520 _ General Notes, [ May, 
when the Stiengs pursue them to procure slaves for the Laotians 
their only defence, except flight, is to plant sharpened bamboos in 
the paths. Our traveler also visited the remains of the Tsiampa, 
whose language resembles that of the Malays. 
The New Hebrides —M. Roberjot (Bull. de la Soc. de Geog, 
Paris, 1883), describes these islands, commencing with Annatom, 
the most southern. In the islands generally the males greatly 
exceed the females in number. In Annatom the latter are but six 
madreporic, and is the greatest source of sandal-wood. Sandwich 
island is also of coral. Near the village are seventeen hollow 
trunks of trees pierced with holes and a long slot on one side. 
By striking these a rude music is produced. In Mallicolo two 
upper incisors are struck violently out from all females of the age 
of puberty. Wooden tom-toms exist, with carved faces. eim 
habitants are about 6000. Ambrym is a volcano, 1067 m 
in height. $ 
Spiritu Santo is the largest island, and is bordered to rer 
by a chain of coral islands. Two rivers flow into the can 
tween these islets and the main island. In this island the pe 
assist in carrying burdens, which is not the case in the o 
islands. 
AFRICA.— South Central Africa—Mr. Anderson has ge. 
transmitted to the Royal Geographical Society ox a p 
and a map of the region between the Orange and Vaal riv of 
the Zambesi, from ocean to ocean. The chief sources 
nu- 
Vaal are in a district called New Scotland, where there are 
elevation 
range river under the name of Hygap. J. ogee the 
extends northward to the Chobe as far as its junc nearly south 
Zambesi, from which point its eastern boundary runs 
d 
to the Molapo, which it crosses further to the T cate north 
Okayanka Laagte, form the Tonka, flowing into n stretches 
Most of these rivers consist, during most of the Ya 
of water alternating with dry beds. The Zouga 5° ad it is s0 
Lake Ngami and the great Makarakara Salt Nich" ag July, 
level that in April and May it flows eastward; 1n J i, 
westward. From the Zouga, near its exit from nly outlet for 
Matabe runs to the Zambesi. This Matabe is the © 
