They were also full of rumors
of wars ahead. It was asserted that Mbogo was advancing towards
Ugunda with a thousand Wakonongo, that the Wazavira had attacked a
caravan four months previously, that Simba was scouring the country
with a band of ferocious mercenaries, and much more of the same
nature and to the same intent.
On the 28th we arrived at a small snug village embosomed within the
forest called Benta, three hours and a quarter from Ugunda. The
road led through the cornfields of the Wagunda, and then entered
the clearings around the villages of Kisari, within one of which we
found the proprietor of a caravan who was drumming up carriers for
Ufipa. He had been halted here two months, and he made strenuous
exertions to induce my men to join his caravan, a proceeding that
did not tend to promote harmony between us. A few days afterwards
I found, on my return, that he had given up the idea of proceeding
south. Leaving Kisari, we marched through a thin jungle of black
jack, over sun-cracked ground with here and there a dried-up pool,
the bottom of which was well tramped by elephant and rhinoceros.
Buffalo and zebra tracks were now frequent, and we were buoyed up
with the hope that before long we should meet game.
Benta was well supplied with Indian corn and a grain which the
natives called choroko, which I take to be vetches. I purchased
a large supply of choroko for my own personal use, as I found it
to be a most healthy food. The corn was stored on the flat roofs
of the tembes in huge boxes made out of the bark of the mtundu-tree.
The largest box I have ever seen in Africa was seen here. It might
be taken for a Titan's hat-box; it was seven feet in diameter, and
ten feet in height.
On the 29th, after travelling in a S.W. by S. direction, we
reached Kikuru. The march lasted for five hours over sun-cracked
plains, growing the black jack, and ebony, and dwarf shrubs, above
which numerous ant-hills of light chalky-coloured earth appeared
like sand dunes.
The mukunguru, a Kisawahili term for fever, is frequent in this
region of extensive forests and flat plains, owing to the imperfect
drainage provided by nature for them. In the dry season there
is nothing very offensive in the view of the country. The burnt
grass gives rather a sombre aspect to the country, covered with
the hard-baked tracks of animals which haunt these plains during
the latter part of the rainy season.
