24 MAY 1856, Page 26

ANDERSSON'S FOUR YEARS' WANDERINGS IN SOUTH-WESTERN AFRICA. * MR. ANDERSSON is

a young Swedish sportsman and naturalist, who accompanied Mr. Galton in his South African expedition, both to the corn-growing country of Ondonga towards the North, and in his attempt to reach the newly-discovered lake Ngami. When Mr. Galton left Africa he gave Andersson his turn-out; and he determined to try and reach the lake at a different time of the year, when water should be more plentiful. Before he could at- tempt this journey, however, he must increase his stores ; and he started from Damara land to the Cape on a speculation in cattle, by the overland route through the Great Namaqua country and the Orange River. Finally he reached Ngami ; the lake, in fact, being only eight or ten days' journey from the point where Galton had stopped, and the difficulty not lying in the distance, but the scarcity of water. The contents of Mr. Andersson's volume consist of these different journeys,—namely, those with Mr. Galion; the cattle-specula- tion to the Cape ; the journey to the lake Ngami ; the voyage across it and the ascent of a river which the traveller hoped would have taken him to a place called Libebe, a supposed com- mercial emporium in that part of Africa. The last accounts are by far the most interesting part of the book; and Mr. Anders- son would have done well had he restricted his narrative to this journey, including the accounts of a second visit which he has been compelled to pass over for want of space. The long story of his observations and personal adventures with Mr. Galton is readable, and not without interest from the novelty of the scenery and subjects, the adventures of the writer, and the hardships he underwent, together with a certain simple bonhomie of manner, which rather attracts the reader: but the information was ex- hausted by Mr. Galton, whose habits of mind better fitted him to collect it.

Lake Ngami had been several times reached before Mr. Anders- son's visit, by the White traders who perambulate nearly every part of Southern Africa, as well as by sportsmen of a higher class of mind and better education ; though they all seem to have made their way from the Eastward, while Mr. Andersson ap- proached from the West. What is now wanted is the visit of a scientific geographer and naturalist, with a mind which can ju- diciously estimate social and mercantile considerations; for we think Mr. Andersson's opinions exaggerated as regards the com- mercial importance of the country and the means of penetrating much beyond it. From the information in Mr. Andersson's book it appears that Lake Ngami lies between the 20th and 21st de- grees of South latitude, the 23c1 degree of East longitude passing through its centre. Its length is from East to West.

"The whole circumference is probably about sixty or seventy geographical miles ; its average breadth seven miles, and not exceeding nine at its widest parts. Its shape, moreover, as I have represented it in the map is narrow in the middle anti bulging out at the two ends; and I may add, thatthe first reports received many years ago from the natives about the e, and which concurred in representing it of the shape of a pair of spectacles, are correct.

"The Ngami must have undergone very considerable changes at different periods. The natives have frequently pointed out to me places, now covered with vegetation, where they used to spear the hippopotamus. Again, there are unmistakeable proofs of its having been at one time of smaller dimen sion than at present; for submerged stumps of trees are constantly met with. This is not, I believe, to be attributed to the upheaving, or to the sinking of the land, but that, in all probability, the Liam was originally of its present size, or nearly so, when a sudden and unusually large flood poured into it from the interior, which, on account of the flatness of the country, could not be drained off as quickly as it flowed in, but caused the water to rise above its usual height, which, remaining in that state some time, soon destroyed the vegetation.

"Before the Lake was known, and when only rumours had reached us of its existence, the natives spoke of its waters as retiring daily feed.' But I am rather inclined to think they pointed to a singular phenomenon that I observed when navigating its broad waters, which I then attributed to the wind, though, on consideration, I suspect it was more likely to have arisen from the effects of the moon's attraction.

