94 



THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



cones of similar formation, steep, rocky, and densely 

 wooded. The sea-breeze is here strong, but beyond its 

 influence the atmosphere is sultry and oppressive ; 

 owing to maritime influences the kosi, or south-west 

 wind, sometimes continues till the end of July. The 

 normal day, which varies little throughout the year, 

 begins with the light milky mist which forms the cloud- 

 ring ; by degrees nimbi and cumuli come up from the 

 east, investing the heights of Dut'humi, and, when 

 showers are imminent, a heavy line of stratus bisects 

 the highlands and overlies the surface of the plain. 

 At the epochs of the lunar change rain falls once or 

 twice during the day and night, and, when the clouds 

 burst, a fiery sun sucks up poison from the earth's 

 putridity. The early nights are oppressive, and towards 

 the dawn condensation causes a copious deposit of heavy 

 dew, which even the people of the country dread. A 

 prolonged halt causes general sickness amongst the 

 porters and slaves of a caravan. The humidity of the 

 atmosphere corrodes everything with which it comes in 

 contact ; the springs of powder-flasks exposed to the 

 damp snap like toasted quills ; clothes feel limp and 

 damp ; paper, becoming soft and soppy by the loss of 

 glazing, acts as a blotter; boots, books, and botanical 

 collections are blackened; metals are ever rusty; the 

 best percussion caps, though labelled waterproof, will 

 not detonate unless carefully stowed away in waxed 

 cloth and tin boxes ; gunpowder, if not kept from 

 the air, refuses to ignite ; and wood becomes covered 

 with mildew. We had an abundance of common 

 German phosphor-matches, and the best English wax 

 lucifers ; both, however, became equally unserviceable, 

 the heads shrank and sprang off at the least touch, 

 and the boxes frequently became a mere mass of paste. 



