2 COL. GRANT—BOTANY OF THE 5РЕКЕ AND GRANT EXPEDITION. 
The colleetion, therefore, is strietly Afriean, embracing the countries to the west of 
Zanzibar and Nile-land; it is but a beginning, and must be taken as а very incomplete 
flora of the country. : 
We had many difficulties to eontend with іп such а journey. We һай по means of 
carrying a large collection; our plants, with all my clothes, could only form а light load 
for one man. Wet weather, the unsuitableness of the season, crossing streams, and col- 
lecting during a march were all against us, Many plants were too large or succulent to 
attend to in a moving camp, and I often had the mortification of pitching away interest- 
ing species; but on such occasions I made notes and figures of them. The whole collec- 
tion was once plundered, along with all our property, and in the hands of robbers for 
several days; but by patient submission and bribing the delinquents nearly all was 
recovered. | 
I will now proceed to give a short account of the countries through which we passed, 
from Zanzibar to Godokoro, 5° N. lat., trying to point out the capabilities of the country 
as а field for botany. 
The first sixteen stages westward from the coast opposite to Zanzibar are level, with 
gentle undulations, and attain an elevation of 891 feet. The soil is а rich loam, fre- 
quently showing the channels of streams; it is covered with natural grass, of heights 
varying from 3 to 10 feet. 'The trees on this tract of alluvial soil are disappointing, none 
being full-grown except the Borassus ethiopicus and those influenced by streams: they 
are scorched every year by the burning down of the grass; and to this and the barking 
of many of them I attribute their stunted appearance all over our route. We occasion- 
ally camped upon the bank of the river Kingani, where water was abundant; but when 
away from it the water was dirty and disagreeable to use, and at times, from stagnation, 
bitter to the taste. The only hill was that of Kidoondah, a mass of rock, which together 
with some sandstone conglomerate were the sole indications we had of the rocks of the 
country. The following species were collected here :—Vigna nilotica; Combretum con- 
strictum, Laws. ; Dissotis prostrata, Benth.; Momordica trifoliata, Hook. f. 
THE 16TH TO THE 37TH STAGE, ACROSS THE EAST COAST RANGE :— 
The altitude of the pass we crossed upon this range is 5148 feet. Неге there is a 
curious vegetation of trees and bushes; the east coast face, between the elevations of 5000 
and 3000 feet, is dry, rocky, and unpromising, whereas on the west side of the moun- 
tains, where heavy dews fall, the foliage is dense and has a remarkably fresh, green 
appearance. 
Between the heights of 3000 and 1000 feet (I speak now of the eastern face) we have 
something of a tropical vegetation. Palms are in dense clusters; the bamboo is in lofty 
clumps ; creepers (Loranthus, sp. n.) cover the trees ; bulbs are numerous ; orchids are met 
with; lilies and reeds are abundant in lochs; the castor-oil plant, plantain, melons, &е.; 
are seen іп the cultivations; and the lower hills, destitute of trees, are good pasturing- 
grounds for cattle. At M'dunhui, where there is a clear running stream, with bed of 
sand, we found the sarsaparilla vine abundant ; and a few miles further west we came upon 
a beautiful valley, richly cultivated with rice and surrounded by low hills. Water of 
. various kinds, from ditch-water to sweet water, iron-tasting and hot spring, was obtain- 
able during every stage, except at the mountain pass, where we could not expect any. 
