Chap. XXII. ROAD-MAKING. 459 



resemblance of what we conceive the infernal regions to 

 be — and we sacrificed much of our private resources as an 

 offering for the promotion of so good a cause. 



The chief part of the labour of road-making consisted in 

 cutting down trees and removing stones. The country 

 being covered with open forest, a small tree had to be 

 cut about every fifty or sixty yards. The land near the 

 river was so very much intersected by ravines, that search 

 had to be made, a mile from its banks, for more level 

 ground. Experienced Hottentot drivers would have taken 

 Cape wagons without any other trouble than that of occa- 

 sionally cutting down a tree. No tsetse infested this dis- 

 trict and the cattle brought from Johanna flourished on the 

 abundant pasture. The first half-mile of road led up, by a 

 gradual slope, to an altitude of two hundred feet above the 

 ship, and a sensible difference of climate was felt even there. 

 For the remainder of the distance the height increased, — till, 

 at the uppermost Cataract, we were more than 1200 feet 

 above the sea. The country here, having recovered from 

 the effects of the drought, was bright with young green wood- 

 land, and mountains of the same refreshing hue. But the 

 absence of the crowds, which had attended us as we carried 

 up the boat, when the women followed us for miles with fine 

 meal, vegetables, and fat fowls for sale, and the boys were 

 ever ready for a little job — and the oppressive stillness 

 bore heavily on our spirits. The Portuguese of Tette had 

 very effectually removed our labourers. Not an ounce of 

 fresh provisions could be obtained, except what could be shot, 

 and even the food for our native crew had to be brought 

 one hundred and fifty miles from the Zambesi. 



The diet of salt provisions and preserved meats without 

 vegetables, with the depression of spirits caused by seeing 

 how effectually a few wretched convicts, aided by the con- 



