K(;vrriA\ cJiiKsE o.\ tiik swami' 



VI 



By the Njiri Lakes 



THE time of the great rains came to an end that year 

 as quickly and suddenly as it had set in. In the 

 course of three weeks immense expanses of water had 

 spread over the parched velt, and |)0()ls and lakes 

 had filled. The scorched and blackened soil had become 

 covered as thouLj^h l)y ma^ic with rich green, d rees and 

 bushes had been awakened into lite out ot their winter 

 sleep, and swollen streams took the place, tor a briet period, 

 of empty river-beds. 



In the deep valley to the west ol Kihmanj.iro, the 

 lowest declivities ot which torm the west and east Xjiri 

 swamps, the masses ol water coming together tormed one 

 f{reat lake. 



bor we-eks the greater portion of" the animal world 

 had roamed at large over the watered and gniss-grow ii 

 ste[jpes. The remotest regions had b(;en made accessible 

 t(j man and beast. bdcphanls, rhinoceroses, and antelopes 

 wandered (_',v(.-r\\vher(', so scattered in everv direction that 



90 



