342 THROUGH ANGOLA 



cotton tree (Eriodendron anfractiiosum), providing 

 " Kapok " ; plants like cotton (Gossypium), and 

 pine-apples at the edge of the bush, which grew 

 by lagoon or stream. In the interior of this little 

 " enclave " the vegetation was mainly savannah, 

 open forest, and sometimes bush, and the trees 

 met here and in the Congo district were similar to 

 those to be described as occurring in North and 

 South Coanza. 



In the CONGO DISTRICT the landscape of the 

 coast-lands from San Antonio to Ambrizette is a 

 little more arid than that of Cabinda; the oil 

 palm is slowly disappearing, and the euphorbia 

 (E. Candelabrum), a cactus-like tree with candel- 

 abra-like flowering stem, and acacias were added 

 to the floral picture, on a background of withering 

 yellow grass. Southwards to Loanda the aridity 

 increases, and there is reason for this, for the 

 rainfall of 30 inches at Cabinda has fallen to 20 

 at Ambrizette, 15 at Ambriz, and 12 at Loanda. 

 There is little to remind one of tropical Africa in 

 this landscape of somewhat barren cliff, with 

 baobab, euphorbia, and acacia as the more pro- 

 minent trees. In the interior of the Congo 

 district the vegetation is mainly of the savannah, 

 open and small forest type, though belts of bush 

 (" muchito " of the natives) border the streams ; 

 and where the rainfall is heavier in the western 

 parts of the inland plateau the forest becomes 

 closer. 



In the district of North Coanza which I tra- 

 versed in my journey from Loanda to Melanje, 

 and the district of South Coanza which was crossed 



