CHAPTEll XX. 



THYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE. 



Gi^at Forest of Equatorial Africa — Scanty population — Scarcity or absence 

 of large African animals — Hilly ranges — River systems — The Ogobai 

 — French exploring expeditions — Amount of rain — Seasons — Rainy 

 climate of Central Equatorial Africa — Temperature — Heat of the sun's 

 rays — Coolness of the forest shades. 



Equatorial Africa from the western coast, as far as 

 I have been, is covered with an ahnost impenetrable 

 jungle. This jungle begins where the sea ceases to 

 beat its continual waves, and how much further 

 this woody belt extends, further explorations alone 

 will be able to show. From my furthest point it 

 extended eastward as far as my eyes could reach ; 

 I may, however, say that, near the banks of a large 

 river runnins: from a north-east direction towards 



o 



the south-west, prairie lands were to be seen, accord- 

 ing to the accounts the Ashangos had received. 



This gigantic forest extends north and south of the 

 Equator, varying in breadth from two to three degrees 

 on each side of it.* South of the Ecpator, it ex- 



* ah the living plants collected on my return to the coast, I presented 

 to Dr. J. D. Hooker, for the Itoyal Botanic Gardens at Kew, of which he is 

 the able Director. I am very glad to find that one of the orchids I col- 

 lected near Goumbi proved a new species of Angrceciim ; and Dr. Hooker 

 has done me the honour to name it after me. Orchidaceous plants aro 

 abundant in the tracts of woodland near the sea; but they were less 

 plentiful in the interior. 



