F8 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

to a great extent, and where large herds of buffaloes and various species of antelopes were seen, and encamped in the evening in a forest near the foot of the Usagara Mountains. On this march we passed an old camp, where in a hut lay the body of a man who had died of small-pox. At this part of the journey numerous old bomas or ring fences of camps were found, as many as fourteen and fifteen being passed in a single day's march.

The water at this camp in the forest was horrible. On first reaching it none could be found, so the Wanyamwezi porters began digging holes in a slight hollow by loosening the earth with their spears and scoping it out with their hands to a depth of two or three feet, and into the holes so formed a liquid drained, closely resembling soap-suds both in taste and appearance.

For two days more our road lay through the plains at the foot of the Usagara Mountains, passing large villages with extensive fields of mtama, pumpkins, tobacco, sweet potatoes, etc., with small quantities of ground-nuts, rice and bananas. Pigeons were abundant, and were a great boon to us, as meat was not to be had, except at a prohibitive price. On August 30th, our last night in the plains, the first death from small-pox occurred in the caravan. On August 31st we entered the mountains. Our road on leaving the camp was nearly due west for a mile or two, then we struck off in a northerly direction,