120 VIEWS OF NATURE. 



their numerous synonymes according to various languages 

 and dialects ; but the courses of rivers indicate the configura- 

 tion of the surface of the earth, and exert a threefold influence ; 

 they promote vegetation, facilitate general intercourse, and are 

 pregnant with the future destiny of man. 



The northern course of the White Nile, and the south- 

 eastern course of the great Goschop, show that both rivers 

 are separated by an elevation of the surface of the earth ; 

 although we are as yet but imperfectly acquainted with the 

 manner in which such an elevation is connected with the 

 highlands of Habesch, or how it may be prolonged in a 

 southerly direction beyond the equator. Probably, and this 

 is also the opinion of my friend Carl Hitter, the Lupata 

 Mountains, which, according to the excellent Wilhelm Peters, 

 extend to 26 south lat., are connected by means of the 

 Mountains of the Moon with this northern swelling of the 

 earth's surface (the Abyssinian Highlands). Lupata, according 

 to the last-named African traveller, signifies, in the language 

 of Tette, closed, when used as an adjective. This mountain- 

 range which is only intersected by some few rivers would thus 

 be the closed or barred. "The Lupata chain of the Portuguese 

 writers," says Peters, "is situated about 90 leagues from the 

 mouth of the Zambeze, and has an elevation of little more than 

 2000 feet. This mural chain has a direction due north and 

 south, although it frequently deflects to the east or the west. 

 It is sometimes interrupted by plains. Along the coast of 

 Zanzibar the traders in the interior appear to be acquainted 

 with this long, but not very high range, which extends 

 between 6 and 26 south lat. to the Factory of Lourenzo- 

 Marques on the Rio de Espirito Santo (in the Delagoa Bay of 

 the English). The further the Lupata chain extends to the 

 south, the nearer it approaches the coast, until at Lourenzo- 

 Marques it is only 15 leagues distant from it." 



(24) p. 10 " The consequence of the great rotatory movement 

 of the waters" 



The waters of the northern part of the Atlantic between 

 Europe, Northern Africa, and the New Continent, are agitated 

 by a continually recurring gyratory movement. Under the 

 tropics the general current to which the term rotation -sir earn 

 might appropriately be given in consideration of the cause 



