Belgian ] Congo IV . ECONOMIC CONDITIONS1 (A ) MEANS OF COMMUNICATION ( 1 ) INTERNAL (a ) Roads and Paths INHABITED tropical Africa is everywhere intersected by a network of native paths, and along these, the ordinary routes away from the waterways and rail roads, the sole means of transport is human porterage .

The average load weighs about 60 lb., and in most parts of the Colony a porter has no difficulty in carrying this weight, in addition to which he usually takes his own food, water, and cooking-pot. If he is allowed to proceed at his natural pace, he will cover 20 miles a day, or more if necessary ; but a day's march is usually from 10 to 15 miles. The official rate of pay is generally 60 centimes per day, but in some localities the private rate is as high as 1 franc, or even more .

The presence of the tsetse fly renders animal traction impracticable in most districts, and the luxuriant vegetation and heavy rainfall make the upkeep even of metalled roads an arduous task. A network of good roads is nevertheless essential, if the country is to be effectively opened up for administration and commerce. The winding native paths are quite in adequate.

The State-built roads already exceed 6,000 miles in length. They include several motor roads. One of these, 154 miles long, connects Bambili on the Welle river with Buta on the navigable Itimbiri - Rubi. A second, running from Kasenyi, on the western shore of Lake Albert, to Kilo and Moto, includes a zigzag 1 The economic conditions of Katanga , so far as separable from those of the rest of the Belgian Congo, are discussed below on pp. 110–18 ,