Africa and its inhabitants . South Africa, as well asabout the coastlands on the Lower Congo and Ogoway, the winds blow from thesouth-west or else directly from the west, whereas on the coasts to the west of theCameroons they come from the south. These are the vapour-charged atmosphericcurrents which bring the rains to the coastlands, and which deluge the Cameroons 20 WEST AFEICA. uplands throughout the whole year. The other elevated lands on this seaboardalso receive a large share of the rainfall^, which is nowhere hea\4er in any part ofthe Atlantic than in this oceanic region exposed to the
Africa and its inhabitants . South Africa, as well asabout the coastlands on the Lower Congo and Ogoway, the winds blow from thesouth-west or else directly from the west, whereas on the coasts to the west of theCameroons they come from the south. These are the vapour-charged atmosphericcurrents which bring the rains to the coastlands, and which deluge the Cameroons 20 WEST AFEICA. uplands throughout the whole year. The other elevated lands on this seaboardalso receive a large share of the rainfall^, which is nowhere hea\4er in any part ofthe Atlantic than in this oceanic region exposed to the influence of the north-eastand south-east trade winds between the projecting coasts of West Africa and SouthAmerica. Here the still air arrests the rain-clouds brought by both trade winds,the vapoius are condensed and precipitated in tremendous downpours on thesubjacent waters. In many places this rain water, owing to its less specific Fig. 0.—CuRiiESTS OP THE Sorm ;nc A^^) Lines of Icebeeos. Scale 1 ; S7,0CK), Miles. gravity, spreads over the surface in sufficiently thick layers to enable passingvessels to replenish their supply of fresh water. jVlthough incessantly intermingled by the aerial and marine currents, thewaters of the Atlantic basin differ none the less in their degree of salinity not onlyon the surface, but also in the deeper strata. The most saline is that encirclingSt. Helena, the specific gra-\-itj of which is 1-0285. Owing to the heavy rains inthe region of calms the proportion is less in the Guinea Stream, the differencebeing as much as two or even three thousandths in the north-east part of the lEMPEEATUEE—FAUNA. 21 Guinea waters, with which is mingled the discharge of the Niger and Congo, thetwo African rivers which have the greatest volume. In the South Atlanticregions also the water is less salt than in the neighbourhood of St. Helena, inconsequence of the melting of the icebergs and floating ice brought by the oceaniccurrents from the
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Keywords: ., bookauthor, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectethnology
