144 A NATURALIST IN MID-AFRICA. 



Colony which is at any rate very like this 

 species. 



After interviewing the Sultan of the Wawamba, 

 and getting back my stolen gun, we retraced our 

 steps to the Salt lake, where I left most of my 

 porters to recruit, and decided to try the Nyam- 

 wamba valley farther back along the east side. 

 On entering this valley with twelve men, I found 

 the natives to be Wakondja and friendly and 

 willing to assist. We got as far up as we could 

 through dense elephant grass and made a camp. 

 Next day I took two men and started up the 

 valley. I found I had miscalculated the length 

 of it, and did not reach the steep ascent till about 

 10 a.m. I decided, however, to go on that day, 

 and gob two men, carrying a tarpaulin bag and 

 edibles, up to about 10,000 feet, when, to their 

 great delight, I sent them back to their village. I 

 slept in the bag, but could not manage well, as the 

 fire, when lighted, always went out, and the cold 

 woke me up. 



Next morning I started and climbed steadily 

 up through the bamboos till I emerged on the 

 heather zone. The scenery here was most weird 

 and unearthly. Huge trees of Erica (or rather 

 Ericinella) and gigantic Lobelias were mixed with 

 many very familiar-looking European plants. 

 Enormous red and black brambles stretched out 

 their branches over the track. At about 12 p.m., 

 after climbing from about a.m., 1 rested for half 



