LAKE LIFE AND THE LOAD TO GONJA . 297 
await my return during three months, and if I did not 
then arrive, pack up as many of the things as they 
could carry, and accompany one of the Swahili 
caravans returning to the coast. 
These and other preparations made, I took a most 
reluctant farewell of my pretty town, and also of the 
affectionate and friendly Wa-taveita, who entreated 
me to return very soon and dwell amongst them. I 
then made a short march of four hours to the northern 
V 
corner of Lake Jipe, and camped out there, remaining 
a few days in the vicinity of this piece of water in 
order to observe the denizens of its banks. Lake Jipe 
is in reality a shallow backwater of the Lumi river, 
which afterwards becomes the Buivu, and enters the 
Indian Ocean at Pangani. It is, in short, a tiny 
edition of the Albert Nyanza, about twelve miles long 
by three to four broad. On the southern bank the 
mountains of Ugweno rise grandly to heights of 
6000 and 7000 feet, contrasting markedly with 
the opposite shore, whereon we were encamped, 
which is a flat plain, but little raised above the 
lake. 
Ugweno is a continuation of the long chain of high 
mountains which border the northern aspect of the 
Ruvu valley, starting with Usambara on the coast and 
continuing through the Pare and Ugweno range to 
the base of Kilima-njaro. The countries of Ugweno 
and Usanga (a district lying towards Pare) are rich 
in iron ore, which is smelted by the Bantu inhabitants 
—Wa-gweno and Wa-sahga—and sold to the Caga 
smiths in the shape of pig-iron. The Wa-gweno seem 
anciently a division of the Caga tribes, and their 
language is much the same. The country they live in, 
being healthy and well supplied with water and very 
