Ibrahim And His Strong Party Having
Quitted The Country, Fowooka Had Invaded The Mainland Of Chopi, And Had
Burnt And Destroyed All The Villages, And Killed Many People, Including
A Powerful Chief Of Kamrasi's, The Father Of The Headman Of The Island
Of Patooan Where We Were Now Staying.
Accordingly the fugitives from the
destroyed villages had taken refuge upon the island of Patooan, and
others of the same character.
The headman informed us that it would be
impossible to proceed along the bank of the river to Karuma, as that
entire line of country was in possession of the enemy. This was
sufficient to assure me that I should not procure porters.
There was no end to the difficulties and trouble in this horrible
country. My exploration was completed, as it was by no means necessary
to continue the route from Patooan to Karuma. I had followed the
Somerset from its junction with the lake at Magungo to this point; here
it was a beautiful river, precisely similar in character to the point at
which I had left it at Karuma: we were now within thirty miles of that
place, and about eighteen miles from the point opposite Rionga's island,
where we had first hit upon the river on our arrival from the north. The
direction was perfectly in accordance with my observations at Karuma,
and at Magungo, the Somerset running from east to west. The river was
about 180 to 200 yards in width, but much obstructed with rocks and
islands; the stream ran at about four miles per hour, and the rapids and
falls were so numerous that the roar of water had been continuous
throughout our march from Murchison Falls.
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