How I Found Livingstone Travels, Adventures And Discoveries In Central Africa Including Four Months Residence With Dr. Livingstone By Sir Henry M. Stanley
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After Crossing The River Here, Fordable At All
Times And Only Twenty Yards In Breadth, We Had Another Mile Of
The Valley With Its Excessively Moist Soil And Rank Growth Of
Grass.
It then ascended into a higher elevation, and led through
a forest of mparamusi, tamarind, tamarisk, acacia, and the blooming
mimosa.
This ascent was continued for two hours, when we stood
upon the spine of the largest ridge, where we could obtain free
views of the wooded plain below and the distant ridges of Kisemo,
which we had but lately left. A descent of a few hundred feet
terminated in a deep but dry mtoni with a sandy bed, on the other
side of which we had to regain the elevation we had lost, and a
similar country opened into view until we found a newly-made boma
with well-built huts of grass rear a pool of water, which we at
once occupied as a halting-place for the night. The cart gave us
considerable trouble; not even our strongest donkey, though it
carried with ease on its back 196 lbs., could draw the cart with
a load of only 225 lbs. weight.
Early on the morning of the 15th we broke camp and started for
Mikeseh. By 8.30 A.M. we were ascending the southern face of the
Kira Peak. When we had gained the height of two hundred feet above
the level of the surrounding country, we were gratified with a
magnificent view of a land whose soil knows no Sabbath.
After travelling the spine of a ridge abutting against the southern
slope of Kira we again descended into the little valley of
Kiwrima, the first settlement we meet in Udoe, where there is
always an abundant supply of water. Two miles west of Kiwrima is
Mikiseh.
On the 16th we reached Ulagalla after a few hours' march.
Ulagalla is the name of a district, or a portion of a district,
lying between the mountains of Uruguru, which bound it southerly,
and the mountains of Udoe, lying northerly and parallel with them,
and but ten miles apart. The principal part of the basin thus
formed is called Ulagalla.
Muhalleh is the next settlement, and here we found ourselves in
the territory of the Waseguhha. On this march we were hemmed in
by mountains - on our left by those of Uruguru, on our right by
those of Udoe and Useguhha - a most agreeable and welcome change to
us after the long miles of monotonous level we had hitherto seen.
When tired of looking into the depths of the forest that still ran
on either side of the road, we had but to look up to the mountain's
base, to note its strange trees, its plants and vari-coloured flowers,
we had but to raise our heads to vary this pleasant occupation by
observing the lengthy and sinuous spine of the mountains, and
mentally report upon their outline, their spurs, their projections
and ravines, their bulging rocks and deep clefts, and, above all,
the dark green woods clothing them from summit to base.
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