7 2 Wanderings in Eastern Africa, 
island and mainland, all covered above with the 
richest vegetation. The sun, being almost vertical, 
shone with truly tropical splendour, pouring his 
beams upon us most mercilessly, and flooding the 
atmosphere with almost blinding light. The broad 
waters of the harbour danced gleefully, and a thou- 
sand wavelets, like mirrors, flashed back the light. 
The breeze filled our sail, and, heavy as our boat was, 
she made her way at good speed through the waters. 
At Kisauni the creek turns to the left, and then 
another and truly charming scene comes into view. 
Having turned the corner, you find yourself on what 
appears to be a beautiful lake, surrounded by high 
banks, clad in brilliant verdure. There are mangoes, 
with their impenetrable masses of broad, dark shin- 
ing leaves ; creepers hanging in rich festoons from 
other trees ; and palm trees waving their plumes 
above all. The water is as clear as crystal, now 
rippled by a gentle breeze, and now, sheltered by the 
bank, as smooth as glass. A profound silence prevails, 
nothing being heard but the merry chirping of birds 
on either hand, the murmuring of the water at the 
boat's prow, or the sound, when we venture to speak, 
of our own voices. Pursuing our course, w^e entered 
upon another lake-like scene, quite as pretty as the 
first, and next found ourselves upon the broad waters 
of the basin, at the north of the island, called by 
Captain Owen, Port Tudor. It is from two to three 
miles broad, shallow in some parts, but, in others, as 
many as fifteen fathoms deep. In the centre is 
the Kisiwa cha pania (isle of rats), a mere heap of 
stones, with a clump of mangrove on the top, said to 
be the abode of swarms of rats. The channel flows 
