asked for cigarettes, cough medicines, etc., which I gave.
Mohamed was reaping his metamah, and I tried my hand
at cutting a few stalks. In the afternoon I made a rather
important expedition; I had noticed to the south-west of
Gongoni some white, sandy-looking patches with no cultivation
and on inquiry I was told they were salt deposits, and that
the people obtained from them their supply of salt, so I went
to visit the place, and passed through some of the strangest
country I had yet seen. Nearly the whole way led through
a sandy waste devoid of vegetation except a few islets of
bush ; the whole of this was flooded at intervals, waist-deep,
with brackish water, probably sea-water. We then crossed
a mangrove swamp, and then came upon a shallow backwater
(then dry) running inland from the sea, and flooded
only once a month at the high neap-tides. I followed this
to the end over white sand, on which were tracks of hyaenas
antelopes, and monkeys. Across, this back-water in one, or
two places there were small barriers, about a foot high, for
catching fish, made of stakes and grass. A t the very end,
which narrowed considerably, the sand was covered with
patches of glistening salt left by the last tide. I was informed
that after one of these high tides the amount of salt deposited
was large enough to supply the whole of the neighbouring
districts, even The Magarini people coming here for theirs.
This salt deposit is about half-an-hour’s Histance from Gongoni.
I f proper salt-pans were made, as in India, the amount
obtained would be considerable.
I returned to Gongoni by another route, passing over a low
flat plain, which I understood was partly under water in the
wet season. The soil was black and stiff, thick low bush
extending around. I noticed growing here a good many fan
palms and also euphorbias; the Guniahs use the milk of these
last for killing fish by throwing it into the water. The dried
branches also make good torches. •
I left Gongoni for Ras N ’Gomani (about two hours’ distance)
at 8 a.m. on September 12. The way was at first over the
same country as that going to the salt deposits, then through
a succession of sandy back-waters and mangrove swamps
nearly the whole distance, and I again noticed many hymna,