EXTRAORDINARY NATURAL TUNNEL. 443 
camel, with me mounted, could march through the 
tunnel and then not touch its top. No water comes 
through ; it is obtained by digging holes in the sand. 
The reed from which the Waganda make flutes, 
grows inside it. The rocks are black, and look as if 
they had been planed (basalt, from his description). 
White pebbles are plentiful there. Inside it is not as 
clear as day, but once within it there is sufficient light 
the whole way. The natives consider it a m'zimo 
(namely, wonder or worshipping spot). They have no 
name for it, but the river above it is called Kaoma." 
On my interrogating him further, as if doubting his 
tale, and making him repeat it to Speke, he got net- 
tled, and asked with a sneer, " Did not the people of 
Wambweh take shelter in it, with their cattle, from 
the attacks of the Watuta ? (meaning a branch of the 
Zulu Kafir). And if you do not believe my story, be- 
cause I did not mention it before, ask so-and-so of 
Unyanyembe, who was of our party." Manua added, 
that "he went and returned by this tunnel, as it is 
the regular highway road between Loowemba and 
Ooroongoo." It will be interesting to know what ac- 
count was received of it by Dr Livingstone. In the 
mean time the above description as to size, direc- 
tion, &c, must be considered vague and general. From 
Manua's description I understood him to say that this 
river Kaoma flowed into the Tanganyika Lake. 
We went smartly over the Bahr Hut ab, the water- 
less sea, in ten hours' marching, and by breakfast-time 
of the 1 Oth reached Aboo Eakeeb, or father of shade, 
a shelter-rock of sandstone upon a commanding height. 
The surface of the country was dotted with black coni- 
cal masses of sandstone, intermixed with which were 