" When navigating the Lake, we were in the habit of landing every night to bivouac, always taking the precaution to unload the most important articles of our baggage. The canoes were then pushed in-shore as far as the shallowness of the water would permit, and left to themselves, perhaps as far as two hundred yards from terra firma. On remonstrating with the boatmen for not better securing our little flotilla, they replied, that any further precautions were unnecessary, inasmuch as the water (which had already begun to ebb) would shortly recede and leave the canoes dry on the beach. I felt sceptical ; but, nevertheless, allowed them to have their own way. In the course of the night it fell calm, (a fresh breeze had been blowing during the day,) and next morning we found that what the boat- men had predicted was fulfilled; the canoes were as far from the water as on the preceeding evening they had been from the shore. From the time that the wind fell, the water began slowly to return, and about nine o'clock in the morning it was at its usual height, and the canoes floated once more without any effort on our side."

If the facts narrated or reported by Mr. Andersson are correct, the lake would seem to be formed by a depression of the earth and fed by the river Teoge. This stream flows from the North- ward, but so far as our author ascended it, with a very serpentine course, a long voyage only giving seventy miles of progress in a direct line. During the time he was navigating it, the river would seem to have borne some resemblance to the White Nile, as pictured by late explorers. ' The stream of the Teoge flows through a fiat country, the greatest portion of which was then in- undated ; the stream itself forms several branches in various places; large trer grow on the higher spots, and the vegetation

• Lake Ngami; or Explorations and Discoveries during Four Years' Wanderings in the Wilds of South-Western Africa. By Charles John Andersson. With a ilaY and numerous Illustrations. Published by Hurst and Blackett. has a Tropical character. The source of the Teoge is reported to be many hundred miles North of the lake, and the river to widen considerably as its origin is approached. It flows into Lake Ngami at its Western end ; at its Eastern extremity a river called the Zouga or Dzuga flows out of it, • and after a devious course through about three degrees of longitude in a Southerly direction, Is said to lose itself in a sandy swamp, as was once supposed to be the case with the Niger. It would therefore appear that the Teoge, the Lake, and the Zouga, are one system of waters ; the waters of the Teoge forming the Lake, which in its turn feeds the Zouga. The native reports of other waters are not very likely-looking, though they may be true. It is said a branch from the Teoge flows on the Eastern side of Lake Ngami into the Zouga, and at certain times changes its current, forcing the water back into the lake. A river is described as rising not very far from the Western bank of the Teoge, running parallel to it but in a different direc- tion, and after sending off a branch to Damara land, making a sweep to the Westward and flowing to the sea in a large volume. A great river rising in and flowing through a flat country, where water is scarce in the most fertile places, does not seem probable. South African rivers, however, closely resemble those of Australia, —torrents after heavy rains ; at other times a dry water-course, with intervening pools, which are altogether dried up after long drought. Men who have to get at their water in the., owing manner form a different notion of rivers from European& This description of cattle-watering is from the overland joiihot to the Cape with the anther's herds, and along a regular line of route.

" All the vleys and pools of rain-water were dried up. The Koanqulp river, however, long befriended us, as in its bed we generally managed to obtain a supply of grass and water for our cattle, which now amounted to several hundred head.

" But the labour and fatigue of watering the latter was immense. No person who has not been circumstanced as we were can form the least con- ception of the trouble, care, and anxiety, that a large drove of cattle occa- sions. Perhaps, when, after having dug for twenty consecutive hours—and this I have done more than once—the water is found insufficient in quan- tity, or (which is almost as bad) the ground falls in, or the cattle themselves spoil it by their wallowing and excrement.

" These native cattle are the most troublesome and disgusting brutes pos- sible ; for, after having spoiled the water by their own wildness and wan- tonness, they rush furiously about, bellowing and moaning. It is enough to discourage the stoutest heart.

