Magnetic Work in Southern and Central Africa 103 



Europeans there were good enough to give from their private resources in order that the journey 

 might be continued. From Abcrcorn in Northeastern Rhodesia to Bismarckburg in German East 

 Africa is a Httle over 30 miles, and it was here that the first serious difficulty arising from sleeping 

 sickness was met. The authorities, English and German, had already recognized the seriousness 

 of the situation created by the spread of this disease and great precautions were taken to restrain 

 the natives from going in and out of sleeping sickness areas, a very difficult task. The inhabitants 

 on the shores of Tanganyika had been removed about 15 miles from the lake and the port Kitutu 

 was practically closed. Had it been open, matters would have been but little better, because the 

 only steamer on the lake had been laid up as the two whites on it, the captain and the engineer, had 

 contracted this sickness. The only means of getting from one place to another was to march 

 overland, and then arose the difficulty of getting permission to hire carriers. However, in the 

 end all difficulties were overcome and observations were made at Bismarckburg about the middle 

 of July. Another caravan was got together at Bismarckburg to go as far as Tabora; the route 

 was not well known but fortunately a few months before a non-commissioned officer had made the 

 same journey and his notes were of the greatest help on the march. The caravan was now smaller 

 than before; the times of marching and of working were the same as in Rhodesia; with only the 

 one observer the day's work was somewhat more exacting. During the first few days of this part 

 of the journey the country was much the same as in Rhodesia, wooded with poor timber about 30 

 feet high, with good water and food supplies, and belts of country infested with tsetse. After a 

 march of a few days from Bismarckburg the country displayed another aspect : the woodland had 

 disappeared and instead a series of grass-covered plains was crossed. The number and variety 

 of game was very great ; giraffe, zebra, eland and other big buck, and wild pig were seen almost daily 

 and the camp at night was at times disturbed by leopards and lions. As the path led further 

 north the temperature increased and from about the middle of July water was difficult to get and 

 very unsatisfactory in quality. A rest of a few days was made at Tabora and, as the longitude 

 of that place had been previously determined, the opportunity was taken to rate the box chro- 

 nometer by sun observations. This was very necessary, as the comparisons for rating had been 

 made only twice north of the Zambezi, once at Broken Hill and the other time at Abercorn. 

 The telegraph stations at these places were put in direct communication with the Royal Ob- 

 servatory at the Cape and time signals transmitted from there. 



At Tabora another caravan was made up and the journey continued to Bukoba on the western 

 shore of Victoria Nyanza. In the first part of this journey the lack of good water became very 

 troublesome; about September, however, the small rainy season set in and the water difficulty soon 

 ceased ; but other troubles began to show themselves. Soon after the rains had set in fever became 

 rife among the carriers, two or three men had to be treated every evening for malaria; in ad- 

 dition the observer himself began to suffer from fever and was unable to throw it off during the 

 rest of the journey. The conditions for working became much less satisfactory, sometimes for 

 two or three days together no satisfactory sun observations could be made; the food supplies 

 were bad, the tent and the bedding were almost constantly wet and the mosquitoes became very 

 troublesome. Delays ensued through fever, dysentery, and bad weather; rests were longer and 

 oftener. 



At Bukoba it was found that no steamer was due for almost three weeks, so the journey was 

 continued overland to Entebbe. The regulations for travelers passing from German East Africa 

 to Uganda were such that carriers could only be taken from Bukoba to the border village Mtukula; 

 there the caravan had to be dismissed and sent back to Bukoba and another set of carriers had 

 to be hired from the nearest English station. The last caravan was made up at Entebbe; it had 

 to be taken right through to Gondokoro, as great difficulty is experienced in hiring natives in the 

 Nile valley for this kind of work. The prevalence of sleeping sickness made it necessary to go 

 via Butiaba and there take ship to Koba. The journey from Entebbe to Butiaba was made in a 

 rickshaw over a fairly good road; the weather, however, was not very suitable for obser- 

 vational work, the temperature was high and it rained often. From Koba to Gondokoro the 

 journey was very trying; rain fell often at night, and the rivers running into the Nile were nearly 

 all in flood; fever was prevalent and the temperature during the day and the night was much 

 too high for comfort. Altogether, this part of the journey was very exhausting and it was with 

 great relief that the observer was able to dismiss his caravan at Gondokoro and take ship for 

 Khartoum. 



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