THROUGH THE FORESTS OF KIMAWENZI ,, ifc. 287 
Arcadia, was entirely uninhabited, save by buffaloes 
and elephants. The average elevation of this country 
was between 8000 feet and 9000 feet, and the tem¬ 
perature, consequently, almost cool, ranging from forty- 
three degrees at night to seventy degrees in the midday 
warmth. After some four hours’ walking from our camp, 
we crossed the long ridge that marks the southern flank 
of Kimawenzi, and began to descend the eastern slope 
of the mountain. Soon we emerged on a kind of heath¬ 
like country, and then looked forth on a splendid view 
stretching from Mwika to the mountains of Bura and 
TJkambani (the Kiulu range), with Lake Jipe on one 
hand and the River Tzavo on the other. At our feet 
lay the banana groves of the inhabited belt of Useri 
and Rombo. 
To the latter we directed our descending steps, and 
soon encountered in the bush some of its stray in¬ 
habitants, a savage-looking set, probably posted there 
to give notice of attack from the dreaded Mandara, 
who has occasionally visited the country on his slave¬ 
raiding expeditions. These men fled precipitately at 
our approach, and raised a cry of warning to the in¬ 
habitants below, the result being that on entering their 
territory we found them armed to the teeth, and 
resolved to resist our further approach. After a little 
parleying—which was conducted under difficulties, for 
they clearly spoke a very different dialect to the 
ordinary Ki-caga tongue—we gave a small present in 
cloth, and requested to be shown the road to Taveita. 
They accepted my gift somewhat sullenly, and made 
no move to guide us through their country. How¬ 
ever, holding the men well in hand, I quietly pursued 
our downward journey, always keeping in view the 
distant green streaks in the valley below, which 
