156 



THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



powder in serviles, were also trembling at the prospect 

 of desertion. As usual, when these barbarians see 

 preparations for departure, the Wajiji became more ex- 

 tortionate and troublesome than before. A general 

 drinking-bout had followed the return of the crews from. 

 Uvira : Kannena had not been sober for a fortnight. At 

 last his succession of violent and maudlin fits ended 

 fortunately for us in a high fever, which somewhat 

 tamed his vice. Shortly after our disappearance, his 

 territory w 7 as attacked by the predal Watuta : and had 

 not the Arabs assisted in its defence, it w T ould doubtless 

 have been converted into a grisly solitude, like the once 

 fertile and populous Uhha. Kannena, of course, fled 

 into the mountains from the attack of the gallant 

 rascals : he had courage enough to bully, but not to 

 fight. I heard of him no more. : he showed no pity to 

 the homeless stranger, — may the world show none to 

 him ! 



I shall long remember the morning of the 26th May, 

 which afforded me the last sunrise-spectacle of the 

 Tanganyika Lake. The charm of the scenery was 

 perhaps enhanced by the reflection that my eyes might 

 never look upon it again. Masses of brown-purple 

 clouds covered the quarter of the heavens where the 

 sun was about to rise. Presently the mists, ruffled like 

 ocean billows, and luminously fringed with Tyrian 

 purple, were cut by filmy rays, whilst, from behind their 

 core, the internal living fire shot forth its broad beams, 

 like the spokes of a hugh aerial wheel, rolling a flood of 

 gold over the light blue w r aters of the lake. At last 

 Dan Sol, who at first contented himself w T ith glimmering 

 through the cloud-mass, disclosed himself in his glory, 

 and dispersed with a glance the obstacles of the vapour- 

 ous earth : breaking into long strata and little pearly 

 flakes, they soared high in the empyrean, whilst the 



