Chap. XXV. THE RIVER BUA. 517 



heat and cold into angular fragments. On these high downs 

 we crossed the River Kaombe. Beyond it we came among 

 the upland vegetation — rhododendrons, proteas, the masuko, 

 and molompi. At the foot of the hill, Kasuko-suko, we 

 found the River Bua running north to join the Kaombe. 

 We had to go a mile out of our way for a ford ; the stream 

 is deep enough at parts for hippopotami. The various streams 

 not previously noticed, crossed in this journey, had before 

 this led us to the conclusion, independently of the testimony 

 of the natives, that no large river ran into the north end 

 of the Lake. No such affluent was needed to account for 

 the Shire's perennial flow. 



In looking forward we seemed to be ascending the long 

 slope of a range of mountains ; but the nearer view consisted 

 of a succession of beautiful tree-covered rounded hills; the 

 narrow footpaths were perpetually leading up steep inclines 

 and down descents to running rills, whose sides were fringed 

 with fine, large evergreen trees ; the deciduous trees having 

 parted with their leaves, were now enjoying the rest of 

 winter, though only twelve degrees from the Equator. The 

 people in the villages into whieh we entered were generally 

 employed in making very neat fish and other baskets of split 

 bamboos, or in beating the bark of trees into cloth. The 

 bark cloth, made to the north of this district, is from a 

 species of- fig-tree. The cassava is the chief food cultivated 

 on the heights ; the castor-oil plant is extensively grown 

 also, and oil is extracted from the seeds for the purpose of 

 lubricating the body and more especially the hair, which is 

 worn very long. From the careful way in which many train 

 out their hair into different-shaped masses, it has less of 

 wavy curl than the wool of a long-fleeced sheep — the oil 

 seems to keep it straight. 



In one village we found all the women engaged in cele- 



