in their  
pathways4 ,they seemingly have a very   
keen sense of smell4 ,they are very fond
 of eating wood1 and are often found in 
dead trees4  ,one may go to bed with no 
fear from these little creatures1 since 
no sign of them has been seen1 and awake
 in the morning to find little covered  
passages overspreading the floor1 chests
 of clothing1 and the various stores1   
and to discover with dismay that the    
contents of the chests and of the store 
closets have been entirely destroyed by 
the thousands of busy ants1 that1 like  

an invading host1 are engaged in working
 destruction with their sharp           
jaw-blades4 ,wood and cotton are the    
only materials they destroy2 wool and   
silk they invariably spare4  ,another   
species of ant which this author        
describes lives in the forest and is a  
very near neighbor of the other4 ,he    
called it the tree ant from its habit of
 building hives or nests in trees4      
,many of the nests of the termites are  
conical or turret-shaped1 and are often 
twelve1 sometimes twenty feet high2 they
 are built in groups like villages4     
,while there is a variety of termites   
most destructive in their line of march 
across a country1 yet1 in some ways1    
they are very useful2 for they destroy  
every kind of decaying matter1 whether  
animal or vegetable4 ,they will1 when   
pressed for food1 eat even grass4 ,some 
writers have described the snapping of  
the mandibles of such a vast multitude  
of termites as resembling the sound of a
 gentle breeze among trees4  ,these     

termites have been known to attack the  
woodwork of houses2 they can soon       
destroy even the stoutest timbers1      
gnawing them till they become mere      
shells4 ,some extraordinary stories have
 been told of their attacking and       
devouring large animals4 ,very probably1
 however1 they do this only when the    
animal is very feeble from illness or   
old age4  ,wherever food is to be found1
 they come in great hosts1 and it is    
very hard to exterminate them2 for1 as  
fast as one multitude is disposed of1   
other multitudes press on from the rear 
ranks4 ,they gather into their nests    
great stores of corn4 ,the natives of   
,africa are very fond of it and often   
help themselves from these stores4  ,the
 natives often use these insects as     
food1 and consider them very delicate   
and delicious eating when roasted4      
,sometimes they are pounded by the      
natives into a kind of jam1 which the   
boys and girls of ,africa like as well  
as ,american children do raspberry or   

currant jam4  ,it is no uncommon thing  
for hunters out searching for game1 or  
even wild animals looking for prey1 to  
mount the hills made by the termites to 
get a view of the surrounding country2  
for1 so hard do the plastered tops of   
the unique dwellings of these most      
curious of masons become1 when dry1 that
 they easily sustain the weight of a    
human being1 and even of a beast of the 
plain4  ,while the devastation which an 
army of termites leaves behind in its   
march is appalling1 yet an army of      
locusts is still more destructive2 for  
it often leaves the country in its line 
of march as bare as if no vegetation had
 ever grown there4 ,africa suffers in no
 small degree from the inroads of this  
enemy1 small in size1 but great in      
numbers4  ,livingstone1 in his travels  
in ,south ,africa1 speaks of the hills  
erected by the termites4 ,these gigantic
 mounds1 as he terms them1 are utilized 
by the natives1 who choose their sides  
as choice spots for rearing early maize1

 tobacco1 or anything which requires a  
rich soil4  ,in the parts through which 
he passed these mounds were generally   
covered by masses of wild date trees4   
,the fruit was small1 for no tree was   
allowed to stand long4 ,food was        
abundant and the natives did not care to
 spend their time preserving wild fruit 
trees4 ,so1 when a date palm grew too   
tall for its top to be reached1 as soon 
as the fruit was ripe it was cut down1  
in order that there should be no        
occasion to climb it2 for it was        
considered too much trouble to do so4   
,speaking of the swarming from a nest of
 these ants1 he describes them as       
rushing out of a hole in a perfect      
stream1 and1 after flying one or two    
hundred yards1 descending to the ground4
 ,if they lighted upon a soil suitable  
for founding a colony1 they immediately 
bent up their tails1 unhooked their     
wings1 and1 leaving them on the surface 
of the ground1 quickly began their      
mining operations4  ,these wings seem   

formed only to help the insect in its   
short flight to a new abode and are then
 cast aside4  ,occasionally this        
swarming occurs in a house1 and1 to     
prevent every corner from being filled  
with the insects1 a fire is built at the
 orifice of the nest4 ,but they do not  
hesitate to pass through the fire4      
,while swarming they appear like        
snowflakes floating about in the air1   
and it is not uncommon to find dogs1    
cats1 hawks1 and almost every kind of   
bird busily devouring them4  ,the       
natives take advantage of the swarming  
season and collect the ants for food4   
,they are then about half an inch long1 
about as large round as a goose quill1  
and very plump4 ,when roasted1 they are 
good eating and resemble grains of      
boiled rice4 ,the general mode of       
catching them is to dig into the hill1  
and as the builders come forth to repair
 the damage1 to sweep them quickly into 
some cooking utensil4  ,a singular      
animal of ,south ,africa is the earth   

hog4 ,its food consists wholly of the   
white ants1 whose dome-like structures  
are found in great numbers in the       
vicinity of the ,orange ,river1 and in  
other thinly settled localities4  ,this 
animal burrows a short distance below   
the surface of the ground4 ,during the  
daytime it is seldom seen2 at dusk1     
however1 it ventures forth1 intent on   
creeping up to the ant-hills which      
shelter its prey4 ,by scratching a hole 
on the side of one with its fore-feet   
the little community is disturbed2 and  
as the ants in their confusion run about
 in various directions1 they are easily 
drawn into the earth hog's mouth by its 
long slender tongue4  ,though apparently
 defenseless1--for it has no tusks nor  
efficient teeth1--no animal is safer in 
its concealment1 for it is very rarely  
seen4 ,when pursued1 it burrows a       
retreat for itself with astonishing     
speed4     ,,chapter ,,lxviii4  ,,the   
,,people ,,of ,,africa4   ,although     
,africa may well be considered the home 

of the black man1 yet we must not fail1 
in considering the people of the dark   
continent1 to refer to the annals of    
history for many interesting facts about
 them4  ,from the days of the remotest  
antiquity1 two ,asiatic branches of the 
human family extended their area        
southwest into ,africa4 ,the emigrants  
called ,hamites1 peopled ,egypt1 ,libya1
 and ,numidia4 ,they furnished us with  
the earliest annals of history2 for they
 invented the hieroglyphics and the arts
 for which ,egypt was celebrated4 ,their
 successors1 the ,semites1 who followed 
them from ,asia1 spread all over the    
northern and eastern sections of the    
continent4 ,followers of ,mohammed1 they
 carried his faith with them in their   
journeying and laid the foundation of   
the ,mohammedan religion as we find it  
in the sections along the ,mediterranean
 ,sea4 ,as ,arab traders they have      
extended their journeys into the very   
heart of the continent to carry on the  
traffic of ivory and slaves4  ,the black

 race is native to ,africa4 ,it is      
divided into three great branches1 each 
of which is divided into numerous tribes
 and again subdivided into kingdoms4    
,the negroes1 or true blacks1 are native
 to ,central ,africa4 ,they inhabit the 
great coasts of ,guinea and ,senegambia 
in ,west ,africa1 and also the great    
tract of country which extends eastward 
through the ,soudan1 the ,land of the   
,blacks1 to the valley of the ,nile4    
,most of the freed men of the ,united   
,states are descendants of the negroes  
of the ,guinea coast1 who1 having been  
captured as slaves1 were shipped across 
the sea to ,america and sold into       
bondage4  ,the negroid branch of the    
,african race is doubtless of mixed     
ancestry1 descended from the true negro 
and from the white race inhabiting      
,north and ,east ,africa4 ,it is a      
well-marked branch1 showing plainly the 
mixed ancestry of the people4 ,the      
various tribes occupy ,nubia1 the high  
grassy plains of ,east ,central ,africa1

 which include the lake region and the  
basin of the ,upper ,nile1 and the vast 
territory which contains the watersheds 
of the mighty ,congo and ,zambesi       
,rivers4 ,the various tribes known as   
,kaffirs1 ,zulus1 ,bechuanas1 and the   
many tribes of ,bantu in the south of   
,africa all belong to the negroid       
branch4  ,a third branch1 the negrillos1
 or dwarfs1 are a people of small       
stature4 ,some of the tribes are found  
in the thick forests that lie along the 
northern side of the ,congo ,river4 ,in 
,south ,africa we find them represented 
by the ,bushmen1 one of the lowest      
grades of the human family1 occupying   
the land bordering on the ,kalahari     
,desert4 ,the ,hottentots are somewhat  
larger in stature and of a higher order 
of intelligence4 ,they very likely are  
of a mixed ancestry1 having descended   
from a mingling of the ,bushmen and some
 of the tribes of the negroid branch in 
this region4  ,notwithstanding that     
there are but three branches of the     

native people of ,africa1 yet owing to  
their division into numberless tribes1  
each bearing its own special name1      
almost as much difficulty is found in   
tracing their origin as in trying to    
discover the source of any of the great 
rivers from their various tributaries   
which form a network over the country4  
,we shall later in our reading obtain   
some knowledge of the ,moorish pirates  
who infested the ,mediterranean ,sea and
 who had their headquarters at ,algiers4
  ,it is due to the ,french nation that 
since #ahcj the magnificent port of     
,algiers has been open to all the fleets
 of the world1 and the coast of the     
,mediterranean1 freed from pirates1 has 
been accessible to all the navies of the
 world1 should they choose to occupy it4
  ,the attention of the ,french is now  
turned toward ridding the great sea of  
sand which extends between ,northern    
,africa and ,central ,soudan from the   
fierce ,tuaregs that still occupy it4   
,they are a race as wild and            

barbarous--yes1 as lawless--as were ever
 the terrible pirates of the            
,mediterranean ,sea4 ,they may be termed
 the brigands of the desert4  ,they roam
 over the vast region between ,morocco1 
,algeria1 ,tunis1 and ,tripoli in the   
north1 and ,lake ,tchad in the south4   
,mounted upon racing camels1 they go    
upon raiding expeditions and seek the   
oases1 with which the great desert is   
strewn1 for refuge and to replenish     
their stores4 ,until recently these     
mysterious ,sahara tribes have seemed   
determined to bar the road to their     
territory against all white men4  ,who  
are the ,tuaregs8 ,from whence came     
they8 ,it is believed that they are     
remnants of the ,berber tribes of       
,northern ,africa1 who occupied the     
,libyan ,desert4 ,the ,romans and other 
nations1 together with the ,arabs1 from 
time to time drove them back into the   
great desert4  ,the raid and conquest of
 the ,arabs was fierce and bitter4 ,some
 of these ,berber tribes had been       

,christians for six centuries and had   
formed the flourishing ,african church  
to which ,st4 ,augustine belonged and   
did not readily forsake their faith to  
adopt that of ,mohammed4 ,in consequence
 their land was confiscated and their   
olive orchards burned4 ,early in the    
ninth century this work of persecution  
began1 and for two hundred years these  
people had been crowded back into the   
desert4  ,their homes gone1 the         
migrating ,berbers had no way of        
preserving the annals of the exodus of  
their tribes into the wilderness2 for   
they had no written language1 and in the
 course of time their memory became     
dimmed as to their history4 ,they are   
called ,tuaregs by the ,arabs1 meaning  
those who have renounced4  ,all memory  
of their ancient faith has been lost4   
,the ,latin cross1 which was its emblem1
 is found on the hilts of their swords  
and in the ornaments on the bridles of  
their racing camels1 but the ,tuaregs1  
descendants of these ancient ,berbers of

 ,christian faith1 have no knowledge of 
its significance4  ,the only occupations
 of these people are their wars and the 
long expeditions across the desert4     
,mounted upon swift camels1 they        
traverse its vast extent4 ,their faces1 
which are concealed by a black veil1    
remind one of the mailed knights of the 
,middle ,ages4 ,no one has ever seen the
 face of one of these ,tuareg warriors  
uncovered4 ,the ,arabs term them the    
,veiled ,ones4  ,the fineness of the    
texture of the veil with which a ,tarki1
 a native of one of these tribes1       
conceals his features is indicative of  
his social rank4 ,if of the higher      
class1 he wears his veil night and day4 
,the strongest proof of friendship he   
can give is to raise his veil and show  
his features while talking to any one4  
,a ,tarki of noble rank wears a high cap
 of red cloth decorated with large black
 tassels4 ,his upper garments consist of
 a long white shirt bound about the     
waist by a broad red scarf1 and a       

sleeveless blouse of some black material
 adorned with costly gold and silver    
embroidery4 ,his lower garment is a pair
 of wide white ,turkish trousers which  
reach to the instep4 ,on his feet lie   
wears sandals made of goat skin4 ,on his
 chest are small leather bags or metal  
cases2 these contain amulets1 generally 
large emeralds1 of which rich deposits  
are found in the ,sahara4 ,woven bands  
of leather fasten these bags or cases to
 his neck4  ,for weapons the ,tarki     
carries a short dagger and a            
well-sharpened saber4 ,these are        
fastened to his arm by a copper         
bracelet4 ,the hilts of these weapons   
are always in the form of a ,latin      
cross1 and are adorned with five nails  
of copper arranged to represent a cross4
 ,he wears a two-handed sword suspended 
from his neck by a strong cotton cord1  
ending in two large tassels4  ,when out 
on an expedition the ,tuaregs plant     
their long iron spears1 inlaid with     
copper1 in the ground1 whenever they    

stop for the night or to rest awhile1   
and take a squatting position beside    
them4  ,two or three iron javelins      
carefully sharpened are always fastened 
to the back or pommel of the saddle of a
 noble ,tarki4 ,these he can hurl to a  
great distance with considerable skill4 
,as a means of defense he carries an    
oblong shield made of antelope skin and 
large enough to cover his whole person4 
,firearms he scorns to use4  ,in        
appearance the ,tuaregs are tall1       
slender1 and well formed4 ,in           
disposition they are grave1 silent1     
impassive1 and affect an indifference to
 their surroundings4 ,in character they 
are proud1 cunning1 quarrelsome1 and    
tenacious4 ,they are very excitable1    
brave1 and enduring1 and no privation   
nor fatigue can dishearten them4 ,in    
their intercourse with others their     
hatred knows no pity1 their vengeance no
 mercy4  ,they are the terror of the    
caravans that cross the desert1 where   
every living being is an enemy4         

,whenever a solitary man appears on the 
dim horizon1 the caravan makes ready for
 battle4 ,it never thinks of approaching
 a well without sending out an advance  
guard to see if it is safe to proceed4  
,in attacking a caravan the ,tuaregs    
first send out scouts in advance4 ,these
 men are not armed1 and under pretense  
of seeking food or by offering their    
services as guides1 try to mingle with  
the caravan4 ,their object is to lead it
 to wells near which they know their    
warriors are lying in wait hidden behind
 sand hills4  ,night is the time usually
 chosen for an onslaught1 and generally 
at watering places a long distance      
apart4 ,it is the custom for a caravan  
to stop several days at a well to allow 
the camels an opportunity to graze4 ,a  
herd may thus be a long way from the    
main part of the caravan1 and it is at  
such a time1 when the forces are        
divided1 that the ,tuaregs usually make 
an attack4  ,in their rough life and    
hard struggle for existence they have   

become veritable outcasts4 ,they are    
,mohammedans in name only1 and do not   
repeat the five daily prayers with their
 faces turned toward ,mecca2 neither do 
they take their daily ablutions in the  
sand1 as the prophet required4 ,they use
 the ,koran only when taking an oath1   
and are very faithful in keeping their  
pledges4  ,a curious custom1 not unlike 
that which existed in the ,middle ,ages 
between the warrior knights and the     
religious orders1 prevails2 for the     
nobles leave the duty of praying to the 
tribes that form the middle classes4    
,these tribes were formerly noble1 but  
are now in a half-servile condition4    
,they are excluded from certain         
privileges enjoyed by the warriors1 to  
whom they pay heavy tribute in cattle1  
slaves1 and dates4 ,aside from this they
 enjoy perfect freedom4  ,the old men1  
the women1 the children1 and the slaves 
live in stone houses in villages and    
till the fields which surround them4    
,their lords dwell under leather tents  

and move from place to place1 when      
necessary1 to find fresh pasturage4     
,should the ,french nation succeed in   
subjugating these brigand tribes of the 
,sahara1 commerce in the desert will be 
as safe as that upon the sea4  ,there   
are two great branches of the ,african  
people1 the ,somal and ,galla tribes1   
that occupy a large portion of ,eastern 
,africa lying south and east of         
,abyssinia4 ,these tribes are entirely  
distinct from the negro4  ,the ,somal   
tribes occupy the country described as  
the great eastern horn of ,africa1 which
 terminates at ,cape ,guardafui4  ,only 
a small portion of the country is known 
to ,europeans4 ,on the north it consists
 of a table-land1 diversified by rugged 
cliffs as it approaches the coast1 and  
by a wide maritime plain as it retreats 
from it4 ,inland this table-land        
stretches away towards the south in     
immense grassy plains4 ,great herds of  
gazelles1 zebras1 and antelopes roam    
over them2 and the ostrich1 giraffe1 and

 elephant are found in large numbers4   
,the central section is famed as a      
grazing land for camels1 ponies1 cows1  
and fat-tailed sheep4  ,the numerous    
,somal tribes1 through mingling with the
 ,arabs1 have become ,mohammedan        
fanatics4 ,they speak a mixed language1 
have tall1 slight1 agile figures1 and in
 color they are slightly darker than the
 ,arabs4 ,they have lips and noses      
almost ,grecian in character1 but woolly
 hair like the negro4  ,the ,galla      
tribes occupy the immense tract of      
country1 nine hundred miles from north  
to south1 lying south of ,abyssinia in  
the maritime region of ,east ,africa4   
,somaliland is the eastern limit4 ,lake 
,rudolph is probably its western limit1 
though it may have an extension to the  
northwest4  ,the country is1 for the    
most part1 unexplored4 ,it consist of a 
moderately elevated plateau1 dotted with
 isolated mountain groups and affords   
ample pasturage for cattle1 camels1 and 
horses4  ,the ,galla tribes are a tall1 

finely formed people1 who have bright1  
expressive eyes1 and a deep brown       
complexion4 ,the tribes of the various  
sections differ widely in their         
characteristics4 ,those occupying the   
southern borders of ,abyssinia are brave
 warriors and keen traders4 ,they are   
either ,mohammedans or professed        
followers of the ,christianity of       
,abyssinia4 ,the southern ,galla tribes 
are all heathen4  ,just southwest of the
 ,galla country1 between the snowy peaks
 of ,kenia and ,kilimanjaro and the     
eastern shores of ,victoria ,nyanza1 is 
a wide plateau section4 ,this is        
occupied by warlike nomads4 ,they are   
feared all along the maritime region1   
for they plunder the ,arab caravans     
which make their way inland towards the 
lake region in their journey from the   
coast4 ,the coast tribes live in        
constant fear of these marauders and are
 always on the alert against their      
attacks4  ,the ,portuguese claim all the
 coast line of southeast ,africa from a 

point near ,cape ,delgado1 for a        
distance of fourteen hundred miles      
southward to ,delagoa ,bay4 ,this       
possession is know as the ,province of  
,mozambique1 and is under the control of
 a governor appointed by the ,crown of  
,portugal4 ,he is aided by a small      
military force1 mostly ,portuguese      
convicts1 and has almost unlimited      
authority in controlling the affairs of 
the settlements4 ,the points along the  
coast actually occupied by the          
,portuguese are few and isolated4  ,on  
the mainland of ,east ,africa we find a 
narrow maritime belt1 ten miles in      
width1 extending from the ,rovuma to    
,ozi ,river4 ,this is under the dominion
 of the ,sultan of ,zanzibar4           
,arrangements were made in #ahhh and    
#ahhi in which this coast line was to be
 governed by two companies1 the one     
,english1 the other ,german4  ,very     
recently the ,british ,east ,africa     
,company made a formal transfer of all  
its territory to ,great ,britain4 ,by   

the terms of the transaction the company
 surrendered its royal charter in return
 for the payment of two hundred and     
fifty thousand dollars4 ,england has    
thus secured an immense tract of        
territory1 a million square miles1 for a
 comparatively small sum4  ,the         
territory over which the ,british       
,government will now assume control     
extends about four hundred miles along  
the coast northward from ,umba1 situated
 at the mouth of a river of the same    
name4 ,the southern boundary line runs  
in a northwest direction to the         
intersection of the ,victoria ,nyanza   
with the first parallel of north        
latitude4 ,it skirts the northern shore 
of the lake and extends westward as far 
as the boundary line of the ,congo ,free
 ,state4  ,its northern boundary begins 
at the ,river ,juba4 ,this boundary line
 extends from the intersection of the   
river with the sixth parallel1 north    
latitude1 to the thirty-fifth meridian1 
east longitude1 which it follows to its 

point of intersection with the ,blue    
,nile4 ,the ,congo ,free ,state and the 
western watershed of the basin of the   
,upper ,nile form the western boundary  
line4  ,now that ,england has come into 
possession of so much ,east ,african    
territory1 we may expect to receive much
 interesting information about the      
natives1 as their land becomes open to  
civilization and commerce4 ,a large part
 of ,east ,africa must now become known 
to the world1 and many improvements are 
to be looked for4 ,a railway of six     
hundred and fifty-seven miles in length 
has at this early date been planned from
 ,mombassa to ,lake ,nyanza4 ,no doubt  
this will in time affect the great      
caravan routes into the interior4  ,at  
present the most frequented routes lead 
in several parallel lines from two coast
 towns opposite the ,island of          
,zanzibar1 extending up through the     
countries of ,usagara and the dry plains
 of ,ugogo to an ,arab settlement in    
,unyamwezi1 at a distance of five       

hundred miles from the coast4 ,from here
 several routes lead northward to the   
countries surrounding ,victoria ,nyanza4
 ,the main line1 however1 passes        
westward to an ,arab station in the     
country of ,ujiji on the shores of ,lake
 ,tanganyika4  ,by means of a ferry     
across this wide lake the ,arabs have   
extended their trade routes still       
farther west into the central country of
 ,manyema4 ,here they have an important 
trading station on the great ,lualaba1  
or ,congo1 in the very heart of ,africa1
 fully one thousand miles west of       
,zanzibar4     ,,chapter ,,lxix4  ,,pen 
,,portraits4   ,our most interesting    
descriptions of the people of ,africa   
have been derived from the annals of    
,egyptian history and from the journals 
and letters of the many explorers who   
have from time to time come in contact  
with them4  ,according to history the   
ancient ,egyptians were red men4 ,they  
recognized four races of men1 the red1  
the yellow1 the black1 and the white4   

,in subsequent ages they were so        
desirous of preserving this aristocratic
 distinction of color that they         
represented themselves in crimson upon  
their monuments4  ,the present          
inhabitants of ,egypt range from a      
yellow color in the north to a deep     
bronze4 ,one writer believes that the   
ancient ,egyptians belonged to a brown  
race which included the ,nubian tribes  
and to some extent the ,berber tribes of
 ,algiers and ,tunis4  ,the record of   
the greatness of ancient ,egypt is      
preserved in her works4 ,the pyramids1  
though but the ruins of their former    
grandeur1 are the marvels of mankind4   
,the river ,nile1 by means of enormous  
embankments1 was diverted from its      
course to make a place for the old city 
of ,memphis4 ,the artificial lake of    
,moero was created to make a reservoir  
for the ,nile waters4 ,it measured four 
hundred and fifty miles in              
circumference4 ,its depth was three     
hundred and fifty feet1 and it possessed

 subterranean channels1 flood gates1    
locks1 and dams1 by means of which a    
sterile wilderness could be redeemed and
 changed into a fruitful valley4  ,the  
mason work of the ancient ,egyptians was
 magnificent4 ,in the casing of the     
,great ,pyramid1 we are told1 the joints
 are scarcely perceptible1 and not wider
 than the thickness of paper1 and the   
cement so tenacious that fragments of   
the casing stones still remain in their 
original position1 notwithstanding the  
lapse of so many centuries4  ,at one    
time the whole valley and delta of the  
,nile from the ,cataracts to the sea was
 covered with temples1 palaces1 tombs1  
pyramids1 and pillars1 and almost every 
stone was covered with inscriptions4    
,the ancient ,egyptians were the first  
mathematicians of the ,old ,world and   
the first surveyors of land4 ,they were 
the first astronomers1 and they not only
 calculated eclipses but watched the    
periods of the planets and              
constellations4 ,they were even aware of

 the rotundity of the earth1 although   
,columbus has always been credited with 
being the first to discover this truth4 
,as early as the year #agbb ,b4,c4 the  
signs of the zodiac were in use among   
the ,egyptians4 ,a delineation of these 
signs was found upon a mummy case in the
 ,british ,museum1 and the date to which
 they pointed indicated the autumnal    
equinox of the year #agbb ,b4,c4  ,these
 ancient ,egyptians had clocks and dials
 for measuring time1 and they possessed 
coins of gold and silver4 ,they were the
 first agriculturists of the ,old       
,world1 for history tells us that they  
raised cereals1 and gave attention to   
the rearing of cattle1 horses1 and      
sheep4 ,they manufactured linen fabrics 
of so fine a quality that1 #fjj ,b4,c41 
a single thread of a king's garment was 
comprised of three hundred and          
sixty-five fibers4 ,they worked in gold 
and silver1 in copper1 bronze1 and iron4
 ,the latter they tempered to the       
hardness of steel4  ,they were the first

 chemists1 and manufactured glass and   
various kinds of pottery4 ,out of       
earthenware they made their boats1 and  
manufactured vessels of paper1 just as  
in modern times we make the wheels for  
railway cars out of paper4 ,their       
dentists understood the art of filling  
teeth with gold1 and their farmers      
hatched poultry by means of artificial  
heat4  ,they were the first musicians1  
and used guitars1 cymbals1 drums1 lyres1
 harps1 flutes1 etc4 ,in medicine and   
surgery they had acquired such skill    
that1 several hundred years before      
,christ the removal of cataract from the
 eye1 a most delicate and difficult     
surgical operation1 was performed among 
them4 ,their carpenters' and masons'    
tools were almost identical with those  
in use to-day4  ,all these facts of     
history tend to prove that ancient      
,egypt was a land peopled by an         
intellectual and refined race whose     
works live after them4  ,the great mass 
of the people in ,lower ,egypt are known

 as the ploughers1 and are the          
descendants of the old ,egyptians and of
 the ,arabs who invaded the land4 ,there
 are still ,egyptians of unmixed        
ancestry to be found in the land4 ,they 
are called ,copts1 and profess          
,christianity4 ,the ,arabs of pure      
ancestry1 descendants of the conquerors 
of the ,egyptians1 are represented by   
the ,bedouins1 most of whom lead a      
wandering life1 though a few have       
exchanged their nomadic life for a      
settled one in houses4  ,among the many 
pleasing pictures of the nations of the 
interior1 ,dr4 ,barth1 an explorer1     
furnishes one of a fine large town in   
,negroland proper4 ,the houses were     
built partly of clay1 with neatly       
thatched roofs of reeds2 while the      
courtyard was fenced in with the same   
material4 ,there was a cool outer       
building1 formed of reeds and           
latticework1 which seemed to be a       
reception hall for visiting and for the 
transaction of business2 the whole      

surrounded by spreading trees4 ,to add  
to the picture1 groups of children1     
goats1 fowls1 pigeons1 and--if the      
wealth of the family admitted--a horse  
or pack ox usually surrounded each hut4 
,the people were cheerful and kindly and
 seemed to enjoy all that a wise        
,creator had provided for their         
sustenance4  ,at another town ,dr4      
,barth found rude fortifications of     
clay4 ,at this town1 like the one before
 it1 there was a dyehouse1 for indigo   
was largely cultivated4 ,the intervening
 country was exceedingly beautiful1 with
 a great variety of vegetation4 ,here   
were many kinds of birds1 known and     
unknown1 and great herds of milk-white  
cattle were scattered over the rich     
pasture lands4  ,the population was     
small1 but the people were active and   
industrious4 ,some women1 bearing on    
their heads from six to ten calabashes  
filled with various things1 joined the  
caravan1 and not long after1 a troop of 
men loaded with indigo plants passed by 

on their way to the dyehouse4           
,extensive tobacco fields lay before    
them1 and beehives1 formed out of thick1
 hollow logs1 were fastened to the giant
 branches of the colossal trees of the  
country4 ,passing through cultivated    
fields and populous villages where      
indigo was grown and prepared1 his      
caravan reached a large1 flourishing    
town1 a little world in itself1         
different in external form from all that
 is seen in ,european towns1 yet similar
 in many ways4  ,here was a row of shops
 filled with articles of native and     
foreign produce1 with buyers and sellers
 in every variety of figure1 complexion1
 and dress4 ,there were all the         
necessaries of life2 the wealthy buying 
the more palatable things for their     
tables1 the poor stopping to look       
greedily upon a handful of grain4  ,here
 was a yard neatly fenced with reeds1   
and a clean1 snug-looking cottage1 the  
clay walls nicely polished1 a shutter of
 reeds placed against the low1          

well-rounded door1 a cool shade for the 
daily household work1 a fine spreading  
tree1 with its deep shadow during the   
hottest hours of the day1 or a beautiful
 specimen unfolding its large           
featherlike leaves1 or the tall date    
tree waving over the whole4 ,the matron 
wore a clean1 black1 cotton gown wound  
round her waist2 her hair was neatly    
dressed1 and she was busy preparing the 
meal for her absent husband1 or spinning
 cotton1 and at the same time urging the
 female slaves to pound the corn4 ,the  
children were naked and merry1 playing  
about in the yard1 or chasing a stubborn
 goat4 ,earthenware pots and wooden     
bowls1 all cleanly washed1 stood in     
order4  ,no one seemed idle2 there was  
employment for all4 ,here was an open   
terrace with its many dye pots1 and the 
people engaged in the various processes 
of their art4 ,farther on could be seen 
a sturdy blacksmith wielding his clumsy 
tools and producing1 as a result of his 
labors1 a dagger1 the sharpness of which

 was1 indeed1 a surprise1 when one saw  
the crudeness of his tools4 ,off in     
another direction men and women made use
 of a sheltered space along the fences  
to hang their cotton thread for weaving4
 ,here was a caravan arriving with the  
prized kola nut1 which had become as    
necessary to these people as tea or     
coffee is to the inhabitants of more    
civilized lands2 and there a caravan    
starting off with salt for the          
neighboring towns4 ,arabs were seen     
leading their camels with heavy loads of
 the luxuries of the north and east1 and
 troops of gaudy1 warlike horsemen came 
galloping towards the palace of the     
governor4 ,everywhere was life in all   
its various phases4     ,,chapter ,,lxx4
  ,,views ,,from ,,livingstone4         
,livingstone describes a curious custom 
among the ,bechuana and ,kaffir tribes  
south of the ,zambesi ,river4 ,the      
ceremony1 as he describes it1 was as    
follows3--  ,at break of day a row of   
boys1 about fourteen years of age1 stood

 facing a line of men in preparation for
 the national dance4 ,all were without  
clothing4 ,each boy held a pair of      
sandals upon his hands as a sort of     
shield4 ,the men were provided with long
 thin wands cut from a tough1 strong1   
supple bush4  ,as the dance progressed1 
certain questions were put to the boys1 
as1 ,will you guard the chief well8     
,will you herd the cattle well8 ,as the 
boys answered in the affirmative1 the   
men rushed towards them1 and each aimed 
a full1 well-directed blow at the back  
of the boy nearest him4 ,stroke after   
stroke of the supple wand descended upon
 the bared back of the would-be warrior1
 until the flesh was raw and bleeding4  
,not a boy dreamed of being coward      
enough to cry out4 ,all he did was to   
protect his head by the sandal shields  
upon his hands1 as he held them         
uplifted4  ,this treatment was intended 
to harden the young soldiers and prepare
 them for their life as brave warriors4 
,at the close of such a dance1 it was no

 uncommon thing for the backs of the    
boys to be seamed with wounds and cuts1 
the scars of which would be lifelong4   
,on the return to town1 after this      
ordeal1 a prize was offered to the lad  
who could run the fastest4 ,this prize  
was placed in a conspicuous place1 where
 all spectators could see the winner of 
the race run up to snatch it4 ,the race 
over1 the boys were entitled to sit     
among the elders and to be called no    
longer lads but men4 ,when a young brave
 had succeeded in killing a rhinoceros1 
he was deemed old enough and skillful   
enough to support a household of his own
 and might then marry4  ,while exploring
 the banks of the ,chobe1 ,livingstone  
and his men paddled on from midday till 
sunset in a small pontoon which they had
 launched4 ,just as the short twilight  
of this section was commencing1 they    
perceived on the north bank two native  
villages1 one belonging to the ,makololo
 tribe4 ,in surprise the ignorant       
natives exclaimed in figurative speech1 

