Manchester Memoirs, Vol. It. ( 1 906), No. $. 5 



land for every one that they actually cultivate. This they 

 do in order to obtain sufficient timber to burn on the 

 cultivated patches. This is a serious matter for the future 

 of this part of the country, and though it is difficult, efforts 

 should be made to teach the natives to cultivate the 

 highly fertile but somewhat swampy lower ground which 

 abounds in many parts of the plateau, with maize instead 

 of sorghum and millet, which at present form their main 

 crop. Want of space prevents me from considering 

 further the natives of the country, who are nevertheless 

 remarkably interesting. 



Three rather distinct types of country were met with. 



(1) The low country up to 2,000 feet, such as is found 

 in the valley of the Loangwa and of the Zambesi at the 

 point where the former river joins it. This is charac- 

 terised by patches of typically tropical vegetation, with 

 palms, etc ; by areas of more or less dense thorn scrub ; 

 by sandy fiats covered with Copaiferous " mopani " trees, 

 varied by small open spaces, but remarkable for the 

 absence of undergrowth. This country breaks up in 

 many places toward the foot hills into stony ridges, with 

 comparatively thin vegetation. 



(2) The country from 2,000 — 3,000 feet is mainly of a 

 broken and hilly character, and a large part of it, including 

 nearly all the hills, is covered with a thin woodland. 

 Large timber is not usually met with, except on the banks 

 of streams. Here and there are open spaces, locally 

 known as " dambos," covered in the rainy season with 

 immensely tall grass. 



(3) Above 3,000 feet the woodland is of similar 

 character, but less in extent, the open grassy spaces being 

 markedly larger. Here and there in places granite 

 kopjes may be seen. On the high plateau towards the 

 Kafue parts of the country exhibit the well-known park- 



