294 Wanderings in Eastern Africa, 
at first in open pasture lands, but presently becoming 
more woody, in some places densely so. These woods 
obscured everything for the most part, but now and 
then a pretty peep of the country was obtained. The 
latter part of our way lay along the side of a gently 
sloping hill, which with the opposite rise formed a 
wide and beautiful valley. On our right the rising 
ground obscured the view in that direction ; but from 
openings in the woods which occurred here and there 
fine prospects opened to us on our left. Gentle slopes 
varied with plantations, dark-blue woods and verdant 
lawns, lay outspread before us, as far as eye could 
reach. The soil was interchangeably red and dark^ 
the latter mixed with a fine light sand. 
We reached Muache, a small stream, about five p.m. 
Here we camped, selecting the other side of the stream 
for this purpose. The hill-side was covered with tall 
grass and a sprinkling of low trees. A couple of these 
latter were chosen for tent poles, and to them our 
bamboo beam was lashed. The grass was torn from 
beneath, a sheet thrown over the beam, drawn taut 
and pegged, and the pitching of the tent was complete, 
occupying us about ten minutes. The loads were 
placed about my kitanda (bedstead) inside. The men 
divided themselves into parties of fours and fives, 
each party taking up a relative position about me, 
which they maintained to the last 
Fires were soon aglow, and cooking commenced. 
Supper and a cheerful palaver concluded the day. 
Our course had been about N.W. 
July 15th.— We set out before the sun had fairly 
risen. The road lay through woods of acacia, etc., 
the low, overhanging, thorny branches of which greatly 