,he has dropped among us from the       
clouds1 yet came riding on the back of a
 hippopotamus6 ,we ,makololo thought no 
one could cross the ,chobe without our  
knowledge1 but here he drops among us   
like a bird4  ,the ,makololo tribe took 
great pride in their domestic animals1  
for they were noted as raisers of fine  
cattle4 ,the women did little work1 for 
most of the tilling of the soil was done
 by the tribes subject to the ,makololo4
  ,the women wore kilts reaching to the 
knees1 made of ox skin dressed till it  
was as soft as cloth4 ,this costume was 
by no means ungraceful1 for a soft skin 
mantle was thrown across the shoulders  
to complete the effect4 ,when at work   
the women discarded this mantle and were
 dressed merely in the kilt4 ,the hair  
was cut quite short1 and no woman felt  
that her toilet was complete unless her 
whole body had been rubbed in butter    
till it shone4  ,large brass anklets1 as
 thick as the little finger1 and armlets
 of either brass or ivory1 often an inch

 broad1 were the fashionable ornaments  
coveted by these savage belles4 ,often  
these anklets were so heavy as to       
blister the skin by their weight and    
pressure4 ,strings of beads were worn   
about the neck2 light green and pink    
were the fashionable colors and         
commanded a great price4  ,comparing the
 huts of some of the natives1           
,livingstone writes3 ,the ,makololo huts
 are generally clean1 while those of the
 ,makalaka are infested with vermin4    
,the cleanliness of the former is owing 
to the habit of frequently smearing the 
floors with a plaster composed of cow   
manure and earth4  ,if we slept in the  
tent in some villages1 the mice ran over
 our faces and disturbed our sleep1 or  
hungry1 prowling dogs would eat our     
shoes and leave only the soles4 ,when   
they were guilty of this and other      
misdemeanors1 we got the loan of a hut4 
,the best sort of ,makololo huts consist
 of three circular walls1 with small    
holes as doors1 each similar to that in 

a dog house2 and it is necessary to bend
 down the body to get in1 even when on  
all fours4 ,the roof is formed of reeds 
or straight sticks1 in shape like a     
,chinaman's hat1 bound firmly together  
with circular bands1 which are lashed   
with the strong inner bark of the mimosa
 tree4 ,when all is ready1 except the   
thatch1 it is lifted upon the circular  
wall1 the rim resting on a circle of    
poles1 between which the third wall is  
built4  ,the roof is thatched with fine 
grass1 and sewed with the same material 
as the lashings2 and1 as it projects far
 beyond the walls1 and reaches within   
four feet of the ground1 the shade is   
the best to be found in the country4    
,these huts are very cool in the hottest
 day1 but are close and deficient in    
ventilation by night4  ,livingstone     
found much superstition prevailing among
 the people on the banks of the ,leeba1 
and here and there evidence of the      
worship of idols was noticeable4  ,the  
chiefs were frequently women4 ,one whom 

,livingstone visited was adorned with   
oil and red ochre1 with a plentiful     
supply of ornaments upon her wrists1    
ankles1 and about her person2 but a very
 little clothing seemed to satisfy her  
desire for fine apparel4 ,her husband's 
clothing consisted of a kilt of green   
and red baize1 his arms of a spear and a
 broadsword of antique fashion4  ,the   
houses in the village were found to be  
well stockaded1 and were all separate   
buildings4 ,the firearms found among the
 tribes farther south were lacking2 bows
 and arrows were used in their place1   
and had very effectually cleared the    
country of game4  ,while penetrating    
farther and farther east into the ,londa
 territory1 ,livingstone encountered    
some natives of whom he wrote3          
,surrounded on all sides by large1      
gloomy forests1 the people have a much  
more indistinct idea of the geography of
 their country than those who live in   
hilly regions4  ,the people seemed more 
slender in form1 and their color a      

lighter olive1 than any we had hitherto 
met4 ,their mode of dressing the great  
masses of woolly hair which lay upon    
their shoulders1 together with their    
general features1 again reminded me of  
the ancient ,egyptians4  ,a few of the  
ladies adopt a curious custom of        
attaching the hair to a hoop which      
encircles the head1 giving it somewhat  
the appearance of the glory round the   
head of the ,virgin4 ,others wear an    
ornament of woven hair and hide adorned 
with beads4 ,the hair of the tails of   
buffaloes1 which are to be found farther
 east1 is sometimes added2 while others 
weave their own hair on pieces of hide  
into the form of buffalo horns1 or make 
a single horn in front4  ,many tattoo   
their bodies by inserting some black    
substance beneath the skin1 which leaves
 an elevated cicatrix about half an inch
 long2 these are made in forms of stars1
 and other figures of no particular     
beauty4  ,a little to the southward he  
found natives who had not been visited  

by the slave dealers to any great       
extent1 rather timid1 but civil4 ,of    
these he gives the following account3-- 
,the same olive color prevailed4 ,they  
file their teeth to a point1 which makes
 the smile of the women frightful1 as it
 reminds one of the grin of an          
alligator4  ,the inhabitants throughout 
this country exhibit as great a variety 
of taste as appears on the surface of   
society among ourselves4 ,many of the   
men are dandies2 their shoulders are    
always wet with the oil dropping from   
their lubricated hair1 and everything   
about them is ornamented in one way or  
another4 ,some thrum a musical          
instrument the livelong day1 and1 when  
they wake at night1 proceed at once to  
their musical performance4 ,many of     
these musicians are too poor to have    
iron keys to their instruments1 but make
 them of bamboo1 and persevere though no
 one hears the music but themselves4    
,others try to appear warlike by never  
going out of their huts except with a   

load of bows and arrows or a gun        
ornamented with a strip of hide for     
every animal they have shot2 and others 
never go anywhere without a canary in a 
cage4 ,ladies may be seen carefully     
tending little lapdogs1 which are       
intended to be eaten4  ,the villages are
 generally in forests1 and composed of  
groups of irregularly planted brown     
huts1 with banana and cotton trees1 and 
tobacco1 growing around4 ,there is also 
at every hut a high stage erected for   
drying manioc roots and meal1 and       
elevated cages to hold domestic fowls4  
,round baskets are laid on the thatch of
 the huts for the hens to lay in1 and on
 the arrival of strangers1 men1 women1  
and children ply their calling as       
hucksters with a great deal of noisy    
haggling4 ,all their transactions are   
conducted with civil banter and good    
temper4     ,,chapter ,,lxxi4  ,,views  
,,from ,,andersson4   ,when ,andersson  
visited ,damaraland he found the natives
 an exceedingly fine-looking race4 ,they

 were tall1 well-formed1 and had a      
graceful carriage4 ,in color they were  
dark1 but not black4 ,so dirty was their
 skin1 however1 that it was impossible  
to discover its natural color under the 
coating of red ochre and grease with    
which it was smeared4  ,little clothing 
was worn4 ,the only garment consisted of
 a sheepskin or goatskin wrapped about  
the waist or thrown carelessly over the 
shoulders4 ,the girls wore a kind of    
apron1 made of quantities of small      
strings1 from which were suspended      
ornaments in the form of iron and copper
 beads4  ,the men wore few ornaments1   
but the women who could afford it       
decorated their wrists and ankles with  
iron and copper rings4 ,the headdress of
 the married women was curiously        
picturesque1 its general shape and      
appearance resembling a helmet4  ,in    
place of regular garments the men wore  
strips of leather1 often several hundred
 feet in length1 wound around the loins4
 ,their clubs and pipes were carried in 

these unique belts and bands4  ,these   
natives were always well armed2 they    
carried lances1 bows and arrows1 and    
clubs4 ,another national weapon was a   
stick with a knob on the end4 ,andersson
 found these natives very skillful in   
throwing it1 for they often brought down
 birds upon the wing4  ,they were       
nomadic in their life1 and with their   
enormous herds of cattle wandered over  
the country1 leaving it bare of         
vegetation4 ,they had a curious custom  
of taking an oath in token of sincerity 
of purpose1 when they swore by the tears
 of their mothers4  ,andersson was much 
interested in the natives of ,ovampo    
land and their customs4 ,they cultivated
 two kinds of corn4 ,one was the common 
,kaffir corn1 and the other a           
small-grained variety4 ,at the ripening 
of the corn1 these natives simply cut   
off the ear and left the remainder to   
the greedy cattle4  ,in addition to     
corn1 the ,ovampo people cultivated     
calabashes1 watermelons1 pumpkins1      

beans1 and peas4 ,some tobacco was also 
raised4 ,the quality of it was1 however1
 rather poor4 ,to prepare it1 the leaves
 and stalks of the ripened plant were   
collected and then pressed in a hollow  
piece of wood by means of blows from a  
heavy pole4  ,the ,ovampo had1 also1    
great herds of cattle1 as well as sheep 
and goats4 ,they had hogs1 too1 of an   
enormous size4 ,among the domestic      
animals ,andersson noticed dogs and     
fowl4  ,these people were found to be   
exceedingly hospitable1 and ,andersson's
 party was well entertained4 ,the chief 
was very kindly disposed1 and every     
night after dark held a ball at the     
royal residence4 ,here the people danced
 to the national music of the tom-tom   
and a species of guitar4  ,the ,ovampo  
women were not unpleasing in appearance4
 ,when young they had very good figures1
 but the older women were exceedingly   
ungainly4 ,no doubt the weight of the   
heavy copper ornaments with which they  
loaded their wrists and ankles was one  

great cause of this ungainliness4 ,it   
was no uncommon thing for these ankle   
rings to weigh two or three pounds      
apiece4 ,as a pair was worn on each leg1
 this was no inconsiderable weight to   
carry about4 ,in addition1 necks1 wrists
 and hips were almost hidden by a       
profusion of shells1 cowries1 and beads 
of every size and color4 ,this was      
considered an essential feature of their
 dress4  ,both men and women had short1 
crisp1 woolly hair4 ,the men often      
shaved the head1 with the exception of  
the crown1 while the women besmeared and
 stiffened their hair with grease and a 
vermilion-colored substance1 which1 from
 being constantly added to and pressed  
upon the upper portion of the head1 gave
 it a somewhat broad1 flat look4  ,the  
women smeared their bodies with grease  
and red ochre as an additional touch for
 full-dress occasions4 ,the men wore few
 ornaments1 with the exception of bead  
or shell earrings4  ,both men and women 
had the curious custom of chipping off  

the middle tooth of the lower jaw in    
token that they had outgrown childhood  
and had reached manhood and womanhood4  
,wishing to explore the ,ovampo ,river1 
,andersson hired a native to transport  
him in a canoe4 ,the man seemed to enjoy
 the situation1 and took pains to paddle
 slowly along the river's bank and make 
a halt at every hut1 that the inmates   
might view the white man at their       
leisure4  ,the men of this tribe        
,andersson describes as strong and      
well-built1 but the women were as ugly  
as any he had ever seen in ,africa4     
,the river itself and the landscape on  
either side were beautiful beyond       
description4 ,fruit trees1 and          
well-wooded ranges of mountains1        
stretched away on either hand1 forming a
 background for the beautiful scene4    
,hippopotamuses and waterfowls were in  
abundance1 and hosts of crocodiles      
sunned themselves upon the islands which
 here and there showed above the surface
 of the water4     ,,chapter ,,lxxii    

,,new ,,views ,,of ,,natives4   ,among  
the ,bechuana tribes the government is  
patriarchal1 and each man is chief over 
his own children4 ,livingstone writes of
 them3 ,they build their huts around    
his1 and the greater the number of      
children1 the more his importance       
increases4 ,hence1 children are esteemed
 one of the greatest blessings1 and are 
always treated kindly4  ,near the center
 of each circle of huts there is a spot 
called a 'kotla' with a fireplace2 here 
they work1 eat1 or sit and gossip over  
the news of the day4 ,a poor man        
attaches himself to the kotla of a rich 
one1 and is considered a child of the   
latter4  ,an under-chief has a number of
 these circles around his2 and the      
collection of kotlas around the great   
one in the middle of the whole1 that of 
the principal chief1 constitutes the    
town4 ,the circle of huts immediately   
around the kotla of the chief is        
composed of the huts of his wives and   
those of his blood relations4  ,they are

 fond of the relationship to great      
families4 ,if you meet a party of       
strangers1 and the head man's           
relationship to some uncle of a certain 
chief is not at once proclaimed by his  
attendants1 you may hear him whispering1
 ',tell him who ,i am4' ,this usually   
involves a counting on the fingers of a 
part of his genealogical tree1 and ends 
in the important announcement that the  
head of the party is half-cousin to some
 well-known ruler4  ,on one occasion1   
when ,livingstone attempted to hold his 
first public religious service1 a great 
chief remarked that it was one of the   
customs of his nation to ask questions  
when any new subject was brought before 
them1 and begged to be allowed to do so 
on this occasion4  ,livingstone's       
description of the interview is         
interesting1 since it gives us some idea
 of the intelligence of this untaught   
child of nature3 ,on expressing my      
willingness to answer his questions1 he 
inquired if my forefathers knew of a    

future judgment4 ,i replied in the      
affirmative1 and began to describe the  
scene of the 'great white throne1 and   
him who shall sit on it1 from whose face
 the heaven and earth shall flee away1' 
etc4 ,he said1 ',you startle me2 these  
words make all my bones to shake2 ,i    
have no more strength in me2 but my     
forefathers were living at the same time
 as yours were1 and how is it that they 
did not send them word about these      
terrible things sooner8 ,they all passed
 away into darkness without knowing     
whither they were going4'  ,i got out of
 the difficulty by explaining the       
geographical barriers in the north1 and 
the gradual spread of knowledge from the
 south1 to which we first had access by 
means of ships2 and ,i expressed my     
belief that1 as ,christ had said1 the   
whole world would yet be enlightened by 
the ,gospel4  ,pointing to the great    
,kalahari ,desert1 he said1 ',you never 
can cross that country to the tribes    
beyond2 it is utterly impossible even   

for us black men1 except in certain     
seasons1 when more than the usual supply
 of rain falls1 and an extraordinary    
growth of watermelons follows4 ,even we 
who know the country would certainly    
perish without them4'  ,the watermelon  
may well be considered the most         
surprising plant of the desert4 ,in     
certain years1 when more than the usual 
amount of rain has fallen1 vast tracts  
of country are literally covered with   
these melon plants4 ,years ago1 when the
 annual fall of rain was greater than it
 is now1 the natives were in the habit  
of sending trading parties to the lake  
section each year4  ,now1 according to  
,livingstone's accounts1 these          
extraordinary rains occur only once in  
ten or eleven years1 with the subsequent
 abundance of melons4 ,when such an     
event occurs1 not only man1 but animals 
of every description1 rejoice over the  
rich harvest4 ,the elephant1 monarch of 
the forest1 fairly revels in the fruit2 
and the rhinoceros1 though his tastes   

are naturally so very different from the
 elephant's1 is equally fond of it4 ,not
 only do the antelopes feed upon it with
 eagerness1 but even the lions1 hyenas1 
jackals1 and mice seem to recognize its 
merits and to appreciate this blessing  
of an agreeable1 succulent food in an   
arid soil4  ,true1 all of these melons  
are not eatable4 ,some are sweet2 others
 are bitter1 so that the ,boers         
invariably speak of the fruit as the    
bitter watermelon1 and make no          
distinction between the varieties4  ,the
 natives1 in selecting the fruit1 strike
 each melon with a hatchet2 and then1 to
 distinguish between the bitter and the 
sweet ones1 apply the tongue to the     
aperture in each4 ,the bitter melons are
 harmful1 but the sweet ones are        
considered very wholesome4 ,bees often  
convey the pollen from the blossoms of a
 bitter melon vine to those of a sweet  
variety and completely change the       
character and flavor of its fruit4  ,the
 inhabitants of the ,kalahari ,desert   

consist of the nomadic ,bushmen and a   
tribe said to be the oldest of the      
,bechuana tribes4 ,the ,bushmen are the 
aborigines of the country1 and live in  
the desert from choice4 ,their chief    
food consists of the flesh of game1 eked
 out by such roots1 beans1 and fruit as 
the women can collect4  ,in the hot     
sandy plains they are generally thin1   
with wiry frames capable of enduring    
hardship and privation4 ,many are of    
small stature1 though by no means       
dwarfish4 ,nomadic in their taste1 they 
never cultivate the soil1 nor rear any  
domestic animals1 unless it be a few    
wretched dogs4 ,they possess an intimate
 knowledge of the habits of the various 
game animals1 and follow them from place
 to place as their lawful prey4  ,the   
descendants of the ancient ,bechuana    
tribes at one time possessed enormous   
herds of the large horned animals2 when 
despoiled of these1 they were driven    
into the desert1 which thus by          
compulsion became their home4  ,they are

 very different in their tastes and     
habits from the ,bushmen4 ,though       
subjected to the same influences of     
climate1 and obliged to endure the same 
thirst1 and to subsist upon practically 
the same food1 they stand a race        
distinct in itself4  ,they have all the 
,bechuana love for agriculture and      
domestic animals4 ,they hoe their       
gardens annually1 though often all they 
can hope for is a supply of melons and  
pumpkins4 ,they rear with great care1   
too1 small herds of goats1 though they  
have been known to be obliged to obtain 
water for them out of small wells with a
 bit of ostrich eggshell or by the      
spoonful4  ,these people have a great   
dread of strange tribes of ,bechuanas1  
and choose their residences far from the
 water pits which would naturally       
attract wayfarers4 ,not unfrequently    
they hide all outward signs of such pits
 by filling them with sand and by making
 a fire over them4  ,the women of the   
desert take great pride in their ability

 to bear pain4 ,a mother will say to her
 little girl from whose foot she has    
just extracted a thorn1 ,now1 ma1 you   
are a woman2 a woman does not cry4  ,a  
curious ceremony is held to train young 
women to endure the hardships of        
carrying water4 ,clad in a dress        
composed of ropes made of alternate     
pumpkin seeds and bits of reed strung   
together1 and wound round the body in a 
figure-of-eight fashion1 a number of    
them are drilled by an old woman of the 
tribe1 until they become accustomed to  
bear fatigue1 and can carry large pots  
of water without complaint4 ,it is no   
uncommon thing to find scars upon the   
forearm1 which have been made by bits of
 burning charcoal4 ,these1 without      
doubt1 were inflicted to test the power 
of the young women to bear pain4  ,among
 the tribes in the country about the    
,leeambye ,river they have no stated day
 of rest1 except the day after the      
appearance of the new moon4 ,at that    
time the people refrain from going to   

their gardens4  ,a curious custom       
prevails among the black tribes beyond  
the ,bechuanas4 ,they watch eagerly for 
the first glimpse of the new moon1 and  
when they perceive the faint outline    
after the sun has set deep in the west1 
they utter a loud shout of ',kua6' and  
short prayers to it4 ,livingstone's men1
 for instance1 called out1 ,let our     
journey with the white man be           
prosperous6 ,let our enemies perish1 and
 the children of ,nake become rich6 ,may
 he have plenty of meat on this journey4
  ,at one time in his journeyings1      
,livingstone was entertained by a party 
of musicians1 consisting of three       
drummers and four performers on the     
piano4 ,the drums were neat instruments 
cut from the trunk of a tree4 ,they had 
a small hole in the side covered with a 
bit of spider's web4 ,the ends were     
covered with antelope skin fastened on  
by pegs4 ,when the drummers wished to   
tighten the drumhead1 they held it over 
the fire to make it contract4 ,there    

were no drumsticks1 for the instrument  
was beaten with the hands4  ,the piano1 
as described by ,livingstone1 consists  
of two bars of wood placed side by side1
 sometimes quite straight1 sometimes    
bent round so as to resemble half the   
tire of a carriage wheel4 ,across these 
are placed about fifteen wooden keys1   
each of which is two or three inches    
broad1 and fifteen or eighteen inches   
long4 ,their thickness is regulated     
according to the deepness of the note   
required4 ,each of the keys has a       
calabash beneath it1 from the upper part
 of which a portion is cut off to enable
 it to embrace the bar and form a hollow
 sounding-board to the key2 and little  
drumsticks produce the music4 ,rapidity 
of execution was much admired1 and the  
music was pleasant to the ear4  ,on one 
occasion ,livingstone was exhibiting the
 pictures of a magic lantern4 ,the first
 picture shown was that of ,abraham in  
the act of uplifting the knife with     
which to slay ,isaac4 ,after the picture

 had been explained1 he attempted to    
move the slide1 when the uplifted dagger
 appeared to be moving towards the      
interested spectators4 ,thinking it was 
to be sheathed in their own bodies1 all 
the women with one accord rushed off    
helter-skelter1 tumbling over each      
other1 and shouting ,mother6 mother6    
,over the idol huts and tobacco bushes  
they fled like startled fawns1 nor could
 one of them be induced to return4      
,their chief1 however1 sat bravely      
through the exhibition and afterwards   
examined the lantern with great         
interest4  ,many of the native tribes   
are very superstitious1 and will not    
touch food offered to them by other     
tribes4 ,among themselves they stand    
upon much ceremony4 ,each man has his   
own hut where he has his fire4 ,should  
it go out he will build it afresh rather
 than to take live coals from a         
neighbor4  ,in the deep1 dark forest    
near each village1 idols were frequently
 met4 ,some were intended to represent  

the human head or a lion's2 others were 
merely crooked sticks smeared with      
medicine4 ,sometimes a little pot of    
medicine was found in a shed1 or        
miniature huts with little mounds of    
earth in them4  ,in the darker recesses 
of the forest1 outlines of human faces  
cut in the bark of trees were seen4 ,the
 outlines of these bearded heads bore a 
close resemblance to those found on     
,egyptian monuments4 ,at frequent       
intervals cuts were made on the trees   
along the path1 and offerings of small  
pieces of massive roots or ears of maize
 placed on the branches attracted the   
attention4  ,every few miles were found 
heaps of sticks to which each passer-by 
contributed4 ,again1 a few sticks were  
placed in the path1 and each traveler   
turned from his course to one side as   
though fearing to commit a sacrilege4   
,poor and ignorant as these savages     
were1 their fears seemed intensified by 
the gloom of the forest recesses1 and   
they appeared to be ever striving to    

propitiate by their offerings some      
higher order of being1 who might hold   
sway there4  ,many of the tribes were   
found to have a strong belief in the    
power of charms for good or evil4 ,this 
belief seemed productive of honest and  
gentle dealing among the natives2 while 
the fear that even the weak and helpless
 might work injury to those stronger    
than themselves1 through their knowledge
 of the nature of these charms1 often   
held in check those who might otherwise 
have been despotic in their dealings4   
,at one of the villages a man showed the
 grave of his child1 and with much      
display of feeling told how she had been
 burned to death in her hut4 ,he had    
come to the place with all his family1  
and had built huts around it1 in order  
to weep for her4 ,his fear was that if  
her grave should be left unguarded1     
witches might come and bewitch the      
remaining relatives by placing medicines
 on the grave4  ,the people of the      
,barotse tribe have a very decided      

belief in the continued existence of the
 spirits of the departed4 ,livingstone  
mentions that one of his men suffering  
from a headache said sadly and          
thoughtfully1 ,my father is scolding me 
because ,i do not give him any of the   
food ,i eat4 ,upon being asked where his
 father was1 he answered1 ,among the    
,barimo4  ,along the banks of the ,quilo
 the country1 when visited by           
,livingstone1 was occupied by natives   
who had once been sold as slaves and    
afterwards freed4 ,though far from their
 old homes1 they seemed contented and   
happy4  ,this section of country was    
full of villages4 ,food was abundant1   
and little labor was necessary to       
cultivate the soil4 ,the ground was so  
rich that it was not necessary to       
fertilize it4 ,whenever a garden became 
too poor to produce good crops of maize 
and millet1 the owner of it immediately 
broke ground a little farther into the  
forest1 applying fire to the roots of   
the larger trees to kill them1 and      

cutting down the smaller ones4 ,this    
done1 his new rich garden was ready for 
planting4  ,such a garden usually       
presented the appearance of a large     
number of tall dead trees stripped of   
their bark1 with maize growing between  
them4 ,the deserted gardens often       
continued to produce manioc for many    
years after their owners had sought new 
spots for their crops of maize and      
millet4  ,the character and temperament 
of the owners of the various gardens in 
the villages could be easily detected4  
,sometimes whole villages were the      
picture of neatness4 ,others seemed     
enveloped in a perfect wilderness of    
weeds growing to such a height that even
 when sitting on the back of an ox in   
the midst of a village one could see    
only the tops of the huts4 ,if a        
stranger should enter one of these      
villages at midday the owners would come
 forth in an indolent fashion1 sometimes
 pipe in hand1 or leisurely puffing away
 in dreamy indifference4  ,in some of   

the villages weeds were not allowed to  
grow1 and cotton1 tobacco1 and various  
plants used as food were planted around 
the huts4 ,fowls were kept in cages1 and
 the gardens were pleasant pictures of  
grain and pulse in different stages of  
growth4  ,every village swarmed with    
children1 who turned out in crowds1 and 
ran along with strange cries and antics1
 to see the white man pass4             
,,chapter ,,lxxiii4  ,,more ,,views     
,,from ,,livingstone4   ,situated a few 
miles from the edge of a steep descent1 
,livingstone found a ,west ,african     
village provided with travelers' houses1
 on the principle of the inns of the    
,east4 ,these were built of twigs and   
plaster and had benches made of rods1 on
 which the wayfarer could make his bed2 
a few chairs1 a table1 and a large jar  
of water completed the furnishings4  ,a 
little farther on lay a village of the  
,basongo1 a tribe subject to the        
,portuguese1 and as the route of        
,livingstone's expedition lay through a 

fine1 fertile1 well-peopled country1    
luxuriant fields of wheat were seen     
growing without irrigation4 ,gradually  
the country became more open1 but       
remained still abundantly fertile1 with 
a heavy crop of grass growing to a      
height of two or three feet4 ,the whole 
section was well wooded and watered4    
,the landscape was dotted with ,basongo 
villages1 while frequently a square     
house built of twigs and plaster1       
belonging to some native ,portuguese1   
stood beside them and was used for      
purposes of trade4  ,the different      
sleeping places on the pathway were from
 eight to ten miles apart1 and were     
marked by a cluster of sheds made of    
sticks and grass4  ,there was a constant
 stream of people going and returning to
 and from the coast4 ,goods were carried
 upon the head1 or upon one shoulder1 in
 a kind of basket fastened to the ends  
of two poles between five and six feet  
long4  ,when the basket was placed upon 
the head1 the poles projected forward   

horizontally2 and if the carrier wished 
to rest himself1 he planted these poles 
on the ground1 and rested his burden    
against a tree4 ,in this way he was not 
obliged to lift it from the ground to   
the level of his head1 when he wished to
 take up his load again4 ,frequently    
with the poles planted in the ground a  
carrier could be seen holding his burden
 until he had recovered his breath1 thus
 avoiding the exertion of lowering and  
lifting his load4  ,upon the arrival of 
strangers at any of the sleeping        
stations1 women were seen emerging from 
the villages bearing baskets filled with
 manioc meal1 roots1 groundnuts1 yams1  
bird's eye pepper1 and garlic1 which    
they offered for sale4 ,calico was      
usually taken in exchange for these     
goods4  ,in ,angola the markets1 or     
sleeping places1 were well supplied with
 provisions by the native women4 ,these 
women congregated in great numbers1 each
 spinning cotton with a spindle and     
distaff1 which were precisely like those

 in use among the ancient ,egyptians4   
,it was not uncommon to see one of them 
passing through the fields with a jar on
 her head1 a child on her back1 and a   
hoe over her shoulder1 while her fingers
 were busily employed in spinning4 ,the 
cotton was brought to market and        
commanded a penny a pound4  ,frequently 
the cotton seeds1 dropped accidentally  
around the market places1 sprouted1 and 
grew luxuriantly in various spots4      
,along the roads natives were seen      
passing with spindles full of cotton    
thread4 ,these they were carrying to    
other parts to have woven into cloth4   
,the women did the spinning and the men 
the weaving4  ,the loom was of very     
simple construction4 ,it consisted of   
two beams placed one over the other1 on 
which the web stood perpendicularly4    
,the threads of the web were separated  
by means of a thin wooden lath1 while   
the woof passed through by means of the 
same spindle on which it had been wound 
in spinning4 ,each web was about five   

feet long1 and fifteen or eighteen      
inches wide4  ,this mode of spinning and
 weaving in ,angola and throughout      
,south ,central ,africa was very similar
 to the same pursuits as practiced by   
the ancient ,egyptians4  ,at the        
sleeping stations the native smiths     
carried on their trade1 and various     
articles1 as good table knives1 and the 
like1 made of country iron1 were offered
 for sale4  ,livingstone found the banks
 of the ,lucalla very pretty1 and well  
planted with orange trees1 bananas1 and 
the oil palm1 and wrote3 ,large         
plantations of maize1 manioc1 and       
tobacco are seen along both banks1 which
 are enlivened by the frequent          
appearance of native houses imbosomed in
 dense shady groves1 with little boys   
and girls playing about them4  ,the     
banks are steep1 the water having cut   
its bed in dark red1 alluvial soil4     
,before every cottage a small stage is  
erected to which the inhabitants may    
descend to draw water without danger    

from the alligators4 ,some have a little
 palisade made in the water for safety  
from these reptiles1 and others use the 
shell of the fruit of the baobab tree   
attached to a pole about ten feet long1 
with which1 standing on the high bank1  
they may draw water without fear of     
accident4  ,the whole of the colored    
population of ,angola was sunk in       
superstition4 ,when a death occurred1   
the people busied themselves in beating 
drums and firing guns4 ,the funeral     
rites were half festive1 half mourning4 
,nothing could have been more           
heartrending than the death wails4      
,when these natives turned their eyes to
 the future world1 they had the most    
cheerless view of their own utter       
helplessness4 ,they fancied themselves  
completely in the power of disembodied  
spirits1 and the prospect of following  
them was looked upon as the worst of    
misfortunes4 ,hence1 they were found    
constantly deprecating the wrath of     
departed spirits1 in the belief that if 

they could appease them1 only one cause 
of death1 witchcraft1 could remain1 and 
that they could avert by charms4  ,the  
pleasures of a mere animal existence    
were ever present in their minds as the 
highest good1 and but for these         
innumerable invisible agents1 they      
believed they might enjoy to the fullest
 extent the bounties of their luxuriant 
climate as much as would be possible for
 man to do4  ,another curious custom    
prevailed among some of the tribes      
encountered by ,livingstone4 ,this      
ceremony was for the purpose of         
cementing friendship4 ,the hands of the 
parties were joined1 and incisions were 
made on the clasped hands1 and on the   
right cheeks and foreheads4 ,a small    
quantity of blood was taken from these  
points in both parties1 put into pots of
 beer1 and each then drank the other's  
blood2 and they were supposed thus to   
become perpetual friends or relations4  
,during the drinking1 some of the party 
beat the ground with clubs1 and uttered 

