COTTON-GROWING. 373 



marly tufa, containing the same kind of shells as those 

 at present alive in the seas. As we advanced eastward 

 and ascended the higher lands, we found eruptive trap, 

 which had tilted up immense masses of mica and sand- 

 stone schists. The mica schist almost always dipped 

 towards the interior of the country, forming those moun- 

 tain-ranges of which we have already spoken as giving 

 a highland character to the district of Golungo Alto^ 

 The trap has frequently run through the gorges made 

 in the upheaved rocks, and at the points of junction 

 between the igneous and older rocks, there are large 

 quantities of strongly magnetic iron-ore. The clayey 

 soil formed by the disintegration of the mica schist and 

 trap, is the favourite soil for the coffee, and it is on these 

 mountain sides, and others possessing a similar red clay 

 soil, that this plant has propagated itself so widely. The 

 meadow-lands adjacent to the Senza and Coanza being 

 underlaid by that marly tufa which abounds towards 

 the coast, and containing the same shells, show that 

 previous to the "elevation of that side of the country, this 

 region possessed some deeply indented bays. 



2%th September, Kalungwembo. — We were still on the 

 same path by which we had come, and, there being no 

 mosquitoes, we could now better enjoy the scenery. 

 Ranges of hills occupy both sides of our path, and the fine 

 level road is adorned with a beautiful red flower named 

 Bolcamaria. The markets or sleeping-places are well 

 supplied with provisions by great numbers of women, 

 every one of whom is seen spinning cotton with a spindle 

 and distaff, exactly like those which were in use amongst 

 the ancient Egyptians. A woman is scarcely ever seen 

 going to the fields, though, with a pot on her head, a child 

 ©n her back, and the hoe over her shoulder, but she is 

 employed in this way. The cotton was brought to the 

 market for sale, and I bought a pound for a penny. This 

 was the price demanded, and probably double what they 

 ask from each other. We saw the cotton growing luxuri- 

 antly all around the market-places from seeds dropped 

 accidentally. It is seen also about the native huts, and, 

 so far as I could learn, it was the American cotton so 

 influenced by climate as to be perennial. We met in the 

 road natives passing with bundles of cops, or spindles 

 full of cotton thread, and these they were carrying to 

 other parts to be woven into cloth. The women are 



