CHAPTER IV 
THROUGH RUANDA TO LAKE KIWU 
The month of August found us in Ruanda, that land of fable 
which we had been longing to see, 
Ruanda is certainly the most interesting country in the German 
East African Protectorate—in fact, in all Central Africa—chiefly 
on account of its ethnographical and geographical position. Its 
interest is further increased by the fact that it is one of the last 
negro kingdoms governed autocratically by a sovereign sultan, 
for German supremacy is only recognised to a very limited extent. 
Added to this, it is a land flowing with milk and honey, where 
the breeding of cattle and bee-culture flourish, and the cultivated 
soil bears rich crops of fruit. A hilly country, thickly populated, 
full of beautiful scenery, and possessing a climate incomparably 
fresh and healthy ; a land of great fertility, with watercourses 
which might be termed perennial streams; a land which offers 
the brightest of prospects to the white settler. 
For our first knowledge of Ruanda our thanks are due to the 
report of Count von Gotzen, the former Governor of German East 
Africa and the present German Ambassador to the State of 
Hamburg. Since 1894, when Count von Gdtzen passed through 
this territory, en route to Kiwu, its conditions had apparently 
changed very little. The hostile attitude adopted by the in¬ 
habitants at that period has, however, given place to a more 
friendly one, a condition of things due to the increasing European 
influence. Later on we gained further information concerning 
this wonderful country through Dr. Kandt, who has narrated 
his experiences in that admirably written work “ Caput Nili.” 
Kandt is well known as one of the greatest authorities on 
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