sentences to ratify the treaty4 ,the men
 belonging to each tribe then finished  
the beer4 ,the principals in the        
performance were henceforth considered  
blood relations1 and were bound to      
disclose to each other any impending    
evil4  ,among the ,batoka tribes the    
ancient custom of knocking out the upper
 front teeth of the young men and women 
prevailed4 ,in the absence of the upper 
teeth the lower ones grew long and      
somewhat bent out1 which caused the     
under lip to protrude in a most         
unsightly fashion4 ,when asked as to the
 origin of this custom1 the ,batoka     
replied that their object was to look   
like oxen and that those who retained   
their incisors were thought to resemble 
zebras4  ,a person who possessed his    
front teeth was considered ugly2 and    
when any of the ,batoka borrowed        
,livingstone's mirror1 the disparaging  
remark would be made of boys and girls  
who still retained their incisors1 ,look
 at the great teeth6  ,the manner of    

dressing the hair is a peculiar feature 
among the different ,african tribes4    
,livingstone describes one of the modes 
as follows3--,a circle of hair at the   
top of the head1 eight inches or more in
 diameter1 is woven into a cone eight or
 ten inches high1 with an obtuse apex1  
bent1 in some cases1 a little forward1  
giving it somewhat the appearance of a  
helmet4  ,some have only a cone1 four or
 five inches in diameter at the base4   
,it is said that the hair of animals is 
added2 but the sides of the cone are    
woven somewhat like basket work4 ,the   
head man of this village1 instead of    
having his brought to a point1 had it   
prolonged into a wand1 which extended a 
full yard from the crown of the head4   
,the hair on the forehead1 above the    
ears1 and behind1 is all shaven off1 so 
the people appear somewhat as if a cap  
of liberty were perched upon the top of 
the head4 ,after this weaving is        
performed1 it is said to be painful1 as 
the scalp is drawn tightly up2 but they 

become used to it4  ,many other curious 
customs prevail among the native tribes4
 ,among the different ,bechuana tribes  
it is the custom to select the name of  
some animal to distinguish one tribe    
from another4 ,this would seem to       
indicate that in former times they were 
addicted to the worship of animals1 like
 the old ,egyptians4 ,we find one tribe 
bearing a name signifying they of the   
monkey2 another1 they of the alligator2 
or1 they of the fish4  ,each tribe holds
 the animal from which it derived its   
name in superstitious fear2 nor will a  
man eat the animal for which his tribe  
was named1 and frequently uses a term   
signifying hate or dread in referring to
 it4  ,each tribe has its favorite and  
characteristic dance1 and many tribes   
adopt the custom of naming themselves   
from the national dance4 ,hence1 it is  
no uncommon thing to hear the question1 
,what do you dance8 when the wish is to 
ascertain to what tribe a man belongs4  
,this custom would seem to indicate that

 the national dance was a part of the   
ancient worship in certain sections of  
,africa4     ,,chapter ,,lxxiv4         
,,curious ,,modes4   ,livingstone says  
that among many tribes the mode of      
salutation was by clapping the hands2   
and whenever the white man appeared1    
parties of women came from the several  
villages1 betraying much fear1 and      
clapping the hands with renewed vigor   
whenever they were addressed4  ,near the
 ,zambesi ,river tribes were met1 the   
women of which were in the habit of     
piercing the upper lip1 and gradually   
enlarging the orifice until a shell     
could be inserted4 ,the lip then        
appeared drawn out beyond the extremity 
of the nose and gave the face a most    
ungainly appearance4 ,the chief of      
another tribe remarked1 ,these women    
want to make their mouths like those of 
ducks4 ,indeed1 it did seem as if their 
idea of beautiful mouths had been       
derived from the duck's bill4  ,in the  
vicinity of the ,falls of the ,zambesi1 

tribes were found where the women had   
merely a small puncture in the upper lip
 in which a tin button was inserted4    
,the perforation had been made by       
degrees2 first a ring with an opening in
 it had been attached to the lip1 and   
then the ends had been gradually        
squeezed together4 ,the pressure on the 
flesh between the ends of the ring had  
caused it to be absorbed1 and a hole had
 resulted from the treatment4 ,children 
were frequently seen with the ring      
attached to the lip which had not yet   
been punctured4  ,it was in the vicinity
 of ,zambesi that many of the gardens   
were built upon stagings1 while some of 
the huts were built in trees1 in case   
any of the natives should become        
benighted in the forest4 ,this was for  
protection from the lions and hyenas1   
which were very abundant1 since no      
attempt was ever made to exterminate    
them1 owing to the belief that the souls
 of departed chiefs had entered into    
them4 ,so superstitious were these      

natives that they even believed a chief 
could change himself into a lion1 kill  
any one he chose1 and then return to his
 human form4 ,whenever a lion was met he
 was greeted with a tremendous clapping 
of the hands by way of salutation4      
,among the ,banyai tribes a fair        
complexion was considered as much a mark
 of beauty as among civilized races4    
,many of these natives were of a light  
coffee-colored complexion and were      
considered very handsome throughout the 
country4  ,these tribes had a peculiar  
mode of drawing the hair out into small 
cords a foot in length and entwining the
 inner bark of a special tree round each
 separate cord4 ,the substance for      
binding the cords was dyed a reddish    
color1 and the whole arrangement of the 
hair reminded ,livingstone very strongly
 of one of the ancient ,egyptian        
fashions4  ,this great mass of dressed  
hair reached to the shoulders usually2  
when1 however1 the natives were about to
 travel over the country1 the mass was  

drawn up into a bunch and tied on the   
top of the head4  ,the people of this   
section along the shores of ,lake       
,nyassa were found to be very           
industrious2 they combined agriculture  
and hunting with nets1 with various     
other pursuits2 of these blacksmithing  
was the chief industry4  ,the sound of  
the hammer was heard constantly in the  
villages4 ,this instrument was most     
primitive in its construction4 ,it was  
simply a large stone bound around with  
the strong inner bark of a tree1 with   
loops left to form handles4 ,two pieces 
of bark formed the tongs1 while the     
anvil was merely a large stone sunk in  
the ground4 ,two goat skins furnished   
with sticks at the open ends1 which     
opened and shut them at every blast1    
comprised the bellows4  ,primitive as   
these tools were1 yet two native workmen
 could make several hoes a day1 and turn
 out other work of a wonderful degree of
 excellence4  ,the people had quite a   
,grecian cast of features1 and their    

limbs and feet were delicately moulded4 
,small hands and feet were the rule4    
,many of the men were disfigured by     
having large slits in the lobe of the   
ear1 while each tribe had its own       
distinctive tattoo4 ,the head man of    
each village was distinguished from the 
others by a large ivory bracelet4       
,illustration3 ,,dr4 ,,livingstone      
,,near ,,the ,,close ,,of ,,his ,,last  
,,journey4  ,the women were more        
elaborate in their manner of tattooing  
than the men1 probably because they had 
so very few ornaments4 ,the following of
 such a fashion among them must have    
been a most painful luxury1 when we     
consider how slow and tedious the       
process of tattooing must be4  ,another 
curious custom was the hollowing of the 
two front teeth on the cutting edge4    
,much politeness was shown in their     
relations with one another4 ,clapping of
 the hands in various ways was employed 
as the means of expressing such polite  
sentiments as1 ,allow me1 ,i beg pardon1

 ,permit me to pass1 ,thank you4 ,this  
clapping of the hands was also used in  
making introductions and in             
leave-taking1 and was also resorted to  
in assemblies when it was desirable to  
attract attention in debates1 as in     
calling out1 ,hear1 hear6  ,the chiefs  
were mostly friendly and provided       
,livingstone and his party with food1   
when necessary1 in exchange for a cloth1
 which meant two yards of unbleached    
cotton4  ,in various villages           
,livingstone noticed miniature huts     
about two feet high4 ,these were neatly 
thatched and plastered4 ,in accordance  
with a custom1 which seemed to belong to
 this special section1 these huts had   
been built on the death of a child or   
relative4 ,when any special food was    
cooked1 it was the custom to place a    
portion in the tiny hut1 in the strong  
belief that it would be enjoyed by the  
spirit of the departed4  ,illustration3 
,,stanley ,,on ,,the ,,march4  ,the     
people of the ,mopane ,forest are       

described as having round bulletlike    
heads1 high cheek bones1 and an upward  
slant to the eyes4 ,these features1     
together with their snub noses1 might   
well enable them to pass for ,bushmen or
 ,hottentots4  ,they file their teeth to
 points1 but wear no lip ring4 ,in      
dressing the hair they part it so as to 
let it lie in a net at the nape of the  
neck4  ,their mode of salutation is as  
absurd as it is inelegant1 for the men  
throw themselves in a half-recumbent    
position upon the ground1 clapping the  
hands and making a disagreeable         
half-smacking sound with the lips by way
 of salute4  ,it would be interesting to
 follow out the story of ,livingstone's 
life2 his rescue by ,stanley when nearly
 the whole world believed him to have   
perished from want and privation in some
 ,african forest2 of his subsequent     
explorations1 his death1 and the        
transportation of his body to ,england  
and interment in ,westminster ,abbey4   
,no less interesting should we find it  

to follow ,stanley through jungle and   
thicket1 and in hairbreadth encounters  
with fierce cannibals who cried         
greedily1 ,meat1 meat6 ,give us meat6   
,ah6 now we shall have meat6 whenever   
they caught sight of the white man4 ,it 
would be a matter of interest1 too1 to  
try to solve the problem of the         
commercial standing of ,africa in the   
near future4  ,in imagination we can    
picture the sad details of strife and   
conflict and feel our hearts throb with 
pity for the poor savage1 as he makes   
his piteous appeal to the white man1    
,what great harm have ,i done8 ,i have  
but sought to protect my people and the 
land of my fathers4 ,i sue only for     
peace and protection in this1 the land  
of my birth4  ,illustration3 ,,sphinx   
,,and ,,pyramid4  ,we have only to look 
at the map of ,africa to realize with   
what rapidity the leading nations of    
,europe are taking possession of the    
choicest portions of the continent4 ,let
 us trust that the opening of the       

country to commercial interests will    
mean peace1 prosperity1 and the         
blessings of civilization for the       
original owners of the soil2 then shall 
we indeed have reason to rejoice over   
the future of ,africa4     ,,chapter    
,,lxxv4  ,,the ,,empire ,,of ,,morocco4 
,it is difficult1 when looking at the   
map of ,africa1 to realize that the     
,straits of ,gibraltar are all that     
separate it from ,europe1 a continent   
differing widely from it in every       
respect4  ,true1 standing upon the      
northern shore1 we find ourselves in a  
country which will recall to our minds  
some of the characteristics of sunny    
,spain4 ,a short journey of three or    
four hours farther south will transport 
us1 however1 into a section where       
everything is new and strange4          
,pleasant as we have found it to catch  
glimpses of ,africa in our reading1     
interesting as we have found it to trace
 the footprints of travelers1 we shall  
now find ourselves enjoying nearer and  

clearer views of the continent1 as we   
approach it from the coast of ,europe4  
,we will enter the continent from the   
northwestern extremity1 the section     
known as the ,empire of ,morocco1 called
 by the ,arabs1 the far west4  ,tangier1
 the small seaport at which our little  
steamer anchors1 is situated on a small 
bay1 or inlet1 of the ,straits of       
,gibraltar1 the division line old       
,father ,ocean has marked between       
,africa and ,europe1 and lies           
thirty-eight miles southwest of the town
 of ,gibraltar4  ,it is with mingled    
feelings of awe1 curiosity1 and interest
 that we catch our first glimpses of    
,africa from the bridge of the little   
steamer which has carried us safely to  
within sight of shore4  ,the white walls
 of ,tangier can be distinctly seen1 and
 numerous boats are fast approaching the
 steamer in quest of passengers4 ,just  
behind the boats1 following in their    
wake1 a crowd of ,arabs1 scantily clad  
in tattered garments1 come wading       

through the water1 halfway to their     
waists4  ,with outstretched arms1 and   
wild1 fierce cries and gestures1 they   
draw nearer and nearer1 their actions   
strikingly suggestive of maniacs bent   
upon wanton mischief or pirates in      
search of plunder4  ,it is with no      
little fear that we enter one of the    
boats now at the steamer's side2 but as 
we approach to within a short distance  
from the shore our fear becomes         
intensified1 for the whole swarm of what
 we can scarcely recognize as human     
beings1 surround the boat4  ,they throw 
themselves upon us1 lay hands upon us1  
and1 with frantic gestures and          
vociferous cries in ,arabic and         
,spanish1 endeavor to gain our          
attention4 ,it is with a feeling of     
genuine relief that we finally          
comprehend the meaning of the strange   
scene1 and find that all this hubbub is 
to give us the information that the tide
 is low1 that it will be impossible for 
the boat to approach any nearer to the  

shore1 and that we must be carried the  
remaining distance upon the shoulders of
 these uncouth ,arabs4  ,it is not a    
pleasant mode of reaching land again1   
but we must submit to the ordeal4 ,it is
 not so unpleasant for the ladies1 for  
they are safely carried to shore in     
chairs2 but each gentleman considers    
himself very fortunate when he finally  
reaches terra firma without having      
dipped the soles of his feet in the     
water during this trip to shore1 astride
 his queer two-footed steed4  ,once     
safely landed1 however1 we begin to look
 about us4 ,the people passing in the   
street seem to be enveloped in a long   
white1 woolen garment or cloak4 ,this   
has a large hood1 which is generally    
brought straight up over the head4      
,this hooded populace passes us1 with   
grave faces1 slowly1 silently1 as if    
seeking to escape notice4 ,others may be
 found crouching along the walls of the 
buildings1 or seated at the corners of  
the streets1 with eyes as fixed and     

faces as immovable as though in a       
trance4  ,all expression of interest in 
the surroundings or in the affairs of   
the world seems to have faded from the  
faces of the people4 ,they appear to be 
lost in meditation or sunk in day       
dreams1 impassive to all that is going  
on around them4  ,moving through the    
crowd1 however1 we become conscious1    
upon nearer view1 that there is not so  
much uniformity as we had at first      
supposed4 ,we perceive faces of all     
hues1--black1 white1 yellow1 and even   
bronze4  ,as the long1 silent procession
 passes1 we perceive old men bent and   
worn with age1 figures shriveled and    
dried like ,egyptian mummies1 women with
 face and body wrapped and concealed in 
a mass of rags1 and children with       
nothing childlike in face or person     
unless it be their long tresses4 ,here  
are people whose heads are ornamented   
with long tufts of wooly hair1 others   
with heads glistening like polished     
ivory or metal1 so closely have they    

been shorn of their locks4  ,the town of
 ,tangier is a curious sight1 with its  
labyrinth of narrow streets2 so narrow  
as to be scarcely more than corridors4  
,rows of white houses line these streets
 and present an odd appearance to the   
looker-on4 ,they are usually without    
windows1 and the narrow doorways are    
scarcely wide enough for a man to enter 
by them4 ,they give one the impression  
that they belong to a prison1 or        
possibly a house of refuge or           
concealment4  ,occasionally a door1 or  
even a window1 is seen with some        
,moorish decoration4 ,again a band of   
red may be found at the foot of a wall1 
or a hand may be discerned painted in   
black upon the doorway4 ,such marks are 
superstitiously regarded as charms to   
keep away evil influences4  ,the air in 
the streets is very offensive4 ,most    
thoroughfares are littered with heaps of
 decaying vegetables1 old rags1 bones1  
feathers1 and other substances1 with an 
occasional dead dog or cat lying about4 

,these render the air most disagreeable 
and unwholesome4 ,added to this are the 
mingled odors of garlic1 burnt aloes1   
benzoin1 fish1 and the smoke of various 
substances that may be burning4 ,here   
and there groups of ,arab boys may be   
seen playing at their various games2 or 
they may be heard chanting1 in their    
shrill1 nasal tones1 verses from the    
,koran1 which is their only schoolbook4 
,the scene is a varied one4 ,here is a  
wretched beggar crouching in the dust in
 the hope of awakening pity in the heart
 of the passer-by2 there a ,moor mounted
 upon a mule4 ,then presently an        
overloaded donkey comes in sight1 a     
half-clothed ,arab trotting by his side 
and showering heavy blows upon him in   
the vain attempt to urge him on to      
greater speed2 now a half-starved dog or
 vagrant cat skulks by1 as if in terror 
at the sight of man4  ,tangier has one  
principal square4 ,it is a small        
rectangular place with one long street  
running through it4 ,this street ascends

 from the sea landing through the entire
 length of the town4 ,numerous shops are
 scattered about the square1 which are  
of so simple a character that those of  
the humblest village in ,europe would   
appear quite grand in comparison4  ,at  
one side of the square is a fountain1   
where at any hour in the day may be     
found knots of ,arabs or groups of      
negroes1 who have come to get water4 ,on
 the other side of the street1 eight or 
ten women1 closely veiled1 remain seated
 on the ground from early dawn till     
close of day1 silently offering for sale
 the loaves of bread arranged before    
them4  ,illustration3 ,,tangier4  ,the  
square is the business center of        
,tangier4 ,grouped about it are found   
the homes of the representatives of     
foreign lands4 ,their houses are very   
simple1 yet1 contrasted with the common 
dingy houses of the town1 they appear   
quite like palaces4  ,the aspect of     
business life in this little square is  
like that of any village center1 with   

its single grocery store1 tobacco shop1 
and unpretentious cafe4 ,the latter is  
merely a humble little room1 upon the   
walls of which various printed notices  
of the current topics of the day are    
posted4  ,a billiard table is one of its
 features1 and assembled round it1 or   
lounging about the room1 is usually a   
motley crowd4 ,rich ,moors idle away the
 hours1 ,jewish traders discuss their   
business transactions1 half-clothed     
vagabonds look on with listless         
expression1 ,arab porters await the     
arrival of the steamers1 employees of   
the foreign representatives rest during 
the noon hour1 while various strangers1 
some just landed1 and numerous beggars1 
add variety to the scene1 which is as   
interesting as it is unique4  ,the      
,moorish shops here1 as well as those of
 ,cairo in ,egypt1 differ much from     
those of the countries in ,europe4 ,each
 is built like an alcove about a foot   
above the level of the sidewalk4 ,in    
front is an opening at which the        

customer stands as if before a window4  
,the merchant1 with his goods spread out
 before him1 sits cross-legged in his   
narrow shop1 like a statue in a niche4  
,we are led to wonder1 as we watch him1 
if he may not be merely of wood or      
stone1 so immovable is he2 and we almost
 expect to find some machinery that may 
set him in motion4  ,these merchants    
seem to pass hours and even days wrapped
 in reverie1 or mechanically touching a 
chaplet of beads1 as they utter the     
words of the ,koran4  ,a curious feature
 of ,tangier and other cities of        
,morocco may often be witnessed by      
night4 ,upon the stillness of a         
slumbering city breaks a sound as of a  
distant bombardment4 ,this soon brings  
to the doors and windows a crowd of     
people1 who are at first startled1 but  
who quickly become expectant of what is 
to follow4  ,the sound draws nearer and 
nearer2 a surging crowd appears         
surrounding something shaped like a     
casket upon end4 ,this is borne upon the

 back of a horse or camel4 ,the flare of
 innumerable torches lights up the novel
 scene4 ,as the procession advances     
slowly1 a droning1 plaintive sound of   
music is heard1 accompanying a dismal1  
nasal chant4 ,shrill cries1 the barking 
of dogs1 and the sound of guns but add  
to the general confusion4  ,the         
curiosity of a stranger makes him keen  
to know the meaning of this strange     
scene4 ,the explanation is simple4 ,it  
is but the wedding procession of a young
 bride as she is being conducted to the 
house of her bridegroom2 and the upright
 coffer1 or casket1 is but the          
conveyance in which she is being carried
 to her future home4  ,many of the      
inhabitants use no wine1 since they are 
followers of the ,prophet ,mohammed1 and
 their faith forbids its use4 ,in some  
homes this custom is not so rigidly     
enforced1 and at the time of feasts wine
 is used quite freely4  ,the master of a
 ,moorish house usually meets his guests
 in a square courtyard1 found in the    

center of his mansion4 ,two large       
chambers open out from this1 which have 
no windows1 but are entered through a   
large1 arched doorway closed by a       
portiere or a heavy1 massive curtain4   
,the outside walls are generally of     
dazzling white1 the arches of the       
doorway are not bare of ornament1 and   
the pavement is of beautiful mosaic     
work4  ,at intervals in the inner walls 
are small niches for the slippers which 
custom demands shall be used by all who 
enter a ,moorish house4 ,the tiles of   
the floor are often covered with        
beautiful ,moorish rugs and carpets4 ,on
 each side of the doorway are large     
chandeliers4 ,these are brilliant with  
numerous lighted candles of various     
colorings4 ,on the tables are beautiful 
mirrors1 and masses of brilliant        
flowers1 to add enchantment to the      
scene4  ,a stranger1 upon entering one  
of these houses for the first time1     
might fancy himself looking at the      
interior decoration of a theatre1 the   

ornamentation of a church1 the gilded   
trimmings of a ballroom1 or the         
luxuriance of a regal palace4  ,the     
grace and elegance of the appointments1 
the brilliant lights and coloring1 add  
novelty and enchantment to a scene that 
might have been taken from the ,arabian 
,nights4  ,leaving ,tangier1 we will    
proceed to ,fez1 the great metropolis of
 ,morocco4 ,if we wish to gain any      
definite knowledge of this important    
city of the ,sultan's dominions we must 
by no means fail to visit it4  ,fez was 
founded more than eight hundred years   
before ,christ4 ,during the ,middle     
,ages it was considered one of the      
largest1 handsomest1 and most important 
of the ,mohammedan cities4 ,at that time
 it was the capital of ,morocco1 and was
 said to have contained ninety thousand 
dwellings1 nearly seven hundred mosques1
 besides magnificent public buildings1  
fine schools1 and scientific            
institutions4  ,about the middle of the 
sixteenth century the court was removed 

to ,morocco1 and ,fez gradually exerted 
less and less influence4 ,it is still1  
however1 a city of importance and the   
capital of the northern province of the 
empire of ,morocco4  ,fez has rather a  
peculiar situation4 ,it is in a         
tunnel-shaped valley1 surrounded by     
hills4 ,the higher portions of the      
valley are covered with a growth of     
trees4 ,orange groves and orchards are  
not uncommon features4 ,the city is     
divided into ,old and ,new ,fez by one  
of the branches of the ,sebu1 or river  
of pearls4  ,fez is regarded as the     
,holy ,city by the western ,arabs1 on   
account of the many mosques and relics  
it contains4 ,it is said still to       
contain one hundred mosques4 ,the most  
important of these contains the monument
 of its builder1 ,sultan ,muley ,edris4 
,it is sought by criminals as a place of
 refuge1 when they are in danger of     
arrest4 ,so strong is the feeling for   
the sanctity of the place1 that no      
refugee is ever molested while under its

 roof4  ,the old palace of the ,sultan1 
which still stands1 is fast falling into
 decay since the removal of the court to
 ,morocco4  ,the external aspect of ,fez
 does not differ materially from other  
,mohammedan towns4 ,there are the       
various baths and bazaars with which the
 eye becomes familiarized2 the numerous 
caravansaries1 or inns1 for the         
accommodation of the many caravans that 
assemble here on their way to and fro   
across the desert4 ,these inns are large
 square buildings with open courtyards  
in the middle4  ,the multitude of hotels
 and shops on all sides is the only     
feature to remind the stranger of       
,european cities4 ,fez still carries on 
quite a considerable trade by means of  
caravans1 which travel into the         
adjoining countries on the south and    
east1 as far as ,timbuctoo4  ,both ,old 
and ,new ,fez are surrounded by old     
brick walls and great towers of         
limestone4 ,these are fast crumbling to 
pieces from exposure to the elements4   

,outside of the gates of the city and   
for a good distance into the surrounding
 country may be seen traces of the      
foundation of a city4 ,everything points
 to its ruin by war and conflagration2  
for here are seen monuments1 ruined     
tombs1 and arches of aqueducts1 remnants
 of the past4  ,as we enter the city a  
constantly increasing crowd is seen4    
,men stop to look at us with an air of  
astonishment or curiosity2 women turn   
aside their faces1 and try to hide      
themselves from our gaze2 the very      
children flee from us in dismay1        
uttering cries of fear in their flight4 
,on either hand we behold fountains     
richly ornamented in mosaic work1 or    
doorways beautiful with arabesque       
decorations1 characteristic of the      
,arabian taste1 consisting of a fanciful
 combination of all kinds of figures of 
men and animals1 either real or         
imaginary4  ,here and there we behold   
arcades and remnants of fine ,arabic    
architecture1 all showing the destroying

 touch of ,father ,time4 ,at intervals  
we plunge into dark covered passage ways
 and emerge into the light only to enter
 again into shadow4 ,the principal      
streets1 usually thronged1 are only     
about seven feet wide4 ,on either hand  
are open bazaars filled with animated   
buyers4  ,illustration3 ,a ,,water      
,,carrier ,,at ,,fez4  ,the courts of   
the various inns are piled high with    
bales of merchandise1 and the entrances 
of the mosques present a long           
perspective of white arcades and the    
prostrate figures of the worshipers     
engaged in prayer4  ,we find the air    
impregnated with the varied and         
penetrating odor of aloes and aromatic  
perfumes1 or with the oppressive smell  
of incense1 till it seems to us as if we
 were within the walls of some mammoth  
drug store4 ,on every side dirt and     
squalor abound1 and clouds of dust fill 
the air1 so that the eyes1 nose1 and the
 lungs even1 are uncomfortably affected4
  ,the terraces on the house tops are a 

pleasant sight in the cool of the day4  
,in ,fez1 as in other cities of the     
empire1 these terraces are reserved for 
the women1 and are considered rather a  
necessary feature of the harem1 or      
women's apartments4  ,they are built    
high above the ground1 many of them     
being surrounded by a wall higher than a
 man's head4 ,this is pierced with      
loopholes1 since it would be impossible 
to look over the top of it4  ,the       
imperial palace is a very lofty edifice 
built upon an eminence4 ,the view from  
the top of it discloses thousands of    
white terraces4 ,from the palace there  
is also a fine view of the hills        
encircling the city and of the mountains
 towering in the distance4  ,it is      
interesting to catch a glimpse of the   
,moorish women upon the terraced house  
tops1 many of which have parapets1 or   
walls1 breast high1 to surround them4   
,most of the women are richly dressed1  
and may be seen strolling backwards and 
forwards1 or seated upon the parapets4  

,some of the younger ones amuse         
themselves by leaping like children from
 one terrace to another2 they play at   
hide and seek1 or laughingly splash     
water in one another's faces1 as merry  
as children4 ,others appear older and   
more sedate1 and mingling with them may 
be seen groups of children of eight or  
ten years of age4  ,the greater part of 
these ,moorish women wear the hair      
flowing loosely over the shoulders4 ,a  
large red or green handkerchief is bound
 around the head to keep the hair in    
place4  ,the dress most commonly seen is
 a loosely flowing robe of varied and   
brilliant coloring4 ,it has very large  
flowing sleeves1 and is fastened about  
the waist by a blue or red sash4 ,a     
jacket1 open at the chest1 large1 full  
trousers1 yellow slippers1 and heavy    
silver anklets complete this curious yet
 attractive costume4 ,all are arrayed in
 oriental costumes of the most vivid    
coloring4  ,many of the ,moorish women  
are considered very beautiful1 with     

their almond-shaped eyes veiled by long 
lashes1 a slightly curved nose1 and     
small1 rounded mouth2 but to our eyes   
their faces lack animation4 ,the eyes   
are heavy and sleepy looking1 and the   
rouge1 powder1 and various cosmetics    
which they employ when making their     
toilet render them hideous rather than  
beautiful in the eyes of practical      
,americans4  ,living as they do in the  
closest seclusion1 with no social nor   
educational advantages1 we cannot wonder
 that their minds are undeveloped and   
inactive1 and that life at best in the  
,moorish household1 is1 for its women1  
monotonous and dull4  ,leaving the city 
of ,fez in the company of a caravan1 we 
reach the capital of ,morocco after     
several days and nights of travel and of
 camping out4  ,the city of ,morocco    
stands on a plain and is surrounded by  
walls six miles in circumference1 with  
square towers one hundred and fifty feet
 apart rising from them4 ,these walls   
are built of a kind of cement made from 

finely powdered lime and earth4 ,eleven 
gates1 or entrances1 pierce these walls1
 and crowds of people are coming and    
going constantly through them during the
 day4  ,morocco cannot be said to be a  
very brilliant capital4 ,the streets are
 narrow and dark1 and a stranger would  
not care to wander through them at      
night4 ,the houses1 like those in other 
parts of the empire1 are mostly of one  
story1 with flat roofs4 ,the interior is
 more attractive than the exterior4 ,the
 apartments are usually built around a  
court2 within this court a fountain or a
 statue forms the center of attraction4 
,the apartments themselves are furnished
 elaborately1 and would seem almost     
elegant in their appointments1 were they
 fresher and less dilapidated4 ,in many 
of the houses are rich carvings of a    
style and finish of earlier and more    
prosperous times4  ,just outside the    
city walls is the emperor's palace4 ,the
 grounds surrounding it are very        
extensive and are kept in excellent     

order4 ,although the gardens can in no  
way be compared with the royal gardens  
in ,europe1 yet they do not lack beauty4
 ,they cannot be considered as open to  
the public1 yet travelers are admitted  
to certain parts of them1 and ,europeans
 receive marked attention from the      
officials4  ,after the heat and noise1  
to say nothing of the disagreeable odors
 of the city1 it is a relief to get     
outside the walls and enjoy the beauty  
and sweetness of the royal gardens4     
,here in the cool and quiet is the best 
place from which to view the royal      
family1 the various officers of state1  
and such distinguished guests as may be 
in attendance on the court4             
,illustration3 ,,dinner ,,time ,,in     
,,morocco4  ,the palace of the emperor  
is far from imposing2 there is1 in fact1
 nothing remarkable about it4 ,some of  
our hotels present a more elegant and   
imposing appearance4  ,the population of
 ,morocco is1 as we might suppose1 a    
mixed one4 ,people of all colors1 the   

educated and the ignorant of all classes
 mingle together4 ,here1 in fact1 are   
all sorts and conditions of men4        
,mekinez is the summer residence of the 
,sultan4 ,it has a fine situation in the
 midst of olive plantations1 about forty
 miles west of ,fez1 to which broad     
streets1 lined with beautiful shade     
trees1 present a very pleasing contrast4
 ,it is surrounded by a triple row of   
notched or crenated walls1 and the      
approach to the city in the full light  
of midday is most beautiful1 with the   
thousands of white terraces standing out
 in bold relief from the deep blue sky4 
,not a column of smoke can we perceive  
ascending from any of the multitude of  
houses2 not a person is visible either  
upon the terraces or before the walks2  
not a sound is to be heard4  ,we might  
believe we were in an enchanted city    
where some sleeping beauty lay waiting  
for the hundred years to expire4 ,we    
stand in silence1 as if spellbound by   
the grandeur of some wondrous painting4 

