BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA. 87

cauglit and the rope fastened round him, and he was

pushed and dragged down the hank ; when, however, he was halfway down he lost his footing and rolled

over into the water ; the rope getting unfastened in

the fall, he was swept away hy the stream, and I

thought he would have been drowned ; but he was

carried to the opposite bank, and was hauled out by

the tail and ears by a number of the porters on the

other side, who were howling like madmen. It was

evident that this place would not do, and further

search revealed a sloping spot a little lower down

the stream. The approach, however, was blocked up

by a fallen tree, but an axe was sent for, and as I made it a rule that a felling axe, hatchet, and cross-

cut saw should always form part of- the donkeys'

loads, it was ready to hand at a moment's notice : a

road was quickly cleared, and the four remaining

donkeys were soon hauled over. Leaving the bank

of the river, we entered a large flat grassy plain, which extended right up to the foot of the Usagara

Mountains, several miles away, and encamped a few

hundred yards from the belt of forest which fringes the river, the crossing of the Wami having taken

nearly four hours. A herd of giraffes was feeding at

the edge of the plain as the caravan emerged on to it, and made off with their rapid swinging trot before I

could get a shot at them.

Leaving the Wami valley, we continued for a whole

day's march along the plain which was under water