Further,
Instead Of A Rim At The Northern End, The Country Shelves Down
From The Equator To The Mediterranean Sea;
And on the general
surface of the interior plateau there are basins full of water
(lakes), from which, when rains
Overflow them, rivers are formed,
that, cutting through the flanking rim of hills, find their way
to the sea.
Atmospheric Agents
On the east coast, near Zanzibar, we find the rains following the
track of the sun, and lasting not more than forty days on any
part that the sun crosses; whilst the winds blow from south-west
or north-east, towards the regions heated by its vertical
position. But in the centre of the continent, within 5§ of the
equator, we find the rains much more lasting. For instance, at
5§ south latitude, for the whole six months that the sun is in
the south, rain continues to fall, and I have heard that the same
takes place at 5§ north; whilst on the equator, or rather a
trifle to northward of it, it rains more or less the whole year
round, but most at the equinoxes, as shown in the table on the
following page. The winds, though somewhat less steady, are
still very determinable. With an easterly tending, they deflect
north and south, following the sun. In the drier season they blow
so cold that the sun's heat is not distressing; and in
consequence of this, and the average altitude of the plateau,
which is 3000 feet, the general temperature of the atmosphere is
very pleasant, as I found from experience; for I walked every
inch of the journey dressed in thick woollen clothes, and slept
every night between blankets.
The Number of Days on which Rain fell (more or less) during the
March of the East African Expedition from Zanzibar to Gondokoro.
1860 Days on 1861 Days on 1862 Days on
which which which
rain fell rain fell rain fell
*** *** January 19 January 14
*** *** February 21 February[FN#1]12
*** *** March 17 March 21
*** *** April 17 April 27
*** *** May 3 May 26
*** *** June 0 June 20
*** *** July 1 July 22
*** *** August 1 August 20
*** *** September 9 September 18
October 2 October 11 October 27
November 0 November 17 November 20
December 20 December 16 December 6
Flora
From what has been said regarding the condition of the
atmosphere, it may readily be imagined that Africa, in those
parts, after all, is not so bad as people supposed it was; for,
when so much moisture falls under a vertical sun, all vegetable
life must grow up almost spontaneously. It does so on the
equator in the most profuse manner; but down at 5§ south, where
there are six months' drought, the case is somewhat different;
and the people would be subject to famines if they did not take
advantage of their rainy season to lay in sufficient stores for
the fine: and here we touch on the misfortune of the country; for
the negro is too lazy to do so effectively, owing chiefly, as we
shall see presently, to want of a strong protecting government.
One substantial fact has been established, owing to our having
crossed over ten degrees of latitude in the centre of the
continent, or from 5§ south to 5§ north latitude, which is this:
There exists a regular gradation of fertility, surprisingly rich
on the equator, but decreasing systematically from it; and the
reason why this great fertile zone is confined to the equatorial
regions, is the same as that which has constituted it the great
focus of water or lake supply, whence issue the principal rivers
of Africa. On the equator lie the rainbearing influences of the
Mountains of the Moon. The equatorial line is, in fact, the
centre of atmospheric motion.
Fauna
In treating of this branch of natural history, we will first take
man - the true curly-head, flab-nosed, pouch-mouthed negro - not
the Wahuma.[FN#2] They are well distributed all over these
latitudes, but are not found anywhere in dense communities.
Their system of government is mostly of the patriarchal
character. Some are pastorals, but most are agriculturalists;
and this difference, I believe, originates solely from want of a
stable government, to enable them to reap what they produce; for
where the negro can save his cattle, which is his wealth, by
eating grain, he will do it. In the same way as all animals,
whether wild or tame, require a guide to lead their flocks, so do
the negroes find it necessary to have chiefs over their villages
and little communities, who are their referees on all domestic or
political questions. They have both their district and their
village chiefs, but, in the countries we are about to travel
over, no kings such as we shall find that the Wahuma have. The
district chief is absolute, though guided in great measure by his
"grey-beards," who constantly attend his residence, and talk over
their affairs of state. These commonly concern petty internal
matters; for they are too selfish and too narrow-minded to care
for anything but their own private concerns. The grey-beards
circulate the orders of the chief amongst the village chiefs, who
are fined when they do not comply with them; and hence all orders
are pretty well obeyed.
One thing only tends to disorganise the country, and that is war,
caused, in the first instance, by polygamy, producing a family of
half-brothers, who, all aspiring to succeed their father, fight
continually with one another, and make their chief aim slaves and
cattle; whilst, in the second instance, slavery keeps them ever
fighting and reducing their numbers. The government revenues are
levied, on a very small scale, exclusively for the benefit of the
chief and his grey-beards. For instance, as a sort of land-tax,
the chief has a right to drink free from the village brews of
pombe (a kind of beer made by fermentation), which are made in
turn by all the villagers successively.
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