,there is a saying1 among the natives1  
that ,mekinez can justly lay claim to   
having the most beautiful women in the  
empire of ,morocco1 the most ornamental 
gardens in ,africa1 and the finest      
imperial in the world4  ,directly west  
of the city of ,morocco and farther     
south than ,mekinez lies ,mogadore1 the 
most important seaport of ,morocco upon 
the ,atlantic coast4 ,the inhabitants1  
who take great pride in their town1 give
 it a name signifying square4 ,it is1   
however1 somewhat triangular in shape4  
,the town is quite modern in its        
construction4 ,it is built upon a sandy 
beach2 which1 fortunately1 has a rocky  
foundation4 ,the streets are somewhat   
narrow1 but they are straight and well  
laid out4 ,the houses are arranged with 
much regularity and precision on either 
side4  ,the town is divided into two    
parts4 ,one section contains the        
citadel1 the public buildings1          
governor's palace1 and the residences of
 the consuls and merchants who represent

 the several countries of ,europe4 ,the 
other section of the town is occupied by
 the ,jews and ,moors4 ,the ,moors have 
their own special quarter1 called       
villah1 which the police close at night4
  ,the walls of the town are not        
especially high nor strong4 ,they are1  
however1 of sufficient height and       
strength to serve as a defense against  
the attacks of the savage mountain      
tribes and the ,arabs of the plains4    
,the harbor of ,mogadore is formed by a 
bay1 which is closed by an island of the
 same name situated about two miles from
 the mainland4 ,the harbor contains some
 slight fortifications and a mosque--all
 situated upon this island4  ,it has    
been estimated that the town of         
,mogadore has a population numbering    
between thirteen and fifteen thousand   
people4 ,about four thousand of these   
are ,jews1 and there are possibly one   
thousand ,christians4  ,if we approach  
the town from the interior it presents a
 most curious aspect1 surrounded as it  

is by immense batteries in the form of  
pyramids4 ,each of these is constructed 
in such a way as to serve as a defense  
to the approaches to the city4 ,an      
aqueduct1 which is filled from a small  
river1 furnishes the water supply for   
the inhabitants4  ,the climate of the   
town is very healthy4 ,there are no     
lowlands nor marshes to breed malarial  
fevers4 ,rain seldom falls1 but the     
dryness of the air is tempered by the   
,atlas mountain chain on the one side1  
and the sea on the other4 ,the former   
serves to keep off the hot land breezes1
 while the latter lends its refreshing  
breezes to give coolness and moisture to
 the atmosphere4  ,the suburbs of       
,mogadore consist mainly of desolate    
waste land4 ,at intervals gardens with a
 few vegetables and flowers may be seen4
 ,these gardens are always cultivated in
 the very midst of the sand at no little
 outlay of time and strength4 ,they     
furnish striking evidence of man's      
ingenuity to make the most of his       

resources1 even in so sterile a land4   
,at one side of the town are two        
cemeteries2 one for ,christians1 the    
other for natives4 ,that for ,christians
 is desolate in the extreme4 ,not a sod1
 nor even the most humble flower is to  
be seen2 not a tree shades the tombs4   
,the mournful winds of ,old ,ocean sweep
 over its expanse1 and it seems indeed  
forsaken2 but1 dreary as it is1 the     
,moorish cemetery is even more          
unattractive4     ,,chapter ,,lxxvi4    
,,into ,,algeria4   ,striking off from  
the empire of ,morocco1 as we journey   
eastward into ,algeria we come to the   
town of ,tlemcen4 ,a passing glance at  
the town is1 at first1 very pleasing4 ,a
 triple row of fine trees1 such as the  
white poplar1 the plane tree1 the       
acacia1 the nettle tree1 and a species  
of tree the foliage of which is so thick
 that no sunbeam can ever penetrate it1 
lines the avenue of ,mechonar1 which    
leads to the gate of ,bon ,medina4 ,at  
the left can be seen the old walls of   

,mechonar1 which was the citadel of the 
town4 ,at the right the eye beholds a   
scene strongly in contrast1 for the     
houses1 with possibly a few exceptions1 
are squalid in the extreme4  ,it is     
impossible to enter the town except from
 the southwest2 as all other approaches 
to it present steep and rugged sides4   
,the district about it abounds in fruit 
trees of all descriptions4 ,the olive   
tree is the most valuable among them4   
,much of the land is cultivated for the 
production of cereals1 tobacco1 etc4    
,tlemcen is the capital of the province 
of ,oran4 ,it is situated some eighty   
miles from its chief town1 ,oran1 and   
enjoys a delightful situation in an     
undulating country under a thorough     
system of irrigation and cultivation4 ,a
 range of hills1 some four thousand or  
more feet in height1 protects it from   
the south wind sweeping up from the     
desert sections4  ,the climate of the   
town is somewhat remarkable for its     
sudden changes in temperature1 which are

 as distinct from day to day as are the 
changes of our climate from season to   
season4 ,sometimes they come in rapid   
succession1 even in a single day1 during
 the summer season4  ,rain falls in     
abundance4 ,the rainy season begins     
usually in ,october and continues1 with 
occasional periods of fine weather1     
until the following ,may or ,june4 ,the 
spring rains and the frequency of       
morning fogs render the vegetation so   
luxuriant as to astonish the traveler1  
even in the heat of the summer4 ,after  
journeying through districts where the  
vegetation is parched and withered by   
the heat of ,june1 the freshness of the 
verdure around ,tlemcen cannot fail to  
delight as well as surprise the         
stranger4  ,the town rarely feels the   
effect of the sirocco1 or wind from the 
south1 and never longer than for two or 
three days in succession4 ,thunder is   
occasionally heard in winter or in the  
spring1 and sometimes at the close of an
 unusually sultry day4 ,when storms come

 they pass rapidly1 for strong currents 
of air draw them away1 usually towards  
the southeast4  ,although apparently    
enjoying so many advantages1 yet the    
town cannot be said to be very          
beautiful1 when once we are within its  
walls4 ,the quarters of the natives are 
hideous4 ,often they are scarcely more  
than ruins4 ,in fact1 it is no uncommon 
thing to find the most wretched         
buildings constructed out of the        
remnants of larger ones4  ,the interior 
of nearly all the native houses is      
squalid and destitute of all comfort4   
,usually a mat serves the purpose of a  
bed4 ,a painted wooden chest1 containing
 a few garments of wearing apparel and a
 scanty supply of linen1 serves the     
double purpose of a closet and a table  
or seat1 as may be needed4 ,a few       
articles for the kitchen1 a chafing dish
 of earthenware1 and some wooden plates 
made from the poplar tree1 complete the 
articles of household furniture4  ,the  
,jews1 though much more crowded in their

 quarters than we should think admitted 
of comfort for their families of        
numerous boys and girls1 furnish their  
homes much more comfortably than the    
natives do4  ,the natives are divided   
into two distinct classes very hostile  
to each other4 ,on account of this      
hostile spirit the ,french have been    
able to maintain a strong hold upon the 
country4  ,many of the people have      
,turkish fathers and ,arab mothers1 and 
constitute an oppressed and despised    
class4 ,the ,french have protected them 
from direct persecution1 and this has   
made them not only very grateful but    
very loyal to these foreigners1 whom    
they even aid by joining their military 
forces in time of need4  ,they are      
generally tall in stature and vigorous  
in body1 and are more cleanly and       
careful in their dress than their       
rivals1 and more industrious4 ,through  
their labor the fine gardens of the town
 are kept green4 ,they keep the         
provision and butcher shops1 and as they

 speak both ,french and ,spanish they   
easily compete with the foreign         
tradesmen4  ,their rivals1 the ,haddans1
 are of pure ,arab blood1 and in their  
poverty and indolence are far inferior  
to their ancestors1 who were rather an  
energetic race4 ,their bronze           
complexions and black hair offer a      
strong contrast to the white complexions
 and usually fair hair of the despised  
half-breeds4  ,the ,israelites are very 
numerous in ,tlemcen4 ,during the       
persecution of the ,jews in the         
fifteenth century1 many of them fled    
into ,algeria and took refuge mainly in 
the province of ,oran4  ,about the      
middle of the present century the       
,kabyles1 a sturdy race of mountaineers 
descended from the ancient ,numidians1  
broke out into decided hostilities      
against the ,french4 ,although they     
displayed much of the fierce1 dauntless 
spirit of their ancestors1 they were    
speedily quelled4  ,the work of         
conquering1 colonizing1 and1 in a       

measure1 civilizing ,algeria1 went on2  
while the ,french troops1 penetrating   
into the remote south1 almost to the    
borders of the ,sahara1 soon subdued the
 desert tribes1 in spite of their bold  
resistance4  ,during the latter half of 
the present century the ,french         
government has given a great deal of    
attention to ,algeria4 ,unfortunately1  
the ,french have not the reputation of  
making very good colonists4  ,the       
,kabyles1 who occupy the mountainous    
section between ,algiers and            
,constantine1 were originally strong and
 powerful tribes1 numbering one hundred 
and fifty thousand fighting men1 all    
deadly foes of the ,french4 ,most of    
them have been subdued1 though not      
without a long1 sanguinary struggle4    
,the ,kabyles are the most intelligent  
and the most industrious of all the     
,algerian tribes4 ,not an inch of ground
 capable of cultivation is allowed to go
 to waste4 ,the carpets they manufacture
 are of superb beauty4 ,their woolens   

almost equal those of the ,english      
manufacturers in their excellence4      
,their gunpowder is of so superior a    
quality that the ,french for a long time
 believed it to be of ,english          
manufacture4  ,with the exception of a  
few ,kabyle districts that struggle to  
maintain an independence of the ,french 
government1 the whole of ,algeria is now
 so much in subjection that it is       
perfectly safe to travel through any    
part of it without fear of being        
molested4  ,among the benefits that have
 come through the colonization of       
,algeria1 the system of artesian well   
digging is1 by far1 the most important4 
,by means of irrigation1 many barren and
 waste lands have been reclaimed and    
made extremely fertile4  ,about the     
middle of the present century1 boring   
was begun in an oasis of the ,sahara1   
within a desert section of the province 
of ,constantine4 ,a splendid fountain of
 water1 yielding at the rate of over    
four thousand quarts a minute1 at a     

temperature of seventy degrees1 was the 
result4 ,the native priests blessed it1 
and named it ,the ,fountain of ,peace4  
,another of these artesian wells was    
called ,the ,fountain of ,benediction4  
,in the desert of ,sidi-,rached1 a      
region wholly unproductive1 owing to    
lack of water1 a well was dug to a depth
 of a little more than fifty-four       
meters1 which yielded over four thousand
 quarts a minute4 ,this well is known as
 ,the ,fountain of ,gratitude4 ,the     
greatest excitement was shown when it   
was opened4 ,the ,arabs ran in crowds to
 the spot1 and bathed themselves in the 
welcome stream2 mothers dipped their    
little ones in it1 while the aged priest
 fell upon his knees1 wept1 and in      
broken words of gratitude gave thanks to
 ,god1 and to the ,french to whom such  
knowledge and power had been given4  ,in
 some places these artesian wells have  
been made the centers of settlements1 by
 tribes which formerly were nomadic1 or 
wandering4 ,around what may be termed   

wellsprings of joy1 villages have been  
constructed1 and date trees have been   
planted in their vicinity4  ,through so 
simple an agent as these artesian wells1
 the wandering habits of the tribes have
 been changed1 and obedience and        
allegiance to ,french rule have in a    
measure been established4 ,with feelings
 of gratitude these tribes recognize the
 blessing of a plentiful supply of pure 
water1 and render thanks to those who   
have unlocked the storehouses of nature4
  ,the oases1 or fertile regions1 which 
owe their existence to the digging of   
artesian wells1 are usually surrounded  
by walls1 which serve the purpose of    
fortifications4 ,such fortified places  
are used as storehouses and magazines by
 wandering tribes1 who leave their grain
 crops and other goods in security1     
while they travel long distances in     
search of fresh pasturage for their     
immense flocks4  ,the ,kabyles are not  
,arabs1 but are descendants of the      
original ,african possessors of the     

soil1 the ,berbers4 ,it is an           
interesting sight on a bright spring    
morning to watch the footpaths that lead
 to some popular ,kabyle market4 ,all   
along the roadside1 under the foliage of
 the trees1 or fording the shallow      
places in the rivers1 swarms of these   
natives may be seen on their way to     
market4  ,the father of a family1 with  
the younger children perched upon his   
shoulders1 usually leads the way4 ,his  
wife follows1 leading the older         
children1 while the mules1 donkeys1 and 
sheep with their drivers follow in a    
long procession4  ,sometimes the wife1  
if young and easily fatigued1 is allowed
 to ride upon the back of one of the    
donkeys4 ,this is1 however1 a rare      
thoughtfulness on the part of the       
husband4 ,usually he thinks nothing of  
allowing his wife to find her way       
through streams where the water reaches 
above the knees even in the shallow     
places4  ,the ,kabyle villages present a
 gay festive appearance1 if viewed from 

a distance4 ,a closer inspection is     
disenchanting1 for it reveals the dirt1 
squalor1 and disorder characteristic of 
the daily life of the natives1 and which
 cannot fail to impress the traveler    
unpleasantly4  ,the houses are packed   
closely together on unpaved streets1 so 
narrow that should two persons attempt  
to pass each other1 one of them would be
 obliged to step to one side4  ,small   
courts lead to the entrances of one or  
more of the squalid dwellings1 which    
have but one room on the ground floor1  
with no opening other than the low      
doorway4 ,the fireplace is merely a hole
 dug out in the floor4 ,no chimney1     
however1 is provided to carry off the   
smoke4  ,it is indeed hard to choose    
between the stifling1 smoky atmosphere  
of one of these dwellings and that in   
the narrow streets impregnated with the 
vilest odors arising from all kinds of  
filth and rubbish lying about4  ,in some
 of the villages it is no uncommon thing
 to find nine or ten persons living in  

the one room of the house with the      
various domestic animals4 ,in such a    
room the floor is of earth4 ,it is      
unpaved1 soiled with dirt1 and littered 
with rubbish4 ,a mat is rarely seen on  
such a floor1 which has to serve as the 
only sleeping place for the members of  
the family4 ,a bed is an unheard-of     
luxury4  ,the garments worn by the      
,kabyles are dirty1 greasy1 and ragged4 
,their food is coarse1 and not always   
sufficient for the needs of the body4   
,when death enters the household1 little
 change is made in the habits of the    
family4 ,the body of the dead person is 
stretched out upon the dirty1 bare      
floor4 ,sometimes a cloth or rug is     
thrown over it4 ,the neighbors are then 
called into the house of mourning and   
crouch in a circle around the body1     
while the mild-eyed cattle1 as they     
quietly chew their cud1 look on in      
contemplative wonder4  ,during the      
struggle with the ,french1 many of these
 tribes of the mountains were in the    

habit of seeking refuge with their      
flocks and treasures in the caves of the
 vicinity4 ,on one occasion1 a tribe1   
when hotly pursued by the ,french1 took 
refuge in one of these immense caves4   
,the colonel of the ,french troops      
ordered the refugees to surrender their 
firearms and horses1 promising life and 
liberty4 ,the offer was scornfully      
rejected by the ,kabyles1 who set at    
work to collect fagots1 which they      
placed at the entrance of the cave and  
then ignited4  ,three different times   
the ,french colonel sent a flag of truce
 and begged the imprisoned natives to   
surrender and accept the terms offered1 
but without avail4 ,the last messenger  
was met by a discharge of firearms by   
the dauntless mountaineers4 ,the fire   
was then rekindled and the intrepid     
,kabyles met their death in what had    
proved a prison rather than a refuge4   
,later1 when the cave was examined1 some
 six hundred dead bodies were found4    
,counting those natives who1 though     

alive1 did not long survive1 and those  
who could not be reached1 it has been   
roughly estimated that about eight      
hundred must have perished4 ,some had   
been suffocated1 others trampled to     
death by the maddened cattle which had  
been confined in the cave with their    
owners4  ,the capital of ,algeria is    
,algiers4 ,it was built some nine       
hundred years before ,christ4 ,an ,arab 
chief was its founder4 ,it rises from   
the sea coast up the sides of a bald1   
rugged hill4  ,viewed from a distance   
the city is somewhat like a triangle in 
shape4 ,the apex of the triangle is     
occupied by an ancient fortress4 ,it    
stands five hundred feet above sea level
 and commands the whole city4  ,the     
modern part of the city is built lower  
down4 ,on the side facing the sea it has
 a strong fortification1 which the      
,french have improved at a great        
expense4  ,it has been estimated that   
,algiers has a population of between    
fifty and sixty thousand people4  ,oran 

and ,constantine are both situated upon 
the sea coast4 ,the former is a strongly
 fortified town upon the west4 ,it is   
quite ,europeanlike in appearance4 ,its 
seaport1 about five miles to the north1 
is said to have one of the finest       
harbors on the northern coast of        
,africa4  ,illustration3 ,,street ,,in  
,,algiers4  ,constantine has a          
strikingly picturesque situation in the 
east4 ,it stands on the summit of a     
gigantic mass of grayish white          
limestone1 with precipitous sides4 ,to  
add to the grandeur of the picture1 the 
foaming waters of the ,wed ,rummel dash 
against three sides of this limestone   
mass1 as if seeking to overthrow it4    
,the town and the immediate neighborhood
 abound in the ruins of ancient ,roman  
structures4 ,the very walls which       
surround and fortify the town were built
 by the ,arabs from stones sculptured by
 the ,romans4 ,on one side is a fine old
 ,roman bridge spanning a ravine4  ,in  
ancient times ,constantine was one of   

the most important towns of ,numidia2   
for a long time it was a residence for  
the royalty4  ,about three hundred years
 before ,christ it was destroyed in the 
wars of ,maxentius against ,alexander4  
,it was1 however1 soon rebuilt by       
,constantine the ,great1 and derived its
 present name from him4  ,the palace of 
,constantine is the most interesting of 
all the public monuments of ,algeria1   
both on account of its antiquity and its
 special architecture4 ,it is not       
imposing in its character1 nor has it   
any finely finished details of very rare
 merit2 neither can it be said to be    
perfectly harmonious in its structure4  
,if we compare it with the other        
magnificent buildings of the ,turkish   
reign1 we shall find that it is superior
 to them because of its elegant and     
handsome proportions4 ,its interior     
decorations1 too1 display all the beauty
 and luxuriance of the most modern      
productions of the ,algerines4  ,it was 
captured about #ahcj1 and now           

constitutes the headquarters of the     
commanding general of the province of   
,constantine4 ,one of the most striking 
apartments is known as the ,saloon of   
,trophies1 which is entered from the    
grand reception saloon by means of a    
door at the side4 ,the room presents a  
delightful view4 ,the rafters of the    
ceiling are supported by three slender  
columns of marble1 which are most       
beautifully carved1 and twisted into    
spirals4 ,to add to the unique character
 of the ceiling1 various colored        
lanterns of handsome form1 as well as   
two beautiful glass chandeliers of      
ancient ,italian style1 are suspended   
from it4  ,about midway in the apartment
 is an alcove surrounded with luxurious 
divans4 ,at the right and left are      
panels1 with magnificent mirrors mounted
 in beautifully carved woodwork4  ,the  
side walls of the room are completely   
covered with rose work of the most      
brilliant coloring4 ,the floors1 and the
 walls between the windows1 are finished

 with varnished tiles4 ,the windows are 
protected by double shutters4 ,these are
 most attractive in appearance1 being   
decorated with mirrors on the interior1 
and beautiful rich carvings in cedar    
wood on the exterior4  ,a most curious  
piece of ancient furniture is found in  
this room4 ,it consists of a candle     
stand in the form of an egg cup bearing 
an ostrich egg4 ,the stand is of gilded 
bronze4 ,it has three branches1 or arms1
 to hold the candles4 ,this stand is    
believed to have belonged to the        
daughter of the ,turkish ruler who      
constructed the palace4 ,the ,saloon of 
,trophies is said to have been her      
apartment4  ,the room derives its       
present name from the large collection  
of flags and arms1 trophies of war1     
which decorate the walls4 ,they serve to
 commemorate the various expeditions and
 war feats of the conquerors in the     
province of ,constantine4  ,here may be 
found guns1 sabres1 and pistols1 of the 
most varied descriptions4 ,many of them 

are surmounted by the curious red1      
yellow1 or green silk banners under     
which the ,turks have fought against all
 invaders of their territory or         
disturbers of their religious faith and 
customs4  ,the court of the palace bears
 the name of the ,court of the ,genii1  
suggestive of tales from the ,arabian   
,nights4 ,it is surrounded by five      
pointed arches on each side4 ,it        
occupies a somewhat secluded space1 and 
in ancient times served as a great      
basin1 or reservoir1 in which the women 
of the royal household were accustomed  
to bathe4  ,in this reservoir was a     
fountain1 the waters of which fell back 
into a tier of basins1 varying in size4 
,on the edges of these basins1 beautiful
 rose work and inter-twining foliage had
 been carved by a skillful artist1 who  
with the cunning of his art had closely 
imitated nature4  ,the waters of the    
reservoir were filled with fish1 which  
were the special care of the ladies of  
the royal household4  ,on one side of   

the court a staircase led down into a   
vaulted chamber underneath the palace4  
,here were situated ,moorish baths      
arranged exclusively for the royal      
household4  ,it was the custom each day 
to transport to the palace immense water
 bags made of oxhide4 ,these were filled
 from the river1 which flowed at the    
foot of the hill1 and transported to the
 palace upon the backs of mules4 ,the   
water was first poured into a sort of   
conduit4 ,pipes of pottery extending    
from it conducted the stream into the   
interior of the palace4  ,chambers in   
which the bathers could repose were     
built over the baths4 ,in one of these  
chambers was an immense bird cage in    
which nightingales1 finches1 parrots1   
canaries1 and various other species were
 kept for the pleasure and amusement of 
the royal ladies4  ,when the ,french    
took possession of ,algeria1 the royal  
family fled from their palatial         
residence1 many escaping through a hole 
in the wall1 and these baths came into  

the possession of the conquerors4       
,early in the present century1 the name 
,algiers terrified every schoolboy who  
read of the evil deeds of the pirates1  
whose business it was to roam over the  
seas for plunder from foreign vessels4  
,many a brave man lost his life trying  
to save his vessel from surrender1 while
 his crew was mercilessly cut down by   
the sabres of the infuriated pirates1   
who were determined to capture the prize
 at any cost4  ,sometimes1 forced to    
surrender1 the hapless captain and his  
crew were conveyed in their vessel to   
,algiers1 and thrust into dark and      
loathsome dungeons1 where life became   
one long torture4  ,the confiscated     
vessel was then employed as a decoy1 or 
painted over so as not to be recognized 
on the high seas by the crews of other  
vessels sailing from the same country4  
,so desperate were these pirates that1  
if they saw no chance of securing a     
vessel1 they did not hesitate to scuttle
 it1 and to leave the crew to find a    

watery grave1 as it sank beneath the    
waves4  ,early in the present century1  
the ,english nation sent out a fleet to 
bombard ,algiers4 ,then the ,french     
nation1 in turn1 sent its fleets to wage
 war against the ,algerine pirates1     
whose name had become a terror1 and     
whose deeds were notorious throughout   
the commercial world4     ,,chapter     
,,lxxvii4  ,,the ,,state ,,of ,,tunis4  
,tunis is the smallest and most easterly
 of the ,barbary ,states4  ,ancient     
,carthage included within its           
territories those of the modern state of
 ,tunis4 ,the ruins of the ancient city 
may be found about thirteen miles       
northeast of the walled city of ,tunis4 
,nothing remains now of the ancient     
capital but scattered piles of stones   
and two crumbling arcades1 which1 in the
 course of ages1 have yielded to the    
force of the elements4  ,tunis1 which is
 the political capital of the state1 is 
situated upon the ,mediterranean ,sea4  
,it is located at the extreme end of a  

lagoon some twelve miles in             
circumference4 ,it is connected with the
 ,bay of ,tunis by the narrow channel of
 ,goletta4 ,at the mouth of this channel
 is a little town bearing the same name4
 ,goletta is really the port of ,tunis4 
,the city of ,tunis is divided into an  
upper and a lower part4 ,the upper      
section is occupied by the ,mohammedans4
 ,the lower section1 as well as the     
suburbs1 is occupied by the ,italians1  
,maltese1 ,french1 and ,jews4  ,the     
streets of the city are narrow and      
exceedingly dirty4 ,modern civilization 
seems to have done little in the way of 
improving their sanitary conditions4    
,at ,tunis is situated the palace of the
 bey1 or ,turkish ruler4 ,there is      
nothing remarkable about its exterior1  
but the interior is furnished with all  
the luxuriance of the ,moorish style4   
,this palace is used as a residence for 
distinguished foreigners4 ,the bey has  
his residence at ,el-mersa1 which is    
situated on the sea coast about three   

leagues from the city4  ,about two miles
 northwest of the city of ,tunis stands 
an immense building1 the ,bardo1 with   
many towers and projections4 ,it is the 
official seat of government4 ,the state 
prisons1 the garrison1 the military     
school1 and an entire street of shops1  
are included within the government      
grounds4  ,the city is connected by rail
 with several of the other chief towns  
in the neighborhood4 ,the principal     
railway1 which belongs to a ,french     
company1 runs from ,tunis to the        
,algerian frontier4  ,the trade with    
different ports of ,europe1 principally 
with ,marseilles1 ,genoa1 and ,leghorn1 
consists in exporting the productions of
 inner ,africa4 ,not only ,tunis and its
 seaport ,goletta1 but also ,susa and   
,sfaks upon the east coast1 are         
concerned in this trade with ,europe4   
,the latter port is connected by        
telegraph with the capital4  ,besides   
its political capital1 the state has its
 spiritual capital1 ,kairwan4 ,it lies  

about seventy-five miles south of ,tunis
 in a barren plain and is regarded as   
one of the sacred cities of ,islam4 ,at 
one time neither a ,jew nor a ,christian
 could have his residence there4  ,the  
manufactures of the state of ,tunis are 
mostly woolen fabrics4 ,these consist of
 the burnooses1 or ,arab mantles1 and   
the peculiar red caps1 familiar all     
along the ,mediterranean4 ,soap1        
earthenware and the famous ,morocco     
leather are among the manufactures4     
,two kinds of alcoholic beverages are   
made by the people4 ,they are held in   
great esteem1 since the ,koran does not 
forbid ,mohammedans to use them4 ,one of
 these drinks is made from dates2 the   
other from the ,indian fig4  ,some of   
the products of the sea coast of ,tunis 
are quite valuable1 as coral and sponge4
 ,salt is also obtained4 ,in various    
parts of the mountains1 lead ore and    
quicksilver are known to exist4         
,deposits of saltpeter are found in the 
plateau of ,kairwan4  ,the government of

 the state is despotic4 ,the ruler bears
 the title bey4 ,in the spring of #ahha 
the ,french invaded the state to punish 
the ,berber inhabitants of the mountains
 in the extreme northwest1 because they 
had invaded ,french territory4 ,this    
invasion by the ,berbers was made the   
pretext to compel the bey to accept a   
treaty making the ,french rule supreme  
in ,tunis4  ,the inhabitants are1       
generally speaking1 of good figure4 ,the
 men are rather spare and sinewy4 ,the  
women are considered very beautiful4    
,when they are young they have a bright 
color1 clear complexion1 and large1     
expressive eyes4 ,their hair1 which is  
usually of a blue-black color1 is       
allowed to float freely over the        
shoulders4  ,in ,tunis1 as in other     
,oriental countries1 flesh is considered
 a mark of beauty4 ,it is said that the 
,moorish ladies have a recipe for       
becoming fleshy which never fails--to   
eat freely of young dogs4  ,the women of
 the wealthy classes decorate themselves

 with a profusion of gold and silver    
ornaments1 and carry about with them    
small mirrors and scent-boxes4 ,they    
adorn themselves1 too1 with precious    
stones1 chains1 and corals4 ,the poorer 
women of the ,arab populace load        
themselves down with strings of glass   
beads1 and copper jewelry4  ,the ,arab  
children when but a few days old have a 
skin almost as white as a ,european's1  
though rather a dull white4 ,exposure to
 the sun soon tans the skin1 little by  
little1 to a brownish hue4 ,this is by  
no means unpleasing to the eye4  ,the   
,jewish women of ,tunis have a very     
different costume from that of the women
 of ,algeria and ,morocco4 ,it is       
strikingly original and of the most     
brilliant coloring4 ,tradition          
identifies it with the old ,hebrew      
costume of ,scriptural times4  ,its     
peculiar features are a pointed cap set 
upon the head1 and a very loose jacket1 
which falls a little below the waist1   
and which is often ornamented with the  

richest of embroidery4 ,a close-fitting 
pair of stockings to cover the legs1 and
 peculiar slippers or ,hessian boots    
decorated with tassels1 complete the    
quaint costume4  ,the ,jewish men wear a
 costume much more like that of the     
,turks1 except that their full1 loose   
trousers do not fall much below the     
knee4  ,the women of the ,turkish       
households in ,tunis1 as well as in all 
,mohammedan countries1 are regarded more
 as pets and favorites than as the      
companions and helpmates which they are 
in ,american and ,european households4  
,their homes are like gilded cages1 for 
the inmates can leave them only by      
permission of the head of the household4
 ,even when allowed to go upon the      
street1 they are always heavily veiled  
from observation4     ,,chapter         
,,lxxviii4  ,,the ,,province ,,of       
,,tripoli4   ,if we leave the port of   
,tunis on one of the little ,maltese    
schooners1 we can1 after a sail of some 
forty-eight hours with a favorable wind1

 easily discern the walls of ,tripoli   
rising out of the sea from the low1     
rocky tongue of land in the western     
extremity of the province4  ,the coast  
line is so low that we have been able to
 see it only upon very near approach to 
shore4 ,the mountains of the interior1  
however1 were discernible even at a     
distance of ten miles from shore1 and   
our pilot has not hesitated to use them 
as safe landmarks by which to direct the
 course of our little vessel4  ,as we   
approach the coast it is seen as a more 
distinct line above the waves4          
,gradually it assumes the form of a long
 crescent1 the white walls of the town  
rising from the center4  ,the eastern   
point of the crescent-shaped shore is   
overgrown with a dense grove of palm    
trees1 which stand like troops          
protecting the coast1 even to the       
water's edge1 by what seems like an     
advance guard4 ,the western point of the
 crescent is but a stretch of the yellow
 sands of the desert1 with here and     

there a stunted growth to break the     
monotony4  ,a small gulf forms the      
harbor of the town4 ,across the front of
 this gulf a reef of low rocks serves as
 a foundation for a natural breakwater4 
,one would think that it would be an    
easy matter to add to nature's work and 
make this feature of valuable service to
 the harbor2 but the indolent ,arabs    
have contented themselves with throwing 
out a frail rampart for a short distance
 from the shore4  ,doubtless this       
rampart was made upon foundations laid  
by the ,romans4 ,on it some rusty cannon
 are mounted1 as if to recall the glory 
of departed days1 when the power of this
 kingdom1 with its piratical character1 
struck terror to all the ,european      
nations whose vessels plowed the seas4  
,like ,algiers1 ,tripoli was1 in past   
ages1 notorious for its piracy4  ,as far
 back as the middle of the sixteenth    
century1 a governor of the province1 a  
noted corsair himself1 encouraged piracy
 to such an extent that the town of     

