ABSTRACT

ON the 25th of July we left Kisigau at six a.m. Making our way through the cultivated belt at the mountain’s base, we entered the wilderness once more. The plantations on this side looked much poorer than those of the east and south sides, as if less rain had fallen here, and this the Wataita said had been the case. Pursuing a course directly towards Bura till two p.m., we then turned to the west, continuing our march till 5.30 p.m. The country was a level tract, the soil red and sprinkled with a coarse silicious sand. The grass was spare and withered, and the trees were all as bare as an English orchard in mid-winter ; all looked dead, but the obe was pretty frequently seen in the early part of the way. Game was scarce, but at noon we startled a herd of antelopes, in colour as red as the soil. The path we followed next morning led iu a direct line towards Bura. In three hours we descended into the Matate valley, at the bottom of which we found a deep watercourse, apparently without water, but after digging small holes in the sand the fluid oozed through in great abundance. It was very cold. I obtained a delicious bath, the first I had had since leaving Kithima. I decided to remain here for the day, and to start for Jipe early on the following morning. Most of the men were pleased at this, but the Mkugenzi looked ill at ease, though he said nothing. We camped on the farther side of the valley, beneath a clump of trees affording us the most ample and perfect shade.