Can we then pass these grand old trees with indifference, or look upon their huge trunks—which measure over 107 feet in circumference—without emotion, the branches of which at mid-day would shelter from the sun a regiment of soldiers? But these are not the only trees that grace the primeval forests of Africa; there are many varieties, dating back many thousand years from their birth, that are grand objects in the landscape, and complete a picture of forest scenery that few can realise who have not visited these ancient and glorious old forests, which, if they could speak, could tell wondrous tales of scenes unknown to man.
Chapter Twenty.
South Central Africa—Its territorial divisions and boundaries. The River System and their Basins.
This extensive region is bounded on the south by the Cape Colony and the Orange Free States; the Orange river by the former, and the Vaal river from the fountain-head down to where it enters the Orange, in 29 degrees 10 minutes South latitude, 23 degrees 47 minutes East longitude, by the latter State, with the exception of a portion of Griqualand West, which extends beyond those two rivers, and forms part of the above region. The Orange enters the South Atlantic in 28 degrees 40 minutes South latitude, 16 degrees 25 minutes East longitude, and up to the junction of the Vaal is the boundary of the Cape Colony and South Central Africa, which extends northwards up to the basin of the Congo, a distance of 1400 miles, and in width, from the South Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, in the northern part 1800 miles, the extreme south 1100 miles, an area of over 2,000,000 square miles, divided into divisions or territories, ruled over by independent chiefs, and will be dealt with under their respective heads. Great Namaqua and Damaralands embrace the whole of the west coast-line, from the Orange river northwards to the Qunene river, the boundary of the Portuguese settlement of Benguela and Angola, a coast-line of 730 miles. The remaining portion by the Portuguese settlement, the eastern coast, extends from the south side of Delagoa Bay, and the southern extremity of the Portuguese settlement, to the mouth of the Zambese river, on to Quilimain, a Portuguese port on the north, a distance of coast-line of 700 miles, up to the boundary of the Congo Confederation.
This vast area is divided into three separate watersheds, the most important one divides the waters of the South Atlantic from the Indian Ocean. This watershed commences at the extreme southern point on the Drakensberg mountain in Natal, 10,000 feet in altitude, following that range round to New Scotland, 6100 feet in altitude, in the Transvaal, then turns west, along the high veldt between Potchefstroom and Pretoria, 6300 feet, to the north of Lichtenburg, a town in the same State, 6100 feet, then in a north-west direction through a portion of Bechuanaland, the Kalahara desert, to Ovampoland, 4300 in altitude, on to Benguela, the Portuguese settlement on the west coast. All on the west of this shed the country is drained by the Orange and Vaal rivers and their tributaries, and the Swakop and other small streams in Damaraland, into the South Atlantic Ocean. The second watershed commences on the high land, 4260 feet in altitude, half-way through the desert, in 23 degrees 40 minutes South latitude, 23 degrees 20 minutes East longitude, takes a north-east direction, passing on the east side of the great brak vlei Makarakara, along the granite range of the Molopo in Matabeleland, on to the Lobolo mountain, 4500 feet in altitude, near the Zambese river, 300 miles from its mouth. The above river and its tributaries drain the country on the north of this watershed, and is called the Zambese basin; on the south side it is drained by the Limpopo river and its tributaries, called the Limpopo basin; both rivers discharge themselves into the Indian Ocean. These three large rivers, the Orange, Zambese, and Limpopo, with their branches, with the exception of a small portion of great Namaqua and Damaralands on the west coast, and also part of Umzela’s territory and the Transvaal by Delagoa Bay on the east coast, drain nearly 2,000,000 square miles of South Central Africa. The Orange, south of the above region, with its tributaries, drain the Orange Free State, and part of the Cape Colony, to the extent of 170,000 square miles in addition. Each of these river systems I propose to describe, as they form the principal geographical features, previous to going more into the detail of the several territories ruled over by independent chiefs.
The Zambese System, Covering an Area of 860,000 Square Miles.
The entire length of this river, from the fountain-head to its mouth in the Indian Ocean, south of Mozambique, is 1550 miles. The small lake Dilolo, in 11 degrees 30 minutes South latitude, 23 degrees 0 minutes East longitude, situated in the Lololala region, and within a few miles of the upper springs of the Kuana, a branch of the Congo; and from thence falls south and south-east, through Lui Banda, Barotsi, Makololo, Banyeti, and other tribes, with its many branches, to the Victoria Falls, and then on to the sea in an easterly direction. The other important tributaries, taking their rise in the region west of the above, are the Chobe, Quito, Cubango or Okavango, and many branches in the country of the Kimbandi and Bunda; the source of the Cubango or Okavango is but a short distance from the upper springs of the river Quanza, that passes through Angola to the South Atlantic, and belongs to the Portuguese. The Chobe takes a winding course south, through a level and swampy country, full of jungle, past a Kaffir kraal, Matambaya, to within seventy miles to the west of Linyanti; past that chief’s kraal, in an easterly and north-easterly direction, it enters the Zambese thirty-seven miles above the Victoria Falls. The Chobe is a large and broad river with several rapids. There are many streams and laagte which intersect this extensive and swampy region.
It is a most unhealthy and sickly country, whence it has obtained the name of the Fever District. The Cubango river: the source of this river also flows south 19 degrees 10 minutes South latitude, 15 degrees 0 minutes East longitude, the altitude was 3370 feet above sea-level; from that station the river runs in a south-east direction for fifty-five miles to Libebe kraal, then in an easterly course winding through the desert for sixty-five miles to Debabe’s kraal, 17 degrees 22 minutes South latitude, 21 degrees 30 minutes East longitude. Thirty miles below my station the river Quito joins, which forms a broad and fine stream. At Debabe’s the river turns south-south-east, and receives a new name, the Tonga; one portion flowing into the Chobe; the other continuing, with many turns and windings, for 220 miles, finally entering the north-west corner of Lake N’gami at an altitude of 2813 feet, receiving in its course the Laagte Okayanka that rises in Ovarapoland at Chambomba vlei, 3900 feet above sea-level, flowing east, and enters the Tonga 110 miles below Debabe town, where the country is full of swamps, with outlets into the Mababe river. Lake N’gami is forty-five miles long when full, and about ten miles in width, very shallow, and is getting less every year. The western end is in 20 degrees 25 minutes South latitude, 22 degrees 38 minutes East longitude. There are several small streams which flow into it in the rainy season. On the eastern side the Zouga river joins it, sometimes flowing into it, and sometimes out; the direction of the current depending on the rainfall. The Zouga, from the lake, winds easterly through a flat country for eighty miles, then turns south for 130 miles to Kumadua vlei, and then north-east for sixty miles, and joins the great Makarakara brak vlei, which is nearly fifty miles across, where five streams enter it on the eastern side from the watershed that passes through the Matabeleland, viz. the Nata, Quabela, Shuari, Mia, and Tua. The Zouga river having such a perfect level, the water in April and May flows easterly, in June and July westerly. The only outlet for the surplus water of the Zouga, lake, and vlei, is the Mababe into the Chobe; and when all are full, and no stream flowing, the water in the Mababe goes north or south according to the rain. If a great rush of water comes out of the lake or vlei, the Mababe is the outlet which connects the lake system with the Zambese, and the hippopotami find their way up from the latter river into the Zouga. The length of the Mababe from these two points is 200 miles, but there are several watercourses throughout this region, more particularly round the hilly district of Ngwa hills, traversing the country in all directions; pans and vleis intersect this extensive district, many of them extensive—the Sira and Etwetwe are considerable.