242 E. a Hore—The Heart of Africa. 



gained u})Oii the evaporation (the then only means of carrying 

 off its surplus) attained to the height of the lowest gap in its 

 rim and commenced to flow out, and thence its surplus water 

 ever since has found an exit and now forms part of the Congo 

 system. Tanganyika is 400 miles long and from 15 to 50 miles 

 in width, and is 2,700 feet above the sea. 



To leave, however, this very rough general description of 

 Africa at this point Avould convey a wrong idea. We have de- 

 scribed the verdant slope from the coast, the terrace of flatter 

 country, the central elevation and its heart ; now we may imagine 

 a series of great ridges and furrows and other radial features 

 diverging from the heart of Africa to its very shores, besides cer- 

 tain isolated ridges and peaks, some of them snow-clad, and cer- 

 tain isolated depressions forming lakes or swamps ; 'first the 

 three great furrows of the Nile, Zambesi and Congo and the 

 three great ridges formed by their dividing water-sheds, and so 

 on through fan-like expansions of rim or ridges and furrows until 

 the previously described concentric formation, although still 

 there, is considerably cut up. 



The great central mountain mass, buttressed by its far-stretch- 

 ing ridges, forms the backbone, from Avhich, outward and down- 

 ward, in intricate articulations, extends the comi:»licated bony 

 skeleton of Africa. 



Set like sparkling jewels in its ci'evices and depressions, the 

 great lakes send forth the streams which, flowing through gaps 

 in their surrounding mountain barriers, rushing through narrow 

 channels, oozing slowly through elevated flats or bounding in 

 beautiful cascades over steep steps, and carrying the vitalizing 

 fluid in every direction through the length and breadth of Africa, 

 form its system of circulation. 



Bordering the great lakes and clustering on the slopes, forests 

 of gigantic trees form the flesh and muscle of this great creation ; 

 preserved in perpetual verdure wherever water constantly re- 

 mains and in long extending lines and network fringing the ever- 

 winding banks of the streams, and finally joining with the ver- 

 dant belt of the sea-coast to form the brilliant epidermis of the 

 Avhole, and forming background and filling to the network of 

 these prominent features, in broad concentric curves and in belts 

 and patches, the more stunted thorny growth, long grass, broad 

 savanna and sandy plain, ever changing in color and aspect. 



The great new and beautiful world of Africa lies open before 



