TROOPS OF MONKEYS. 387 



of Lutomba. From this point, as far as Khor Alio (Junker's 

 Olio), there was a steppe, crossed by many swampy water- 

 courses. There was a little wood in some places, chiefly 

 composed of the small-leaved Anogeissus, and the usual 

 species found on a steppe. The Alio itself was fifty-five feet 

 broad and five feet deep ; it joins the Aire farther to the 

 north, and these two streams form the Yalo. On the rising 

 ground near this stream lay the Abukaya station of Manda, 

 surrounded by a blooming garden, in which I noticed a num- 

 ber of Papaw-trees amidst the usual vegetables and fruit. 

 A short march led us from Manda, over many rocky hills, to 

 the foot of the mountains, and then, instead of following the 

 old and certainly fatiguing road between them, which was the 

 shortest route to our next station, my guide determined to go 

 right round the mountains, in order not to tire me ! Of course 

 it did not matter to him that we lost a few hours by so doing. 

 We therefore followed the apparently never-ending mountain 

 chain towards the south and south-east, marching over its spurs, 

 which jut out into the plain and form ravines and precipices, 

 and going through canes and reeds, under a burning sun. After 

 a four hours' march, we halted for a short rest on the other side 

 of Khor Mende, which was almost dry, but our guides would not 

 let us stay long, as they said we had still far to go, and they 

 were perfectly right about that ! 



I noticed upon the bare flanks of the mountains luxuriant 

 copses of a plant having the general form of a euphorbia. It 

 was new to me ; about forty inches high, it had wing-like 

 appendages upon its four-sided stalk, and its flowers were red, 

 like an aloe. Large troops of Cercopithecus were climbing 

 about the rocks, led by a white-bearded male ; they were not at 

 all shy. Many small klwrs with clear flowing water coming 

 from the mountains had all a southerly direction. At midday 

 we had at last left the mountains behind us, at least the great 

 chain, and had entered cultivated fields, in the midst of which 

 the station of Aluganya is picturesquely situated. It is the 

 most northerly station in this part of the province of Makraka. 

 Unfortunately it was impossible for me to stay here, as pressing 

 duties caused me to hurrv forward to Wandi. 



I observed near here the granitic hills with broad white 



