KINDNESS OF BALONDA PEOPLE. 159 



distance of about 20 miles brought us to streams running N.E., and in much 

 deeper valleys. I suspected that we were travelling on an elevated table- 

 land, because the current of the Zambesi and other rivers was rapid, and we 

 had large Cape-heath and rhododendrons, which grow on elevated positions, 

 together with a wonderful lack of animal life. This proved to be the fact, for 

 when we were about 40 miles E.S.E. of the Quango we came upon a sudden 

 descent, perhaps about 2000 feet, which to me seemed about the same height 

 as Table Mountain at the Cape. Ninety or one hundred miles West from 

 this descent appeared as it were a range of mountains ; but it is only the 

 edge of a similar table-land, identical with that on the margin of which we 

 stood. This presents the same mountainous appearance to a person coming 

 from the "West. The intervening valley is called Cassange, and through it 

 flows the Quango and other rivers. 



"Only when we reached the declivity which forms the valley of Cassange 

 could I conceive why all the rivers that flowed North N.E., or N.W., ran in 

 much deeper valleys than those which followed an opposite course. The 

 slopes down to the feeders of the Kasai and Quango are more than 500 yards 

 long and pretty steep, while the beds of the branches of the Leeba are never 

 more than 10 yards below the level of the surrounding country. The whole 

 valley of Cassange seems to have been a work of denudation, for on all sides 

 the declivity presents the same geological peculiarities, viz., a covering of 

 brown haematite, mixed with quartz pebbles, lying upon bright-red friable 

 clay slate. This, differing only in hardness and paleness of colour, continues 

 to the bottom ; but towards the centre of the valley it takes the form of 

 argillaceous schist. A detached mountain, 7 or 8 miles S.S.W. of Cassange, 

 called Kasala, and having perpendicular sides all round, possesses the same 

 structure. I regret much having no instruments to measure the elevations of 

 these parts ; but, after ascending again at Tala Mungongo, we appeared to 

 descend again all the way to Ambaca, where we met primitive and secondary 

 rocks, the latter containing metals. 



" This country, as compared with that to the South, is well peopled. We 

 came to villages every few miles, and often passed as many as ten in a day. 

 Some were extremely neat ; others were so buried in a wilderness of weeds, 

 that, though sitting on the ox in the middle of the village, we could see only 

 the tops of the houses. There is no lack of food; manioc or the tapioca 

 plant is the staff of life, and requires but little labour for its cultivation. The 

 seasons seemed to allow of planting or reaping all the year round. The 

 Balonda were all extremely kind ; and, indeed, had they been otherwise, we 

 should have starved ; for there is no game, and all the goods which I had 

 brought from the Cape were expended before we started, excepting a few 

 beads. 



"When we came near to the Portuguese possessions, the tribes altered very 



