146 Land Magnetic Observations, 1914-20 



sick or gone lame and had been left to die by their companions. The trail crossed a 

 succession of ridges covered with low timber and scrub, and separated by narrow grassy 

 valleys through which flow small rivers and streams of cold clear water. The trail on 

 the ridges is often very sandy, while the river valleys are swampy along the stream beds. 

 On April 26 the post of Munhango was reached and observations were made the same 

 day. It is built on the steep side of a wooded ridge which forms the watershed of three 

 river systems. A tributary of the Zambezi River rises on the south, on the north is the 

 source of the Kasai, an important tributary of the Congo, while a third stream rises on 

 the northwest slope to flow into the Cuanza, the largest river in Angola. 



Munhango to Moxico takes a march of 5 long days over picturesque wooded country 

 intersected by grassy valleys. There are good rest-houses for lodging, but no food is 

 obtainable, and in the dry season water is scarce. Moxico was reached on May 2, after 

 a march down the Simoi River, which near the settlement runs between picturesque, 

 steep hills. The Governor of the district resides here, and some good roads are being 

 made for wheeled traffic. The route followed by carriers is too sandy for motor traffic, 

 but the old Boer wagon route, which follows along the Zambezi-Congo divide, is said to 

 be of more solid formation. The Spanish influenza had Moxico in its grip on arrival 

 there, so that it was necessary to isolate the carriers and complete the observations as 

 speedily as possible. A departure was made the next day for the English mission station 

 of Boma, about 12 kilometers to the eastward, where the Camundongo men were paid 

 off and rationed for their return journey across the "Hungry Country." As the local 

 natives were all suffering from influenza, a delay of a week was experienced before men 

 could be engaged for the journey to Nana Candundo (Kavungo), 400 kilometers more to 

 the east. 



The Chokwe tribe of the Moxico district are a proud, insolent people, whom the 

 Portguese have had considerable difficulty in subduing. In the old days they were really 

 highway robbers and would hold up carriers, 1,000 strong, to extort "presents." They 

 gave trouble to every traveler through their district, including Livingstone and Arnot. 

 For a long time they refused to carry loads, "to become white men's slaves," as they 

 termed it, and the hut-tax has only been enforced during the last five years. The men 

 are of medium height and of sturdy build, making good carriers. Their dress is scanty, 

 a piece of cloth tucked into a belt around the loins or two pieces of goat skin hanging 

 down almost to the knees. The women are not inferior to the men in size, but their dress 

 is even more scanty. A tiny scrap of cloth is worn in front with brass armlets, bracelets, 

 and necklaces. The head is dressed in a most peculiar fashion. With the aid of a stick 

 the hair is twisted into a series of clots or lumps, which are soaked with castor oil and 

 plastered with red clay. 



A start was made on May 10 for Kavungo, to which there is a cleared road most of 

 the way, with rest-houses scattered rather far apart for a day's march. The country is 

 still very lonely, and but few villages were seen during the 17 days' march. The altitude 

 varies from 3,500 to 4,000 feet, but as one proceeds eastwardly the ridges are found to 

 be less pronounced, while the grassy belts and plains become wider and more swampy. 

 During March and April this section of the route is impassable, the rivers and swamps 

 often being many miles wide by the end of the rainy season. After a march of 2 days 

 from Boma a detour to the north was made to reach a farm named Cazeze, which is on 

 the surveyed railway route. The main road was regained at Chabaia, about 50 kilo- 

 meters to the east. The winding native track touches the Kasai River, where a few 

 villages are located in which eggs and fowls can be bought for money or salt. The Por- 

 tuguese post of Dilolo was reached May 20, after the road had been followed across wide 

 grassy and slightly swampy plains, which alternated with belts of thick scrub or park-like 

 country whore the grass was waist to shoulder high. Dilolo is prettily situated on the 



