144 Land Magnetic Observations, 1914-20 



F. Brown, on Trans-African Magnetic Expedition, Angola to Mozambique, January 



to October 1920. 



After the completion of the work in Cameroun in January 1920, I prepared to 

 proceed southward to take up the work in Angola, occupying repeat stations en route 

 in accordance with instructions of March 7, 1919, and using the instrumental outfit 

 which had been carried on the previous expedition. It had been my intention to take 

 passage on the mail steamer L'Afrique, but this was impossible owing to the distressing 

 loss of that vessel off Bordeaux with all on board. I was saved from a delay of 6 or 7 

 weeks at Douala by the courtesy of the Commander of the French cruiser Regulus, 

 who, with the permission of the Governor, invited me to accompany him. I most gladly 

 accepted this invitation and proceeded southward as a guest of the officers of the vessel. 

 We arrived at Boma on February 4, opportunity having been afforded for observations 

 at Libreville, Port Gentil, and Banana, all repeat stations. At the last-named point 

 the Commander very kindly set me ashore after a most pleasant two weeks as a guest. 

 From here passage was taken on the Belgian ste?mer Wall, which arrived at Loanda 

 on February 14. Besides making the necessary official preparations for work in the inte- 

 rior of Angola, I was able to carry out a short series of comparisons with the instruments 

 of the Loanda Observatory which was expected to begin operations very soon, with a 

 complete equipment of magnetograph instruments. From Loanda I was ilso able 

 to make a short trip by rail on the weekly passenger train eastward to the present terminus 

 at Malange, where the station of 1915 was reoccupied. 



I arrived at Lobito Bay by steamer from Loanda on March 14 and left on March 31 

 by rail for Huambo and Xinguari. Leaving the rail-head (500 kilometers from the coast) 

 on April 7, with carriers, I followed the old slave route which runs east along the 12th 

 parallel to Kavungo, where I arrived May 26. The route then extends northeast, touch- 

 ing Kalene Hill in the extreme northwest corner of Rhodesia, and enters the Katanga 

 District in the Belgian Congo near Dipudi. Chilongo, on the Belgian Katanga Railway, 

 was reached on June 19, from which point I continued by rail to the Victoria Falls on 

 the Zambezi. 



The second half of the trans- African trip began at Kafue, a small town about 100 

 miles south of Broken Hill. Setting out with carriers July 23, I followed first the Kafue 

 and then the Zambezi rivers to Feira, in the southeast corner of Northern Rhodesia. 

 Thence the journey to Chinde, at the mouth of the Zambezi, was made by canoe as far as 

 Chindio with one overland stretch of 100 miles to avoid the unnavigable part of the 

 river. At Chindio a river steamer was taken for Chinde, where I arrived September 21. 

 The crossing of Africa thus lasted almost 6 months. Beira was reached on September 25 

 by a coasting steamer from Chinde. 



At the outset a stay of 2 weeks was necessary in Lobito to complete the arrange- 

 ments for the journey into the interior. Only one day was spent in the purchase of stores, 

 but the chief cause of delay was the lengthy procedure necessary to obtain a license 

 for carrying a rifle. This usually takes one month, so that unless one is making a lengthy 

 trip in Portuguese territory, it is advisable to dispense with firearms. There are well- 

 equipped stores both in Lobito and Benguela, but camp furniture and equipment are 

 not obtainable in either place. A well-built railway runs into the interior 500 kilometers 

 from Lobito, and construction is being carried on to Belmonte. It is intended to continue 

 the railway eastward to Kambove in the Belgian Congo. Leaving Lobito the train soon 

 passes the old slave town of Catumbella, and on the hills beyond the old slave trail from 

 the interior is plainly seen, marking the end of a cruel journey of many months for the 

 unfortunate slaves who were captured in Central Africa when the "black ivory trade" 

 was in full swing not so very many years ago. We also got a view of the giant baobab 

 mentioned by Livingstone in his book. 