,tripoli had become the headquarters of 
the worst class of men that had ever    
sailed the seas4 ,all commerce was at   
the mercy of these men1 who were hated  
as much as they were feared4  ,this     
condition of affairs had continued until
 the beginning of the present century1  
when the ,english compelled the         
,tripolitans to abandon their infamous  
doings upon the seas4 ,hence1 in        
,tripoli1 as in ,algiers1 piracy is at  
an end4 ,thanks to war ships1 we can    
rejoice that the black flag1 the skull  
and crossbones1 the clipper ships that  
carried them1 and the dastardly crews   
that maimed these pirate crafts are all 
things of the past4  ,tripoli1 like all 
the cities of the ,orient1 is beautiful1
 if seen from a distance2 approach to it
 is sure to be very disenchanting to the
 traveler4 ,let him once step foot upon 
the little quay1 built of masonry1 gayly
 striped in green1 yellow1 blue1 and    
red1 and all poetic fancies leave his   
mind1 as his eyes and nose are greeted  

with the most disenchanting1 yet        
striking1 sights and smells4  ,as he    
passes through the little gate of the   
fishers he emerges into a perfect       
labyrinth of narrow1 irregular streets1 
far more dirty than any imagination     
could picture4 ,these streets are lined 
with the most miserable little shops and
 old houses crumbling to ruins1 and are 
littered on all sides with dirt of every
 description4  ,only on rare occasions  
has the town known any spasmodic        
attempts at cleanliness4 ,such an       
occasion offers itself whenever a new   
pasha arrives from ,constantine to      
assume official duties and issues an    
eloquent appeal to the people to        
cultivate cleanliness4  ,a spirit of    
emulation seems then to possess the     
people4 ,each person tries to outdo his 
neighbor4 ,the proprietor of each little
 shop cleans away all dirt from his     
house and premises and carefully places 
it in a little heap in the street1 to be
 removed to a place outside the town    

limits4 ,alas6 the removal of the       
garbage is postponed indefinitely1 the  
piles of dirt and waste increase in     
size1 and are finally scattered to the  
four winds1 and the old state of dirt   
and filth prevails4  ,most of the houses
 are united to one another every few    
rods by arches of masonry4 ,after heavy 
rains these supports have to be         
strengthened by rafters4 ,in spite of   
these precautions many houses tumble to 
pieces in the course of a single year4  
,it is hard to assign a cause for this4 
,possibly it may be due to the poor     
quality of the lime used in building1 to
 the brackish nature of the water1 or to
 the inferior quality of the building   
stone1 which1 is merely a compressed    
sand4  ,it is a curious fact that houses
 rarely last more than a year without   
showing signs of decay4 ,this condition 
of things discourages architects and    
builders4 ,hence1 few handsome edifices 
and buildings are seen1 if we except    
those of a few ,europeans1 the buildings

 of the consul1 the convent of the      
mission1 and a few others4  ,the houses 
are low1 usually of one story1 and their
 flat roofs do not add to the apparent  
height of the buildings4 ,the           
arrangement of the houses is about the  
same in all cases4 ,there is a square   
court1 around which extends a covered   
gallery1 supported by slender columns4  
,long narrow rooms1 generally in the    
form of a ,latin cross with the foot    
wanting1 lead from this gallery4 ,at    
right angles to these narrow rooms1 or  
more strictly speaking1 corridors1 are  
two larger rooms which open from them4  
,these several apartments are separated 
from each other by draperies or         
portieres4  ,the section of ,tripoli    
which lies nearest to the quay is       
populated by ,christians1 who have      
grouped their dwellings around the two  
or three churches of the town4 ,the     
,jews occupy the western section of the 
town1 which is1 if possible1 more       
unsanitary than the others4  ,still1    

,tripoli is not without interest2 for1  
both within and without its walls1 we   
find not only beautiful gardens but     
manufactories for leather1 carpets1     
scarfs1 and the like4  ,from ,tripoli we
 can watch the departure of the great   
caravans for the ,sahara on their way to
 ,timbuctoo ,bornoo1 and other points1  
to obtain the products of the ,soudan4  
,this overland trade we shall find1     
however1 has to a great extent decreased
 in recent years4 ,the town of ,tripoli 
may well be considered the center of a  
large agricultural population4 ,here the
 native men of wealth1 or capitalists1  
increase their revenues by acting as    
money lenders to the peasantry1 who of  
course have to pay high rates of        
interest for the loans4  ,it is         
interesting to notice that in no other  
section of ,north ,africa does the      
,great ,desert approach so closely to   
the sea as in the province of ,tripoli4 
,the ,atlas chain of mountains1 which1  
so far1 has served as a protection to   

the ,mediterranean shore from the       
shifting sands of the desert1 here      
dwindles away to a low ridge of hills1  
and finally disappears entirely in the  
little ,gulf of ,systa1 which lies west 
of the town of ,tripoli4  ,on this gulf 
is the natural seaport of the ,soudan1  
from which1 according to ,dr4 ,barth1   
opens the easiest route to the center of
 the continent4  ,the boundaries of the 
province of ,tripoli can hardly be said 
to be definitely fixed4 ,by some writers
 the whole area1 including ,fezzan and  
,barca1 has been estimated at four      
hundred thousand square miles4 ,some    
writers include the oasis of ,kufra1    
east of ,fezzan2 others declare it to be
 independent4 ,the total population of  
the province is estimated at upwards of 
one million4 ,of this number about three
 hundred thousand belong to ,barca4     
,strange to say1 the coast line1        
stretching as it does over a distance of
 between seven and eight hundred miles1 
has only one harbor1 that of the town of

 ,tripoli4  ,the eastern part of the    
interior is really a continuation of the
 ,great ,desert1 and has the same       
general character2 hence1 large tracts  
of barren sand are common4 ,the southern
 portion of the province is partly      
crossed by the ,black ,mountains1 an    
eastern range of the ,atlas4 ,these     
slope away into successive terraces1    
which include many valleys and fertile  
plains4 ,off to the west1 the surface of
 the country shows still greater        
variety2 here the scenery is often      
beautiful and grand4  ,by far the       
richest tract in the whole province of  
,tripoli is ,mesheea4 ,this has a       
stretch of about fifteen miles of coast 
line4 ,its width1 however1 does not     
exceed five miles4 ,its capital is      
situated very nearly in the center of   
the district4  ,the whole district of   
,mesheea is covered with fertile fields 
producing wheat1 barley1 millet1 ,indian
 corn1 together with madder1 saffron1   
and other crops4 ,olive groves1         

vineyards1 and orchards producing all   
kinds of southern fruit1 abound4  ,this 
fertile little district is divided into 
small inclosures4 ,in the center of each
 of them are two upright piles of       
mason-work4 ,between them a pulley is   
suspended1 and on this a pointed        
leathern bucket is made to ascend and   
descend4 ,each time the bucket ascends  
it gives out a stream of limpid water4  
,the pulley is worked1 usually1 by a    
half-clothed negro1 who leads a most    
disconsolate-looking specimen of an ox  
or cow1 as he toils up and down an      
inclined plane1 the lowest part of which
 is below the surface of the land4  ,all
 day and all night this work goes on1   
from the end of one rainy season till   
the beginning of the next4 ,during these
 eight months all the gardens are like  
so many basins1 which are under a       
regulated system of inundation4         
,another curious custom prevails at the 
season when the sap begins to ascend in 
the date palm4 ,a man begins to mount   

one of these trees1 aided only by his   
naked feet and a girdle which holds him 
to the trunk4  ,slowly1 steadily1 he    
mounts till he reaches the crown1 where 
the branches spread out4 ,he does not   
scruple to cut these off until only four
 remain1 stretching out as if to        
indicate the points of the compass4     
,over one of these branches1 where it   
joins the trunk1 he passes a fine cord  
and allows the two ends to reach the    
ground4 ,he then wounds the tree by     
making a deep incision between two of   
the cuts where he chopped off the       
branches4  ,making a descent from the   
tree1 he sends up a bucket by means of  
the cord1 and allows it to hang         
suspended just under the deep incision  
he has made4 ,after a space of twelve   
hours1 this bucket is brought down and  
another is sent up4 ,the former is      
filled with a pale gray liquid1 not     
quite clear in appearance4 ,it looks    
much like barley water1 is slightly     
sweet in taste1 and is used as we would 

use mineral waters4  ,exposure to the   
atmosphere for some hours changes the   
appearance of the liquid4 ,bubbles rise 
to the surface1 and under this slight   
fermentation1 travelers tell us1 it     
becomes a refreshing beverage1 somewhat 
like soda water4  ,left to stand half a 
day longer1 the harmless beverage       
changes to a thick milk-white fluid with
 a pungent odor and a slightly acid     
taste4 ,worse than all1 it has become an
 intoxicating drink1 as evil in its     
effects as brandy4  ,it is at this stage
 that the natives prefer it1 and the    
most rigid ,mohammedan1 who would shrink
 with horror at the thought of taking a 
glass of wine1 thinks it no sin to drink
 a cup of this intoxicating beverage4   
,without scruple or shame he drinks it  
publicly1 for to him it is only the sap 
of the palm4 ,if left to stand for      
another day1 it changes to a most       
nauseating liquid and is unfit for use4 
,barca is the eastern division of the   
province of ,tripoli4 ,it lies between  

the ,gulf of ,sidra and ,egypt4 ,no     
definite line separates it from ,egypt1 
but several roving1 independent tribes  
serve as a living boundary line between 
the two races and their countries4  ,on 
the south1 ,barca consists of a desert  
plain descending gradually to the       
northerly depressions of the ,libyan    
,desert4 ,the greater part of the       
province is an oval plateau4 ,it has1 in
 turn1 been held by the ,egyptians1     
,byzantines1 ,persians1 and ,arabs1 and 
comprised the ,cyrenaica of the ancient 
world4  ,many remnants of ancient towns1
 particularly in the northwest1 bear    
testimony not only to the important     
place it held in the past1 but to the   
celebrated fertility of the soil4 ,at   
the present time the fertile tracts     
cover only about one fourth of the      
entire province4 ,in the eastern        
portions only naked rocks and loose sand
 greet the eye4  ,among the productions 
of ,barca are rice1 dates1 olives1 and  
saffron4 ,excellent pasturage is        

afforded to cattle1 and the horses are  
as much celebrated as in days gone by4  
,the climate of ,barca is very agreeable
 and healthy in the more elevated       
portions--often twelve hundred feet     
high--and in the sections exposed to the
 sea breezes4     ,,chapter ,,lxxix4    
,,fezzan4   ,as we journey to the south1
 on the road to the ,soudan1 we find the
 great oasis of ,fezzan1 which extends  
far into the midst of the ,great        
,desert4 ,the rocky plateau of ,hammada 
forms a natural defense for it on the   
north1 and the superstition of the      
native ,bedouins serves as another      
obstacle1 in addition to those nature   
has placed along the road4  ,the        
,bedouins have a legend of the terrible 
,djin1 who are doomed to everlasting    
imprisonment in the stony ,hammada4 ,the
 ,djin were formerly the souls of a     
great people inhabiting this region4 ,by
 reason of their great number and       
strength they not only disdained all    
humanity1 but defied both law and       

justice1 and made themselves feared by  
all of their neighbors4  ,king ,solomon 
sent them an apostle1 who might bring   
them to worship one ,god4 ,they1        
however1 not only spurned and mocked at 
the precepts and religious ceremonies of
 the apostle1 but put him to death4     
,not satisfied1 they in derision placed 
a pig in their temples in imitation of  
the sacred niche which in the wall of   
the mosque indicates the direction of   
,mecca4  ,these and other sacrilegious  
acts they committed1 trusting that their
 great isolation1 and the vast distance 
which separated them from all neighbors1
 would prevent any accounts of their    
impiety from reaching the ears of the   
great ,solomon4  ,it happened that there
 were many cranes in the land4 ,these   
were so scandalized at the impious acts 
that they sent one of their number as a 
deputy to carry the news to the great   
prophet4 ,filled with indignation at    
what had taken place1 he sent a summons 
to the lapwing1 his favorite bird1      

commanding him to call together all the 
cranes upon the face of the earth4      
,when they were assembled they formed so
 vast a number that they became a great 
cloud1 which threw the earth into shadow
 from ,misda1 near ,tripoli1 to ,murzuk1
 the capital of ,fezzan4  ,each crane   
held a stone in its beak4 ,at a         
preconcerted signal all dropped their   
loads upon the heads of the wicked      
infidels1 whose souls1 set free1 still  
wander over the solitary waste2 while   
never has a crane been able to fly      
through this space of torment4  ,some   
writers trace a resemblance between this
 ,mohammedan legend and the story of the
 ,pigmies and the ,cranes4  ,the        
northern part of the district consists  
for the most part of hills of a         
perfectly bare sandstone4 ,there are no 
rivers nor brooks among these hills to  
irrigate the soil or to render it       
fertile4 ,the southern part is mostly a 
level waste of desert sand1 of which    
only about one tenth is capable of      

cultivation4  ,in the neighborhood of   
the villages of ,fezzan1 some ninety in 
number1 situated mostly in the wadies1  
or apologies for valleys1 we find wheat1
 barley1 and other grains under         
cultivation4 ,camels and horses are     
raised in great numbers1 and many wild  
animals and birds of prey are frequently
 found4  ,the inhabitants of ,fezzan    
number about thirty-five thousand1 and a
 nomadic or wandering population of     
perhaps nine or ten thousand4  ,the     
inhabitants are of a mixed race4 ,their 
skin is brown and in many respects they 
bear a strong resemblance to the negro4 
,their figures are1 however1 much more  
finely formed and better proportioned4  
,originally of the ,berber tribes1 they 
have gradually mingled with the ,arabs  
since the invasion of the country by    
them in the fifteenth century4 ,hence   
the ,arab characteristics and language  
are very marked in their influence upon 
those of the original ,berber tribes4   
,generally speaking1 the people are far 

behind the rest of the world in         
civilization4 ,they spend their time in 
cultivating their gardens and in        
manufacturing the most indispensable    
necessaries of life4  ,quite a large    
trade is carried on by means of caravans
 passing over the routes between the    
interior of ,africa and the coast       
section4  ,murzuk is the capital of     
,fezzan4 ,it is situated at the foot of 
a high plateau surrounded by low dunes1 
or sand hills1 thrown up by the wind4   
,while we can but admire the picturesque
 situation of the capital1 yet1 even at 
first sight1 we cannot fail to notice   
the great barrenness of the scene4 ,this
 impression is deepened rather than     
lessened after a few days' sojourn in   
the town or in its immediate            
neighborhood4  ,cultivation of the soil 
is simply impossible1 except in the     
shade of the date palms4 ,here1 it is   
possible to raise only such fruits as   
the pomegranate1 fig1 and peach4        
,vegetables are very scarce1 and the    

milk of the goat is the only kind that  
can be obtained1 since there is no      
pasturage for cows4  ,murzuk is said to 
have a population of about twenty-eight 
hundred people4 ,these we find settled  
in and about the neighborhood of the    
bazaar4 ,the quarters of the city most  
distant from it are almost deserted4  ,a
 broad street extends from the eastern  
gate to the citadel4 ,this peculiarity  
would seem to indicate that the town is 
more closely related to negro-land than 
to the ,arab territories on the north4  
,murzuk is not inhabited by wealthy     
merchants4 ,it is not so much the seat  
of a large commerce1 as it is a place of
 transit4     ,,chapter ,,lxxx4  ,,the  
,,port ,,of ,,egypt4   ,alexandria has  
aptly been called the doorway of        
,africa1 for it is the port through     
which the continent has been entered for
 centuries4  ,leaving ,europe on a      
luxurious steamer1 and possessing the   
necessary passport1 we shall find the   
port of ,alexandria an easy step from   

the comforts of ,european life to the   
picturesque features of that in ,africa4
  ,as we view the city of ,alexandria   
from the harbor1 it does not present a  
specially imposing appearance4 ,built   
upon a level plain it offers no great   
attraction to the eye1 unless it be a   
double row of windmills1 which stretch  
to either hand4 ,looking either to the  
right or left as far as the eye can     
distinguish them1 they may be seen      
diminishing in the perspective of the   
dim distance1 and ceaselessly turning4  
,in strong contrast to these humble     
sentinels rises an imposing column1 a   
relic of old ,roman days4 ,still there  
is little to indicate the former        
grandeur of the famed city whose ancient
 glories have disappeared4  ,the modern 
city of ,alexandria does not occupy the 
exact site of the ancient one1 but in a 
great measure is built upon the mole1   
,heptastadium4 ,this1 by means of       
alluvial deposits1 has broadened into   
quite an extensive neck of land between 

the two harbors4  ,the eastern harbor is
 called the ,new ,port2 the western is  
spoken of as the ,old ,port4 ,all the   
largest steamers enter the eastern      
harbor2 hence the stranger from a       
,european port first steps foot upon    
,african soil at the eastern quay4  ,in 
no way can the modern city be said to   
bear any resemblance to the old city2   
nor has there been any attempt to       
reproduce the grandeur of the ancient   
one4 ,it has1 in fact1 an entirely      
different character4 ,the ,alexandria   
which endeared itself to the ,greeks and
 ,romans was a city rich in its         
treasures of literature and philosophy4 
,the modern one1 on the contrary1 was   
designed for1 and is devoted to1 the    
interests of commerce4  ,the ancient    
city was founded by ,alexander the      
,great in the year #ccb ,b4,c4 ,its     
original situation was on the low       
stretch of land separating the lake     
,mareotis from the ,mediterranean ,sea4 
,just in front of the city1 in the      

,mediterranean ,sea1 was the island of  
,pharos4 ,upon the northeast corner of  
this island stood the lighthouse1 famous
 in history1 which was constructed by a 
noted architect at the command of       
,ptolemy ,philadelphus4  ,tradition     
tells us that the architect when        
building the lighthouse cut his own name
 in the stone foundations1 which he     
covered with concrete4 ,he then carved  
the name of his royal master in the more
 perishable portion of the structure1   
trusting that as the years rolled by    
,old ,ocean and ,father ,time would     
reveal the name of the true builder4    
,thus would his name become known to    
fame1 and not only appeal to the eyes of
 the people1 but live on in their       
memories4  ,the island of ,pharos had   
connection with the mainland by means of
 the mole ,heptastadium1 named from its 
great length the ,seven ,furlong mole4  
,thus the two harbors were formed4  ,the
 entire length of the original city is  
said to have been about four miles1     

while its circumference was not less    
than fifteen miles4  ,two main streets  
ran straight through the ancient city4  
,these crossed at right angles in the   
heart of it4 ,the streets were well     
built and were adorned with colonnades  
throughout their entire length4  ,the   
most beautiful section of the city had a
 situation upon the eastern harbor2 here
 were located the palaces of the        
,ptolemies1 and the museum and ancient  
library4 ,here1 too1 stood the ,soma1 or
 ,mausoleum1 of ,alexander the ,great   
and of the ,ptolemies1 and the imposing 
theater of the city4  ,a little farther 
to the west was the emporium1 or        
exchange4 ,rhacotis1 or the ,egyptian   
quarter1 was in the western section of  
the city4 ,it contained the temple of   
,serapis4  ,just at the west of the city
 was the great ,necropolis4 ,to the east
 lay the race course4 ,just beyond it   
was the suburban district of ,nicopolis4
  ,most of the houses in ancient        
,alexandria had spaces under them4 ,in  

these were built vaulted underground    
cisterns1 which were capable of holding 
water enough to supply the wants of the 
whole city for an entire year4  ,from   
its earliest history ,alexandria was the
 ,greek capital of ,egypt4 ,we are told 
that at the time of its greatest        
prosperity it contained about three     
hundred thousand free citizens4 ,this   
did not include the slaves and          
strangers1 who must have doubled the    
number of the people4  ,the population1 
for the most part1 consisted of ,greeks1
 ,jews1 and ,egyptians1 with settlers1  
probably1 from all nations of the then  
known world4  ,on the death of          
,alexander the ,great the city became   
the residence of the ,ptolemies4 ,under 
their reign it became the most          
magnificent city of antiquity except    
,rome and ,antioch4 ,in addition it     
became the center of learning and ,greek
 literature1 while its influence spread 
over a large portion of the ,old ,world4
  ,the situation of the city was most   

favorable for its prosperity4 ,the      
connecting link1 as it were1 between the
 ,east and the ,west1 it soon became the
 great commercial center of the world4  
,about #cj ,b4,c41 when the ,romans took
 possession of it1 it had reached the   
pinnacle of its glory4 ,from the time of
 this conquest its prosperity was on the
 wane4 ,little by little the influence  
of the invader was felt4 ,the removal of
 all works of art to ,rome was the      
death-blow to the prosperity of which   
,alexandria had been so proud4  ,then   
followed frightful massacres1 the laying
 in waste of the most beautiful portion 
of the city1 the siege and pillage of   
the now doomed capital1 and finally the 
increasing prosperity of its rival1 the 
city of ,constantinople4  ,thus did     
circumstances rapidly combine to destroy
 ,alexandria4 ,in the fourteenth        
century1 all that remained of its former
 splendor of buildings was the temple of
 ,serapis4  ,soon the strife between    
,christianity and heathenism arose4 ,the

 final victory was gained in #chi       
,a4,d41 when the only remaining seat of 
heathen theology was stormed by a body  
of ,christians and speedily turned into 
a place of worship4  ,thus ended        
heathenism in ,alexandria4 ,it became   
the great center of ,christian faith and
 theology1 and nothing marred its       
prosperity till it was taken by the     
,arabs #fch ,a4,d44 ,the conquest by the
 ,turks completed the destruction of the
 city #hfh ,a4,d4  ,true1 under the     
,egyptian califs its prosperity revived 
somewhat2 for1 under them1 it remained  
the chief commercial center between the 
east and the west4  ,the discovery of   
,america1 and the existence of a passage
 to ,india by way of the ,cape of ,good 
,hope1 had a most disastrous effect on  
the trade of ,alexandria1 and reduced it
 to very small proportions compared with
 that of former days4  ,under the       
dominion of the ,mamelukes the city     
suffered still farther reverses4 ,the   
conquest of the ,osmanli followed this  

dominion1 and destroyed such little     
prosperity as the ,arabs had succeeded  
in restoring4 ,the effect of these      
constant changes was such1 that in #aggh
 ,a4,d4 there were but about six        
thousand inhabitants in the whole city4 
,at the close of the eighteenth century 
,egypt was conquered by the ,french1 and
 this had the effect of reviving the    
prosperity of her long suffering port4  
,under ,mehemit ,ali1 who had his home  
there for a portion of the year1 the    
city prospered to such an extent that it
 soon attained the reputation of being  
one of the chief commercial cities on   
the ,mediterranean ,sea4  ,through the  
influence of steam navigation it has1 as
 of old1 become the medium of           
communication between ,europe and the   
,east ,indies4 ,it is connected with    
,cairo by means of a canal which was    
constructed somewhere between the years 
#ahah and #ahbj4 ,it is also connected  
by railway with ,suez4 ,until quite     
recently1 all passengers and freight for

 ,india went by the way of ,suez4  ,the 
population of ,alexandria is somewhat   
mixed1 for it consists of ,arabians1    
,turks1 ,copts1 ,jews1 ,greeks1 and     
,french4  ,ancient ,alexandria is       
associated in history with ,julius      
,caesar1 who1 #dh ,b4,c41 went there to 
intercede in the dispute over the       
rightful successor to the ,egyptian     
throne at the death of ,ptolemy         
,auletes4 ,according to the will of the 
late ruler1 his daughter ,cleopatra and 
her husband ,ptolemy ,dionysus should   
have succeeded to the throne4  ,in      
consequence of the dispute as to the    
rightful successor1 the ,alexandrian    
,war followed4 ,ptolemy ,dionysus was   
slain1 and ,cleopatra1 after much delay1
 finally took possession of the throne4 
,the beauty and power1 the extravagance 
and arrogance of ,cleopatra have formed 
the subject for many a painter1 the     
theme for many a poet and historian4    
,,chapter ,,lxxxi4  ,,the ,,nile ,,delta
 ,,and ,,the ,,suez ,,canal4   ,a trip  

into ,egypt would be incomplete without 
obtaining a view of the ,delta of the   
,nile1 which lies east and southeast of 
,alexandria4  ,the ancient ,egyptians   
believed that the alluvial deposit at   
the mouth of their beloved river had    
been gained from the sea1 but modern    
geographers believe it to have been     
formed by particles of earth1 which in  
the course of ages have been deposited  
at the river's mouth4  ,the water of the
 ,nile is usually of a deep blue color1 
which changes to a reddish brown during 
the annual overflow of its banks4  ,all 
the ,nile countries1 or those which     
border on its banks1 receive a deposit  
of soil during the annual inundation4   
,this deposit1 which covers even the    
rocks1 consists of earth or loam mixed  
more or less with sand4  ,around the    
,delta we find very noticeable signs of 
the gradual sinking of the ground4 ,what
 were known as the ,baths of ,cleopatra 
at ,alexandria have already sunk below  
the level of the water4  ,several       

changes1 due to the annual inundation1  
have taken place4 ,in #aghd a lagoon1 or
 small lake1 was formed at ,aboukir by  
the invasion of the sea4 ,the bed of    
what now constitutes ,lake ,menzaleh was
 once a densely populated region4  ,the 
,delta presents the appearance of an    
immense marsh during the season of      
inundation2 the various islands1        
villages1 towns1 and plantations can    
barely be discerned above the water's   
level4  ,the houses of the well-to-do   
peasants in the ,nile villages are built
 of bricks dried in the sun2 the chief  
magistrate usually has a more           
pretentious house built of bricks that  
have been baked in regular ovens or     
kilns2 the humbler peasants content     
themselves with huts1 which they form   
from the mud of the ,nile and roof over 
with the leaves and stems of the palm4  
,the whole is then plastered with a     
coating of mud4  ,in these villages1 a  
minaret towers above the various houses 
and hotels2 while a few sycamores spread

 their leafy crowns and make the chief  
ornament of the village4 ,slender date  
trees sway in the breeze1 and the long  
racemes of the acacia shed their        
delicate perfume abroad4  ,the rains of 
the tropics1 to which the rise of the   
,nile is due1 reach ,egypt about the    
middle of ,june2 they do not reach the  
,delta till about the end of the month4 
,the rise of the river dates from the   
appearance of the red water1 about the  
middle of ,july4 ,the water does not    
reach its maximum height till near the  
end of ,september4 ,by the middle of    
,october it has sunk very perceptibly1  
and by the month of ,april has gradually
 subsided to its minimum depth4  ,by the
 end of ,november the irrigated land has
 dried sufficiently to allow of its     
being sown4 ,soon the eye is gladdened  
by the sight of a rich covering of green
 crops which brighten the landscape till
 the close of ,february4 ,in ,march     
comes the harvest time when all the     
crops are gathered and stored4  ,since  

the days of ,moses1 ,egypt has been     
associated in the mind with plague1     
pestilence1 and famine4 ,it can by no   
means be considered a healthy country4  
,ophthalmia1 a distressing disease of   
the eyes1 prevails to an alarming       
extent4  ,it is no uncommon thing to    
find not only the father1 mother1 and   
children in a family suffering from the 
loss of sight in one or both eyes1 but  
even the cat1 dog1 and donkey may share 
the same affliction4  ,illustration3    
,,suez ,,canal4  ,lack of general care  
and cleanliness is believed to be the   
chief cause of the disease4 ,the strange
 apathy of the people1 no doubt1 has    
some influence in spreading the disease2
 for they seem to accept blindness as   
one of the decrees of ,fate4  ,the world
 may well be proud of man's triumph over
 the forces of nature1 upon viewing the 
,suez ,canal4 ,the construction of it   
was a scheme from the time of the       
greatest antiquity4 ,it was left for    
,france with her enterprise and science 

to achieve this brilliant victory over  
nature1 and to add fame to her name     
through the accomplishment of so        
wonderful a feat4  ,it is an undisputed 
fact1 that in the days of ancient       
history the ,red ,sea and the           
,mediterranean were indirectly connected
 by a canal4 ,we can with no certainty1 
however1 fix the date of its            
construction4 ,some writers place the   
date as far back as six hundred years   
before ,christ4  ,the subject remains   
wrapped in mystery4 ,aristotle and      
,pliny ascribe its construction to a    
half-mythical personage4 ,some writers  
believe the ,persian king1 ,darius1 was 
its constructer4 ,others ascribe it to  
the ,ptolemies1 so that the originator  
and maker remain unknown4  ,such a canal
 did exist4 ,it began about a mile and a
 half from ,suez1 and extended in a     
northwesterly direction1 through a      
remarkable series of natural            
depressions1 to ancient ,bubastis on the
 eastern branch of the ,nile4  ,the     

canal was ninety-two miles long4 ,sixty 
miles of this extent had been cut       
through by the labor of man4 ,the width 
varied from one hundred and eight to one
 hundred and sixty-five feet1 the depth 
was fifteen feet4 ,pliny1 an ancient    
writer1 declared it to have been thirty 
feet deep4  ,history does not state how 
long the canal was used4 ,it finally    
became choked with sand deposits and    
remained unused until the second century
 ,a4,d41 when it was cleared for        
navigation4  ,again1 in course of time1 
it became practically useless from sand 
deposits4 ,it remained in this condition
 till the conquest of ,egypt by ,amron4 
,he had it reopened and named it ,the   
,canal of the ,prince of the ,faithful4 
,it remained open for nearly a century4 
,in #gfg ,a4,d4 the sands again         
conquered1 and in this condition it was 
left till the invasion of ,egypt by     
,napoleon ,bonaparte4 ,the attention of 
modern ,europe was then directed to it4 
,a number of engineers were employed to 

survey it and report upon it2 but no    
result followed their report4  ,the     
subject continued to agitate the public 
mind from time to time2 yet no definite 
action took place till #ahdg1 when      
,france1 ,england1 and ,austria sent    
commissioners for the purpose of        
ascertaining accurately the difference  
in level of the two seas1 the ,red and  
the ,mediterranean4  ,their report was  
somewhat astonishing4 ,instead of a     
difference of thirty feet in level1 as  
had been previously reported1 the seas  
were found to have precisely the same   
level4 ,one strong difference was noted1
 namely1 a tide of six and a half feet  
at one end1 and one and a half at the   
other4  ,in #ahec an examination was    
made1 but the results remained          
unchanged4 ,various plans were          
projected4 ,one commissioner1 who did   
not believe it possible to construct a  
canal1 proposed a railroad from ,cairo  
to ,suez4 ,some years later such a      
railroad was opened to the public4 ,it  

was devoted to the overland             
transportation of the ,british1 ,indian1
 and ,australian mails4  ,france1 in her
 energy1 was not satisfied with the     
report of the ,english commissioner1 and
 later caused to be published in a      
prominent journal1 a plan to connect the
 two seas by way of ,alexandria and a   
point some six miles below ,suez4  ,in  
the year #ahed ,count de ,lesseps1 a    
well-known member of the ,french        
representatives in ,egypt1 attracted the
 attention of the public by the         
originality of his plans4 ,two years    
later he obtained from the ,pacha the   
exclusive right to construct a ship     
canal from ,tyneh to ,suez4  ,count de  
,lesseps' plan differed from all        
previous ones1 for he purposed cutting  
directly through the isthmus to ,suez1  
rather than to follow an oblique course 
and to connect the canal with the ,nile4
  ,the great masterpiece of his plan was
 to construct two harbors1 one at either
 end of the canal1 ,tyneh and ,suez4    

