The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

66 SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA.later directed tlieir steps towards the Portuguese territory of Mossamedes, hadfounded a colony in the hilly Kaoko region. But here also, as in HumiData, theyoccupied themselves less with tillage than with raising herds of cattle. Theiragricultural operations were confined to what was strictly needed for their annualsupply of corn.Beyond the Cunene district and some exceptionally favoured valleys, stockbreedingappears to be everywhere the local industry most rich in future promise.Its broad grassy plateaux make the country essentially a grazing land.All wildanimals, except several species of antelopes, a few felidaj, jackals, and rodents,have already been exterminated. Even the ostrich, which is farmed in the Britishcolonies farther south, is here eagerly hunted, and is no longer met in the neighbourhoodof the seaboard. Some crocodiles are stiU met in the watercoursescommunicating with the Cunene ; snakes, lizards, and locusts, are represented bynumerous species, and one of the local serpents is the deadly cuqxdeiro, or"spitter" of the Angolan Portuguese, which attains a length of 25 or 26 feet,and which the wizards had formerly acqiilred the art of charming, and introducinginto the houses of the sick.The animals which are now bred on the upland pasture lands—horses, oxen,sheep, and goats—were all originally introduced from Europe. It has often beenproposed to introduce the camel into the half desert regions of south-west Africa ;but the valuable breed of pack oxen already largely employed throughout thesouthern states and colonies amply suffices for all the requirements of the transportservice, while the difference between the cost of their purchase and keeprenders their employment much more economical than would be that ofthe camel.It is not so much its wealth of live stock that gives importance to this region inthe eyes of Its new masters. Apart from the satisfaction of having securedpossession of a coimtr}- which the English of the Cape were hankering after, theyplace great hopes in the rich mineral resources still lying almost untouched inthe highlands running at a short distance from the coast. Rich copper oresespecially occur in many places on the plateauand even in the advanced spurs ofthe mountains, and notwithstanding the difficulties of transport, mining operationshave already begim at several points. South of Angra Pequena silver ores havealso been foimd ; but from the reports lately made by the surveyors, it Is to befeared that the first hopes of the prospectors may prove to be altogether fallacious.At the same time, as soon as the country is traversed bj' good roads, there can beno doubt that it will acquire a certain importance for Its mineral resources, whichcannot fail to attract capital and industrious pojjulatlous.Meantime It may readily be imagined that settlers have not hitherto been verynumerous in a region where both water and arable land are deficient, and wheretravellers run the risk of perishing from hunger and thirst. In many of theNamaqua districts the exjiilorer may travel for weeks together without meeting asingle group of cabins. But the population Is naturally somewhat denser in thenorthern territory, where the mountain ranges are more elevated, the slopes moregrassy, the fluvial beds not quite so destitute of running waters. Here every