VEGETATION. 195 



district, ruled over by Chief Karma. I have seen such stretches 

 of primitive forest in Monbuttu, and there is no doubt that 

 this country was originally quite covered with forests, to judge 

 from the remains of virgin woods which still exist. The 

 gradual disappearance of the forest is to be attributed to the 

 comparatively thick population, the constant removal of villages 

 and fields, and to the inroads of both axe and fire. When I 

 have seen the relics of ages long past, the gigantic frames of 

 trees, thrown across the way, having been cut down and given 

 over to decay because " they spread too much shade over the 

 crops," I have felt that Nature herself was profaned. After 

 many years of wandering through these regions, I am inclined 

 to think that in ancient times the true Central African forest 

 region, that is, the permanence of closed woods containing 

 westerly species, extended much farther to the north than it 

 does to-day. Towards the east, as far as the district of Janda, 

 I have observed such curious species as Artocarpus * and An- 

 thocleista, whereas the valley of the Bahr-el-Jebel throughout 

 its whole length, as far south as the lake, points to steppe 

 vegetation, as also does the entire eastern district of our 

 provinces. 



The continuous descent of the road to Tingazi shows that 

 the country slopes towards the west ; the plateau on which 

 the small station of Maigo is situated alone rises a little above 

 the surrounding country. The Arabs have named this place 

 Kala'at-el-Homr ("the red hill"), on account of its being covered 

 by a strata of red bog ore ; it forms a rich mine of iron, which 

 is much used and valued in the country. At its summit are 

 several large pools of rain-water, deeply sunk into the iron- 

 stone, which here presents the appearance of a rocky crust ; 

 they are surrounded by short green velvety cushions of Sela- 

 ginella, upon which hundreds of little frogs assemble, while 

 nimble sandpipers with nodding heads listen to their con- 

 cert. An hour before reaching Tingazi, Nenja, the residence 

 of the Monbuttu prince Yangara, was passed ; it is situated 

 upon a high hill, and commands an extensive view. In 



* True Artocarpus does not exist in tropical Africa. The writer refers to 

 Myrianthus, a species of this family also found in western tropical Africa ; the 

 African Trumpet-tree (Musanga) should be mentioned in connexion with this 

 subject.— G. S. 



