The Eastern Congo 



richest and closest I have ever seen, the district being noted 

 for the immense white-homed red cattle it produces. Herds 

 of these splendid beasts were frequently to be seen in charge 

 of Wahutu herdsmen, wearing their novel rain-cloaks made 

 of basket-work and banana leaves. 



Overlooking the Njawarongo River stands a deserted 

 German mission station, which we reached on the second 

 day out from Niansa. A pretty place with good buildings, 

 but like all abandoned homes in Africa very depressing even 

 to the passing traveller. 



The following day took us up the steep western slope of 

 the Njawarongo Valley, and again on to the immense elevated 

 downs that here mark the watershed between Nile and 

 Congo. From here we overlooked the rift- valley or valley 

 of the great lakes, with Lake Kivu far below us but as yet 

 hidden from view by the twists and turns of the narrow 

 valley down which we were making our way. 



The Germans have gone to much trouble and expenditure 

 of labour in making a graded road winding down to the lake, 

 round precipices and over ravines, in a wonderful way. This 

 road, although overgrown and in bad repair, was a great 

 boon to us. One is quite astonished to find the cuttings 

 and gradings so well done. It would indeed be possible 

 with the addition of iron bridges and culverts to lay a light 

 railway along it. 



Lake Kivu, when we did see it — although only a few 

 miles away — was so hazy that the lake itself and Kwijwi 

 Island seemed to merge into the horizon. We had, in fact, 

 been looking at it for some time without knowing it. Later 

 on, however, as we descended to Rubengera this haze lifted ; 

 the lake changed from pale to a deeper blue and its many 



48 



