594 _ General Notes. [September, 
cal observation. Arrived on the Upper Zambesi, his route led 
him along regions previously made known by Livingstone and | 
other travelers. Maj. Pinto, however, made excursions near the 
confluence of the Chobé to ascertain the true hydrology of the 
region before striking south-eastward. He then made for Sos- 
materially to an accurate knowledge of the geography of the less 
known districts.” 
“As geographical results of the highest importance must be 
mentioned first his longitudes. j. Serpa Pinto performed the 
feat of carrying three chronometers, one of which, by Dent, kept 
excellent time across the continent. Their indications were 
checked by astronomical observations, including the transit of 
Mercury, eclipses and occultations, which have been proved 
exact ; and thus there are no grounds for doubting the remarkable 
conclusion which he draws, that Soshong is placed on our maps 
more than a degree west of its true position—a conclusion which 
necessitates the shifting of the Limpopo a degree to the east and 
narrowing our territory in the Transvaal to a corresponding 
amount.” 
“Next in importance is the light he has thrown on the topog- 
raphy and physical geography of the region along the southern 
border of the Benguela highlands. Lieut. Cameron, who tra- 
versed these highlands on his journey from east to west, estab- 
lished the fact that the succession of terrace formed coast ranges 
of Western Africa here broadens out into a lofty plateau. Pinto 
devoted much of his time and attention to this interesting region. 
He visited the sources of many of the rivers rising on this water 
shed, traced and mapped them; and afterwards, part of the courses 
of two of them, which flow south and south-west towards the 
lower lying region bordering the Kalahari desert. On the Ben- 
guela plateau, at an elevation of 5800 feet, is situated the central 
native town of Bihé, peopled by a race of Boer traders and trav- 
elers, parties of whom annually traverse the whole western inte- 
rior. A little west of this, within the space of a few yards, rise 
four great streams which flow respectively north-west and south- 
west to the Indian ocean, east to the Zambesi and south to Lake 
Ngami. Pinto’s journey southward and eastward from Bihe led 
him to the upper waters of the Cubango and its tributaries, and the 
uando. The Cubango (visited in its lower course by Andersson 
and called by him the Okavango) he satisfied himself has no, 
connection with any other stream, and discharges its waters 1 
the inland basin of Lake Ngami. But the Quando, a much less 
known and far more important stream, after gathering the drain- 
age of numerous large tributaries, flows for several hundred miles 
as a navigable river and enters the Zambesi, its lower. course 
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