THE DEVELOPMENT OF RHODESIA. 289 



ounces in the Salisbury district ; 20,007 ounces in the Umtali district ; 

 7.160 ounces in the Hartley district; 38 ounces in the Lo JNIoffundi dis- 

 trict; 242 ounces in the Victoria district. 



(iold mining-, however, has not been the only mining industry which 

 has contributed to the development of the Ivhodesian railway system. 

 In order to taj) the northern parts of Ivhodesia it was originally in- 

 tended that the line from Bulaw-ayo should branch off at Gwelo and 

 thence proceed through the Mafungabusi district to cross the Zambesi 

 at the Cariba (xorge, through Northwestern and Northeastern Ivhode- 

 sia to Lake Tanganyika. This route, however, was found imprac- 

 tical)le, as the country north of the Kariba Gorge was in no way 

 adapted to railway construction. In view of the difHculties to be 

 encountered from Gwelo, and on account of the important discovery 

 of a large coal area (GOO square miles) at Wanki, it was decided to 

 carry the line from Bulawayo in a more westerly direction than was 

 originally intended, through the vast timber forest of the Gwaai 

 RiA^er district, and on to the falls through the great Wanki coal fiehl, 

 thence on to Lake Tanganyika. The work of laying the line was 

 commenced in May, 1901, and in September, 1903, the rail reached 

 AVauki, a distance of 200 miles from Bulawayo. On the route to 

 Wanki the line runs parallel with the Khami river, and after crossing 

 the Insese and Umguza rivers it enters the extensive Gwaai forest. 

 The Gwaai River is crossed at a spot about 90 miles from Bulawayo. 

 at which point the altitude is 3.2-10 feet, or about 1,200 feet lower than 

 that of Bulawayo. The line then leaves the Gwaai, and after pass- 

 ing thi-ougli a large expanse of sandy plains, it comes to Wanki. 

 From AVanki to Victoria Falls is a distance of 75 miles, and o^■er this 

 part of the country, which is of a more hilly nature, the line was car- 

 ried and completed on April 25, 1904. The bridging of the Zambezi 

 has been a considerable engineering feat. It is expected that the con- 

 struction of the bridge will be completed in June of this year. The 

 extension of the railway north of the falls has been authorized as 

 far as Kalonio, 100 miles beyond the falls, the capital of Northwestern 

 Rhodesia. In order that the construction of this part of the line 

 may not be delayed, the material is being conveyed across the Zam- 

 bezi by means of an aerial cableway. At the present time (P'ebruary, 

 1905) the earthworks on the north side of the Zambezi are completed 

 for the first 29 miles, and the rails are laid for 12 miles. From 

 Kalonio the railway will l)e continued northwestward to the Kafuc 

 River. Beyond the river it will bifurcate, one line proceeding north- 

 westward, to develop the great mineral field of the Hook of the 

 Kafue, from which point it may ultimately be continued to the great 

 copper field of Kansanshi, on the border of the Kongo State. The 

 main branch is designed to proceed through Northeastern Rhodesia 



