the north-west, looking beyond the curve described by
the river before reaching the town, are thick mangrove
swamps.
I walked through the town, which is very straggling, and
observed numerous clumps of castor-oil plants growing wild
both round the old fort and outside the town. Numerous
flocks of goats were grazing all about.
I returned to Herr Tost’s for breakfast, and in the afternoon,
after bidding a cordial good-bye to Bird-Thompson, who had so
kindly accompanied me thus far, and whom I never saw
again, I started once more alone for U’Kanga, lying about one
and a half hours’ march away in a north-east direction,
over a flat open plain. The country I passed through was
chiefly thick low bush alternating with open patches, dotted
over with Hyphsene and dwarf palms, baobabs, guinea-grass,
and in one place there was a clearing with some fine stooks of
harvested sim-sim, fully 5 feet high. The soil on the whole was
an excellent grey loam passing into chocolate, with here and
there some coral outcrop. Finally, after crossing some open
country evidently once cultivated, I arrived at U’Kanga. This
was a small village enclosed by some fine timber trees and
scattered mangoes situated on the edge of a hollow from
which the water supply is derived. The village is surrounded
by a large open plain covered with grass and clumps of dwarf
palm, and the area in the immediate vicinity had evidently at
one time been much more cultivated. The plain is bounded on
the south-east by a low ridge of rounded hillocks. I camped
under a large tree with wide-spreading branches much
resembling a jack tree, having a;very similar bright green leaf
with very long stalk. Some wild castor-oil shrubs and arrowroot
(Tacca pinnatijidd) were growing round about.
Next day I proceeded onwards to M’Pekatoni, the thermometer
readings during the day (at 6 and 11 a.m. and at
2 and 6 p.m.) being 78°, 86°, 86°, and 8o° respectively. I
noticed on the north-east side of U’Kanga another small
shallow swamp or pond, with mango trees round it.
The country was as a whole very flat, mostly covered with
the Usual vegetation, while in the more open part a good deal
of wild arrowroot was growing in thick clumps. In places
the aspect was park-like, interspersed with swamps and high
feathery grass. Everywhere the soil was of an excellent grey
loam. The path now led due north, and little more than
half-way, at a place called Makombagni, cultivation began
again to appear; we passed through a plantain shamba,
luxuriant mango trees and malze-fields, and by a coco-nut
clump of about 200* trees. Wild arrow-root was growing in
abundance, and, I was told, forms an article of export to
Lamu. In a short time I again came on shambas situated
in a low plain : they consisted of coco-nuts, bananas, mangoes,
maize, and sweet potato beds. Passing these, I crossed
an open plain with an extensive swamp in the centre called
Ziwah la Ramu, beyond which there was little variety until
I reached M’Pekatoni after three hours’ marching. The
village is situated on the western shore of M’Pekatoni lake,
whence it takes its name. The lake lies in a north-east
direction, the eastern portion being at this time dried up, but
when full it is said to be fully three miles long by half-a-mile
broad. I camped under a grove of mangoes on the western
shore, near the village. Rice was growing on the dry margin
of the lake ; the hippos did much damage to the crops, and the
people had dressed up “ scarecrows ” and placed them on
raised platforms to frighten them away at night. To the
east and south-east the country is flat and low, and covered with
Hyphaene palms, baobabs, and near the village with mangoes
and a few clumps of silk-cotton trees.
In the afternoon I went right round the lake ; the water—
probably supplied by springs— is fresh and good, and lies in a
natural basin, the ground sloping down to it on all sides. It
narrows considerably to the north-east, where there is a canoe
ferry. The banks are fringed with reeds and aquatic grasses,
and the soil is a grey sandy loam. On the south-east side the
outcrop of coral is frequent; the sea is said to be about six
miles off in a straight line.
I saw one or two hippo heads above water a little way out,
so I crouched' down in the high grass, hoping they would
come near enough for me to get a shot at them ; after waiting
a long time, I tried crawling through the- grass to get nearer
to them, but they were too wide-awake, and disappeared under