138 REPORT—1868. 
number of other pits scattered about in various directions, and from these pits he 
collected bright lead-ore containing silver, and fragments of quartz rock impregnated 
with gold. ‘The pits were spread over a tract of land about two miles long and a 
mile and a quarter broad. The exploration was subsequently carried in a north- 
east direction to within 40 German miles of the Portuguese settlement of Tete, on 
the Zambesi; and other tracts unquestionably gold-bearing were noted. A limited 
number only of gold-bearing specimens of rock were taken away, in consequence of 
the jealous watching of natives appointed for the purpose by the chief; but pre- 
cious metal of the value of 200 dollars was extracted from one of the fragments, 
The distance from the Megaliesberg, in the Transvaal, to Mosilikatze’s chief place 
was found to be 224 hours of actual travelling by ox-wagon. Gold was observed 
through a territory stretching around this centre for about 200 miles in a direction 
from south to north. The southernmost part of the gold district lies on the Um- 
kosi river and in a mountain-range to the east of Mosilikatze’s Kyaal, and also at 
Kumalo, near the 19th parallel of south latitude. The water-drainage of this part 
of the country is southwards into the Limpopo. The northern part of the district 
lies upon the rivers Sechwechene, Sepakwe, Umzwerve and Umfule, all tributaries 
of the Zambesi, and flowing to the north. The southern portion of the auriferous 
tract is upon about the same meridian of longitude as the mouth of the Kei river, 
the northern portion on the same meridian as the capital of the colony of Natal. 
Carl Mauch entertains no doubt whatever that there is a very large and rich tract 
of gold-bearing land in this high table. It is well known that gold is worked for 
Portuguese goldsmiths at Tete, and that it has been exported for a long period of 
time from Sofala, possibly the source whence it was sent to Ophir, in the Persian 
gulf, in the days of Solomon. It appears almost certain that Carl Mauch has stum- 
bled upon the great source whence the gold of Tete, and of the ships of Tarshish, 
has been primarily derived, and that there were rude workings, most probably by 
natives, for procuring the precious metal on this very spot in past times. In one 
lace there was a vein of quartz that had been worked out to a depth of six feet, 
and that had then been filled in with earth, in which trees seven inches in diameter 
were now growing. 
Very considerable attention has naturally been drawn to the discovery of 
Herr Mauch, who had gone down himself into Natal to communicate his observa- 
tions in detail to the colonial authorities. Various prospecting and exploring parties 
were in the course of formation, and there is no doubt that under the powerful 
influence of the proverbial “sacra fames” the exact character and value of this 
interesting district will shortly be ascertained. 
On the Physical Geography of the Portion of Abyssinia traversed by the 
English Expeditionary Force. By Cunments R. Marxuam. 
The region traversed by our military expedition consists of a series of mountains 
and plateaux, extending north and south upwards of 300 miles, and forming the 
water-shed between the Nile and the Red Sea. It is divided, with reference to 
the streams which form the sources of Egypt’s fertility, into three distinct regions : 
—l. The region drained by the Mareb; 2, that drained by the Atbavra; and 3, 
that by the Abia, or Blue Nile. From the eastern flanks of these mountains only 
small torrents flow down, which are dried up by the scorching heat as they 
approach the Red Sea; while on the western side the rivers have long courses 
through deep valleys. But the Abyssinian highlands, though from their elevation 
of 7000 to 10,000 feet above the sea they enjoy a delightful climate, are not so 
favourably situated with regard to moisture as several other temperate regions 
within the tropics. But a small sprinkling of rain falls on the eastern coasts, 
opposite the arid wastes of Arabia, during the winter and spring months, when 
easterly winds prevail. Abyssinia has to look to the equator for most of her 
moisture, when the sun marches to the north, after having pumped up the neces- 
sary water from the Indian Ocean. Then, from June to September, she yets her 
rainy season; for her mountains are high enough to reach and condense the mois- 
ture that is hurrying northwards, and to bring it down to deluge and fertilize the © 
plateaux and valleys. As the clouds progress northwards much of their moisture 
; 
