FERTILITY OF UJIJI. 



57 



town. It was first visited by the Arabs about 1840; 

 ten years after that they had penetrated to Unyamwezi ; 

 they found it conveniently situated as a mart upon the 

 Tanganyika Lake, and a central point where their depots 

 might be established, and whence their factors and slaves 

 could navigate the waters, and collect slaves and ivory 

 from the tribes upon its banks. But the climate proved 

 unhealthy, the people dangerous, and the coasting- 

 voyages frequently ended in disaster ; Ujiji, therefore, 

 never rose to the rank of Unyanyembe or Msene. At 

 present it is visited during the fair season, from May to 

 September, by flying caravans, who return to Unyan- 

 yembe as soon as they have loaded their porters. 



Abundant humidity and a fertile soil, evidenced by 

 the large forest trees and the abundance of ferns, render 

 Ujiji the most productive province in this section of 

 Africa : vegetables, which must elsewhere be cultivated, 

 here seem to flourish almost spontaneously. Bice of 

 excellent quality was formerly raised by the Arabs 

 upon the shores of the Tanganyika ; it grew luxuriantly, 

 attaining, it is said, the height of eight or nine feet. 

 The inhabitants, however, preferring sorghum, and 

 wearied out by the depredations of the monkey, the 

 elephant, and the hippopotamus, have allowed the more 

 civilised cereal to degenerate. The principal grains are 

 the holcus and the Indian nagli or nanchni (Eleusine 

 coracano) ; there is no bajri (panicum or millet) in 

 these regions ; the pulses are phaseoli and the voandzeia, 

 groundnuts, beans, and haricots of several different 

 species. The manioc, egg-plant, and sweet-potato, the 

 yam, the cucumber, an edible white fungus growing 

 subterraneously, and the Indian variety of the Jeru- 

 salem artichoke, represent the vegetables: the people, 

 however, unlike the Hindus, despise, and consequently 



