line of beach at their base, over which the
spluttering waves surge up continuously.
The impression received at Ujiji, that the
Tanganika is rising, was confirmed whenever
we neared low shores. Especially was it the
case at the Rugufu river, and Para the guide,
as„We entered k > stood up and exclaimed:—
“Oh, mother, mother, mother, see ye now!
When I was with that other white man here,
we camped on a strip of land which is now
buried in the water! The Tanganika is indeed
eating the land!”
The Rugufu oozes out from the midst of a broad
bed of papyrus and reeds between precipitous
banks.
On leaving the river we coasted along the
bluff, steeply rising slopes of a mountain-range
which trends south-south-east as far as the
settlements of Ruhinga, Kafisya, Katavi, and
Kantamba.
Between the Rugufu and Buyramembe Point
a stratum of a very dark hornblende slate is
visible, resting upon gneiss in undulating, vertical,
or diagonal lines; further on we come to a stratified
quartzose and greenstone rock. On the
crest of this part of the range and its projecting
spur is a thin forest of poor trees. The soil
too is poor , and much mixed with shaly debris.
The mouth of the Gezeh river is a frequent
haunt of herds of buffaloes, and also, being a
fine haven, of trading canoes. Among the stories
related of this place is one of a wonderful escape
of a party of Wajiji traders from the bandits of
Ndereh. The robbers stole into the camp while
the Wajiji were all asleep, but some of the
canoemen, awaking, punted their boats out of
reach, and shouted to their comrades, who
sprang into the water to avoid the fate that
would otherwise have certainly overtaken them
all.
The settlements of Kafisya, and the others
just. mentioned, have such an ill repute that I
cannot imagine any necessity inducing a traveller
to cultivate the acquaintance of the evil-conditioned
people, unless, of course, he is so rich in
cloth and followers that waste of them is of litde
consequence to him.
It is said that when they see the Wajiji trading
canoes pass by them, the robbers pray to the
Muzimu of Katavi to induce the Msaga—the
tempestuous sea— to drive them ashore. The
Muzimu of Katavi is one of the most powerful
spirits along the shores of the Tanganika, according
to legendary lore. Though he is capable
of much mischief, he takes freaks of charity into
his whimsical head, such as gratuitously killing
buffaloes and then informing the inhabitants
where the meat may be found; he is also said
to have a relentless animosity towards the
bandits of Ndereh, and frequently entraps them