36 



THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



To the southward ran the stream, rushing violently 

 down a rocky bed, with tall trees lining its banks. 

 Sailing before the morning east- wind, a huge mass of 

 nimbus occupied the sky, and presently discharged 

 itself in an unusually heavy downfall : during the 

 afternoon the breeze veered as usual to the west, and 

 the hot sunshine was for once enjoyable. After a 

 weary trudge of five hours and twenty minutes, we 

 entered a large and comfortable kraal, situated near a 

 reach where the swift and turbid river foamed over a 

 discontinuous ledge of rock, between avenues of dense 

 and tangled jungle. No provisions were procurable at 

 this place ; man appeared to have become extinct. 



The 7th of February led us over broken ground, 

 encumbered by forest, and cut by swamps, with higher 

 levels on the right hand, till we again fell into the 

 marshes and fields of the river-valley. The district on 

 the other side of the river, called Jambeho, is one of 

 the most flourishing in Uvinza ; its villages of small 

 bird-nest huts, and its carefully hoed fields of grain and 

 sweet- potato, affected the eye, after the dreary monotony 

 of a jungle-march, like the glimmer of a light at the 

 end of a night-march, or the discovery of land at the 

 conclusion of a long sea-voyage. The village ferry was 

 instantly put into requisition, and the chief, Kuwere, 

 after receiving as his " dash " eight cloths, allowed us to 

 purchase provisions. At that season, however, the 

 harvest of grain and sweet-potatoes had not been got 

 in, and for their single old hen the people demanded an 

 exorbitant price. We hastened, despite all difficulties, 

 to escape from this place of pestilence, which clouds 

 of mosquitoes rendered as uncomfortable as it was 

 dangerous. 



The next clay ushered in our departure with drizzling 