" When arriving at a place where we supposed water was to be found, the plan usually adopted, in order to guard against the cattle destroying our work, was to send them away to pasture. In the mean time, every available man went speedily to work with such implements as were procurable : spades, wooden troughs, pieces of wood or of bark, were indifferently put in requisition • and even our hands were used with great effect, though not without sustaining injury. Having worked the aperture of sufficient depth and width, it was fenced in by thorn-bushes, leaving only a single entrance. The oxen were then sent for and allowed to approach singly or in greater number, according to the extent of the water. Sometimes, however, if the nature of the ground did: not permit the cattle to have access to the water, a hollow was scoopM. in the earth, near the edge of the pit, into which (or in- to a piece of sailcloth, if at hand) the water was poured by means of small wooden pails, usually denominated ' bamboos.'

" Owing to this tedious process, coupled with the slowness with which water filters through sand, and the immense quantity (usually five to six buckets full) that a thirsty ox will drink, and the quarrelsome disposition of the animals themselves—watering four hundred head of cattle will often oc- cupy a whole day or night. And, since a person is in a great deor, see de- pendent on his cattle, whether for food, draught, &c., he himself must never think of refreshment or rest until their wants have been provided for. " The scarcity of water, and the uncertainty of finding it, in these parched regions, is so great, that when after a long day's journey the anxiously-looked-for pool is found to be dry, it is almost enough to drive a man mad, especially if he be a stranger to the country and unaccustomed to traversing the African wilds."

This is a strange story on the same theme—water dispensed with.

" The day before we reached the Orange River, we fell in with a kraal of Hottentots, whom, to our great surprise, we found living in a locality alto- gether destitute of water The milk of their cows and goats supplied its place. Their cattle, moreover, never obtained water, but found a substitute in a kind of ice plant, (meserabryanthemum,) of an exceedingly succulent nature, which abounds in these regions. But our own oxen, not accustomed to such diet, would rarely or never touch it. Until I had actually con- vinced myself—as I had often the opportunity of doing at an after pe- riod—that men and beasts could live entirely without water, I should, per- haps, have had some difficulty in realizing this singular fact."

Besides geographical information,, descriptions of the country, the peoples, and the hardships encountered, Mr. Andersson has many sporting adventures. They have neither the spirit and graphic force of Harris nor the raciness and gusto of Gordon Cumming. They more resemble those of his companion Galton, for a quiet, truthful-looking character, though there are some stories of hairbreadth escapes. Here is the first of three on the same night : the adventurer has ensconced himself in a " skarm " or hiding-hole near a watering-place, and is watching a herd of elephants approaching to drink- " Crouching down as low as possible in the skirm,' I waited with beating heart and ready rifle the approach of the leading male, who, unconscious of peril, was making straight for my hiding-place. The position of his body, how- ever, was unfavourable for a shot ; and, knowing from experience that I had little chance of obtaining more than a single good one, I waited for an oppor- tunity to fire at his shoulder, which, as before said, is preferable to any other part when shooting at night. But this chance, unfortunately, was not afforded till his enormous bulk towered above my head. The consequence was, that while in the act of raising the muzzle of my rifle over the skarm ' my body caught his eye, and, before I could place the piece to my shoulder, he swung himself round, and, with trunk elevated and ears spread, desperately charged me. It was now too late to think of flight, Much less of slaying the savage beast. My own life was in imminentjeopardy ; and, seeing that if I remained partially erect he would inevitably seize me with his pro- boscis, I threw myself on my back with some violence ; in which position,

and without shouldering the rifle, I fired upwards at random towards his chest, uttering at the same time the most piercing shouts and cries. The change of position in all human probability saved my life ; for, at the same instant, the trunk of the enraged animal descended precisely on the spot where I had been previously crouched, sweeping away the stones (many of a large size) that formed the fore part of my skarm,' like so many pebbles. In another moment his broad fore-feet passed directly over my face.

"I now expected nothing short of being crushed to death. But imagine my relief, when, instead of renewing the charge, he swerved to the left, and moved off with considerable rapidity—most happily without my having re- ceived other injuries than a few bruises, occasioned by the falling of the stones. Under Providence I attribute my extraordinary escape to the con- fusion of the animal caused by the wound I had inflicted on him, and to the cries elicited from me when in my utmost need."