,on the ,mediterranean ,sea he purposed 
carrying the harbor five miles out from 
land4 ,this he deemed necessary in order
 to obtain depth enough to float a ship 
drawing twenty-three feet of water4 ,any
 natural harbor he knew would be        
obstructed by the vast quantities of mud
 and sand brought down annually by the  
,nile in its passage to the sea4  ,as   
many as thirty million cubic feet are   
thus carried down annually1 to be driven
 by the prevailing winds along the shore
 in an easterly direction down towards  
the southern coast line of ,palestine4  
,count de ,lesseps calculated that to   
construct such a harbor as he wished    
would require from three to twelve      
million cubic yards of stone4 ,herein   
lay the great difficulty2 for there were
 no large stone quarries except at a    
great distance from ,tyneh4  ,de        
,lesseps planned to carry the pier at   
,suez three miles out from land4 ,he    
foresaw many difficulties before he     
could hope to see his plan completed1   

yet these difficulties did not seem to  
him so insurmountable as those on the   
,mediterranean ,sea4  ,naturally1 his   
project met with much opposition2 but   
finally public opinion declared the     
plan1 with some modifications1 to be    
practical1 and that the construction of 
such a canal would be profitable to     
commerce4 ,a company was formed and at  
the end of five years the canal1 at its 
,mediterranean entrance at ,port ,said  
in the eastern portion of the ,delta1   
was finished4  ,from ,port ,said the    
canal had to cross about twenty miles of
 ,lake ,menzaleh1 a shallow body of salt
 water1 which in general appearance     
strongly suggested the lagoons of       
,venice4 ,beyond the lake much more     
labor had to be expended1 owing to the  
varying height of the land above sea    
level4 ,some twenty-two miles of ground1
 varying in height from thirty to eighty
 feet1 had to be cut through4  ,the work
 of excavation was most laborious1 owing
 to the nature of the soil1 which was   

often mixed with clay4 ,the vast        
quantities of sand seemed endless1 even 
with the aid of dredging machines and   
elevators1 in excavating a canal as wide
 as that proposed--three hundred and    
twenty-seven feet4  ,when the ,bitter   
,lake region was reached the work of    
excavation was no longer necessary1 but 
much labor had to be expended in making 
an embankment for the better security of
 the canal4  ,at the southern end of the
 ,bitter ,lake region the work of       
cutting was again resumed as far as     
,suez1 some thirty miles4 ,this was1    
perhaps1 as difficult a task as any that
 had to be accomplished4 ,so difficult  
was it that the width of the canal was  
here reduced quite a little from that at
 first planned4  ,about the middle of   
,march1 #ahfi1 the waters of the        
,mediterranean were successfully        
conducted into the ,bitter ,lake4 ,early
 in the fall of the same year ,count de 
,lesseps had the well-earned            
satisfaction of making a steamer trip   

the entire length of the canal in about 
fifteen hours4  ,thus had the skill and 
the energy of the ,french nation        
overcome the doubts and the objections  
of the ,english as to the practicability
 and possibility of so stupendous a     
piece of work4  ,it was a day of triumph
 when a formal notice of the public     
opening of the canal1 throughout its    
entire length1 was issued by ,count de  
,lesseps in ,november1 #ahfi4 ,several  
of the royal heads of ,europe were      
invited to attend4 ,the ,emperor of     
,austria and the ,empress ,eugenie were 
among those present4  ,november #ah1 the
 imperial yacht ,l',aigle1 of ,france1  
with a fleet of forty vessels1 made the 
passage of the first part of the canal  
to ,ismailia in about eight hours and a 
half4 ,at ,ismailia the fleet was met by
 four vessels recently arrived from the 
southern terminus of the canal at ,suez4
 ,the whole fleet set sail for ,suez    
,november #ai1 reaching the ,red ,sea   
two days later4  ,examination of the    

canal proved that the water was never   
less than twenty feet in its most       
shallow parts4 ,the usual depth was not 
less than twenty-five feet4 ,the canal  
is now open to navigation for vessels   
from all nations4 ,the usual time of    
transit is fifteen hours4 ,the total    
cost of this great achievement of       
mechanical skill was about sixty million
 dollars4  ,the opening of the canal had
 naturally a great influence upon ,suez4
 ,formerly it was but an insignificant  
little town built upon a small corner of
 land near the northern arm of the ,gulf
 of ,suez4 ,a railway connected it with 
,cairo some seventy-six miles distant4  
,the town was walled on all sides except
 that facing the harbor4 ,this harbor   
was rather an insignificant one1 though 
it had a fairly good quay4 ,great       
improvements have been made4 ,french and
 ,english houses and various offices and
 warehouses have been erected in        
different localities1 which lend an air 
of thrift and enterprise to the town4   

,the shops1 or bazaars1 have become much
 more pretentious1 and furnish such     
supplies as clarified butter from       
,sinai1 and fowls1 grains1 and          
vegetables from an ,egyptian province4  
,the town1 in spite of its improvements1
 is not attractive4 ,there is little to 
please the eye in the wastes of burning 
sand that stretch out on every side4    
,rain is seen so seldom here as to seem 
almost a phenomenon4 ,sometimes         
intervals of more than three years      
elapse between the rainfalls4  ,it is   
rather interesting1 in considering the  
changes that have taken place in the    
conditions of the earth's surface1 to   
read that1 in the opinion of many       
learned men1 the ,isthmus of ,suez1     
though now only a dreary waste of sand1 
contained1 at some remote time1 the     
far-famed land of ,goshen4 ,accounts of 
its fertility have been handed down to  
us from antiquity4  ,as we approach     
nearer the vicinity of the ,nile we     
find1 about fourteen miles north of     

,belbeys1 the ruins of the ancient city 
,bubastis1 the ,pi-beseth of the        
,scriptures1 the ,tel ,basta of modern  
times4  ,the name ,bubastis is said to  
have been derived from that of the      
,egyptian goddess4 ,it is related1 that 
upon the flight of the gods into ,egypt1
 ,diana ,bubastis changed herself into a
 cat4 ,since then these animals have    
been held sacred4  ,historians give     
interesting accounts of festivals held  
at ,bubastis in honor of the goddess4   
,it was the custom to embalm all cats   
that died and send them to the sacred   
city to be buried4  ,at the present time
 there is no trace of these unique      
tombs1 but the memory clings to these   
ancient sacred rites rather tenaciously1
 and many of the present customs may be 
traced back to them4 ,it but serves to  
show the influence of superstition even 
in the light of modern days4  ,it cannot
 be denied that some of these customs   
may be regarded1 however1 in the light  
of kindness to animals4 ,not so very    

many years ago quite a large sum of     
money was bequeathed in ,cairo for the  
support of homeless and friendless cats4
  ,until within comparatively a few     
years pilgrimages were made to ,mecca4  
,each caravan had for its leader an old 
woman who was accompanied by a number of
 cats4 ,in all honor1 she was named ,the
 mother of cats4  ,even at the present  
time a man laden with cats accompanies  
each band of pilgrims to ,mecca--a relic
 of the old time ceremony1 which        
doubtless grew out of the custom of     
carrying the embalmed bodies of cats to 
,bubastis4  ,herodotus tells us that the
 temple of the goddess at ,bubastis was 
considered one of the most beautiful of 
all the ,egyptian temples1 and that it  
was the custom of the people in his age 
to make annual pilgrimages to it4       
,nothing remains now of the former      
beauty of the temple4 ,a few stones of  
the purest and finest grade of red      
granite are the only relics of its past 
splendor4  ,there are some ruins and    

mounds which1 doubtless1 are remains of 
what were once brick houses1 and        
specimens of ancient pottery4           
,,chapter ,,lxxxii4  ,,cairo1 ,,the     
,,greatest ,,city ,,in ,,africa4        
,cairo is situated at the head of the   
,delta of the ,nile1 where the river    
emerges from among the hills and makes  
its course through the alluvial plain   
formed by the annual deposits of silt4  
,its name1 in the ,arabic tongue1       
signifies ,the victorious capital4      
,below ,cairo the ,delta spreads out in 
the form of a half-opened fan to its    
broadened base on the ,mediterranean    
,sea4  ,standing at the citadel1 which  
occupies the highest ground in the city1
 we may from this elevation perceive the
 dividing line between the barren sandy 
hills of the desert and the well-watered
 fertile plains of the ,nile basin4     
,spread out before us is a royal        
panorama of city1 river1 plain1 and     
hill4  ,just across the river we behold 
the pyramids of ,gizeh rising toward the

 east1 together with the ,great         
,pyramid1 which is next in size1 and    
another much smaller4 ,close by is the  
,sphinx1 but we cannot discern it at    
this distance4  ,a few miles farther to 
the south rise the pyramids of          
,sakkarah1 which are nearly as          
impressive as the others4 ,they are near
 the site of the ancient city of        
,memphis4  ,as we look down upon the    
city of ,cairo1 we perceive a hundred or
 more minarets pointing upwards to the  
sky4 ,on the outskirts of the city the  
desolate hills rise to a considerable   
height4 ,it is here that the hills on   
either side approach each other so      
closely as to narrow the valley between 
them to a width of but five miles4  ,the
 citadel of ,cairo was built by the     
famous ,saladin in the twelfth century2 
he took the stones with which to build  
it from the small pyramids of ,gizeh4   
,it stands at the southeast corner of   
the city1 which it seems to crown4 ,the 
imposing effect of the citadel would be 

much greater1 did not the barren hill in
 the rear tower over it1 thus dwarfing  
its height4  ,the citadel is well worthy
 of description4 ,it is really a small  
town containing several objects of      
interest4 ,the old palace of ,saladin is
 no longer in existence4 ,on its former 
site stands the rich and imposing mosque
 of ,mohammed ,ali4 ,it is of modern    
construction1 built after the style of  
the mosques of ,constantinople4 ,so     
lofty and airy is its interior that the 
effect is most pleasing4  ,the court is 
paved with square blocks of white       
marble4 ,cloisters1 supported by columns
 of alabaster1 surround it on three     
sides4 ,the interior of the mosque is   
also of alabaster and is surmounted by a
 lofty dome supported on four massive   
square pillars4 ,unlike many of the     
mosques of ,cairo1 this mosque is clean 
and well kept4  ,the old mosque--for    
centuries the royal mosque of           
,cairo--still stands in the center of   
the citadel4 ,it is1 however1 in an     

advanced state of decay and ruin4 ,near 
by is ,st4 ,joseph's ,well1 some two    
hundred and ninety feet deep4 ,tradition
 says that the well1 which was built by 
the ancient ,egyptians1 was1 when       
discovered by ,saladin1 nearly choked   
with sand1 which he caused to be        
removed4  ,the well is about twelve feet
 square4 ,a gently sloping staircase on 
the outside descends to the level of the
 bottom of the well1 which is said to be
 at the level of the ,nile4 ,this       
staircase is no longer used4 ,travelers1
 by payment of a small fee1 have the    
privilege of looking at it4  ,to reach  
the well we must be willing to wade     
through deep sand1 and to slide down a  
steep incline some forty feet1 before we
 can hope to gaze down into the         
illustrious hole4 ,probably no vertical 
shaft was ever so impressive as this4   
,cairo contains nearly three hundred    
mosques1 the minarets of which are not  
only the most beautiful1 but the most   
imposing of any the traveler sees in the

 ,mohammedan world4  ,to one standing in
 the citadel1 the city presents some of 
the most striking and picturesque views 
to be found in the ,east4 ,looking      
beyond the mosques and their towering   
minarets1 some built of alternate layers
 of red and white stone1 we behold the  
graves of the califs1 the white         
mountains of ,mohattan1 the gigantic    
pyramids1 the fertile plain of the      
,nile1 and the dreary stretch of the    
desert4  ,the life history of ,egypt    
lies before us1 and we have but to read 
the interesting pages of the past1 open 
to our view4  ,the city of ,cairo was   
founded in #ifi4 ,it was for ten        
generations under the rule of the       
,fatimite califs of ,africa1 who came   
from ,kairon bringing the bones of their
 ancestors with them4  ,towards the     
close of the twelfth century ,saladin   
usurped the government4  ,in the middle 
of the thirteenth century a descendant  
of ,saladin was deposed4 ,cairo then    
remained1 until the early part of the   

sixteenth century1 under the government 
of a line of ,mameluke kings1 when it   
was stormed by ,sultan ,selim4  ,under  
the new rule1 ,cairo became somewhat    
,european in its character4 ,the        
ambition of the khedive was to make his 
capital into a ,paris of the ,east4     
,illustration3 ,a ,,street ,,scene ,,in 
,,cairo4  ,cairo still retains1 however1
 many features strongly suggestive of   
,arabic origin4 ,we find still its      
labyrinth of narrow lanes1 its          
flat-roofed houses without chimneys1 or 
windows1 its large bazaars1 in which all
 kinds of ,oriental ware are exposed for
 sale1 and its forests of minarets4     
,the narrow streets are in many places  
arched over2 the bazaars are dark and   
gloomy1 and the houses are built of     
variegated brick with interlinings of   
wood4  ,the city is divided into        
different quarters2 one being           
appropriated to the ,turks1 one to the  
,christians1 one to the ,jews1          
etc41--each separated from the adjoining

 one by a strong gate at the end of the 
streets4 ,these gates are closed at     
night and are guarded by a porter1 who  
opens them when any one wishes to pass  
out4  ,the great bulk of the population 
of ,cairo consists of ,arabs4 ,their    
ancestors were the original conquerors  
of the land4 ,the ruling class of the   
city now consists of ,turks4 ,the       
tradesmen and the cultivators of the    
soil are all of ,arabic ancestry4 ,then1
 too1 we find the ,copts1 descendants of
 the ancient ,egyptians1 the original   
lords of the soil4 ,jews1 ,syrians1     
,africans1 and ,europeans make up the   
residue of the population4  ,as we pass 
through the streets of ,cairo1 we cannot
 fail to notice the great number of     
blind persons among those who throng    
these narrow thoroughfares4 ,here1 as in
 other parts of ,egypt1 ophthalmia is   
prevalent4  ,it has been stated that out
 of every four ,egyptians there will be 
found one blind man1 another with only  
one eye1 another blear-eyed1 and one    

with perfect sight4 ,the intensity of   
the light does not seem to cause this   
blindness4 ,it seems due1 rather1 to the
 great amount of dust and to a general  
want of cleanliness from infancy4       
,another cause1 too1 is assigned for    
this misfortune4 ,as far back as the    
days of ,mohammed1 fathers looked       
forward with dread to the time when     
their sons would be obliged to enter    
military service4  ,many a father1 to   
avert this fate for his children1       
preferred to destroy their eyesight in  
infancy1 or to injure the eyes by       
cutting the pupils1 rather than to see  
his sons claimed as soldiers when they  
had reached manhood4  ,about a mile     
beyond the walls of the city are the    
tombs of the califs4 ,these are         
magnificent1 imposing buildings1 and may
 be considered beautiful specimens of   
,arabian architecture4  ,the public     
gardens of the city are also an         
attractive feature1 consisting1 as they 
do1 of groves of orange1 citron1 and    

palms1 intermingled with vines4         
,,chapter ,,lxxxiii4  ,,education ,,in  
,,cairo4   ,cairo may be called the seat
 of learning in the ,east4 ,it is       
celebrated for its eminent professors1  
particularly those of ,mohammedan       
theology and law4  ,attached to the     
mosque of ,ezher is a university1 or    
college1 with quite a large ,oriental   
library4 ,grammar1 arithmetic1 algebra1 
rhetoric1 and other branches are taught 
in the university2 while lectures on    
logic1 theology1 law1 and the articles  
of the ,koran are delivered there4      
,students from all parts of the         
,mohammedan world congregate to the     
number of two thousand to receive this  
instruction1 which is free to all4 ,the 
professors draw no regular salary1 but  
are dependent upon presents from the    
wealthy and upon what they may receive  
from private pupils4  ,in addition to   
the university there are several schools
 where grammar1 arithmetic1 and         
penmanship are taught4 ,there are still 

others which are devoted to the arts and
 sciences1 and to engineering4 ,at ,abou
 ,zabel is the school of anatomy1       
medicine1 and surgery4  ,the ,arabic    
language is spoken at ,cairo4 ,although 
it is not of the purest form1 yet it is 
far superior to that spoken in ,syria4  
,the manners and customs of the         
population of ,cairo may serve as types 
of those of the cultured people in the  
various parts of the ,mohammedan world4 
,serious attention is paid not only to  
the smallest details of social life1 but
 special regard is had to the many      
precepts of their religion4  ,perhaps in
 no way are the ,mohammedan observances 
more strictly adhered to1 and the       
religious institutions more rigidly     
enforced1 than in the rearing and in the
 education of children4  ,in the most   
trivial matters religious precepts and  
rules direct the management of the young
 child4 ,the first duty of the          
,mohammedan parent is to see that the   
babe is wrapped in clean white linen4   

,if this cannot be obtained1 any other  
color may be used1 provided it be not   
yellow4  ,after the babe has been       
wrapped in linen1 it is the duty of some
 male to utter the summons to prayer in 
its ear4 ,this custom is followed       
religiously by all good ,mohammedans in 
remembrance of the act of the ,prophet  
at the birth of ,el ,hasan4  ,it is the 
custom to chant the ,mohammedan summons 
to prayer from the minarets of the      
mosques just before the service4  ,it is
 to this effect3 ,god is most great6    
repeated four times4 ,i testify that    
there is no deity like ,god6 twice in   
succession4 ,i testify that ,mohammed is
 ,god's apostle6--,come to              
prayer6--,come to security6--,god is    
most great6 each repeated twice in      
succession1 followed by the closing     
sentence1 ,there is no deity but ,god6  
,in former times it was usual for a     
father to give a grand feast of seven   
days' duration when a little son was    
born4 ,the gift of a little daughter was

 not regarded as an occasion for so much
 rejoicing4  ,the general custom of     
modern times is to give an entertainment
 when the child is seven days old4 ,the 
mother receives the guests1 exhibits the
 young child to them1 and accepts       
presents of gold or silver coins4 ,these
 are usually intended as ornaments for  
the child's headdress4 ,in the evening  
the father usually entertains his       
friends in honor of the young child4    
,the ,mohammedan children are most      
carefully reared1 and from their        
earliest years are taught to show the   
greatest respect to their fathers4 ,a   
most tender relation exists between     
father and child in spite of the        
ceremonious greetings they exchange4    
,each morning the child greets his      
father by imprinting a kiss upon the    
hand4 ,he then stands before him in an  
attitude of respect1 covering his left  
hand with his right while he awaits     
directions1 or until he receives        
permission to go4 ,often1 however1 when 

he has kissed his father's hand1 he is  
taken affectionately upon his lap4      
,after the days of his babyhood have    
passed the well-trained boy is seldom   
allowed to sit when in the presence of  
his father4  ,the natives of all        
,mohammedan countries are very fond of  
their children1 yet they do not mourn   
for them to any great extent after the  
death of the little ones4  ,this feeling
 of resignation comes from a religious  
belief that children who die at an early
 age are able to intercede for their    
parents and obtain for them blessings   
greater than any that can be enjoyed in 
this world4  ,there is a popular belief 
in the promise of the ,prophet1 that all
 infant children of true believers      
shall1 on the great judgment day1 when  
the dead shall rise again1 refuse to    
enter into ,paradise unless their       
parents can go too4 ,then1 in answer to 
their prayers and petitions1 the gates  
of ,paradise will be opened to all true 
,mohammedans4  ,just as soon as a son is

 old enough to understand instruction1  
his father begins to teach him the most 
important rules of conduct4 ,one of his 
first lessons is as follows3--the father
 places some food before his son and    
orders him to take it in his right hand4
 ,on no account can he employ the left  
hand1 which must be reserved for menial 
services4  ,he is then trained to say1  
,in the name of ,god1 as he commences to
 eat what is before him4 ,he is also    
instructed not to hurry nor to spill any
 of his food1 while it is impressed upon
 his mind that on no account is he to   
eat too much4  ,in addition to the      
instruction he receives in table        
manners1 he is admonished not to be     
covetous nor miserly4 ,he is forbidden  
to spit in the presence of others1 or to
 commit any other rudeness4 ,he is      
warned against talking too much1 turning
 his back upon any one1 standing in a   
slovenly position1 and speaking evil    
against any one4  ,the obligations of   
the father are most binding4 ,he must   

keep his child from evil companions1    
teach him the ,koran1 and all necessary 
religious and special observances and   
ordinances4 ,he must give him           
instruction in the arts of swimming and 
archery1 and see that he is taught some 
useful trade1 as a protection against   
poverty4 ,in addition1 he must counsel  
him to show respect to his mother1 and  
to endure patiently and submissively the
 corrections and punishments of his     
teachers4  ,before a boy is old enough  
to go to school he has to submit to a   
religious rite which is observed with   
much pomp and with sumptuous feasts4    
,before the observance of this rite1 the
 boy1 if he belong to the higher or     
middle class1 is usually paraded about  
the neighborhood near his father's home1
 gayly attired1 generally in the dress  
and ornaments of a female1 with a boy's 
turban upon the head4  ,accompanied by a
 group of his female friends and        
relatives1 who follow behind the horse  
upon which he is mounted1 he rides      

about1 preceded by a band of musicians  
to herald his coming4  ,rich gifts are  
bestowed upon the young lad by the great
 men and merchants1 till the storehouses
 and magazines of the household are     
filled to overflowing with various      
supplies1 as rice1 honey1 sugar1 coffee4
  ,players and performers of various    
kinds are engaged to amuse the public4  
,often at some of the more pretentious  
entertainments a recital of the entire  
,koran is given4 ,at others a dance is  
given by male and female performers in  
the courtyard before the mansion1 or in 
the street before the doorway4  ,very   
few children of ,arab parentage receive 
much instruction in literature4         
,instances are rare where they receive  
even the rudiments of any of the higher 
sciences4 ,every town1 however1 has     
numerous schools2 even the most         
moderate-sized village can usually boast
 of one school at least4  ,the schools  
of the towns are generally attached to  
the mosque and other public buildings4  

,most of these structures and the       
schools connected with them--like that  
attached to the mosque of ,ezher here in
 ,cairo--have been endowed by princes1  
men of rank1 and wealthy tradesmen4     
,the schoolmaster's duties are light4   
,generally he teaches his pupils nothing
 more than to read the ,koran and to    
recite the whole of it by heart4  ,after
 a pupil has committed the first chapter
 of the sacred book to memory1 he learns
 the rest of the chapters in inverse    
order4 ,this is done to simplify the    
task1 as the chapters generally decrease
 in length towards the end of the book4 
,hence1 he learns on the principle of   
taking the easiest lessons first4       
,instruction in writing and arithmetic  
he usually receives from another master4
  ,one more duty the ,arab father has to
 perform1 and one which he deems most   
important1 when his son has arrived at a
 proper age1 which is considered by some
 to be twenty years4 ,it is the custom  
of the father to select then a suitable 

wife for his son4  ,it is an old saying 
among the ,arabs1 ,when a son has       
attained the age of twenty-five years1  
his father1 if able1 should marry him1  
and then take his hand and say1 ',i have
 disciplined thee1 and taught thee1 and 
married thee2 ,i now seek refuge with   
,god from thy mischief in the present   
world and in the next4'  ,the girls of  
an ,arab family are seldom taught even  
reading4 ,although admission to the     
schools where the boys are under        
instruction is allowed1 yet very few    
parents permit their girls to get any   
benefit from this privilege4 ,they      
prefer1 rather1 to give them such       
literary instruction as they wish1 by   
employing a learned woman to teach them 
at home4  ,the duties of such a teacher 
are to instruct her pupils in the forms 
of prayer1 and to teach them to repeat  
by heart a few chapters from the ,koran4
  ,instances are rare where the whole   
book is committed to memory2 for parents
 are instructed not to give their       

daughters a full knowledge of the laws  
of the ,koran4  ,needlework is to some  
extent taught to the daughters of an    
,arab household1 but it is not a common 
custom4 ,in the poorer families the     
daughters frequently busy themselves    
with the spindle and many learn to      
weave4  ,in the families of the higher  
and middle classes the daughters are    
taught to embroider and to do other     
ornamental work4 ,this is taught to them
 at home1 or in special schools4        
,formerly1 singing and playing upon the 
lute were considered necessary          
accomplishments for the daughters of    
wealthy ,arabs4 ,now1 however1 such     
performances are confined to            
professionals1 or to the slaves of the  
royal household4  ,it is very rare now  
that any musical instrument1 other than 
a species of drum or a tambourine1 is   
ever seen in the hands of an ,arab lady4
 ,these instruments are used largely by 
the ladies of the wealthy households and
 are beaten by the fingers4  ,in many   

households the mothers bestow much care 
in teaching their daughters to acquire a
 fine gait and elegant carriage1 as well
 as various little details of           
deportment1 to render them attractive   
and pleasing in the eyes of others4     
,those of you who were so fortunate as  
to visit the ,world's ,fair at ,chicago 
doubtless remember the representation of
 the streets of ,cairo4 ,not the least  
among its many unique features was the  
facsimile of a wedding procession4      
,very slowly such a procession wends its
 way1 headed by the quaint musicians1   
who1 with lutes1 tambourines1 flutes1   
clarionets1 and the peculiar drum of the
 ,arabs1 make the air hideous with their
 so-called music4  ,the married women1  
following behind1 look like bats1       
arrayed as they are in long black silk  
wrappers4 ,behind them1 wrapped in white
 veils1 come the young friends of the   
bride1 and at last the bride herself1 so
 carefully enveloped in a red cashmere  
shawl that not a feature can be seen1   

and but the barest outline of her       
figure4 ,her only ornament is a costly  
gold coronet4  ,she is accompanied by   
two relatives1 who with much dignity    
walk on each side of her4 ,a canopy of  
bright red material1 supported on four  
poles1 waves over her1 and richly       
embroidered scarfs hang from it or      
flutter in the breeze4 ,more musicians  
bring up the rear4  ,from time to time  
the procession halts in order to afford 
what is considered a rich treat for eye 
and ear to the people who dwell upon the
 streets through which the procession   
passes4  ,it is the custom of the ,arab 
women to go heavily veiled1 in order    
that their features may be hidden from  
mankind4 ,when the young bridegroom     
receives his bride from her family1 it  
is his privilege to lift her veil as he 
utters the words1 ,in the name of ,god1 
the ,compassionate1 the ,merciful6 ,for 
the first time1 usually1 he now beholds 
the face of the bride1 who1 with eyes   
modestly downcast1 stands before him4   

,the life of a young wife is not an     
enviable one1 for she but leaves the    
seclusion of her father's home for the  
still closer seclusion of her husband's1
 where1 surrounded by her women slaves1 
she passes the time in a monotonous     
routine4  ,the slaves of an ,arab       
household are1 many of them1 fairly     
educated and possess some little        
knowledge of sewing4 ,in the wealthy    
households many of the slaves have been 
taught to sing and to dance1 or have    
been trained to repeat lyric poetry for 
the entertainment and amusement of their
 owners4  ,in every ,arab household the 
women's apartments are set off from the 
others2 for it is part of the           
,mohammedan religion that women shall   
lead a life of seclusion1 surrounded    
only by their children and female       
slaves4  ,the duties of these slaves are
 not laborious1 though they may be      
monotonous4 ,they consist mostly in     
waiting upon and serving their          
mistresses1 who have scarcely more      

liberty than they4 ,the negro slaves are
 a decided contrast to the white slaves1
 and are employed mainly in the kitchen 
and other domestic apartments4  ,most of
 the slaves are well treated and lead   
happy and contented lives1 since they   
can have no conception of a free1       
unfettered life such as the humblest    
tiller of the soil may enjoy when he    
lives in the land where the red1 white1 
and blue floats in the air1 a symbol of 
liberty to all who claim its protection4
     ,,chapter ,,lxxxiv4  ,,gizeh ,,and 
,,its ,,pyramids4   ,on the opposite    
side of the river from ,cairo1 about    
three miles southwest1 lies the village 
of ,gizeh4 ,it is situated not far from 
the boundary of middle ,egypt just where
 the line of the great pyramids begins4 
,the neighborhood about ,gizeh is       
somewhat noted1 for it has twice been   
associated with the fate of ,egypt in   
decisive battles--in #ifi ,a4,d4 with   
the ,fatimite army1 and in #agih with   
the ,french army under ,bonaparte4      

,ancient ,gizeh was adorned with        
beautiful palaces and magnificent       
mosques4 ,it was once a favorite resort 
for the merchants of ,cairo1 when they  
wished to be set free from the cares of 
a business life4 ,nothing remains now on
 the ancient site but a mere village4   
,piles of rubbish are all that mark the 
spot where magnificent buildings once   
stood4  ,one ancient custom still       
prevails in modern ,gizeh1 the process  
of hatching eggs in ovens4 ,this custom 
has descended from the time of the      
,pharaohs4  ,stretching north and south 
for many miles between the verdant      
valley of the ,nile and the ,libyan     
desert beyond1 at an elevation of one   
hundred feet above the level of the     
,nile1 rises a barren plateau1 lying at 
a distance of about ten miles west of   
,memphis and running parallel with the  
river4  ,to the ancient kings of ,egypt 
this rocky ridge1 beneath which the     
,sun1 the chief deity of the ,egyptians1
 appeared to sink to rest1 seemed the   

most fitting site upon which to build   
their tombs4 ,sitting in their palace at
 ,memphis and viewing this western      
plateau1 they could but meditate upon   
the time when their sun of life should  
sink and they be called to the abode of 
the ,gods4  ,it was the custom to hew   
out chambers in the rocks on the sides  
of the hilly ridge1 in which to place   
the bodies of the common dead4 ,the     
king1 who had reigned over his subjects 
in life1 felt it but a fitting monument 
to his memory that his sepulcher should 
be of the most magnificent proportions4 
,the royal sarcophagus was usually      
placed in a spacious chamber under a    
grand monument of stones4 ,little by    
little the heap began to take more      
definite shape under the hands of the   
builders1 until it assumed the immovable
 form and severe aspect of a pyramid4   
,gradually the structure became more and
 more regular in the character of its   
interior and in the outline of its      
exterior1 till it finally stood sharply 

defined against the sky1 the pride of   
the builders and the marvel of future   
ages4  ,it is said by one authority that
 there were about seventy of these      
pyramids erected along the plateau west 
of ,memphis1 between ,abu ,roash and    
,dashur4 ,among them were some          
especially noted for their size and     
magnificence4  ,according to an ancient 
writer1 the usages and customs of the   
,egyptians were directly opposite to    
those of other nations4 ,it was the     
custom for the women to be employed in  
business and trade1 while the men stayed
 at home to spin and attend to domestic 
affairs4 ,this gave rise to the         
extraordinary law by which the          
daughters1 not the sons1 were obliged to
 provide for their parents4  ,in        
carrying burdens1 the men bore them upon
 the head1 the women upon the shoulder4 
,bread was kneaded with the feet1 and   
mortar mixed with the hands4 ,in all    
other countries the cattle were         
separated from the members of the       

household1 but in ,egypt men and beasts 
dwelt together4  ,according to this     
author1 the ,egyptians were the first to
 assert the immortality of the soul4    
,they believed that the soul1 after the 
corruption of the body1 entered some    
animal1 and by a continuous change      
passed successively into the different  
kinds of creatures belonging to the air1
 earth1 and water4 ,after a lapse of    
three thousand years it again dwelt in a
 human body4  ,the utmost care was      
employed to preserve the body as long as
 possible1 that the soul might be       
obliged to continue with it4 ,as the    
body was thus cared for1 or embalmed1 no
 labor nor cost was spared in building  
the sepulchers1 which were termed       
eternal mansions4 ,their houses were    
built with much less care and expense1  
for they considered them but inns where 
men abode as travelers for a few years4 
,many of the embalmed bodies1 or        
mummies1 have been brought from ,egypt  
and placed in national museums4 ,some of

 the coffins in which they lie are very 
thick4 ,they are generally of sycamore1 
which does not decay so easily as some  
wood4 ,some are of stone1 others of     
cloth pasted together1 making them very 
strong4  ,the top of the coffin is      
usually cut into the shape of a head1   
with a face resembling a woman's painted
 on it4 ,some of these coffins are      
handsomely marked with hieroglyphics4   
,the body of the coffin is plain1 with a
 broad pedestal at the lower end on     
which it can rest in an upright         
position4  ,the embalmed body appears   
wrapped in a shroud of linen upon which 
are fastened many linen scrolls painted 
with sacred characters4 ,the face is    
covered with a headpiece of linen fitted
 with plaster4 ,on this the countenance 
of the deceased is represented in gold4 
,the whole body is swathed with linen   
bands with great neatness and skill4    
,there cannot be less than one thousand 
yards of these linen bands upon a single
 body4  ,the great pyramids of ,gizeh   

have a situation on a hill six miles    
west of the ,nile and at a distance of  
ninety miles from the ,mediterranean    
,sea4 ,they are three in number4  ,there
 is a fine highway1 built at some       
elevation above the plain and shaded by 
acacia trees1 running from ,cairo to    
these pyramids1 a distance of about     
eight miles4 ,as we cross the river by  
means of a modern iron bridge1 we behold
 from the center of it a series of most 
beautiful pictures4  ,the ,nile1 even at
 its lowest stage1 impresses us as a    
noble river4 ,it is the longest river of
 the eastern continent1 and is exceeded 
in length only by the ,amazon and the   
,mississippi4 ,true1 the volume of its  
waters is doubtless exceeded by that of 
several others1 since the amount is     
diminished by the light rainfall and the
 narrow watershed of the latter half of 
the course4  ,gazing at the ,nile1 we   
can but reflect upon what it has done   
and what it now does for ,egypt1 and we 
realize that its flood is one of the    

