on whose ground we now stood at the foot of the hills,
are Wa-Khütü, and their possessions consequently are
TJ-Khütü, which is by far the best producing land
hitherto alluded to since leaving the sea-coast line. Our
ascent by the river, though quite imperceptible to the
eye, has been 500 feet. From this level the range before
us rises in some places to 5000 or 6000 feet, not as
one grand mountain, but in two detached lines, lying at
an angle of 45 degrees from N.E. to S.W., and separated
one from the other by elevated valleys, tables, and crab-
claw spurs of hill which incline towards the flanking
rivers. The whole having been thrown up by volcanic
action, is based on a strong foundation of granite and
other igneous rocks, which are exposed in many places in
the shape of massive blocks; otherwise the hill-range is
covered in the upper part with sandstone, and in the
bottoms with alluvial clay. This is the superficial configuration
of the land as it strikes the eye, but, knowing
the elevation of the interior plateau to be only 2500 feet
above the sea immediately on the western flank of these
hills, whilst the breadth of the chain is 100 miles, the
mean slope or incline of the basal surface must be on a
gradual rise of twenty feet per mile. The hill tops and
sides, where not cultivated, are well covered with bush
and small trees, amongst which the bamboo is conspicuous
; whilst the bottoms, having a soil deeper and richer,
produce fine large fig-trees of exceeding beauty, the huge
calabash, and a variety of other trees. Here, in certain
places where water is obtainable throughout the year, and
wars, or slave-hunts more properly speaking, do not disturb
the industry of the people, cultivation thrives surprisingly;
but such a boon is rarely granted them. It is in
consequence of these constantly-recurring troubles that the
majority of the Wasagara villages are built on hill-spurs,
where the people can the better resist attack, or, failing,
disperse and hide effectually. The normal habitation is
the small conical hut of grass. These compose villages,
varying in number according to the influence of their
head men. There are, however, a few mud villages on the
table-lands, each built in a large irregular square of chambers
with a hollow yard in the centre, known as tembd
As to the people of these uplands, poor, meagre-looking
wretches, they contrast unfavourably with the lowlanders
on both sides of them. Dingy in colour, spiritless, shy,
and timid, they invite attack in a country where every
human being has a market value, and are little seen by
the passing caravan. In habits they are semi-pastoral
agriculturists, and would be useful members of society
were they left alone to cultivate their own possessions,
rich and beautiful by nature, but poor and desolate by
force of circumstance. Some of the men can afford a
cloth, but the greater part wear an article which I can
only describe as a grass kilt. In one or two places
throughout the passage of these hills a caravan may be
taxed, but if so, only to a small amount; the villagers
more frequently fly to the hill-tops as soon as the noise oi
the advancing caravan is heard, and no persuasions will
bring them down again, so much ground have they, from
previous experience, to fear treachery. It is such sad
sights, and the obvious want of peace and prosperity,
that weary the traveller, and make him ever think of
pushing on to his journey’s end from the instant he
enters Africa until he quits the country.
Knowing by old experience that the beautiful green
Halt, m and Park in the fork of these rivers abounded in
game of great variety and in vast herds,
where no men are ever seen except some savage hunters
sitting in the trees with poisoned arrows, or watching
their snares and pitfalls, I had all along determined on a
hunt myself, to feed and cheer the men, and also to collect
some specimens for the home museums. In the first object
we succeeded well, as “ the bags | we made counted two