The New York herald., 1877-11-14

that might be established above the lower
series, which consist of sixty-two important
falls and rapids, though there are many
minor rapids do not think necessary to
include in the list. remember when about
starting from Nyangwe I told Frank that
hoped I should find the cataracts in a
.'lump."
PoPULous TRADING REGION.
Once above the lower cataracts we have
the half of Africa before US with no inter-
ruption, and not, like the Lower Nile re-
gions, deserts of sand, but one vast, popu-
lous plain, SO populous, indeed, that, ex-
cepting Ugogo, know no part of Africa SO
thickly inhabited. The usual term village
is.a misnomer for most Of the collections of
dwellings, they are towns in some places
two miles long, with one or more broad
streets between the rows of neat, well-built
houses. The houses are superior to any
thing in East Central Africa The natives
are different also. Every thought seems
engrossed with trade, and fairs and markets
are established everywhere.
LAND OF IVORY.
There has been . suspicion generally en-
tertained that ivory must soon become a
curiosity but can vouch that at least it
will not be SO for three or four generations.
This is the land of ivory temples" or idol
enclosures, where the commonest utensils
for domestic use are made Of ivory. The
people do not seem able to comprehend
why any one should take the trouble to
pay for it when it is SO plentiful in each viii
lage. ~s
VEGETABLE PRODUCTS.
The entire plain is also distinguished
for its groves of the oil palm. In Ukusu
there are huge forests Of this tree. Almost
everything that Africa produces is to be OBJ
tanned in the Congo Basin-cotton, india
rubber, groundnuts, sesamum, copal (red
and white), palm kernels and palm oil,
ivory, &c. By means of the Congo jour
ney to the gold and copper district of Ka-
tanga is rendered, moreover, very easy.
NAv1oABLH WATERS.
The Congo River gives 10 miles below
and 835 miles above the cataracts Of naviga-
BILE water, while the great affluents north
and south, traversing the basin, will give
over 1900 miles, and perhaps much more
The greatest affluent, the Ikelemba, is over
thousand miles in length the Nkutu
River is over 700, the Aruwim must be over
500, while there are four or FIVE others
which, by their breadth, should judge to
be navigable for great distances. / would
not advise any solitary explorer to venture
near the cannibal lands, unless he wishes
trouble, but the influence Of trade, once it
is established on the equitable basis, will
soon reduce those natives also to reason.
GO UP THE RIvER
A trader ascending the river has better
chance of ingratiating himself with the ma
tives than an explorer descending a river
from region whittier no trading native has
dared to venture. AS he must halt con-
siderable time for business at each capital
his reputation for being just and good will
precede him and bring him hosts of Gus
TONER'S Indeed, the great difficulty will be
to restrain their inordinate love Of barter.
The islands on the river will afford him safe
camps and quiet retreats, and it will be bet
ter for the trader and the native to occupy
island depots near the mainland until mu-
tual confidence is thoroughly established.
FUTURE POLITICAL QUESTION.
feel convinced that the Congo question
will become a political question in time.
AS yet however, no European Power seems
to have the right of control. Portugal
cloims it because she discovered its mouth
but the great Powers-England, America
and France refuse to recognize her right,
and express their determination, in plain
terms. to dispute her assuming possession
of the river. If it were not that fear to
damp any interest you may have in Africa
my letters I could show you very strong
reasons why it would be polite deed to
settle this Congo question imm mediately.
A HIGHWAY OF COMMERCE.
could prove to you that the possessor Of
the Congo, despite the cataracts, would
absorb to himself the trade of the whole
of the enormous basin behind, which
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