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.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 72 of 767
Words from 19621 to 19900
of 210958
