80 



FROM THE COAST TO KILIMANJARO 



made crossing it a matter of considerable difficulty. Once 

 over, we followed its course a little farther, and halted at the 

 entrance to the valley through which it flows from the Pare 

 mountains to the plain. 



Although there was no village in sight, natives soon ap- 

 peared with maize and potatoes for sale, followed by Mpesa, 

 the chief of the valley, dragging along two refractory goats. 



Some of the pack animals arrived that evening, but others 

 not till the next morning, so that I was obliged to remain here 

 for a day. I employed the time in climbing a steep mountain 

 called Bibirri, near my camp. The ascent could only be made 

 from the farther side, and the denseness of the vegetation ren- 

 dered it in some parts extremely arduous. Thorny creepers 

 and thickets of prickly euphorbia compelled us again and again 

 to cut our way with axe and knife ; but at last we reached the 

 comparatively unencumbered summit, and were rewarded by a 

 splendid and widespread view. At our feet lay the wood of 

 Makuyuni, the rising smoke and loud cries from which betrayed 

 the presence of our camp. Near to it rose the Kwa Nduyu 

 mountains, a chain of heights on the west of the Pare range ; 

 whilst beyond, divided from them by a stretch of nyika, or 

 barren steppe, we could see the Lasiti and Sambo mountains, 

 with an apparently interminable, slightly undulating, bush- 

 clad plain as a background. 



The graceful-looking masses of dracasna which surrounded 

 us were just then in flower, and the air was laden with their 

 scent. In a word, the summit of the mountain would have 

 been a perfect spot but for the number of bee-like stinging 

 flies, which attacked us in such a manner that I should have 

 had to beat a retreat at once if I had not been able to protect 

 my head and neck with a silk veil I had fortunately brought 

 with me. 



In the afternoon the rain poured down ; but this did not 



