492 VALLEY OF GOYA. Chap. XXIV. 



we moved through, it we found that what was smooth to the 

 eye was very much furrowed by running streams winding 

 round innumerable knolls. These little brooklets came 

 down from the range on our left, and the water was deli- 

 ciously cool. 



Gova had been invaded by the Ajawa under Kairika, now 

 living at the lakelet Pamalombe, and a party of Babisa, 

 both eager slave-traders. The consequence of this visita- 

 tion was, that, in the spots where women had ventured back 

 to their former gardens, our appearance was the signal for 

 instant flight. A very large portion of the land had once 

 been under cultivation, but it was now abandoned to buffaloes 

 and elephants. The deep dark euphorbia hedges stood 

 round the hamlets, and shady trees cast a grateful coolness 

 over the smooth Boalo, where basket-making, spinning, and 

 weaving, or dancing, drinking, and gossip formerly went on. 

 Everything was beautiful to the eye ; but no people could 

 be seen — except here and there a few dejected-looking 

 men. No food could be bought, and but a miserably small 

 present of wild fruits was brought as the accustomed offering 

 to strangers. We, therefore, tried to induce some of the 

 villagers Ave fell in with to take us over the range on our 

 left; but, though we knew that the Maravi lived on its 

 western side, they stoutly maintained that there were none 

 within two days of it. Several of the mountain-sides in 

 this country are remarkably steep, and the loose blocks 

 on them sharp and angular, without a trace of weathering. 

 For a time we considered the angularity of the loose frag- 

 ments as evidence that the continent was of comparatively 

 recent formation, but we afterwards heard the operation ac- 

 tually going on, by which the boulders are split into these 

 sharp fragments. The rocks are heated by the torrid sun 

 during the day to such an extent that one is sometimes 



