CLIMATE, GEOLOGY, BOTANY, $c. 
327 
puddles, it is scarcely fordable. On the southern side 
of Kilima-njaro, however, it is very different. Here two 
large streams commence to flow close to the snow¬ 
line, one rising near the base of Kibo, and the other 
near the base of Kimawenzi. Myriads of other rivulets 
intersect this hilly region of Caga, which between 
6000 feet and 3000 feet is well populated and under 
considerable cultivation. The most perfectly-watered 
and most fertile country is, strangely enough, without 
inhabitants, namely, the districts lying to the south¬ 
east of Kimawenzi, described in Chapter XIV. All 
these streams flowing from the south and south-east 
of Kilima-njaro form the River Ruvu (Luvu of the 
Wa-taveita, and Ruvu of the Wa-zegulia), which enters 
the Indian Ocean at Pangani. 
The greatest extent of the elevated mass of Kilima¬ 
njaro is about sixty miles, from north-west to south¬ 
east. 
That this huge mountain-mass is nothing: but the 
result of past volcanic activity has been well shown 
by Mr. Thomson. He conjectures that Kimawenzi 
was the original outlet of the volcano, but that when, 
in course of time, its peak had been raised higher and 
higher by the accumulation of lava-flow and ashes, 
and the subterranean forces sought another and easier 
outlet, the mightier crater of Kibo was formed, which 
ultimately towered above its older rival, and in its 
turn grew too high for the escape of the imprisoned 
matter, which found fresh vents in the many minor 
craters on the mountain-side. How, though there 
are still traditions of slight earthquake shocks having 
occurred within the last two or three generations 
of inhabitants, there has been no further manifes¬ 
tation of volcanic activity, and the great snow- 
