Chap. XXIX. FAT CATTLE— DROUGHTS. 589 



10° and 15° South, otherwise it would be perfectly impassable. 

 On the islands in the Shire crops are raised continuously, 

 without any regard to the season, and, by irrigation, wheat 

 during the four colder months. Europeans can always secure 

 one crop of European corn and two or three of maize annually, 



On the highlands the natural grasses are less luxuriant, 

 but the average crop is as heavy as could be obtained from 

 rich meadow-land in England. This self-sown pasturage, 

 which extends over hundreds of miles of grassy valley and 

 open woodland, is the best in Africa. This was shown by 

 the cattle, which were left almost in a wild state, becoming 

 so fat and lazy that bulls allowed the boys to play with them, 

 and to jump on their backs. We have seen cows feeding on 

 grass alone become as heavy as prize beasts. 



In general no tsetse is found on the highlands to injure 

 cattle, nor mosquitoes to annoy man. 



It would not be fair, while givirig the results of our inquiries, 

 to keep out of view one serious drawback, which we believe 

 is characteristic of every part of Central Africa. Periodical 

 droughts must be expected. If a rainy zone exists under 

 the Equator, that is the only exception known. These 

 droughts are always partial, but may prevail over areas of 

 from one to three hundred miles in extent. Our inquiries 

 led us to believe that from 10° to 15° South they may be 

 looked for once in every ten or fifteen years, and from 15° to 20° 

 South once in every five years. What the cause of them may 

 be, we cannot tell ; but lack of vegetation cannot be assigned 

 as any reason either for their occurrence, or greater frequency 

 now than at any former period. The hills are covered with 

 trees and grass to their summits. The valleys are often 

 encumbered with profuse and rank vegetation — but suddenly, 

 and without any warning, the years of plenty are succeeded 

 by one in which there is neither earing nor harvest. A shower 

 has fallen on one spot a mile square ; there the grass has 

 sprung up, but has died off again. The rest of the country 



