Lake Kiwu and its Islands 
97 
after wave splashed over the bows of our canoes. Our threats 
of punishment for any who ceased to row had their effect. Our 
dug-outs flew over the water, and we glided safely into the 
sheltering little bay of Wau Island as the torrents of descending 
rain obscured the eastern shore from our view. 
Wau belongs to the smaller of the islands of Kiwu, but is, 
perhaps, the most beautiful of them, so far as scenery is con¬ 
cerned. It would make a simply idyllic haven of retreat for 
dwellers in great cities who were in need of rest. The island 
is about 3 kilometres long and 1.5 kilometres in breadth at 
the two rounded ends. In the middle it is drawn in, at the waist 
as it were, to about 100 metres, by two picturesque coves. This 
is about the flattest part, and the land ascends to some 50 
metres. We pitched our tents here; in front and behind us 
there lay a fine white sandy shore, which looked most inviting 
for bathing purposes. Wau affords beautiful views towards the 
west and north. In the west may be seen the northern end of 
Kwidschwi, to the north of it two smaller islands, also densely 
wooded, and a good 30 kilometres farther back is the immense 
western margin of the Central African rift-valley, whose 3,cxdo 
metre-high ridge is covered with virgin forest. One obtains a 
still grander view in favourable weather when looking to the 
north. One morning, at six o’clock, I stood on the highest point 
of the island in the clearest of weather—for it had rained in¬ 
cessantly throughout the night—and the Virunga volcanoes were 
visible. Looking northwards, the graceful outlines of Mount 
Ninagongo, 3,391 metres high, rose up over the broad motion¬ 
less surface of the lake, which was about 40 kilometres broad 
at this point. Farther to the east the jagged giants, Mikeno and 
Sabin jo (4,380 and 3,704 metres respectively), stood out promi¬ 
nently, and finally came Karissimbi, the highest of the volcanoes, 
whose lofty summit (4,500 metres), crowned with snow, was 
glittering in the morning sun. 
Wau is half covered by dense forest growth, the predominat¬ 
ing trees of which are a species of fig, with white trunks and 
beautiful, sometimes ball-shaped, tops, the thickly-covered 
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