Within five hours from Ugombo the mountain range deflected towards
the north-east, while we continued on a north-westerly course,
heading for the lofty mountain-line of the Mpwapwa. To our left
towered to the blue clouds the gigantic Rubeho. The adoption of
this new road to Unyanyembe by which we were travelling was now
explained - we were enabled to avoid the passes and stiff steeps of
Rubeho, and had nothing worse to encounter than a broad smooth
plain, which sloped gently to Ugogo.
After a march of fifteen miles we camped at a dry mtoni, called
Matamombo, celebrated for its pools of bitter. water of the colour
of ochre. Monkeys and rhinoceroses, besides kudus, steinboks, and
antelopes, were numerous in the vicinity. At this camp my little
dog "Omar" died of inflammation of the bowels, almost on the
threshold of the country - Ugogo - where his faithful watchfulness
would have been invaluable to me.
The next day's march was also fifteen miles in length, through one
interminable jungle of thorn-bushes. Within two miles of the camp,
the road led up a small river bed, broad as an avenue, clear to the
khambi of Mpwapwa; which was situated close to a number of streams
of the purest water.
The following morning found us much fatigued after the long marches
from Ugombo, and generally disposed to take advantage of the
precious luxuries Mpwapwa offered to caravans fresh from the
fly-plagued lands of the Waseguhha and Wadoe.
