4 3 2 
BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA 
delightful in the beautiful Nkonde and Bundale mountains to hear the tinkle- 
tinkle which reminds one so of Switzerland. Cattle in this country (Nkonde) 
are killed by pole-axeing, ordinarily; sometimes by running a spear into the 
heart. Elsewhere in Nyasaland they are usually thrown and their throats are 
cut, or they are shot and speared. Amongst the Wayao cattle are extremely 
wild. 
The Wankonde house their cattle in long rectangular buildings, well and 
strongly built of stout poles. The Yao and Angoni usually drive their cattle at 
night into unroofed kraals—enclosures with a very high, strong fence of young 
trees placed closely together two or three deep. The approach to the fence is 
also defended by thorn branches. 
Amongst most of the tribes which possess guns, long powder-horns are used 
made of the horns of oxen. These very long horns are said to come either from 
the countries south of the Zambezi or from Madagascar (where the cattle are of 
the long-horned breed), whence they are exported to the East Coast of Africa. 
The domestic sheep of South-Central Africa is of the hairy kind : like the 
sheep of Syria, Persia and India it develops no wool. Originally this hairy type 
of domestic sheep was the fat-tailed variety found in Asia, North-East and 
East Africa and South Africa. In Western and West-Central Africa the fat- 
tailed sheep lost its fat tail which became a very thin appendage, and developed 
instead of a dewlap in the male a long mane extending from the throat to the 
chest. In British Central Africa the two breeds of fat-tailed and maned sheep 
have mixed. Few or no examples are found with either a pronounced mane or 
a very fat tail. A variety is occasionally met with which is of considerable size 
and is tall on the legs. Many sheep are black and white (with black heads— 
like Persian sheep); others are almost the colour of the mouflon or are grey, 
white or yellow. The development of horns in the male is seldom large ; in the 
female horns are often wanting. The mutton they provide for the table is 
excellent , much superior to that of the Indian sheep. 
But the little African goat is a universal favourite. In this country it and 
not the dog is “ the friend of man,” plump, sleek, tame, friendly, intelligent, 
cheerful. The goat is found in all the villages even where no other domestic 
animals are kept, and is much petted by the natives. Intellectually it differs 
from the sheep as a cheery London boy from a heavy-minded rustic. The goat 
in Africa is an optimist; the sheep a melancholy baaing pessimist. The goat will 
make himself comfortable under all circumstances, and quite identify himself 
with the fortunes of his human companions ; the sheep will hasten its death by 
loud lamentations, by bolting into the bush and being devoured by a leopard, 
or by incontinently falling sick when worn out with lamentations on its sad lot 
in life. The young and the female goats are good to eat—the flesh of a young 
kid being excellent ; but it is as milk-producers that the female goats are 
so valuable and admirable. Their yield is not heavy but the quality is very 
rich. Goats will accompany a caravan on the march and give no trouble; 
stopping when the men stop; going on when the journey is resumed ; feeding 
and chewing the cud in the intervals of rest and always ready and willing to be 
milked. In 1889-90 a couple of goats travelled the whole way with me from 
Mozambique to Tanganyika and back. To one who like myself cannot get on 
without tea and coffee, cannot drink them without milk, yet loathes tinned milk 
with all his soul, think what a comfort it must be to have a perambulating 
supply of rich milk walking along with you, giving no trouble and feeding itself 
as it goes. So great is the debt which all European explorers, pioneers, 
