236 



KIRANGA. 



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 I 



arrows in the air. Such, perhaps, is the earliest pa- 

 ratonnerre, preserved traditionally from ages long 

 forgotten by man, until the time when Eranklin 

 taught him to disarm the artillery of heaven. 

 Through splashing rain and gusty, numbing wind, 

 wliich made the slaves whimper, we threaded by 

 a goat-path the dripping jungle, and we found 

 ourselves, about 4 p.m., opposite Kiranga, a large 

 village of Wazegura, on the right bank of the 

 river. The people turned out with bows and 

 muskets to feast their eyes : all, however, were 

 civil, and readily gave cocoas in exchange for 

 tobacco. 



Here the Rufu is a strong stream, flowing 

 rapidly between high curtains of trees and under- 

 wood, and entering a rocky trough. The hill- 

 roots projected by Mount Tongwe are cut through 

 by the course, and the narrow ledges on both 

 banks form the vilest footpaths. After leaving 

 Kiranga, we found the track slippery with ooze 

 and mire, sprinkled with troublesome thorn-trees, 

 and overgrown with sedgy spear and tiger grass. 

 The air was damp and oppressive, 'heavy ' (light) 

 with steamy moisture; the clouds seemed to 

 settle upon earth, and the decayed vegetation ex- 

 haled a feverish fetor. As we advanced, the roar of 

 the swollen river told of rapids, whilst an occa- 



