My object in writing this work is to add another page to the physical
geography of Africa. That region selected for my explorations has
hitherto been a _terra incognita_ in all maps relating to this dark
continent. The field of my labour has been South Central Africa, north
of the Cape Colony, up to the Congo region, comprising an area of
2,000,000 square miles; in length, from north to south, 1100 miles, and
from east to west--that is, from the Indian to the South Atlantic
Ocean--1800 miles, which includes the whole of Africa from sea to sea,
and from the 15 degree to the 30 degree south latitude.
It has been my desire to make physical geography a pleasant study to the
young, and in gaining this knowledge of a country, they may at the same
time become acquainted with its resources and capabilities for future
enterprise in commercial pursuits to all who may embark in such
undertakings, and this cannot be accomplished without having a full
knowledge of the people who inhabit the land; also its geological
features, natural history, botany, and other subjects of interest in
connection with it. Such information is imperative to a commercial
nation like Great Britain, particularly when we look round and see such
immense competition in trade with our continental neighbours,
necessitates corresponding energy at home if we wish to hold our own in
the great markets of the world, and this cannot be done unless the
resources and capabilities of every quarter of the globe is thoroughly
known. And for this purpose my endeavours have been directed, so far as
South Central Africa is concerned, and to fill up the blank in the
physical geography of that portion of the African Continent.
When I undertook this work in 1863 no information could be obtained as
to what was beyond our colonial frontier, except that a great part was
desert land uninhabited, except in parts by wild Bushmen, and the
remaining region beyond by lawless tribes of natives. I at once saw
there was a great field open for explorations, and I undertook that duty
in that year, being strongly impressed with the importance, that
eventually it would become (connected as it is with our South African
possessions) of the highest value, if in our hands, for the preservation
of our African colonies, the extension of our trade, and a great field
for civilising and Christianising the native races, as also for
emigration, which would lead to most important results, in opening up
the great high road to Central Africa, thereby securing to the Cape
Colony and Natal a vast increase of trade and an immense opening for the
disposal of British merchandise that would otherwise flow into other
channels through foreign ports; and, at the same time, knowing how
closely connected native territories were to our border, which must
affect politically and socially the different nationalities that are so
widely spread over all the southern portion of Africa. With these
advantages to be attained, it was necessary that some step should be
taken to explore these regions, open up the country, and correctly
delineate its physical features, and, if time permitted, its geological
formation also, and other information that could be collected from time
to time as I proceeded on my work. Such a vast extent of country,
containing 2,000,000 square miles, cannot be thoroughly explored
single-handed under many years' labour, neither can so extensive an area
be properly or intelligibly described as a whole. I have, therefore, in
the first place, before entering upon general subjects, deemed it
advisable to describe the several river systems and their basins in
connection with the watersheds, as it will greatly facilitate and make
more explicit the description given as to the locality of native
territories that occupy this interesting and valuable portion of the
African continent, in relation to our South African colonies. And,
secondly, to describe separately each native state, the latitude and
longitude of places, distances, and altitudes above sea-level, including
those subjects above referred to. All this may be considered dry
reading. I have therefore introduced many incidents that occurred
during my travels through the country from time to time. To have
enlarged on personal events, such as hunting expeditions, which were of
daily occurrence, would have extended this work to an unusual length,
therefore I have taken extracts from my journals to make the book, I
trust, more interesting, and at the same time make physical geography a
pleasant study to the young, who may wish to make themselves acquainted
with every part of the globe. This is the first and most important duty
to all who are entering into commercial pursuits, for without this
knowledge little can be done in extending our commerce to regions at
present but little known.
My travels and dates are not given consecutively, but each region is
separately described, taken from journeys when passing through them in
different years.