3 o FROM MRULI TO RUBAGA. 



retired at a short trot. Very noticeable were the swarms of 

 small butterflies which flew round us in the middle of the 

 swamps, often alighting upon our hands. Throughout this 

 swamp land small patches of higher ground form occasional 

 islands. They are thickly covered by low mimosas, and many 

 of them are crowned with groups of gneiss blocks some ten 

 feet in height. One wonders how it is possible for them to 

 have found their way into the middle of this level swamp land. 

 So we marched on through thick and thin, and when I 

 remarked to the leaders that they might let us halt for the 

 day, as the porters must be tired by wading through the mud, 

 I was told that our quarters for the night were quite near. It 

 turned out, however, that they were at least three hours distant, 

 which will give an idea of the Waganda's marching powers — 

 when they do march. 



At last the country commenced to rise slightly, the red 

 clayey ground being covered by a dense wood of prickly 

 mimosas ; and a large, well-cared-for banana grove, in which 

 there were many nice huts, provided us with a halting-place 

 for the night. As usual, the entire population of the village 

 had fled, with bag aud baggage, on our approach, leaving us 

 only the empty huts. The banana grove, however, was full 

 of fruit, and quantities of ripe durrah, maize, and Sorghum 

 saccharatum, as well as sweet potatoes, furnished a rich table, 

 to which, after the fatigues of the march, we did full justice. 

 During the day we had had heavy showers, but in the night 

 it poured in torrents, and when we started early next morning 

 the clouded sky looked very threatening. 



As far as the eye can reach, level lightly wooded ground 

 stretched out before us. It was covered in many places by 

 mud and puddles of water, but the dry patches were more 

 numerous than the day before. The soil for the most part 

 was a grey clay, abounding in vegetable ddbris, and overlying 

 the thick stratum of red ferruginous clay which extended 

 far and near. On our arrival at the Dubenge marsh, the 

 waters of which flow off to the river Ergugu, a short halt was 

 necessary in order to make our swamp toilets. All strictly 

 unnecessary clothes, together with the hundred and one small 

 impedimenta which a traveller requires every moment on 



