Tata country. I have a suspicion that “ Tata”
is not a proper name, but that it simply signifies
“ farther in.”
On the 15th we marched six miles and a half
to Wane-Kirumbu. From this village, which, like
all the villages that we had passed, crowned a
hill, we obtained the most extended view we
had enjoyed since entering the forest. Towards
the north and north-east the outlook was over
a jumble of forest-clad hills separating narrow
and deep valleys. The view was indeed most
depressing and portentous.
Our "march, short as it was, was full of incidents.
The constant slush and reek which the
heavy dews caused in the forest through which
we had travelled the last ten days had worn my
shoes out, and half of the march I travelled with
naked feet. I had then to draw out of my store
my last pair of shoes. Frank was already using
his last pair. Yet we were still in the very
centre of the continent. What should we do
when all were gone? was a question which we
asked of each other often.
The faces of the people, Arabs, Wangwana,
Wanyamwezi, and the escort, were quite a Study
at this camp. All their courage was oozing out,
as day by day we plodded through the doleful,
dreary forest. We saw a python 10 feet long,
a green viper, and a monstrous puff-adder on
this march, besides scores of monkeys, of the
r Nov. IS, «876 1 A MIRACLE OF VEGETATION. 1 7 7
LWane-Kirumbu.J
white-necked or flossy folnck species^ 3.S 3.Iso
the small grey, and the large howling baboons.
We heard also the “ soko” or chimpanzee, and
saw one “ nest” belonging to it in the fork of
a tall bombax. A lemur was also observed; its
loud harsh cries made each night hideous.
The path presented myriapedes, black and
brown, 6 inches in length; while beetles were
innumerable, and armies of the deep brown “ hot-
water” ants compelled us to be cautious how
we stepped.
The difficulties of such travel as we had now
commenced may be imagined when a short
march of six miles and a half occupied the
twenty-four men who were carrying the boat
sections an entire day, and so fatigued them
that we had to halt another day at Wane-
Kirumbu, to recruit their exhausted strength.
The terrible undergrowth that here engrossed
all the space under the shade of the pillared
bombax and mast-like mvule was a miracle of
vegetation. It consisted of ferns, spear-grass,
water-cane, and orchidaceous plants, mixed with
wild vines, cable thicknesses of the Ficus elastica,
and a Sprinkling of mimosas, acacias, tamarinds;
llianes, palms of various species, wild date,
Raphia vim/era, the elais, the fan, rattans, and
a hundred other varieties, all struggling for
every inch of space, and swarming upward with
a luxuriance and density that only this extra-
' THROUGH THE DARK CONTINENT. VOL,. III. N