Chap XIX. VALLEY OF THE QUANGO. 243 



This mode, with the somewhat Egyptian cast of countenance 

 in other parts of Londa, reminded me strongly of the paintings 

 of that nation in the British Museum. 



As we were now sure of being on the way to the abodes of 

 civilisation, we went on briskly, and on the 30th arrived at 

 the edge of the high land over which we had lately been 

 travelling. The descent is so steep that it can only be 

 effected at particular points, and even there I was obliged to 

 dismount, though so weak that I had to be supported by my 

 companions. Below us, at a depth of from a thousand to 

 twelve hundred feet, lay the magnificent valley of the Quango. 

 The view of the vale of Clyde from the spot whence Mary 

 Queen of Scots witnessed the battle of Langside resembles in 

 miniature the glorious sight which was here presented to our 

 view. The valley is about a hundred miles broad, and is 

 clothed with dark forest everywhere except along the banks 

 of the Quango, which flows amid green meadows, and here 

 and there glances out in the sun as it wends its way to the 

 north. Emerging from the gloomy forests of Londa, this 

 magnificent prospect made us all feel as if a weight had been 

 lifted off our eyelids. When we reached the bottom of the 

 valley, which from above seemed quite smooth, we discovered 

 it to be furrowed by great numbers of deep-cut streams. The 

 side of the valley, when viewed from below, appears as the 

 edge of a table-land, with numerous indented dells and spurs 

 jutting out all along, giving it a serrated appearance. Both 

 the top and sides are generally covered with trees, but some 

 bare patches in the more perpendicular parts exhibit the red 

 soil which prevails in the region we have now entered. 



The hollow affords a section of this part of the country ; 

 and we found that the uppermost stratum is the ferruginous 

 conglomerate already mentioned. The strata under the con- 

 glomerate are all of red cla}^ shale of different degrees of 

 hardness, the most indurated being at the bottom. This red 

 clay proved to be remarkably slippery, so much so that 

 Mashauana, who prided himself on being so sure of foot that 

 he could afford to express contempt for any one less gifted, 

 came down in a very sudden and undignified manner, to tho 

 delight of all whom he had previously scolded for falling. 

 *\ e met with bamboos as thick as a man's arm, and with many 



