THE MLANJE RANGE, SEEN FROM ZOMBA AFTER RAINFALL 
portions of tropical Africa are those like Somaliland, much of the Sudan, a good 
deal of East Africa and all South West Africa, where the rainfall is trifling and 
vegetation is mainly confined to the banks of rivers. 
From observations made and records kept by various officials throughout 
the Protectorate proper and the adjoining regions under the sway of the British 
South Africa Company I should compute the average rainfall of the greater 
part of British Central Africa at 50 inches per annum. But this average 
fluctuates somewhat (according to the remembrances of white men longest 
in the country and the traditions of the natives) ; and I should say that the 
rainfall ranged from 35 inches in years of extreme drought to 60 inches in years 
of excessive rainfall. There are certainly traces of a larger rainfall having once 
prevailed in these countries in past ages. In travelling about British Central 
36 BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA 
the whole of Africa was once covered with more or less dense forest, but that 
the climate in the eastern half of the continent being drier than in the west, 
the ravages of the bush fires started by man have made greater headway 
than the reparatory influence of nature. Only in specially favoured tracts 
enjoying exceptional rainfall or else provided with underground springs could 
the forest remain always green and full of sap all the year round, and thus be 
able to choke out the fire or. in the wet season, to make sufficient growth 
to repair the ravages sustained by bush fires. 
We have therefore a well clothed country to deal with ; but our abundant 
vegetation is undoubtedly the cause of malarial fever. The essentially healthy 
