64 APPENDIX. [sect. 



in the basin ; hence the contrary direction of its drainage to the 

 east and west. It appears to be a correct conclusion that the 

 rivers rising in both ridges become collected into two great 

 drains in the central trough, the one flowing to the north, and 

 the other to the south ; the northern drain finding its way out 

 by the Congo to the west, and the southern by the Zambesi 

 to the east. 



This desert has been partly described in the 

 The Kala- Lectures g ee p> 2. It extends from Lake 



HAKI DESERT. * 



Ngami to lat. 29° south ; and from 24° east long, 

 to the west coast. It contains no running water, and but few 



» 



wells. Great quantities of grass and tuberous roots grow on 

 it. It is not by any means useless as a tract of country, sup- 

 porting much animal life ; but it is dangerous from its great 

 want of w r ater. Dr Livingstone, with Mrs Livingstone and 

 family, crossed it to Lake Ngami, in 1849, accompanied by 

 Messrs Oswell and Murray. Several large salt-pans are found 

 in it; and the mirage sometimes appears on its horizon witli 

 great perfection. It is covered with large quantities of grass, 

 and a great variety of creeping plants, together with bushes 

 and trees. The soil is soft light-coloured sand, nearly pure 

 silica, with alluvial mould in the ancient river-beds. The 

 animals found in this desert are elephants, lions, leopards, 

 panthers, hyenas, goats, jackals, dogs, cats, antelopes, and the 

 rhinoceros. 



This desert has been for ages a refuge for oppressed and 

 fugitive tribes. It is remarkable for little rain, and yet abund- 

 ant vegetation. 



According to SirR. I. Murchison's geological 

 Rivers demonstrations, and to Dr Livingstone's obser- 



vations, central South Africa was, ages ago, 

 almost one vast lake. The lakes now remaining are residua 

 of this ; while the great rivers, such as the Zambesi, are the 

 natural drains of the great central plateau, the bed of the 

 former lake system. Our traveller considers that the drain was 

 commenced when the fissures were made at the Victoria Falls, 



