Baraka, Who Never Would Have Joined The Expedition
Excepting Through His Invitation, Was Indebted To Him For The
Rank He Now Enjoyed - A Command Over Seventy Men, A Duty In Which
He Might Have Distinguished Himself As A Most Useful Accessory To
The Camp.
Again I called the two together, and begged them to act
in harmony like brothers, noticing that there was no cause for
entertaining jealousy on either side, as every order rested with
myself to reward for merit or to punish.
The relative position
in the camp was like that of the senior officers in India, Bombay
representing the Mulki lord, or Governor-General, and Baraka the
Jungi lord, or Commander- in-Chief. To the influence of this
distinguished comparison they both gave way, acknowledging myself
their judge, and both protesting that they wished to serve in
peace and quietness for the benefit of the march.
Zungomero is a terminus or junction of two roads leading to the
interior - one, the northern, crossing over the Goma Pass, and
trenching on the Mukondokua river, and the other crossing over
the Mabruki Pass, and edging on the Ruaha river. They both unite
again at Ugogi, the western terminus on the present great
Unyamuezi line. On the former expedition I went by the northern
line and returned by the southern, finding both equally easy,
and, indeed, neither is worthy of special and permanent
preference. In fact, every season makes a difference in the
supply of water and provisions; and with every year, owing to
incessant wars, or rather slave-hunts, the habitations of the
wretched inhabitants become constantly changed - generally
speaking, for the worse. Our first and last object, therefore,
as might be supposed, from knowing these circumstances, was to
ascertain, before mounting the hill-range, which route would
afford us the best facilities for a speedy march now. No one,
however, could or would advise us. 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. It proved so obstinate that fire
had no effect upon it; and although we cut off the tails of some
to relieve them by bleeding, still they died.
In former days Kirengue was inhabited, and we reasonably hoped to
find some supplies for the jungly march before us. But we had
calculated without our host, for the slave-hunters had driven
every vestige of humanity away; and now, as we were delayed by
our three loads behind, there was nothing left but to send back
and purchase more grain. Such was one of the many days frittered
away in do-nothingness.
This day, all together again, we rose the first spurs of the
well-wooded Usagara hills, amongst which the familiar bamboo was
plentiful, and at night we bivouacked in the jungle.
Rising betimes in the morning, and starting with a good will, we
soon reached the first settlements of Mbuiga, from which could be
seen a curious blue mountain, standing up like a giant
overlooking all the rest of the hills. The scenery here formed a
strong and very pleasing contrast to any we had seen since
leaving the coast. Emigrant Waziraha, who had been driven from
their homes across the Kingani river by the slave-hunters, had
taken possession of the place, and disposed their little conical-
hut villages on the heights of the hill-spurs in such a
picturesque manner, that one could not help hoping they would
here at least be allowed to rest in peace and quietness. The
valleys, watered by little brooks, are far richer, and even
prettier, than the high lands above, being lined with fine trees
and evergreen shrubs; while the general state of prosperity was
such, that the people could afford, even at this late season of
the year, to turn their corn into malt to brew beer for sale; and
goats and fowls were plentiful in the market.
Passing by the old village of Mbuiga, which I occupied on my
former expedition, we entered some huts on the western flank of
the Mbuiga district; and here, finding a coast-man, a great
friend of the little sheikh's, willing to take back to Zanzibar
anything we might give him, a halt was made, and I drew up my
reports. I then consigned to his charge three of the most sickly
of the Hottentots in a deplorable condition - one of the mules,
that they might ride by turns - and all the specimens that had
been collected.
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