The Fed r as JVegras of Pimgo Aiuhmgo in Angola 29 



numbers of Rubiaceous plants, with the very pretty Ancylanthus 

 ferrugineus, are often half smothered by climbing Asclepiadns. 

 An incredible number of slender soft grasses, thrive luxuriantly in 

 the meadows in the side valleys, which is the immediate induce- 

 ment to cattle-breeding in this part of the country, excelling therein 

 all other districts of Angola. Along with these occur several 

 larger Graminese, near the brooks in .the neighbouring forests, 

 where a species of bamboo occurs 30 to 40 feet high, with such 

 thick stalks, that the natives manufacture out of them drinking 

 vessels and snuff boxes Among a great number of interesting 

 Cryptogamic plants, I shall only mention a gigantic Agaric which 

 I found growing in the neighbouring Panda woods, distinguished 

 by the immense size of its head, which sometimes measures more 

 than 3 feet in circumference, as well as by the delicate flavour of 

 its flesh. Even the beds of the brooks glitter with a dark green 

 turfy cover, formed by a few species of Podostemaceje, those inter- 

 esting Phanerogams which some liverworts so closely resemble. 



After this rapid glance over the indigenous vegetation of this 

 rock-encircled botanical Paradise, we must add, that the different 

 groups of cultivated plants are not less remarkable for their variety 

 and number. In and near Pungo Andongo, most of the tropical 

 cultivated plants are found, together with vegetables of southern 

 Europe, the latter thriving, without exception, so well, that one 

 would hardly expect to see them so developed in the interior of 

 equinoctial Africa, especially after making allowance for the inferior 

 abilities of the agriculturists. 



Immediately on entering the Presidium, the traveller's eye is 

 attracted by luxuriant bushes of fennel and parsley, reminding 

 liim of his European home, but growing here like weeds in 

 the streets ; most of the European vegetables, too, are seen in 

 thriving condition in the gardens surrounding the habitations, 

 often hedged in by a kind of Dracaena, or by the Curcas purgans. 

 In a still higher decree the wanderer's amazement is excited by 

 cultivated orchards, wherein ananas and bananas grow together 

 with the European peach and apple trees, Spanish fig trees, with 

 guava and Indian mango trees, the West Indian caju, associated 

 with the coffee tree and the South European orange and lemon 

 trees. High above their dark-green foliage rise here and there single 

 oil-palm trees Avith their stately feathered crowns, which, however, in 

 this more elevated country bring forth less developed fruits than in 

 the neighbouring lower districts. This slight disadvantage is amply 