greatest blessings1 if not one of the   
greatest wonders in the world4  ,we     
cross the bridge1 and the road we follow
 leads to the western hills1 on the     
northern extremity of which stand the   
pyramids of ,gizeh1 at an elevation of  
one hundred feet above the sea4 ,the    
whole of this region was1 from the      
earliest period1 one of the cemeteries  
of old ,memphis1 which was the residence
 of the ancient ,egyptian kings4  ,the  
largest and most ancient of the pyramids
 was built by ,khufu4 ,within the solemn
 stillness of the chambers of the       
pyramid of ,khufu the stone coffin which
 contained the royal mummy was placed4  
,upon the walls was sculptured the story
 of the dead king's deeds4 ,a stone     
sealed the passage leading to these     
silent chambers4 ,three hundred and     
sixty thousand men were employed for    
twenty years in building this pyramid4  
,another of these pyramids1 ,cheops1 was
 built by the brother and successor of  
,khufu4 ,it is constructed of huge      

blocks of red granite upon a vast ledge 
of hard limestone rock4 ,this ledge is  
one hundred and thirty-seven feet above 
the level of the ,nile4  ,history states
 that the pyramid was originally built  
in layers which formed steps4 ,these    
were covered either with marble or      
alabaster1 making a fine smooth surface4
 ,the footprints of ,time have removed  
this outer covering1 and the foundation 
steps1 once rough1 are now worn smooth  
by the feet of travelers4 ,cheops covers
 an area of thirteen acres4  ,the       
pyramid has a length of seven hundred   
and fifty-seven feet on each side4      
,originally it stood four hundred and   
eighty feet high2 twenty feet have1     
however been removed4  ,two hundred and 
six steps1 or layers of stone1 lead to  
the top1 a tedious climb1 requiring     
almost as much courage and zeal as to   
scale the ,alps4 ,the ascent is usually 
made from one of the corners by winding 
back and forth over the angle in a      
zigzag direction4  ,it is not safe to   

attempt to make the ascent without      
suitable guides1 for one soon becomes   
dizzy and helpless4 ,a little girl      
carrying a jar of water usually         
accompanies the traveler1 who frequently
 finds it necessary to avail himself of 
her proffered services4 ,the descent is 
less dangerous but quite as exciting1   
for the guides1 taking the traveler by  
the hand1 leap down the steps at a merry
 rate4 ,it is with a feeling of relief1 
no doubt1 that the traveler finds       
himself standing on mother earth again4 
,the third pyramid was built by         
,menkera1 a successor of ,khufu4 ,in the
 central vault the mummy of ,menkera was
 found4 ,the sarcophagus1 in which it   
lies1 is of blue basalt1 and contains   
the following description1 ,osiris1     
,king ,menkera1 ever-living one4 ,thy   
mother ,nut is outstretched over thee2  
in her name of the mystery of the sky   
may she deify thee and destroy thy      
enemies1 ,king ,menkera1 ever-living    
one4  ,according to accounts handed down

 from the ,egyptian priests1 the immense
 masses of stone used in the            
construction of the pyramids were       
brought from ,arabia4 ,they were put    
into place by building up huge mounds of
 earth beneath them1 and allowing them  
to slide into position1 as if from an   
inclined plane4 ,it is certain that     
stone such as was used in the pyramids  
is not to be found within many miles of 
these structures4  ,various reasons have
 been assigned for the building of the  
pyramids other than that they were      
intended as burial places for kings4    
,some writers believe that their        
dimensions were meant for the basis of a
 system of weights and measures4 ,some  
have discovered a geometrical design in 
the construction1 and believe that they 
were intended for teaching astronomy4   
,others argue1 that only a divine       
origin1 plan1 and purpose could account 
for the wonderful skill and hidden      
mysteries of the great monuments4  ,the 
wonderful ,sphinx of ,egypt is supposed 

to have been planned by the monarch     
,khafra4  ,this great image stands north
 of the second pyramid of ,gizeh4 ,the  
effigy is the symbolical form of the god
 ,harmachu1 meaning ,horus the          
,resplendent1 to whom the adjacent      
temple was dedicated4  ,the figure is   
hewn out of the solid rock4 ,it has the 
body of a crouching lion and the head of
 a man capped and bearded4 ,it is one   
hundred and ninety feet high4  ,between 
the paws1 which are extended to a       
distance of fifty feet1 is a monumental 
stone bearing the name of ,khafra1 who  
is said to have dedicated the image4    
,the shoulders are thirty-six feet in   
breadth4 ,the head measures from top to 
chin twenty-eight feet and six inches4  
,the drifting sands of centuries have   
fallen around the mighty effigy1 until  
only the solemn visage1 looking out     
towards the ,nile1 and a small part of  
the shoulders and back remain above the 
level of the desert4     ,,chapter      
,,lxxxv4  ,,heliopolis1 ,,thebes1 ,,and 

,,karnac4   ,about ten miles northeast  
of ,cairo lie a few crumbled stones and 
a single obelisk2 these are all that    
remain of the ancient city of           
,heliopolis4 ,this obelisk1 the oldest  
in ,egypt1 was erected by the second    
king of the fourth dynasty1 about two   
hundred years before the dawn of the    
,christian era4  ,heliopolis was not    
only a famous city of the ancient world1
 but it was the seat of learning as     
well4 ,one of its greatest attractions  
was the ,temple of the ,sun1 possibly   
the most celebrated building in ,egypt4 
,this temple has been described as      
standing in an area which measured a    
mile in length and half a mile in width4
 ,the approach to it was by an avenue   
lined with colossal sphinxes4  ,the ride
 to ,heliopolis will take us through a  
growing suburb where a large number of  
beautiful houses have quite recently    
been erected4 ,the road then emerges    
into a highly cultivated plain4 ,this   
was once barren sand1 but is now        

nourished and fertilized by the waters  
of the ,nile1 which have been carried to
 it4  ,we pass at intervals extensive   
buildings1 a military school1 numbers of
 old tombs1 an astronomical observatory 
where the calculations are made for the 
yearly ,mohammedan almanac1 the palace  
of ,zafforan1 built by the late khedive 
for his mother1 and also the palace     
occupied by the present khedive4 ,this  
is situated in the midst of a fine      
plantation4  ,just before reaching      
,heliopolis we dismount to step aside   
into a garden where stands an ancient   
sycamore tree1 under whose shade the    
,holy ,family is said to have rested on 
their flight into ,egypt4 ,this tree1   
which is crooked and gnarled1 has its   
trunk and limbs covered with names1     
which travelers have cut in the bark4   
,so zealous have thoughtless travelers  
been to secure mementoes1 that the owner
 of the tree has been obliged to fence  
it in1 so that it might not be carried  
away in chips by the desecrating hands  

of would-be worshippers4  ,the obelisk  
at ,heliopolis is the only object of    
interest4 ,it is built of red granite1  
and stands sixty-six and one-half feet  
above the pavement on which it rests4   
,its base is rather more than six feet  
square4 ,the inscription1 which is alike
 on all four sides1 is in large         
hieroglyphics4 ,the lines are as sharply
 defined as if cut but yesterday4 ,the  
pavement upon which the obelisk stands  
is about six feet below the level of the
 surrounding plain4  ,strabo described  
the city as standing on a raised site2  
hence it is apparent that both the river
 and the alluvial plain have been raised
 to a considerable extent during the    
last two thousand years4  ,very few of  
the ,egyptian obelisks are to be found  
on their original sites4 ,some have been
 removed to ,rome and ,alexandria1      
others transported to places at still   
greater distances4 ,cleopatra's ,needle1
 in ,central ,park1 ,new ,york ,city1   
was brought to ,america in #ahhe1 at    

great expense and with much difficulty1 
from its site under ,egyptian skies4 ,it
 was a gift to the ,united ,states from 
the ,khedive of ,egypt4  ,its           
counterpart1 a gift to ,england1 lay    
prostrate in the sands of ,alexandria   
for many years1 but was finally taken to
 ,london and placed on the banks of the 
,thames4 ,curious hieroglyphics upon it 
prove that it was originally in the     
,temple of the ,sun1 at ,heliopolis4    
,heliopolis was renowned for its fine   
literature1 its beautiful temples1 and  
its great priesthood4 ,it was the       
,university ,city1 and was to ,egypt    
what ,cambridge is to ,england4         
,starting out by carriage from          
,heliopolis1 we soon are beyond its     
limits and in the open country4 ,at once
 we are transported to the customs of   
,bible times4 ,nothing seems to have    
changed in the space of four thousand   
years4 ,here are the hewers of wood1 the
 drawers of water1 and the old mode of  
plowing the soil and of threshing the   

grain4  ,on all sides we notice the     
great fertility of the soil4 ,work and  
water seem the only agents lacking to   
render the country the garden of the    
world in the course of a few years4     
,heliopolis was at one time counted     
among the wonders of the world4 ,little 
remains of its former glory4 ,gone are  
the avenues of sphinxes1 the groves of  
statues1 and the renowned ,temple of the
 ,sun4 ,one solitary obelisk--the sheik 
of obelisks1 the ,egyptians call        
it--remains just where hands which now  
rest from all labor placed it four      
thousand years ago4  ,the hands which   
planted ,mary's tree have long since    
crumbled and mingled with the dust of   
eighteen hundred years1 yet the tree1 of
 immense size1 still stands1 and is     
likely to live for centuries4  ,we      
cannot leave ,egypt without having      
viewed the magnificent ruins of ,thebes1
 the ancient capital of ,upper ,egypt4  
,both at ,thebes and ,karnac we may     
behold the glories of ancient ruins4    

,imagination finds it difficult to      
picture the beauties of the ancient     
palaces and halls when they were in     
their early splendor4  ,thebes must have
 been the greatest and most magnificent 
city in ,egypt4 ,almost as old as the   
flood1 situated in a fertile valley1    
where it expanded to a vast and splendid
 amphitheater1 and adorning both banks  
of the ,nile1 it was1 in extent1 wealth1
 and architectural glory1 the flower and
 crown of ancient civilization4  ,homer 
sang the praises of its hundred gates   
nearly a thousand years before ,christ4 
,some of the sacred prophets speak of it
 as containing a multitude of people4   
,we cannot gaze on its wondrous ruins1  
nor linger among its splendid mausoleums
 of kings and princes1 without receiving
 lasting impressions of its former      
grandeur and beauty4  ,the ,thebes of   
the present and of the past come before 
the imagination in sharp contrast1 and  
we find it difficult to reconcile the   
ever present fact of ,arab filth and    

squalor with visions of former glory4   
,we vainly wish for some magic wand that
 could cause this ancient city to stand 
again as in the days of its early       
magnificence4 ,it may not be4 ,both     
,thebes and ,karnac are too remote from 
the path of commerce1 too far removed   
from the great trade centers1 in too    
close proximity to the burning sands of 
the desert1 for us ever to hope to see  
them restored to the ranks of modern    
life1 moved by its spirit of progress4  
,about a mile and a half north of ,luxor
 we find the ruins of ,karnac4 ,this was
 the grandest temple in ,egypt1 possibly
 in the whole world4 ,we have but to    
visit it in the early evening to enjoy  
as glorious a sunset as mortals could   
desire4 ,who shall say what varied      
scenes1 what gorgeous pageants1 what    
centuries of glory and of ruin the great
 sun has looked upon in past ages6  ,we 
shall find it hard to give any adequate 
description of ,karnac4 ,its magnitude  
and beauty bewilder and delight us4 ,its

 marvelous array of gates1 towers1      
columns1 obelisks1 and statues astonish 
and enchant us4  ,how shall we describe 
a temple of such magnificent            
proportions6 ,if we include its various 
halls and apartments1 it measures twelve
 hundred feet in length and about five  
hundred feet in width4 ,its massive     
walls seem like palisades1 its immense  
pillars like forests4 ,avenues lead to  
it from each point of the compass4      
,double rows of colossal sphinxes cut   
from gray1 red1 and black granite are   
ranged for miles along many of these    
avenues4  ,each monarch in his reign    
enlarged the proportions of the temple  
from those which it had reached under   
his predecessors1 whom he was anxious to
 excel1 till the temple is said to have 
finally occupied seventy-five acres4    
,in the grand hall we find over a       
hundred columns still standing4 ,they   
measure from nine to twelve feet in     
diameter2 many of them are over sixty   
feet in height4  ,these columns are     

covered with hieroglyphical sculptures  
and paintings1 in which the coloring is 
still brilliant1 notwithstanding the    
centuries that have elapsed since they  
first saw the light of day4 ,many of    
these sculptures and paintings depict   
scenes recorded in sacred history4      
,chronicles of the storied past1 these  
realistic groups depict many a stray    
chapter in the life history of the old  
,egyptian kings and their captive hosts4
 ,lost in meditation1 we stand before   
these silent verifiers of the records of
 sacred history1 and with grateful      
hearts acknowledge the blessings of home
 and country and the advantages to be   
derived from an enlightened century1    
rich in science1 philanthropy1 and      
,christianity4   ,,the ,,end4           
,,index4   ,,part ,i4  ,aba1 #eb4  ,abba
 ,yared1 #ag4  ,abyssinia1 #ag1 #cf-ch1 
#di1 #eb1 #ee1 #aeg4  ,adal1 #cf4       
,africa1 #ae4  ,alantika1 #afj4  ,albert
 ,nyanza1 #di1 #ea1 #adj1 #adf-aeb1     
#aed1 #aei4  ,algeria1 #ag1 #ai1 #ca-cd1

 #aeg4  ,algiers1 #cb4  ,annobon1 #afj4 
,aruwimi ,river1 #ig4  ,ashantee ,land1 
#afg4  ,assal1 #cg1 #aef4  ,assouan1    
#dj1 #ed4  ,assyria1 #bi4  ,atbara1     
#adj4  ,atlantic1 #af1 #ca1 #fe1 #hf1   
#ij1 #ia1 #aeh1 #afh1 #aib1 #aig1 #bjj1 
#bjh1 #bff4  ,atlas ,mountains1 #ag1    
#ai1 #bj1 #bb1 #cj-cb1 #cd1 #ce1 #aeg1  
#aeh4   ,bagradas1 #cd4                 
,bahr-el-,gazal1 #eb1 #aci1 #aee4       
,bakuma1 #aaf4  ,bambara1 #df4  ,bamu1  
#ajh4  ,banana ,point1 #ajb1 #ajc4      
,bantu1 #aib1 #aic1 #bjh1 #baj1 #bff1   
#bfh4  ,barbary1 #cj1 #ce1 #aeg1 #aei4  
,barbertown1 #bdi4  ,barca1 #aei4       
,barraconda1 #ia4  ,basuto1 #bjc4       
,basutoland1 #baj4  ,bechuanaland1 #bbb1
 #bfd1 #bgc4  ,belud-el-,jerid1 #cd4    
,berbers1 #ec4  ,bethany1 #bgf4  ,bight 
of ,benin1 #af1 #ei1 #fj1 #afh4  ,bight 
of ,biafra1 #af1 #fj1 #aeh1 #afj4       
,black ,mountains1 #aei4  ,bloemfontein1
 #bda-bdc4  ,blueberg1 #ahc4  ,blue     
,nile1 #cg1 #ch1 #di1 #eb1 #ec1 #adj4   
,boers1 #bde1 #bed-bfa1 #bgj4  ,boma1   

#ajc1 #ajd1 #aaa4  ,bona1 #cb4  ,british
 ,bechuanaland1 #ahi1 #bfc1 #bfd4       
,british ,chartered ,co4's ,territory1  
#ahi1 #bfe4  ,british ,kaffraria1 #ahi1 
#bjh1 #bfi4  ,british ,protectorate1    
#ahi1 #bfd4  ,bult-,fontein1 #age4      
,burri1 #fa4  ,burrum1 #fa4  ,bushmen1  
#ahi1 #aij1 #bjh1 #bfd1 #bgc-bgf4  ,bush
 ,veldt1 #bdf1 #bdh4   ,cairo1 #ee4     
,cameroon ,mountains1 #aeg1 #afj4  ,cape
 ,blanco1 #cd4  ,cape ,bon1 #af1 #cd4   
,cape ,colony1 #ag1 #ah1 #hg1 #hi1 #aea1
 #afj1 #afb1 #aff1 #afi1 #aga1 #ahj1    
#ahi1 #aig1 #aii4  ,cape ,elizabeth1    
#baa4  ,cape ,frio1 #bff4  ,cape        
,guardafui1 #af1 #ag4  ,cape of ,good   
,hope1 #af1 #aeh1 #aga1 #ahb1 #ahe1     
#ahg1 #ahh1 #aig1 #aih1 #bja1 #bjb1     
#bab1 #bag1 #bah1 #bcb1 #bce1 #bcg1     
#bch1 #bdj1 #bdd4  ,cape ,town1 #afg1   
#ahc1 #aic1 #bjj1 #bje1 #baa-bad1 #bai1 
#bda1 #bfj-bfc4  ,cape ,verd1 #af1 #ah1 
#ij1 #ia1 #aeh4  ,central ,africa1 #aed1
 #aib1 #bag4  ,central ,nigritia1 #ah4  
,chambesi ,river1 #ie1 #if4             

,charlestown1 #bai1 #bbj4  ,chobe       
,river1 #fe4  ,chubiri ,river1 #aaa1    
#aab4  ,compass ,mountain1 #aih4  ,congo
 ,free ,state1 #aad-aag4  ,congo ,river1
 #dd1 #de1 #fe1 #ic-ig1 #ajb-ajd1 #ajf1 
#aaa1 #aab1 #aad1 #aee1 #aei1 #bjb4     
,constantia1 #bac4  ,crystal ,mountains1
 #aeg4  ,cunene ,river1 #bgf4   ,dafur1 
#aei4  ,damaraland1 #bji1 #bge1 #bgf4   
,delagoa ,bay1 #acb1 #bcb1 #bdi1 #bfg1  
#bfh1 #bgj4  ,delta of the ,nile1 #dj1  
#di1 #ed1 #aei4  ,diamond ,fields1 #aga1
 #age1 #agf4  ,dilolo1 #fd4             
,drachenberg ,mountains1 #hi1 #aeh1     
#bjh1 #bji1 #bae1 #baf1 #bah1 #bbj1     
#bcg1 #bch1 #bdf1 #bea1 #bed1 #bfi4     
,durban1 #bjd1 #bai4  ,du ,toit's ,pan1 
#age4   ,east ,london1 #baa4  ,egypt1   
#ag1 #ai1 #cj1 #cf1 #ch-dj1 #db1 #di1   
#ea1 #ee4  ,equatorville1 #ig1 #aab4    
,estcourt1 #bai4  ,ethiopia1 #ch4       
,falls of the ,zambesi1 #ff-fi4         
,fernando ,po1 #afj4  ,fezzan1 #bf4     
,fish ,river1 #bbb4   ,gambia ,river1   
#ah1 #dd1 #de1 #ia-ic4  ,gasa ,county1  

#bgb4  ,geraffe1 or ,giraffe ,river1    
#eb1 #aci1 #adj4  ,german ,protectorate1
 #ahi1 #bff4  ,godjam1 #eb1 #ec4  ,gold 
,coast1 #afg-afi4  ,gondokoro1 #ea4     
,great ,desert1 #ag1 #ai1 #bj1 #bb1 #bf1
 #cj4  ,great ,karroo1 #aii1 #bac4      
,great ,namaqualand1 #hg1 #bji4         
,griqualand1 #ij4  ,griqualand ,west1   
#aga1 #agb1 #agd-agf1 #aig4  ,griqual1  
#bgf4  ,guinea1 #aeh1 #aff-afh4  ,guinea
 ,current1 #afi4  ,gulf of ,arabia1 #af4
  ,gulf of ,gabes1 #cd4  ,gulf of       
,guinea1 #af1 #ag1 #fj1 #ic1 #afh1 #afi4
  ,gulf of ,sidra1 #af1 #ce4  ,gulf of  
,suez1 #dj4  ,gulf of ,tunis1 #cd4      
,hammamet1 #cd4  ,harrismith1 #bai4     
,hawash ,river1 #cg4  ,high ,veldt1     
#bde4  ,hopetown1 #agb4  ,hottentots1   
#aia-aie1 #bji1 #bbh-bcf1 #bff4         
,ibrahim ,pasha ,lake1 #ea4  ,indian    
,ocean1 #fh1 #hi1 #aeh1 #aib1 #aig1     
#bjj1 #bjh1 #bae1 #baf1 #bfi4  ,indwe   
,river1 #bjh4  ,isambi ,falls1 #acg4    
,isangila1 #aje1 #ajf1 #aaa4  ,itimbiri 
,river1 #ig4   ,jagersfontein1 #aff4    

,johannesberg1 #agj1 #bdi4  ,joliba     
,river1 #ei4   ,kaffirland1 #bbj1 #bfi1 
#bgj4  ,kaffirs1 #bbj-bbc1 #bbe1        
#bbh-bcj1 #bfi1 #bgj4  ,kaffraria1 #bbj1
 #bba4  ,kalahari ,desert1 #fe1 #gi1    
#hj1 #hc-he1 #aga1 #bde1 #bgb1 #bge4    
,karuma ,falls1 #ea1 #ade1 #adi1 #aea4  
,kasai ,river1 #ig4  ,kei ,river1 #bjh1 
#bba4  ,kenia1 #ag1 #aeh4  ,khartoom1   
#di1 #eb-ed4  ,kilimanjaro1 #ag1 #aeh4  
,kimberley1 #aff1 #agb1 #age-agg1 #agi1 
#bda4  ,kintamo ,bay1 #ajf4  ,kiva      
,river1 #ig4  ,kong ,mountains1 #fj1    
#fb1 #ij1 #ib1 #aeg1 #aeh4  ,kordofan1  
#cf1 #ch1 #di4  ,krugersdorp1 #bej4     
,kuaka1 #gd4   ,ladysmith1 #bai4  ,lake 
,albert ,nyanza1 #di1 #ea1 #adj1        
#adf-aeb1 #aed1 #aei4  ,lake ,bangweolo1
 or ,bemba1 #ie1 #aed4  ,lake ,dembea1  
#cg1 #eb4  ,lake ,dilolo1 #fd1 #fe4     
,lake ,liemba1 #aee4  ,lake ,moero1 #ie1
 #aed4  ,lake ,n'gami1 #fd1 #fe1 #aec1  
#aef4  ,lake ,nyassa1 #fd1 #gd1 #ge1    
#aag1 #aed1 #aeh4  ,lake ,rudolph1 #aee4
  ,lake ,shirwa1 #aee4  ,lake           

,tanganyika1 #ii1 #aja1 #abj1 #aba1     
#abd-abf1 #abh1 #aci1 #aee4  ,lake      
,tchad1 #ah1 #ai1 #bf1 #aah-abj1        
#aee-aeg1 #afj4  ,lake ,victoria        
,nyanza1 #di1 #ea1 #fd1 #ii1 #aba1 #aca1
 #acb1 #ace1 #acf1 #ach-ada1 #ade1 #adg1
 #adi1 #aed1 #aee1 #aei4  ,land of the  
,moon1 #aba4  ,latookas1 #adb1 #adc1    
#ade4  ,leambye ,river1 #fe4  ,lebombo  
,mountains1 #bfh4  ,leeba ,river1 #fd1  
#fe4  ,leopoldville1 #id1 #ajf1 #ajg1   
#aji1 #aaa4  ,libyan ,desert1 #dj4      
,liesbeek ,river1 #ahg4  ,limpopo       
,river1 #fe1 #ge1 #bbb1 #bde-bdg1 #bdi1 
#bgj4  ,livingstone ,falls1 #aje4       
,livingstone ,mountains1 #aeh4          
,livingstone ,river1 #if4  ,lower ,congo
 ,river1 #id1 #ajc1 #ajf4  ,lower       
,livingstone ,falls1 #id4  ,low ,veldt1 
#bdf4  ,luabo1 #gd4  ,lualaba ,river1   
#ie1 #if4  ,lulongo ,river4 #ig4        
,lupata ,mountains1 #ag1 #gd1 #aeg4     
,mafeking1 #bfd4  ,magella1 #aej4       
,magungo1 #add1 #adh1 #adi1 #aea1 #aeb4 
,makololo1 #bgb4  ,malagarazi ,river1   

#aba1 #abd1 #abf4  ,manyanka1 #ie1 #aaa4
  ,manyema1 #aja4  ,maritzburg1 #bji1   
#bag-bai4  ,marrah ,mountains1 #aei4    
,mashona ,range1 #bgb4  ,matabele-land1 
#aga1 #bgb4  ,matoppo ,range1 #bgb4     
,mauritius ,island1 #bje4               
,mediterranean ,sea1 #ag1 #bf1 #cj1 #ca1
 #ci1 #di1 #ea1 #ed1 #ajb1 #aef1 #aei4  
,mendif1 #afj4  ,meroe1 #ec4  ,middle   
,veldt1 #bdf-bdh4  ,mobangi ,river1 #ig4
  ,mograt1 #ec4  ,monomotapa1 #fc4      
,mont aux ,sources1 #hf4  ,morocco      
7,empire71 #ag1 #ai1 #cj1 #aeg1 #aeh4   
,mosiotunga ,falls1 #ff4  ,mossamedes1  
#bgf4  ,mountains of the ,moon1 #aeg4   
,mount ,loma1 #fj4  ,mozambique1 #ahh1  
#bae1 #bfh4  ,murchison ,falls1 #ea4    
,mushinga ,mountains1 #aed1 #aei4       
,namaqualand1 #bjc1 #bge1 #bgf4         
,namaquas1 #bgf4  ,natal1 #hg1 #hi1     
#afi1 #ahi1 #aih1 #bjd1 #bje1 #bjh1     
#bae-bah1 #bbj1 #bcg1 #bch1 #bfi1 #bgj4 
,newcastle1 #bai4  ,new ,rush ,mine1    
#agg4  ,niger ,river1 #ag-ai1 #dd-dg1   
#di1 #ei-fc1 #ij1 #aei4  ,nile ,basin1  

#dj4  ,nile ,river1 #cg-dj1 #dd1 #de1   
#ea1 #eb1 #ed1 #ef-eh1 #fe1 #acf1 #acg1 
#adj1 #ada1 #add-adf1 #adh1 #aej1 #aea1 
#aed4  ,nile ,valley1 #ai1 #cf1 #da1    
#ej1 #ea1 #ec1 #ee1 #aei4  ,nmgeni      
,fall1 #bji4  ,north ,africa1 #aee1     
#aei4  ,nubia1 #ag1 #bb1 #cf1 #ch1 #ci1 
#di1 #ec4  ,nyangwe1 #ie1 #aja4   ,obbo1
 #adc1 #ade4  ,oran 7,province71 #cb4   
,orange ,river1 #dd1 #fe1 #hf1 #hg1 #hi1
 #agf1 #aih1 #bjj1 #bja1 #bcg1 #bch1    
#bdj1 #bea1 #bff4  ,orange ,river ,free 
,state1 #hg1 #hi1 #ij1 #agf1 #ahj1 #ahi1
 #bjh1 #baa1 #bag1 #bai1 #bbj1 #bcg1    
#bch1 #bdj1 #bda1 #bdc1 #bde1 #bej1     
#bgc4  ,ovampoland1 #fe4  ,ovampos1     
#bgf4   ,ponta de ,lenha1 #ajb4  ,port  
,alfred1 #baa4  ,port ,beira1 #bfe1     
#bfh4  ,port ,elizabeth1 #bch1 #bda4    
,port ,natal1 #bag1 #bah1 #bch4         
,portuguese ,possessions1 #ahi4         
,potchefstroom1 #bei4  ,pretoria1 #bdi1 
#beh1 #bfh4  ,prince's ,island1 #afj4   
,province of ,oran1 #cb4  ,pungwe       
,river1 #bfh4   ,rand1 #agj1 #aga4  ,red

 ,sea1 #bb1 #cf1 #ch1 #dj1 #fd1 #aja1   
#aeh4  ,rhodesia1 #bfe4  ,rio ,grande1  
#ib4  ,ripon ,falls1 #acg1 #ach1 #adj4  
,rondevosch1 #ahg4  ,ruke ,river1 #ig1  
#aab4   ,sahara ,desert1 #ag1 #bj-bd1   
#bf1 #cj1 #cb1 #ch1 #ia1 #ib1 #afa1     
#bgc4  ,salt ,river1 #bfc4  ,say1 #fb1  
#fc4  ,senegal1 #ah1 #ai1 #dj1 #ij1 #ia1
 #ic4  ,senegambia1 #ia1 #ib4  ,shari   
,river1 #aai4  ,shire ,river1 #gd1 #ge4 
,sierra ,leone1 #ia1 #ib4  ,snow        
,mountains1 #aeg4  ,sobat ,river1 #eb1  
#aci1 #adj4  ,sofala1 #fd1 #ahb4        
,soudan1 #ag1 #ah1 #bb1 #ia1 #aah1 #bgc4
  ,south ,africa1 #hj1 #ha1 #aeh1 #afg1 
#aga1 #age1 #agh1 #ahj1 #ahb1 #ahd1     
#ahe1 #ahg1 #ahh1 #aia1 #aib1 #aif1     
#bjd1 #bjh1 #baa1 #baf1 #bba1 #bbe1     
#bcg1 #bch1 #bdi1 #bgc4  ,south ,african
 ,republic1 #ahi1 #baa1 #bag1 #bai1     
#bbj1 #bcg1 #bdc1 #bdi-bea1 #bed1 #bfc1 
#bfh1 #bgj4  ,southeast ,africa1 #aff1  
#bgj4  ,spitz ,kop ,mountains1 #aih4    
,stanley ,falls1 #ie1 #ig1 #ajf1 #aae4  
,stanley ,pool1 #id1 #ajf1 #ajh1 #aab4  

,st4 ,helena1 #ahc4  ,st4 ,thomas       
,island1 #afj4  ,suez1 #aeh4  ,suez     
,canal1 #ae4  ,swaziland1 #ahi1 #bfh4   
,table ,bay1 #aha-ahc1 #baa1 #bab4      
,table ,mount1 #ah1 #aha1 #bjj1 #bac4   
,table ,valley1 #ahc-ahf4  ,takazzie    
,river1 #cg4  ,tanganyika ,lake1 #ii1   
#aja1 #abj1 #aba1 #abd-abf1 #abh1 #aci1 
#aee4  ,tees ,river1 #bjh4  ,tete1 #gd1 
#ge1 #gh4  ,thebes1 #dj1 #ee4  ,the     
,cape ,downs1 #bfb4  ,the ,fell1 #cb1   
#cd4  ,timbuctoo1 #fj1 #fa1 #fc4        
,transvaal ,republic1 or ,transvaal1    
#hg1 #afi1 #agj1 #ahi1 #bag1 #bcg1 #bdj1
 #bdc-bde4  ,tripoli 7,province71 #ag1  
#bf1 #cj1 #ce1 #cf4  ,tsitsa ,fall1     
#bji4  ,tuaregs1 #fj4  ,tugela's ,fall1 
#bji4  ,tunis 7,state71 #ag1 #cj1       
#cd-cf4   ,ugogo1 #aba4  ,uguha1 #abf4  
,ujiji1 #abh4  ,unyamwezi1 #acd1 #aei4  
,upper ,congo ,river1 #id1 #ie1 #ih1    
#ii1 #ajf1 #ajh1 #aaj1 #aaa4  ,upper    
,livingstone ,falls1 #ie1 #ajf4   ,vaal 
,river1 #hg1 #agb1 #agf1 #bda1 #bdg1    
#bdi-bea4  ,van ,reenen's ,pass1 #bai4  

