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.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 3 of 403
Words from 1019 to 1536
of 210958
