04 



THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



threatening destruction to the asses. The Fisi, the 

 Wuraba of the Somal, and the Wilde Honde of the 

 Cape, is the wolf of Africa, common throughout the 

 country, where it acts as scavenger. Though a large 

 and powerful variety, it seldom assaults man, except 

 when sleeping, and then it snatches a mouthful from 

 the face, causing a ghastlier disfigurement even than 

 the scalping of the bear. Three asses belonging to the 

 Expedition were destroyed by this beast ; in all cases 

 they were attacked by night with a loud wrangling 

 shriek, and the piece of flesh was raggedly torn from 

 the hind quarter; after affording a live rump-steak, 

 they could not be driven like Bruce's far-famed bullock. 

 These, however, were the animals brought from Zanzi- 

 bar; that of Unyamwezi, if not tied up, defends it- 

 self successfully against its cowardly assailant with 

 teeth and heels, even as the zebra, worthy of Homeric 

 simile, has, it is said, kept the lion at bay. The woods 

 about Muhonyera contain large and small grey monkeys 

 with black faces ; clinging to the trees they gaze for a 

 time at the passing caravan imperturbably, till curiosity 

 being satisfied, they slip down and bound away with 

 long plunging leaps, like a greyhound at play. The 

 view from the hill-side was suggestive. The dark green 

 plain of sombre monotony, with its overhanging strata 

 of mist-bank and dew-cloud, appeared in all the worst 

 colours of the Oude Tirhai and the Guzerat jungles. 

 At that season, when the moisture of the rainy monsoon 

 was like poison distilled by the frequent bursts of fiery 

 sunshine, it was a valley of death for unacclimatised 

 travellers. Far to the west, however, rose Kidunda, 

 " the hillock," a dwarf cone breaking the blurred blue 

 line of jungle, and somewhat northward of it towered 

 a cloud-capped azure wall, the mountain-crags of 



