478 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
and then east by south. This gigantic S is a series of 
rapids, where the river rushes with a tremendous roar 
over the granite rocks which form its bed. At the site 
of the stepping-stones, or natural stone bridges, it 
measures 88 yards across, and about 30 yards both 
higher up and lower down, with a depth of 13 to 16 
feet. It flows into the Cubango, so say the natives, at 
fifteen days’ march to the south of this point. The 
right bank is covered with the plantations of the inha¬ 
bitants of Moma, which occupy a space that I calculated 
roughly at upwards of two thousand acres of land. 
They are the largest I have ever seen in Africa. The 
crops produced by these people consist mainly of maize, 
beans, and ( potatoes, but maize fields are those which 
chiefly meet the eye. Before reaching the plantations, 
I crossed a forest of enormous acacias of surprising 
beauty. The aspect of the banks of the Cutato is very 
singular. Where the granite of the river-bed termi- 
nates, a soil commences of termitic formation, the ground 
undulating in thousands of little hills, some cultivated, 
others covered with sylvan vegetation ; and as they are 
all connected, the aspect is that of a system of miniature 
mountain chains which perfectly enchant the beholder. 
I fixed the position of the large village or township of 
Moma at the distance of two miles bearing W.S.W., and 
after determining the altitude of the river there, I 
sought my tent, wet through from the incessant rain, 
and with another attack of fever upon me. Threats of 
rheumatism continued. During the night the rain came 
down in torrents, and, as was constantly the case now, 
I went to sleep in the wet, for at this period of the 
year the grasses, with which I covered my roughly con¬ 
structed hut, were never more than some 20 inches long, 
and with such short stuff it is difficult, if not impossible, 
to keep the water out. 
It was not till noon on the following day that the 
rain ceased ; and though my pulse was going at the 
rate of 144 per minute, from fever, I resumed my 
journey at 2 p.m. I tramped along on foot, as I found 
it impossible to keep my seat on the ox ; but after 
