Untrodden Paths 39 



antelopes, swala, zebras, reed-buck, and dwarf antelopes were to 

 be seen. At last we found meat again in plenty for our fol- 

 lowers, a circumstance which raised all our spirits. On arriving 

 at Mount Lubona we pitched our camp. 



After the long stretching heights of East Ruanda had been 

 passed early on the 28th of July, the narrow mirror of Lake 

 Mohasi, which, according to the information given us by the 

 natives, we had not expected to reach before the following day, 

 suddenly burst into view, Wiese's camp was supposed to be very 

 near, and, as a matter of fact, an hour later we were shaking 

 hands with him, after a separation of three weeks. He was no 

 less surprised than we were, and he was also very glad, as he had 

 been awaiting our arrival for fourteen days, after completing the 

 road survey from the Kakitumbe up to the spot. He had pitched 

 his quarters under the shade of a mighty pine tree growing on the 

 banks of the lake, and here a whole colony of herons had settled, 

 quite indifferent to the doings in the camp below them. Wiese 

 utilised his stay to get together a fine collection of all sorts of 

 tattooings and of very interesting ornamental skin markings, 

 which he supplemented on his way to the Congo. 



The study of the tattooings and skin markings found in the 

 whole of Central Africa is an extremely remarkable one. It 

 demands very great diligence and very special and detailed 

 investigation to trace the origin and significance of the custom. 

 For instance, Wiese found patterns which constantly recurred, 

 but were frequently accompanied by changing side-marks 

 amongst the hundreds which he copied. According to the state- 

 ments of the natives they betokened signs of lineage by which 

 the various races recognised their own folk. The ornamental 

 scarrings which are to be found more particularly on the 

 bodies of the inhabitants of the Lake Albert Edward region and 

 the whole of the Congo basin are brought about by an inflamma- 

 tion or artificial irritation of the skin, which is scratched or 

 incised with a knife, according to the pattern desired. The 

 wounds thus made appear to be smeared over with all kinds of 

 vegetable matter and dirt, of which soot is a conspicuous feature, 



