III.] THE LUGEKENGERI AND ITS VALLEY. 53 



baggage donkey carrying about one bimdred and forty pounds April, 

 of ammunition — a quantity of which consisted of percussion ^*^'^^- 

 shell — but, luckily, without causing injury either to himself or 

 his load, although he pitched straight on his head. A little 

 hair rubbed off his forehead was the only visible result of his 

 tumble. 



The latter part of the pass was very slippery sandstone and 

 quartz ; and at its highest point, the hills, clothed to their sum- 

 mits with trees, rose some three hundred feet above us. A 

 steep descent of greasy red clay brought us into the broad val- 

 ley of the Lugereiigeri, bounded on the south by the Kigam- 

 bwe Mountains, from which many torrents come down to the 

 river, and on the north by a range of detached conical hills. 



The valley of Lugerengeri is very fertile, with pleasing al- 

 ternations of open wood, jungle, grass, and cultivation ; but the 

 torrents from the Kigarnbwe hills are very serious drawbacks 

 to the safety of the inhabitants. The Moliale must be over a 

 mile wide in spates ; and even when we crossed, several streams 

 knee -deep were flowing between thickets of bamboo, which 

 seamed the bed. We rested for the night in the village of Mo- 

 hale, and in the morning passed the famous town of Simbawe- 

 ni, "the stronghold of the lion," once the habitation of Kisa- 

 bengo, a notorious freebooter, and the terror of all surrounding 

 tribes. 



But its glories have now faded, and we marched past with 

 colors flying, and altogether disregarding the demands of its 

 present ruler. She is a daughter of Kisabengo, and possesses 

 the will, but lacks the power, of rendering herself as obnoxious 

 as was her robber sire. 



Crossing the Mwere torrent, we proceeded to the Lugerenge- 

 ri, over which we passed by a rough bridge composed of fallen 

 trees, and camped by its banks. It occupied more than two 

 hours getting loads and donkeys across, as the river was twenty 

 yards wide and four to six feet deep, with steep banks rising 

 fourteen feet above the water. 



Hamees unwisely pitched his camp by the side of the Mwere, 

 and, in consequence, had to pay seventeen doti mhongo to Sim- 

 baweni, a tax which we escaped. Our men were also anxious 

 to remain on the Simbaweni side, and did not work willingly. 



