XVI.] ELABOKATE COIFFURES. 213 



May-day broke upon. us. most gloriously. The surrounding May, 

 country was also very beautiful, with small cliffs, and some i^*^^- 

 open park-like spaces with clumps of fine trees. 



On rounding Has Niongo, we shortened sail, and went on 

 shore to look at a reported hot -water spring. After half an 

 hour's tramp through very long, thick grass — which to me was 

 pain and grief — we arrived at the swampy edge of the lake, 

 where a few bubbles were rising. The thermometer showed 

 the same temperature in this water as in the shade — 96° — and 

 I arrived at the conclusion that the hot spring had only a slight 

 foundation in fact. But I afterward heard from others w^ho 

 had visited it, that when in full activity the spring has been 

 sufficiently hot to scald one. It had, perhaps, a slight flavor as 

 of soda-water. 



The man who conducted us to this bubbling water asked for 

 some beads, that he might make an offering to the spirit of the 

 place. He evidently thought the spirit was easily satisfied, for 

 he only threw a bead or two into the water, and retained the 

 remainder as his own reward. 



No reliance whatever could be placed in the guides ; for hav- 

 ing heard from the people that a large river called Lukuga 

 flows into the lake near Kasenge, they at once said the same, 

 though they had hitherto declared that it was an outflow. The 

 chief, Luliki — wdio, by-the-way, was so excessively fat that at 

 the first glance I thought he was of the other sex, owing to his 

 pendent breasts — cheered me on my visiting him, by asserting 

 that the Lukuga ran out from the lake. 



The Waguhha dress their heads very elaborately, dividing 

 their hair into four parts, drawing it over pads, and making the 

 ends into four plaits, with the assistance of false hair when 

 necessary. These plaits are disposed in a cross, and numerous 

 skewers or pins of polished iron are thrust into the hair, and 

 some wear a double row of cowries. 



They also carry in their hair the knives used for tattooing, 

 and wear polished iron strips, crossed to form an arch as in 

 a royal crown. Little extinguisher -shaj^ed ornaments are at- 

 tached to the ends of the plaits ; and flat - headed iron, ivory, 

 and shell -headed pins are used. The plaits are plastered and 

 smoothed with red earth and oil, and, although the effect is 



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