50 ACROSS AFRICA. [Chap. 



April, Before iis, on the opposite side of the Lugerengeri, were the 



1873. }jj}|g ^yg i^Q^^ sighted tM'o days previous! j. 



Bombay, on an-ival, said, " Master, Lugerengeri live close by, 

 jump him to-morrow ;" but when to-morrow came there arose 

 the same old cry of " Master, country very hungry in front ;" 

 and we were compelled to spend a day looking for provisions, 

 being rewarded by obtaining sufficient for three or four days. 



About noon a division of the Arab caravan passed us, and 

 camped on the opposite bank of the Lugerengeri, the remain- 

 der of the Arabs being bound for the country of the Warori 

 and Wabena. 



By five o'clock the next morning we were on the move, and 

 Hamees ibn Salim, the owner of the Arab caravan, hearing us 

 astir, sent his drummer to play us past his camp. Crossing by 

 the ford just as the day was beginning to dawn, we found the 

 Arabs not yet packed up, but Hamees turned out to salute us 

 as we passed. When we forded the Lugerengeri, it was only 

 about thirty yards wide and knee-deep, but it must be impass- 

 able whenever a freshet comes down. The channel exceeds 

 two hundred and fifty yards in width, with banks on each side 

 twenty-five feet high ; and many old plantations in the vicinity 

 were covered with sand brought down in the floods of 1872. 

 The bed consisted of white sand, with quartz and granite peb- 

 bles, and large bowlders of granite much water-worn were strew- 

 ed about in considerable numbers. 



After traversing seven miles of thickly wooded country with- 

 out any inhabitants, Hamees's caravan overtook us. I had been 

 walking in front, and was obliged to sit down and rest, being 

 still weak from fever, on seeing which, Hamees kindly offered 

 me his donkey, and, upon my refusing, sat down to keep me 

 company until my own arrived. 



After this, we had some rough marching over very steep 

 hills, through patches of tiger grass, and across ravines forty 

 and fifty feet deep, with almost precipitous sides, at each of 

 which we were obliged to unload the donkeys and carry the 

 baggage up and down by the help of the drivers. 



Notwithstanding the extra work of superintending this, be- 

 sides dragging one's weary legs along, the scenery was so de- 

 lightful that we scarcely thought of fatigue. 