,vayling1 #bfd4  ,vereeniging1 #bdi4    
,victoria ,falls1 #ff1 #fi-gc1 #aag4    
,victoria ,nile1 #adi4  ,victoria       
,nyanza ,lake1 #di1 #ea1 #fd1 #ii1 #aba1
 #aca1 #acb1 #ace1 #acf1 #ach-ada1 #ade1
 #adg1 #adi1 #aed1 #aee1 #aei4  ,vivi1  
#id1 #ajd-ajf1 #aaa4   ,wajiji1 #acj1   
#aca4  ,wakimbu1 #abb1 #abc4  ,walfish  
,bay1 #hc1 #bji1 #bff4  ,wanyamwezi1    
#abc1 #abd1 #acj4  ,wanbe ,river1 #aai4 
,wenyas1 #aae4  ,west ,africa1 #afg4    
,white ,nile1 #ch1 #di1 #eb1 #adj4      
,witwatersrand1 #afi1 #bdi4  ,wood      
,point1 #ajb1 #ajc4  ,worcester1 #bac4  
,wray ,hook1 #bda1 #bdc4   ,zambesi     
,river1 #dd-df1 #fc-ff1 #gj1 #gd1 #ge1  
#gg1 #gh1 #aag1 #aee1 #aeh1 #aei1 #bgj1 
#bgb4  ,zanzibar1 #ajb1 #acb4  ,zuga    
,river1 #aef4  ,zululand1 #bai1 #bbb1   
#bgj4  ,zulus1 #bgj4  ,zwartebergen1    
#aii4   ,,part ,,ii4  ,abo1 #big4       
,abomey1 #bid4  ,aboukir1 #ejf4  ,abou  
,zabel1 #ebc4  ,abu ,roash1 #ecc4       
,abyssinia1 #caj1 #ceh1 #dji4           
,alexandria1 #ejj-ejf1 #eaa1 #eda4      

,algeria1 #dje1 #dgj1 #dgc1 #dgd1 #dhg4 
,algiers1 #djd1 #dgc1 #dgh1 #dij4       
,ambriz1 #cjf4  ,angra ,pequena1 #bgf4  
,annobon1 #bih4  ,ashantee ,land1       
#bhg-bhi4  ,ashantees1 #bij1 #bia4      
,asinee1 #bhh4  ,atlantic1 #bgf1 #bhe4  
,atlas ,mountains1 #cah1 #dfi1 #dib1    
#dic4   ,bakalahari1 #ceg4  ,banana     
,point1 #cjd4  ,bantu1 #djc4  ,banzai1  
#ddd4  ,barbary1 #cag4  ,barca1 #dic1   
#die1 #dif4  ,bardo1 #dhe4  ,barotse1   
#dce4  ,basongo1 #dcg1 #dch4  ,batoka1  
#dda4  ,bay of ,corsica1 #bih4  ,bay of 
,tunis1 #dhe4  ,bechuanas1 #djc1 #dah1  
#dai1 #dbg1 #dbh1 #dcj1 #dca1 #ddb1     
#ddc4  ,bedouins1 #dae1 #dig4  ,belbeys1
 #eae4  ,benguela1 #cjc4  ,berbers1     
#dje1 #dge1 #dhf1 #dih4  ,bight of      
,bonin1 #bha4  ,bight of ,biafra1 #bih4 
,binue1 #bif1 #big4  ,bitter ,lake1     
#eab1 #eac4  ,black ,mountains1 #dic4   
,blue ,nile1 #dab4  ,boers1 #cgc1 #cgf4 
,boma1 #cjd4  ,bornoo1 #dib4  ,bubastis1
 #eae1 #eaf4  ,bushmen1 #cef1 #ceg1     
#cfi1 #cge1 #djd1 #dcj1 #ddh4   ,cairo1 

#deg1 #eje1 #eaj1 #ead-eai1 #eba1 #ebb1 
#ebg1 #ebi1 #eca1 #ece1 #eci4  ,cameroon
 ,mountains1 #bha1 #bih4  ,cameroon     
,river1 #big4  ,cape ,coast ,castle1    
#bhf4  ,cape ,delgado1 #daj4  ,cape     
,frio1 #bih4  ,cape ,guardafui1 #dji4   
,cape of ,good ,hope1 #cdd1 #ceh1 #chj1 
#chg1 #ejd4  ,cape ,mesurado1 #bhe4     
,cape ,palmas1 #bhf4  ,cape ,three      
,points1 #bhf4  ,cape ,town1 #cba4      
,cape ,verd1 #bgg1 #bgh4  ,carthage1    
#dhd4  ,cazengo1 #cje4  ,central        
,africa1 #bhb1 #caj1 #cad1 #djc4        
,central ,soudan1 #djd4  ,chobe ,river1 
#dai1 #dbj4  ,clarence ,cove1 #bih4     
,cleopatra's ,needle1 #edj4  ,congo     
,free ,state1 #bii1 #cjd1 #daa4  ,congo 
,river1 #cjd1 #cjg1 #djc1 #djd1 #dab4   
,constantine 7,city71 #dgc1 #dhj4       
,constantine ,palace1 #dhj-dhc4         
,constantine 7,province71 #dgd1 #dgh4   
,copts1 #dae1 #dba4  ,corisco ,bay1     
#bih4   ,dahomans1 #bif4  ,dahomey1     
#bhg1 #bib1 #bid1 #bif4  ,dakir1 #bgg4  
,damaraland1 #dbd1 #dbe4  ,dashur1 #ecc4

  ,delagoa ,bay1 #daj4  ,delta of the   
,nile1 #dad1 #ejf1 #ejg1 #eab1 #eaf4    
,east ,africa1 #djc1 #dji-dab4  ,east   
,central ,africa1 #djc4  ,egga1 #big4   
,egypt1 #bhj1 #cah1 #dac1 #dae1 #die1   
#eje1 #ejg1 #eai1 #eca1 #ecd1 #eda4     
,egyptians1 #dac-dae1 #ddb1 #ejf1 #eah1 
#eba1 #ecb-ece4  ,el-mersa1 #dhe4       
,elmina1 #bhf4  ,equatorial ,africa1    
#chh4  ,ezher1 #ebb1 #ebg4   ,fans1     
#bii-cjc4  ,fellatah1 #bgh1 #bgi4       
,fernando ,po1 #bih4  ,fez1 #dei-dfc1   
#dfg4  ,fezzan1 #dic1 #dif1 #dih4       
,freetown1 #bhe4   ,gaboon ,river1 #bii4
  ,galla1 #dji1 #daj4  ,gambia ,river1  
#bgg-bgi1 #bha1 #bhb1 #cae4  ,gizeh1    
#eag1 #eca1 #ecb1 #ece4  ,gold ,coast1  
#bhc1 #bhf-bhh4  ,goletta1 #dhe1 #dhf4  
,goric1 #bgh4  ,grain ,coast1 #bhe1     
#bhf4  ,great ,desert1 #bgg1 #bgi1 #dib1
 #dic1 #dif4  ,great ,south ,african    
,plateau1 #bha4  ,guinea1 #bhc1 #djc4   
,guinea ,coast1 #bha1 #bhb1 #bhg1 #bhh4 
,gulf of ,guinea1 #bha4  ,gulf of       
,sidra1 #die4  ,gulf of ,suez1 #ead4    

,gulf of ,systa1 #dic4   ,hamites1 #djb4
  ,hammada1 #dig4  ,heliopolis1         
#eci-eda4  ,heptastadium1 #eja1 #ejb4   
,hottentots1 #ccc1 #cee1 #cgd1 #cge1    
#cgh1 #chf1 #djd1 #ddh4   ,indian       
,ocean1 #cji4  ,island of ,zanzibar1    
#dab4  ,ismailia1 #eac4  ,ivory ,coast1 
#bhf1 #bhh4   ,juba ,river1 #daa4       
,kabyles1 #dgc-dgh4  ,kaffirs1 #che1    
#chf1 #djc1 #dah4  ,kairon1 #eai4       
,kairwan1 #dhf4  ,kalahari ,desert1     
#cji1 #cge1 #djd1 #dbi1 #dcj4  ,karnac1 
#edb1 #edc4  ,kater ,river1 #bhc4       
,kawara ,river1 #caj4  ,kenia1 #daj4    
,kilimanjaro1 #daj4  ,kong ,mountains1  
#bhb4  ,kordofan1 #caj4  ,kuanza ,river1
 #cje4  ,kufra1 #dic4   ,lagos1 #bhg4   
,lake ,mareotis1 #eja4  ,lake ,menzaleh1
 #ejf1 #eab4  ,lake ,nyassa1 #dde1 #ddg4
  ,lake ,rudolph1 #daj4  ,lake          
,tanganyika1 #dab4  ,lake ,tchad1 #caj4 
,lake ,victoria ,nyanza1 #daj-dab4      
,leeambye ,river1 #cfe1 #dcb4  ,leeba   
,river1 #dba4  ,leopoldville1 #cjd4     
,liberia1 #bgh1 #bhe4  ,libyan ,desert1 

#dje1 #dif1 #ecb4  ,limbu1 #cjh4        
,little ,fish ,river1 #ccj4  ,loango1   
#cjc4  ,loangwa1 #cdd4  ,londa1 #dbb4   
,lower ,egypt1 #cdb1 #dae4  ,lower      
,guinea1 #bhc1 #bih4  ,lualaba ,river1  
#dab4  ,lucalla ,river1 #dci1 #ddj4     
,lukoja1 #big4   ,madagascar1 #cfa4     
,makalaka1 #dbj4  ,makololo1 #dbj1 #dba4
  ,malaghetta ,coast1 #bhe4  ,manyema1  
#dab4  ,mareotis ,lake1 #eja4           
,mechonar1 #dgj4  ,mediterranean ,sea1  
#cjg1 #caa1 #eja1 #eaj-eac1 #eaf1 #ece4 
,mejerdah1 #dib1 #eje4  ,mekinez1 #dfg4 
,memphis1 #dac1 #dag1 #ecb1 #ecc4       
,meritsane1 #ceh4  ,mesheea1 #dic1 #did4
  ,misda1 #dih4  ,moero ,lake1 #dac4    
,mogadore1 #dfh1 #dfi4  ,mombassa1 #dab4
  ,monrovia1 #bhe4  ,mopane ,forest1    
#ddg4  ,morocco 7,city71 #dfj1 #dfd-dff4
  ,morocco 7,empire71 #dje1 #dea1 #dhg4 
,mossamedes1 #cjf4  ,mozambique1 #ceh4  
,murzuk1 #dih-ejj4   ,necropolis1 #ejb4 
,negroland1 #daf-dah4  ,nicopolis1 #ejb4
  ,niger ,river1 #bha1 #bhg4  ,nile     
,river1 #caa1 #cah1 #cdb1 #cfa1 #dac1   

#ejf1 #eaa1 #eae1 #eah1 #eai1 #ece1     
#eci4  ,nile ,valley1 #djc1 #dad1 #dcb4 
,north ,africa1 #cef1 #djc-dje1 #dib4   
,nourse ,river1 #bgg1 #bha4  ,ntambounay
 ,falls1 #cbc4  ,nubia1 #bhj1 #cjg1     
#djc4  ,numidia1 #dhj4  ,numidians1     
#dgc4   ,ogowe ,river1 #cjc4  ,old      
,calabar ,river1 #big4  ,oran           
7,province71 #dgj4  ,oran 7,town71 #dgh4
  ,orange ,river1 #cbh1 #dja4  ,ovampo  
,land1 #dbe4  ,ovampo ,river1 #dbg4     
,ovampos1 #dbe1 #dbf4  ,ozi ,river1     
#daa4   ,pharos1 #eja1 #ejb4            
,pi-beseth1 #eae4  ,popo1 #bhg4  ,port  
,said1 #eab4  ,portuguese ,west ,africa1
 #cje4  ,prince's ,island1 #bih4        
,province of ,angola1 #cje4  ,province  
of ,mozambique1 #daj4  ,province of     
,oran1 #dgj4   ,quilo1 #dce4   ,red     
,sea1 #eaj4  ,rhacotis1 #ejb4  ,rio del 
,rey1 #big4  ,rio ,grande1 #bgi4        
,rokelle ,river1 #bhc4  ,rovuma ,river1 
#daa4   ,sahara ,desert1 #cjg1 #cji1    
#djf1 #dgd1 #dib4  ,sakkarah1 #eag4     
,san ,juan1 #bih4  ,san ,salvador1 #cje4

  ,sebu ,river1 #dfj4  ,semites1 #djb4  
,senegal1 #bgg1 #bgi1 #bhj1 #bha1 #caj1 
#cah1 #ceg1 #cgb4  ,senegambia1         
#bgg-bha1 #ceh1 #djc4  ,sfaks1 #dhf4    
,sherboro ,island1 #bgh4  ,shire ,river1
 #cdd1 #cid4  ,sidi ,rached1 #dgd4      
,sierra del ,crystal1 #cbc4  ,sierra    
,leone1 #bgg4  ,somal1 #dji4  ,soudan1  
#bgi1 #djc1 #dib1 #dic1 #dif4  ,south   
,africa1 #cbh1 #cbi1 #cca1 #ccd1 #cce1  
#cdh1 #cea1 #cef1 #ceh1 #cha1 #djj1     
#dja1 #djc4  ,south ,central ,africa1   
#dci4  ,southeast ,africa1 #daj4        
,sphinx1 #eag1 #ebh4  ,stanley ,pool1   
#cjd4  ,st4 ,louis1 #bgg1 #bhe4  ,st4   
,paul de ,loanda1 #cje4  ,straits of    
,gibraltar1 #dea1 #deb4  ,st4 ,thomas   
,island1 #bih4  ,suez1 #eje1 #eaj-ead4  
,suez ,canal1 #eji-ead4  ,susa1 #dhf4   
,tanganyika ,lake1 #dab4  ,tangier1     
#caa1 #deb1 #dei4  ,tarki1 #djf1 #djg4  
,tel ,basta1 #eae4  ,temple of the ,sun1
 #eci4  ,thebes1 #edb4  ,timbuctoo1     
#dfa1 #dib4  ,tlemcen1 #dgj-dgc4  ,togo1
 #bhg4  ,tripoli 7,city71 #dhh-dic1     

#dih4  ,tripoli 7,province71 #dje1 #dhh1
 #dib1 #dic1 #die4  ,tuaregs1 #djd-dji4 
,tunis 7,city71 #dhh-dic1 #dih4  ,tunis 
7,state71 #dje1 #dhd1 #dhf-dhh4  ,tyneh1
 #eaa1 #eab4   ,ugogo1 #dab4  ,ujiji1   
#dab4  ,umba1 #daa4  ,unyamwezi1 #dab4  
,upper ,egypt1 #cjg1 #cad1 #cdb4  ,upper
 ,guinea1 #bhc4  ,upper ,nile ,river1   
#djc1 #dab4  ,usagara1 #dab4  ,victoria 
,nyanza ,lake1 #daj-dab4  ,vivi1 #cjd4  
,volta ,river1 #bhf-bhh4   ,wed ,rummel1
 #dhj4  ,west ,africa1 #bgg1 #bhe1 #bhg1
 #big-bii1 #cjd1 #cjf1 #cae1 #cda1 #djc4
  ,whydah1 #bhg1 #bib4  ,windy1 or      
,windward1 ,coast1 #bhe4   ,yoruba1     
#bhg4   ,zaire ,river1 #cjd4  ,zambesi  
,river1 #cdd1 #djc1 #dah1 #ddc1 #ddd4   
,zanzibar1 #dab4  ,zulus1 #djc4         
99       99       99       99       99  
,,stepping ,,stones ,,to ,,literature   
,by ,,sarah ,,louise ,,arnold1          
,supervisor of ,schools1 ,boston1 ,mass4
  ,,and  ,,charles ,b4 ,,gilbert1       
,superintendent of ,schools1 ,newark1   
,n4 ,j4   ,the remarkable success of    

this new series of ,readers has exceeded
 even the anticipations of those who    
knew the large experience of its authors
 in educational work1 and their peculiar
 fitness for preparing a series of      
reading books that should not only meet 
the needs of the schoolroom but should  
be educative in the highest degree4     
,briefly stated1 the salient points of  
the series may be characterized as      
follows3--       #a4 ,it provides a     
carefully graded reader for each of the 
eight grades4       #b4 ,it is          
practical4 ,the authors know what       
children like and      what they need4  
#c4 ,it furnishes more reading matter   
and of better literary      quality than
 any other series4       #d4 ,it is more
 fully and more beautifully illustrated 
than      any other series4  ,every book
 is a treasure-house of choice thoughts 
happily clothed in fitting words4 ,while
 the need of simplicity has been        
recognized in the lessons for younger   
pupils1 these have been skillfully      

planned to awaken the child mind1 and to
 give pupils a foretaste of what lies   
beyond2 so that the primary readers1 no 
less than those of higher grades1 are   
truly stepping stones to literature4    
,the subject-matter in each book has    
been adapted with rare skill and        
discrimination to its special grade4 ,it
 embraces nature study1 classical       
mythology1 legendary lore1 stories of   
adventure1 patriotic and other poems1   
historical literature1 etc41 and gives  
children an all-round education which   
proves reactive in every direction4 ,in 
the higher readers1 selections are given
 entire in many cases1 so as to form    
literary wholes1--a unique and          
much-approved feature4  ,the            
illustrations are no less worthy of     
mention than the text4 ,they are more   
numerous than in any series of readers  
heretofore published4 ,many of them are 
reproductions of famous works by great  
artists1 and the pupils are thus        
familiarized with the best in art as    

well as in literature4 ,they also serve 
as language lessons4 ,the portraits of  
authors lend added interest to their    
writings4 ,the artistic vertical script 
used in the earlier grades surpasses    
anything ever before introduced into    
elementary reading books4  ,the series  
as a whole may justly be said to set a  
new standard of literary and artistic   
excellence for school readers4  ,our    
list comprises superior text-books for  
every grade of instruction4  ,the       
following are a few out of many         
testimonials to the merits and practical
 value of this notable series of school 
readers4  ,,stepping ,,stones ,,to      
,,literature presents literary gems     
which appeal to the intelligence and    
fancy of the child in a manner that will
 give him a desire to know the best in  
literature4 ,the illustrations must     
educate the taste1 while they give      
delight4--,j4 ,a4 ,,utter1 ,principal of
 ,teachers' ,training ,school1 ,albany1 
,n4 ,y4  ,these books are fine1 viewed  

either from the literary or artistic    
standpoint4 ,the stories selected are so
 adapted that1 while none of their      
beauty is lost1 they are perfectly      
suited to the ability of our youngest   
readers4--,,bessie ,m4 ,,schofield1     
,supervisor of ,primary ,schools1       
,providence1 ,r4 ,i4  ,i know of no     
readers that compare with them in every 
point that goes towards making a model  
series of books4--,o4 ,s4 ,,moles1      
,ph4,d41 ,principal of ,sherman ,school1
 ,denver1 ,col4  ,we are using the books
 in our schools1 and teachers and pupils
 are delighted with them4 ,i have had   
rather a prejudice against school       
readers1 and have used various          
supplementary books in place of regular 
readers1 but this series fully meets my 
ideal of school reading4--,b4 ,b4       
,,jackson1 ,superintendent of ,schools1 
,ashland1 ,wis4  ,in beauty of finish1  
and in the artistic excellence of the   
illustrations1 these readers surpass    
anything of the kind that ,i have       

seen4--,w4 ,f4 ,,gordy1 ,principal of   
,second ,north ,school1 ,hartford1      
,conn4  ,i know of no series that ,i    
like so much4 ,they seem to me books for
 which teachers1 parents1 and children  
may be truly thankful4--,mrs4 ,,alice   
,w4 ,,cooley1 ,asst4 ,superintendent of 
,schools1 ,minneapolis1 ,minn4  ,the    
books commend themselves alike for the  
beauty of print and pictures and the    
excellence of the reading matter        
provided in them4 ,i do not know of     
anything in the schoolbook line which   
quite equals them4--,j4 ,w4 ,,stearns1  
,director ,school of ,education1        
,university of ,wisconsin4  ,these books
 will do more than provide mere practice
 lessons in reading4 ,they cannot fail  
to stimulate a thirst for true culture1 
in the broadest sense4--,review of      
,reviews1 ,new ,york4  ,this is in every
 way a remarkable series of readers4    
,the books are masterpieces in art1     
literature1 and pedagogy4 ,the aim is to
 have children see the world about them 

clearly1 appreciate the beautiful in    
nature and the good in human nature1    
think more intelligently1 and live more 
helpfully4--,new ,england ,journal of   
,education1 ,boston4  ,these readers    
show a familiarity with child-life1 its 
needs and interests1 which every true   
teacher will appreciate4 ,both as to    
matter and attractiveness of appearance 
they are superior to any yet            
published4--,the ,teacher1              
,philadelphia4  ,our list comprises     
superior text-books for every grade of  
instruction4 ,our illustrated catalogue 
and descriptive circulars sent free on  
application4 ,correspondence cordially  
invited4   ,,attractive ,,and           
,,instructive ,,school ,,reading4       
99       99       99       99       99  
,,stepping ,,stones ,,to                
,,literature4--,arnold-,gilbert4      ,a
 ,first ,reader                   #cj   
cts4     ,a ,second ,reader             
#dj cts4     ,a ,third ,reader          
#ej cts4     ,a ,fourth ,reader         

#fj cts4     ,a ,reader for ,fifth      
,grades        #fj cts4     ,a ,reader  
for ,sixth ,grades        #fj cts4      
,a ,reader for ,seventh ,grades      #fj
 cts4     ,a ,reader for ,higher ,grades
       #fj cts4   ,,the ,,world ,,and   
,,its ,,people4--,dunton4               
,,geographical ,,readers4      ,first   
,lessons                             #cf
 cts4     ,glimpses of the ,world       
#cf cts4     ,our ,own ,country         
#ej cts4     ,our ,american ,neighbors  
#fj cts4     ,hawaii and ,its ,people   
#fh cts4     ,modern ,europe            
#fj cts4     ,life in ,asia             
#fj cts4     ,views in ,africa          
#gb cts4     ,australia and the ,islands
 of the ,sea      #fh cts      ,,nature 
,,in ,,verse4--,lovejoy                 
#fj cts4     ,,poetry ,,of ,,the        
,,seasons4--,lovejoy                    
#fj cts4     ,,through ,,the ,,year3    
,books ,i4 and ,,ii4--,clyde-,wallace   
,each1 #cf cts4     ,,twilight          
,,stories4--,foulke                     

#cf cts4     ,,braided                  
,,straws4--,foulke                      
#dj cts4     ,,the ,,plant ,,baby ,,and 
,,its ,,friends4--,brown                
#dh cts4   ,,the ,,land ,,of            
,,song4--,shute-,dunton4      ,book ,i4 
,for ,primary ,grades            #cf    
cts4     ,book ,,ii4  ,for ,lower       
,grammar ,grades      #dh cts4     ,book
 ,,iii4 ,for ,upper ,grammar ,grades    
#ed cts4   ,,the ,,normal ,,course ,,in 
,,reading4--,todd-,powell4      ,primer 
#ah cts4     ,new ,first ,reader        
#bd cts4     ,second ,reader            
#cf cts4     ,third ,reader             
#dh cts4     ,fourth ,reader            
#fj cts4     ,fifth ,reader             
#hd cts4     ,alternate ,first ,reader  
#bd cts4     ,alternate ,second ,reader 
#cf cts4     ,alternate ,third ,reader  
#dh cts4     ,primary ,reading ,charts  
#aj4jj   ,,the ,,rational ,,method ,,in 
,,reading4--,ward-,warner4      ,primer 
,complete1 #cf cts42 ,part ,i41 #bb     
cts42 ,part ,,ii41 #bd cts4     ,first  

,reader    ,complete1 #cf cts42 ,part   
,i41 #bb cts42 ,part ,,ii41 #bd cts4    
,second ,reader   ,complete1 #dd cts42  
,part ,i41 #bd cts42 ,part ,,ii41 #bh   
cts4     ,third ,reader                 
,complete1 #dh cts4     ,manual of      
,instruction for ,teachers              
#cf cts4     ,phonetic ,cards           
,first ,set1 #cf cts42 ,second ,set1 #dh
 cts42 ,third ,set1 #cf cts4   ,our list
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catalogue and descriptive circulars sent
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99       99       99       99  ,the     
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,this series furnishes editions of      
standard classics in ,english and       
,american literature1 in the best       
possible form for reading and study4    
,fourteen volumes now ready3            
,,macaulay',s ,essay on ,milton2        

,,webster',s ,first ,oration on ,bunker 
,hill ,monument2 ,,de ,,quincey',s      
,flight of a ,tartar ,tribe2            
,,coleridge',s ,the ,rime of the        
,ancient ,mariner2 ,,addison',s ,sir    
,roger de ,coverley ,papers2 ,,milton',s
 ,paradise ,lost1 ,books ,i4 and ,,ii42 
#ah cents each4 ,,burke',s ,speech on   
,conciliation with the ,american        
,colonies2 ,,macaulay',s ,essay on      
,addison2 ,,pope',s ,translation of     
,homer's ,iliad1 ,books ,i41 ,,vi41     
,,xxii41 ,,xxiv41 #bd cents each4       
,,carlyle',s ,essay on ,burns2          
,,tennyson',s ,the ,princess2 #bh cents 
each4 ,,shakespeare',s ,macbeth1 #cj    
cents4 ,,southey',s ,life of ,nelson1   
#cf cents4 ,,dryden',s ,palamon and     
,arcite1 #bj cents4  ,a ,history of     
,american ,literature4 ,by ,,fred       
,,lewis ,,pattee1 ,m4,a41 ,professor of 
,english and ,rhetoric1 ,penn4 ,state   
,college4 #abmo1 cloth1 #a4bj4  ,reading
 ,courses in ,american ,literature4 ,by 
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critical analysis of nineteen           
contemporary authors4 #abmo1 cloth1     
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of ,english in the ,central ,high       
,school1 ,minneapolis1 ,minn4 #abmo1    
cloth1 #a4jj4  ,foundation ,studies in  
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,,mooney1 ,teacher of ,literature and   
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,albany1 ,n4 ,y4 ,popular classic myths 
and their rendering by famous poets2    
beautifully illustrated4 #abmo1 cloth1  
#a4be4  ,the ,sketch ,book4 ,by         
,,washington ,,irving4 ,edited1 with    
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,,ll4,d41 ,fellow of the ,university of 
,st4 ,andrews1 ,scotland4 #abmo1 cloth1 
#fj cents4  ,shakespeare4 ,edited1 with 
critical comments and suggestions1 by   
,,homer ,b4 ,,sprague1 ,a4,m41 ,ph4,d4  
,admirably adapted to use in classes1   
literary clubs1 and for private reading4

 #g vols4 now ready3 ,merchant of       
,venice1 ,macbeth1 ,hamlet1 ,julius     
,caesar1 ,as ,you ,like ,it1 ,the       
,tempest1 and ,a ,midsummer ,night's    
,dream4 #abmo1 cloth1 #dh cents each2   
paper covers1 #cj cents each4  ,the     
,vicar of ,wakefield4 ,by ,,oliver      
,,goldsmith4 ,edited1 with ,notes1 by   
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#abmo1 cloth1 #dh cents2 paper covers1  
#cj cents4  ,the ,lady of the ,lake4 ,by
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,a4,m41 ,ph4,d4 #abmo1 cloth1 #dh cents2
 paper covers1 #cj cents4  ,select      
,minor ,poems of ,john ,milton4 ,edited 
by ,,james ,e4 ,,thomas1 ,b4,a4         
7,harvard71 ,teacher of ,english in     
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,selected and edited1 with ,notes1 by   
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ready3 ,six ,centuries of ,english      
,poetry1 ,the ,famous ,allegories1 ,the 
,book of ,elegies1 ,choice ,english     
,lyrics4 #abmo1 cloth1 #gb cents each4  
,the ,masterpieces of ,michelangelo and 
,milton4 ,by ,,alexander ,s4 ,,twombly4 
,with seventeen beautiful illustrations4
 #hvo1 cloth1 #a4ej4  ,the ,sources of  
,spenser's ,classical ,mythology4 ,by   
,,alice ,,elizabeth ,,sawtelle1 ,ph4,d4 
7,yale74 #abmo1 cloth1 #ij cents4       
,english ,masterpiece ,course4 ,by ,a4  
,h4 ,,welsh1 ,a4,m4 ,seven groups of    
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books4 #abmo1 cloth1 #ge cents4         
,essentials of ,english4 ,by ,a4 ,h4    
,,welsh1 ,a4,m4 #abmo1 cloth1 #ij cents4
  ,complete ,rhetoric4 ,by ,a4 ,h4      
,,welsh1 ,a4,m4 #abmo1 cloth1 #a4ab4    
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99       99       99       99           
,,stepping ,,stones ,,to ,,literature   
,by ,,sarah ,,louise ,,arnold1          
,supervisor of ,schools1 ,boston1 ,mass4
  ,,and  ,,charles ,b4 ,,gilbert1       
,superintendent of ,schools1 ,newark1   
,n4 ,j4         99       99       99    
99       99  ,a ,first ,reader4 #abh pp4
 #acj beautiful illustrations4          
,introductory price1 #cj cents4  ,the   
first reader of this delightful series  
initiates little learners into the world
 of letters by means of simple stories  
and rhymes concerning children and      
animals1 the natural objects of interest
 to children4 ,its illustrations are    
language lessons in themselves1 and its 
vertical script presents choice thoughts
 in choicest dress4  ,a ,second ,reader4
 #afj pp4 #ajj beautiful illustrations4 
,introductory price1 #dj cents4  ,in    
this ,reader the lessons are a little   

longer and more complex4 ,the child's   
imagination is stimulated by charming   
fairy tales which have become child     
classics4 ,he is given a taste of the   
best poetry4 ,the lessons for seat work 
are interesting and instructive4  ,a    
,third ,reader4 #bbd pp4 ,beautifully   
illustrated4 ,introductory price1 #ej   
cents4  ,the ethical principle is       
strongly enforced in the ,third ,reader 
by apposite fables and fairy tales of   
,hans ,christian ,andersen and others4  
,beautiful pictures emphasize kindness  
to animals4 ,there are numerous poetical
 gems for pupils to memorize4  ,a       
,fourth ,reader4 #cbj pp4 ,beautifully  
illustrated4 ,introductory ,price1 #fj  
cents4  ,the child is here given his    
first distinct introduction to          
mythology1 through the myths of ,greece 
and ,rome1 the ,hiawatha myth1 etc4     
,kingsley's ,water ,babies and other    
choice writings appear in full2 these   
enthrall the imagination and cultivate  
the taste4  ,a ,reader for ,fifth       

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illustrated1 ,introductory price1 #fj   
cents4  ,a ,reader for ,fifth ,grades   
contains a galaxy of illustrious names4 
,both poetry and prose are of a high    
order1 and will give pupils a genuine   
love of good literature4 ,the ,norse    
legends are introduced1 and most of the 
mythological selections bear upon       
history4  ,a ,reader for ,sixth ,grades4
 #cbj pp4 ,choicely illustrated4        
,introductory price1 #fj cents4  ,this  
,reader contains an unusual number of   
spirited poetical selections1 full of   
fire and patriotism1 such as will       
irresistibly appeal to growing youth4   
,the myth is succeeded by history1 as   
the tales of ,ancient ,rome1 etc4 ,the  
love of adventure and sport is also     
catered to4  ,a ,reader for ,seventh    
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,introductory price1 #fj cents4  ,a     
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to ,american literature1 and contains   
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leading writers of all sections of the  
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inspire a just national pride4  ,a      
,reader for ,higher ,grades4 #ccf pages4
 ,attractively illustrated4             
,introductory price1 #fe cents4  ,in ,a 
,reader for ,higher ,grades the best    
representative ,english literature is   
presented1 of both late and earlier     
periods4 ,this ,reader makes a fitting  
climax to a remarkable series4  ,our    
list comprises superior text-books for  
every grade of instruction4   ,,silver1 
,,burdett  ,,company1 ,publishers1      
,,boston 444 ,,new ,,york 444 ,,chicago