94 In the Heart of Africa 



necessary, and reason has to be rammed into their heads ; con- 

 sequently when we left Kissenji we distributed our party in 

 such a marmer that there was a trustworthy and dependable man 

 in each boat. Mildbraed and I sat in the two bigger ones, and 

 in the others there were always an Askari, my faithful old 

 carrier-leader Compania, our cook Majuto, and Hassani, one of 

 our native assistants, to fill such places of honour. Each of these 

 was given strict orders to see that the boats were kept close 

 together. 



We had reason to be thankful for these measures even on the 

 first day on our passage between Kissenji and the island of 

 Mugarura. Amdallah's canoe, which was packed with zoological 

 material, drew water, and, as bailing was of no avail, she had 

 to be escorted by her two neighbouring boats and drawn up on 

 the strand, two hours' distance from Kissenji. Amdallah waited 

 there until another boat could be sent along from Kissenji to re- 

 ship the loads. The journey from Kissenji to the island of 

 Mugarura is not of so much interest as the reverse journey. One 

 does not get the splendid view of the grand scenery of the 

 northern shore and the Virunga volcanic chain, which is to be 

 enjoyed when coming from the south in fine weather. The hills 

 and mountain summits of the eastern shore are not wooded and 

 are either clothed with steppe grass or native vegetation. They 

 are fatiguing to the eye, and so when the sun rises higher by 

 degrees, and its burning rays shoot down mercilessly on pith 

 helmets and its reflected light on the surface of the water hurts 

 one's eyes, there is nothing better to be done than to bury one's 

 face deep in the helmet and attempt to sleep. The uniform, 

 monotonous strokes of the oars help to make it more than an 

 attempt. Now and again beautiful dreams are disturbed by 

 the call of a " boy " or of the rowers : " Fissimaji, bona " (" Master, 

 an otter ! ") Then one's hand steals towards the gun always kept 

 in readiness for this purpose in the bow of the boat, and the 

 hunt (generally useless) for the wily fish-stealer begins. Otters 

 are the sole large amphibious inhabitants of Lake Kiwu. Neither 

 hippopotami nor crocodiles are found there ; the latter, indeed, 



