148 “ LITTLE WINDERMERE.”
goes up and down, or makes long circuits to get round
the spurs, seldom displaying any pleasing scene except
the freshness of the young grasses after having been
burnt. These reminded me of the “ Emerald Isle,”
and when the view on reaching the residence of Ru-
manika, the reigning king, burst upon us, all hardships
and trials were forgotten and forgiven. As you
stand on the greensward, you see, 1000 feet below
you, and two miles distant, the sweetly-lying lake of
Karague, “ Little Windermere,” reposing in oval form
amidst gently-swelling grassy hills, so surrounded as
to puzzle one to think where the waters come from,
and where they make their escape. On its western
shore, trees.hang over its clear sweet waters; wooded
islands dot its glassy surface, and a deep fringe of the
papyrus borders its southern side. But the most interesting
sight to us was looking away to the far west
over four distinct parallel ranges of hill, with water
(Lakes Kagsera, Ooyewgomah, &c.) showing here and
there between them; and occasionally about sunset,
after the foggy mists had cleared away, appeared a
sugar-loaf mountain, known to the natives as “ M’foom-
bsero,” or Cook. It is the largest hill in the country,
and caused, on first view, quite a sensation, attracting
our intense admiration by its towering height.
Two brother cones, but lower, lie to its left, and all
are so steep, that the natives said few attempt their
ascent, having to do it on hands and knees. Their
distance from where we stood was calculated at fifty
miles. Unfortunately they could not be reached, as
they were off our direct route, and in a different
kingdom, and many obstacles intervened; so that our
RAINY SEASON IN KARAGUE. 149
only privilege was to look at them when not veiled in
mists, at sunset.
The capital of Karague is 1° 40' south of the
equator, within a complete belt of vapour the whole
year round. Fruitful showers seemed to fall continually.
There are no very marked seasons, as winter
and summer. On the same day, sowing, gathering,
and reaping may be seen, and from November
till April the fall of rain increases or diminishes according
as the sun becomes more or less vertical to our
position. The natives had their reasons for knowing
this also; for when asked, on the 2d December 1861
(when we were having abundant showers), “ How long
is this to last ?—when does your rainy season commence
? |—they at once said, “ With the new moon,”
which corresponded with the time for the sun to return
towards its more vertical position. Again, when
ask in g them, “ When have you your heaviest rains ? f
the reply was, “ At the time the Mohammedans call
Ramezan,” which is equivalent to our equinoctial
period in March, when the sun crosses our zenith. A
note about this time is as follows:—“ 17th March
1862. The weather looks black, peals of thunder with
lightning; 1.65 inches of rain fell straight and thick,
with occasional hail, in one hour.” The fall increased
in quantity from this day till it reached its climax
about the 10th of April, when it began again to
decline. In December till January 7, the usual
ma .-jn rm im temperature in a grass hut open to the
south was observed to be 81°, and the minimum
56°, at an elevation of 5000 feet above the level of
the sea. We had a great number of dull English