Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 3.djvu/496

 from the coast to the Congo along a line of stations which, if they do not yet exist, are at least indicated on the maps. The three chief ports founded by the French on taking possession of this valley are Niari-Babwende, on the upper course of the Kwilu, Niari Lu-Dima, at the confluence of the river of like name, and Ngotu, standing on a prominent bluff in the region of the cataracts. Doubtless this route must one day acquire great commercial importance, but this cannot be till a carriage road has been constructed, the Kwilu itself not being navigable.

Recently M. Cholet made the journey in twenty-five days from the coast to Brazzaville.

At present all the traffic of this region is carried on through the port of Loango (Buala), an old city till recently claimed by Portugal, but now assigned to France. In the days of its prosperity, when it was capital of a province of the Congo empire, Loango was said to have a population of fifteen thousand; at present it is less a town than a group of factories surrounded by chimbeques, that. is, hovels constructed of raphia stems and "Loango grass," or papyrus. At this point the shore-line curves round to the west, thus sheltering the roadstead from