went into the house, and the wife feasted him
with Zogga (palm wine) and Maramba (plantain
wine), Ugali porridge made of Indian corn, and
palm-oil, seasoned with pepper— and an abundance
of fish meat.
“ Then when they had eaten the man said,
‘We have eaten and drunk, and we are now
full. Now pray show me whence you obtain
this wondrous white meat that I have eaten, and
which is far sweeter than the flesh of kid or
lamb or fowl.’
“ ‘I will,’ said she, ‘because I have promised
to you to do so, and I love you dearly; but it
is a great secret, and my husband has strictly
warned me not to show it to any human being
not related to the family. Therefore you, my
love, must not divulge the secret, or betray
me, lest some great evil happen to me and to
us all.’
“ ‘Nay, have no fear of me; my mouth shall
be closed, and my tongue tied, lest danger
should happen to the mistress of my heart.’
“ So they arose, and she took him to the
enclosure, jealously surrounded by a tall thick
fence of matete cane, and taking hold of his
hand she led the impatient lover within, and
showed him what appeared to be a circular
pool of deep clear water, which bubbled upward
from the depths, and she said—
“ ‘Behold! This is our wondrous fountain— is
Ujiji.] THE LEGEND OF THE LAKE. 19
it not beautiful?— and in this fountain are the
fish.’
“ The man had never seen such things in his
life, for there were no rivers in the neighbourhood
except that which was made by this fountain.
His delight was very great, and he sat for some
time watching the fish leaping and chasing each
other ^ showing their white bellies and beautiful
bright sides, and coming up to the surface and
diving swiftly down to the bottom. He had
never enjoyed such pleasure; but when one of
the boldest of the fish came near to where he
was sitting he suddenly put forth his hand to
catch it. Ah, that was the end of all!— for the
Muzimu, the spirit, was angry. And the world
cracked asunder, the plain sank down, and
down and down—the bottom cannot now be
reached by our longest lines— and the fountain
overflowed and filled the great gap that was
made by the earthquake, and now what do you
see? The Tanganika! All the people of that great
plain perished, and all the houses and fields and
gardens, the herds of cattle and flocks of goats
and sheep, were swallowed in the waters.
“ That is what our oldest, men have told us
about the Tanganika. Whether it is true or not
I cannot say.”
“ And what became of the husband?” I asked.
“ Oh, after he had finished his business in
Uvinza, he began his return journey, and sudden