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The Continent of Africa: Kalahari

In S. Africa there is another desert known as the Kalahari, extending from the Orange river on the S. to the 20th parallel of S. lat. Its average elevation above the sea is about 600 feet. It is not wholly destitute of vegetation, as one would be led to suppose, as it is covered with light grass and many tuberous plants, and in some localities are patches of bushes. Rain is infrequent.

RIVERS.-There are many large and important rivers in Africa. S. of the Kalahari desert, the Orange river is the only considerable stream. It flows W. into the Atlantic, and being an impetuous stream in the rainy season, and shallow in dry weather, it is not navigable in any part of its course. The Zambesi is the largest stream flowing into the Indian Ocean. Its delta begins 300 m. from the Mozambique channel, where the stream is broad and tranquil. The Limpopo is famed among sportsmen for its gigantic game, but is worthless for navigation. The Congo is the southernmost of the great African rivers, which descend from the plateau on the Atlantic side. It is navigable in its lower course, where it is 5 m. wide and of great depth. The Niger is one of the most important water-courses in the continent; at some points it is 6 m. in width. It has its origin in Senegambia. Other streams flowing from the same region are the Rio Grande, the Gambia and the Senegal, finding their way to the Atlantic through a wall of coast mountains which forms an obstacle to inland navigation on these rivers. The Senegal is about 800 m. in length. The Nile, however, is the most famous and most wonderful of all African rivers, and has been referred to at length under the head Egypt. In N. Africa there is an area of about

4,000,000 sq. m. extending from the Nile valley to the Atlantic, from which not a single river finds its way to the ocean.