THE SALT TRADE. 



37 



rain, which drenched the slippery paths of red clay ; the 

 asses, wild with wind and weather, exposed us to acci- 

 dents in a country of deep ravines and rugged boulders. 

 Presently diverging from the Malagarazi, we passed over 

 the brow of a low tree-clad hill above the junction of 

 the Rusugi River, and followed the left bank of this 

 tributary as far as its nearer ford. The Rusugi which 

 drains the northern highlands into the Malaofarazi, was 

 then about 100 yards in width: the bottom is a red 

 ochreish soil, the strong stream, divided in the centre by 

 a long low strip of sand and gravel, flowed at that time 

 breast-deep, and its banks, — as usual with rivers in these 

 lands, — deeply cut by narrow watercourses, rendered 

 travelling unusually toilsome. At the Rusugi Ford the 

 road separates into a northern and a southern branch, 

 a hill-spur forming the line of demarcation. The 

 northern strikes off to the district of Parugerero on the 

 left bank, where a shallower ford is found : the place in 

 question is a settlement of Wavinza, containing from 

 forty to fifty bee-hive huts, tenanted by salt-diggers. 

 The principal pan is sunk in the vicinity of the river, 

 the saline produce, after being boiled down in the huts, 

 is piled up, and handmade into little cones. The pan 

 affords tripartite revenue to three sultans, and it con- 

 stitutes the principal wealth of the Wavinza : the salt 

 here sold for one shukkah per masuta, or half-load, and 

 far superior to the bitter, nitrous produce of Ugogo, 

 finds its way throughout the heart of Africa, supplying 

 the lands adjoining both the Tanganyika and the 

 Nyanza Lakes. 



We followed the southern line which crosses the 

 Rusugi River at the branch islet. Fords are always 

 picturesque. The men seemed to enjoy the washing ; 

 their numbers protected them from the crocodiles, 



D 3 



