172 



TONGWE FORT. 



ported inside by smooth blackened rafters. It was 

 tenanted by two Baloch, who figure on the muster- 

 rolls as 20 men. They complain of loneliness 

 and of the horrors : though several goats have been 

 sacrificed, an obstinate demon still haunts the hill, 

 and at times the weeping and wailing of distressed 

 spirits makes their thin blood run chill from 

 their hearts. 



Tongwe is the first offset of the massive moun- 

 tain-terrace which forms the Region of Usumbara : 

 here, in fact, begins the Higliland block of Zangian 

 and equatorial Africa, which culminates in Kili- 

 ma-njaro and Doenyo Ebor, or Mount Kenia. It 

 rises abruptly from the plain, and projects long 

 spurs into the river valley, where the Panga-ni 

 flows noisily through a rocky trough, and whence 

 Ave could distinctly hear the roar of the celebrated 

 waterfall. Situated N. West of (324^), and nine 

 miles as the crow flies from, Chogwe, the hill 

 summit, about 2000 feet above sea-level, is clothed 

 with jungle, through which we had to cut a way 

 Avitli our swords, when seeking compass bearings 

 of the Nguru hills. The thickness of the vegeta- 

 tion, which contains stunted cocoas, oranges 

 grown wild and bitter, the Castor shrub, the 

 Solanum, and the bird-pepper plant, with small 

 berry, but very hot i' the mouth, renders the 



