The Waha and Barundi 



Kihofi, where it was necessary to obtain fresh porters, a 

 most uninviting place in itself, nevertheless stands facing 

 the most wonderful mountain scenery, which forms the escarp- 

 ment of the Nkoma plateau. We had seen these imposing 

 buttresses from afar and now knew that we had arrived at 

 the beginning of Mr. Picters's " worse and worse." What 

 the end would be did not bear contemplation. Kihofi is 

 a post of minor importance and is probably abandoned ere 

 this, but it proved very useful as a stage on our northward 

 journey. Having called on the " sous-officier " to make 

 myself and my work known to him, he very kindly asked 

 us to dinner, which contrary to the usual Belgian meal was 

 the worst we had ever attended, his cook's " steak-Americain " 

 nearly laying us out flat. Now " steak-Americain " may be 

 all very well if put up by a good chef in Europe or America, 

 but in a country where tape-worm is endemic and cooks 

 never clean, this dish was something to shun like the plague ; 

 moreover it was smeared with raw eggs which put the finishing 

 touch in more ways than one. I am sorry to say that after 

 saying good night we were thankful to get outside and escape 

 to our camp. 



After waiting here two more days, our Barundi porters 

 came in and with them " the smell." This smell of rancid 

 butter and cow's urine was never to leave us night nor day 

 for many weeks, and eventually permeated everything we 

 had, including our beds. Now, as is well known to all 

 Ruandaites, both the Barundi and the Wahutu are cattle- 

 mad ; they have no money but cattle, and hke misers and 

 their gold, they will die for them if necessary. The two 

 races (under the despotic rule of the King of the Ruanda 

 who may be said to have a claim on all livestock) — are the 



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