expanse of forest land, stretching out towards 

 Manhica. 



Leaving Magude and continuing the ascent 

 the road passes through rich valleys separated by 

 intervals of dry sandy soils covered with broken 

 forests. At one spot where a limestone outcrop 

 occurs lime is burnt. These valleys are culti- 

 vated by the natives, and the crops surpass in 

 excellence anything to be seen in the district except 

 those on the river-banks between Chinavane and 

 Chinasane. They are a tribute to the fertility of 

 the soil and the husbandry of the people. The 

 natives of the Magude district are the best culti- 

 vators of any I have seen in East Africa. 

 Generally the African method of cultivating is 

 to till the ground in patches, so that while a lot 

 of land is occupied a little of it is used. This 

 wasteful system, or want of system, is, at bottom, 

 the reason why Europe has appropriated Africa in 

 accordance with the maxim, " The tools to him 

 that can use them." But these Incomati valleys 

 are cultivated as well as any European could 

 cultivate them, the fields of maize being some- 

 times several hundred acres in extent. 



The soil of these valleys is a black or chocolate 

 loam, not so heavy as that of the river-banks in 

 the alluvial plain, having a greater proportion of 

 sand; but the appearance of the crops is con- 



4 



