The Eastern Congo 



reaching the higher waters of the Malagarasi our road took 

 us over a high ridge to a place called Baira, where we found 

 a large native market in full swing — a market made by the 

 natives for the natives, all of whom were out-and-out savages 

 and very interesting to watch. There must have been quite 

 a thousand of them ; clothes were conspicuous by their 

 absence ; dilapidated European hats there were none (a 

 sure sign this, that you had got away at last from the beaten 

 track) and they were bartering such a varied collection of 

 things that a list is worth giving, if only as an indication 

 of the richness of the country. There were sheep, goats, 

 chickens, eggs, butter, milk, bananas, banana-beer, baskets, 

 beans, bark-cloth, palm-oil, native soap (made from palm- 

 oil and burnt banana skins), sweet potatoes, tomatoes, flour, 

 dried and fresh beef, goat, sheep and cow hides, monkey- 

 nuts, salt, gourds and native pottery. There were many 

 other things too numerous to mention. We bought chickens, 

 eggs, butter, beans, monkey-nuts, and a large quantity of 

 food for the " safari," brought in by Kahmba's son. 



The following day's march took us down to the banks 

 of the Malagarasi River where we camped, after passing 

 many miles of rich undulating open country, thickly populated 

 and well watered by perennial streams. 



On crossing the Malagarasi into the Urundi district the 

 country changes somewhat. The scrub is of a sturdier 

 growth and large stretches of bamboo are met with and 

 game is again plentiful. The red soil is replaced by one 

 of a greyish colour and more friable in texture. The purple 

 veronica here assumes tree-like proportions, forming miniature 

 forests of great beauty, and just before reaching Kihofi we 

 passed the largest forest of wild bananas I have ever seen. 



26 



