34 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

in my caravan, and in spite of all precautions, seven

Wanyainwezi porters fell victims to it before it

could be eradicated.

Three days' journey from Pongwe brought us to

the valley of the "Wami. On the first day we

stopped at a village called Funi, situated on the

banks of a considerable stream of the same name

which flowed to the Wami. Here we were delayed

several days by sickness, and did not reach the latter

river till August 21st. The Wami at this point

certainly looked like a river which could be navi-

gated by small steamers of light draught, though it

had not proved so nearer its mouth. It was here

some eighty yards wide, muddy, and with a strong current of about two miles an hour ; its depth I

could not ascertain, but as it was not fordable, it

must be at least five feet. The scenery here was

quite different to any we had hitherto passed

through. There was a broad grassy valley with a

scanty growth of thorny acacias, while on the river-

bank the constant supply of water produced a dense

growth of tropical vegetation. Gigantic trees up- wards of one hundred feet in height, festooned

with huge rope-like creepers, overhung the stream

and dipped their branches in its waters ; a species of

white jasmine filled the air with its sweet scent ;

large black kingfishers, looking as if carved out

of ebony, sat motionless, watching for their prey ; here and there little islands covered with tall grass