CHAPTER V 



LAKE KIWU AND ITS ISLANDS 



Our first view of Lake Kiwu, on the way to Ischangi, after a 

 series of exhausting marches through Ruanda and the Rugege 

 Forest filled us with enthusiasm. The sight of a vast expanse 

 of water after long travels by land and on foot has ever since 

 the days of Xenophon impressed the traveller with a sense of 

 freedom, and something of the joy of his 10,000 Greeks when 

 they cried " The sea ! The sea ! " was experienced by us as Lake 

 Kiwu came into view. Kandt's description of its beautiful 

 situation, its splendid scenery and grand climate, coupled with 

 the tales of German officers who had been there, had prepared 

 us and given us a foretaste of the treat in store for us. For 

 weeks we had spoken and dreamt of it. Lake Kiwu was our 

 first important goal, where we all hoped to achieve scientific 

 success. The first thing that we saw was the largest of its little 

 inlets, and named " Mecklenburg Creek " by Kandt. Hilltops 

 and summits lay around covered with banana groves, pea and 

 bean plantations, bearing witness to the industry of the Wahutu 

 people, who live densely massed together there. Light mists 

 hung over the surface of the lake, concealing the more distant 

 islands. The rays of the sun scintillated here and there on 

 gently rippling wavelets, and the roseate tints of the morning 

 sky, the fresh green of the banks on the lake, and the emerald, 

 gleaming water made a lovely picture. 



Lake Kiwu is the last discovered of the large Central African 

 lakes. Vague rumours of its existence, it is true, date back to 

 the sixth decade of last century. They are accredited to the 

 Arabs who traded in slaves and ivory to Tanganjika and with 



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