. Europe and other continents . Fig. 334. A scene at the market in Kimberley. Oxen are extensively used by the Boersas draught-animals. German South Africa, which is for the most part an aridplateau. To what nation does Walfisch Bay belong ? Central Africa This vast area is in large part a great unknown. Muchof it is tropical forest ; but on the northern and southernsides are open savannas (p. 418). The Rivers. — Owing to the heavy rainfall of the forestbelt, the rivers are large. The Nile and Zambesi, already 452 AFRICA described, and the Niger and Kongo, all receive waterfrom the equatorial
. Europe and other continents . Fig. 334. A scene at the market in Kimberley. Oxen are extensively used by the Boersas draught-animals. German South Africa, which is for the most part an aridplateau. To what nation does Walfisch Bay belong ? Central Africa This vast area is in large part a great unknown. Muchof it is tropical forest ; but on the northern and southernsides are open savannas (p. 418). The Rivers. — Owing to the heavy rainfall of the forestbelt, the rivers are large. The Nile and Zambesi, already 452 AFRICA described, and the Niger and Kongo, all receive waterfrom the equatorial rains. The Niger is navigable insections ; but there are rapids in some parts, and in itsnorthern portion the river dwindles in size because of thedry climate. Its large tributary, the Benue, is is the immense Kongo, which empties into the seaa few degrees south of the equator, that offers the best. Fig. steamer on the Kongo. means of entrance to Central Africa. Although it isinterrupted by a series of falls a short distance from thecoast, above Stanley Pool there are thousands of miles ofnavigable waters in the main river and its tributaries. It was Stanley who first explored the Kongo, in 1876; andsince that time this part of Africa has been rapidly it was necessary to carry goods around the rapids,each native porter carrying about sixty pounds. Only in thisway was Stanley able to carry his boats to the navigable por-tion farther up stream. Now, however, a railway two hundredand fifty miles in length connects the lower Kongo with Leo- CENTRAL AFRICA 453 poldville on Stanley Pool above the falls. From there, at allseasons of the year, steamers may go a thousand miles up theriver and also into many tributaries. Resources. — Half a century ago the most importantindustry in tropical Africa was trade in negro slaves,obtained by means of war, by raids, or
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