Again I Called The Two Together, And Begged Them To Act
In Harmony Like Brothers, Noticing That There Was No Cause For
Entertaining Jealousy On Either Side, As Every Order Rested With
Myself To Reward For Merit Or To Punish.
The relative position
in the camp was like that of the senior officers in India, Bombay
representing the Mulki lord, or Governor-General, and Baraka the
Jungi lord, or Commander- in-Chief.
To the influence of this
distinguished comparison they both gave way, acknowledging myself
their judge, and both protesting that they wished to serve in
peace and quietness for the benefit of the march.
Zungomero is a terminus or junction of two roads leading to the
interior - one, the northern, crossing over the Goma Pass, and
trenching on the Mukondokua river, and the other crossing over
the Mabruki Pass, and edging on the Ruaha river. They both unite
again at Ugogi, the western terminus on the present great
Unyamuezi line. On the former expedition I went by the northern
line and returned by the southern, finding both equally easy,
and, indeed, neither is worthy of special and permanent
preference. In fact, every season makes a difference in the
supply of water and provisions; and with every year, owing to
incessant wars, or rather slave-hunts, the habitations of the
wretched inhabitants become constantly changed - generally
speaking, for the worse. Our first and last object, therefore,
as might be supposed, from knowing these circumstances, was to
ascertain, before mounting the hill-range, which route would
afford us the best facilities for a speedy march now. No one,
however, could or would advise us. The whole country on ahead,
especially Ugogo, was oppressed by drought and famine. To avoid
this latter country, then, we selected the southern route, as by
doing so it was hoped we might follow the course of the Ruaha
river from Maroro to Usenga and Usanga, and thence strike across
to Unyanyembe, sweeping clear of Ugogo.
With this determination, after despatching a third set of
specimens, consisting of large game animals, birds, snakes,
insects, land and freshwater shells, and a few rock specimens, of
which one was fossiliferous, we turned southwards, penetrating
the forests which lie between the greater range and the little
outlying one. At the foot of this is the Maji ya Wheta, a hot,
deep-seated spring of fresh water, which bubbles up through many
apertures in a large dome-shaped heap of soft lime - an
accumulation obviously thrown up by the force of the spring, as
the rocks on either side of it are of igneous character. We
arrived at the deserted village of Kirengue. This was not an easy
go-ahead march, for the halt had disaffected both men and mules.
Three of the former bolted, leaving their loads upon the ground;
and on the line of march, one of the mules, a full-conditioned
animal, gave up the ghost after an eighteen hours' sickness.
What his disease was I never could ascertain; but as all the
remaining animals died afterwards much in the same manner, I may
state for once and for all, that these attacks commenced with
general swelling, at first on the face, then down the neck, along
the belly and down the legs.
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