DISCOVERY OF THE VICTORIA N'YANZA. 41 



mud by sheer force. This operation lasted so long 

 that, after crossing, we made for the nearest village in 

 the Uvira district, and completed a journey of eight 

 miles. The country to the eastward appeared open 

 and waving, but to the north and far west very hilly. 

 The ground is fertile, and the flocks and herds very 

 abundant. Hippopotami frequent the nullah at night, 

 and reside there during the rainy season ; but at this, 

 the dry half of the year, they retreat to the larger 

 waters of the creek. Rhinoceroses are said to pay 

 nightly visits to fields around the villages, and commit 

 sad havoc on the crops. The nullah, running from the 

 south-east, drains the land in that direction; but a 

 river, I hear, rising in the Msalala district, draws off 

 the water from the lays we have recently been cross- 

 ing, to the westward of our track, where its course 

 lies, and empties it into the creek on the opposite 

 side to where the nullah debouches. 



On hearing next day that a shorter track than the 

 Sukuma one usually frequented by the Arabs led to 

 Muanza, the place Shaykh Snay advised my going to, 

 I started by it at 8 A.M. ; and after following it west- 

 ward down the nullah's right bank a few miles, turned 

 up northwards, and continued along the creek to a 

 village eight miles distant, at the further end of the 

 Urima district, where we took up our quarters. The 

 country has a mixed and large population of smiths, 

 agriculturists, and herdsmen, residing in the flats and 

 depressions which lie between the scattered little hills. 



