How I Found Livingstone, Henry M. Stanley [best fantasy books to read txt] 📗

had returned to

the bay, that the easternmost channel was about six yards broad,

and about ten feet deep, but very sluggish. We had thus examined

each of its three mouths, and settled all doubts as to the Rusizi

being an effluent or influent. It was not necessary to ascend

higher, there being nothing about the river itself to repay

exploration of it.

 

The question, “Was the Rusizi an effluent or an influent?” was

answered for ever. There was now no doubt any more on that point.

In size it was not to be compared with the Malagarazi River,

neither is it, or can it be, navigable for anything but the smallest

canoes. The only thing remarkable about it is that it abounds in

crocodiles, but not one hippopotamus was seen; which may be taken

as another evidence of its shallowness. The bays to the east of

the Rusizi are of the same conformation as those on the west.

Carefully judging from the width of the several bays from point

to point, and of the several spits which separate them, the breadth

of the lake may be said to be about twelve or fourteen miles. Had

we contented ourselves with simply looking at the conformation,

and the meeting of the eastern and western ranges, we should have

said that the lake ended in a point, as Captain Speke has sketched

it on his map. But its exploration dissolved that idea. Chamati

Hill is the extreme northern termination of the western range,

and seems, upon a superficial examination, to abut against the Ramata

mountains of the eastern range, which are opposite Chamati; but a

valley about a mile in breadth separates the two ranges, and

through this valley the Rusizi flows towards the lake.* Though

Chamati terminates the western range, the eastern range continues

for miles beyond, north-westerly. After its issue from this broad

gorge, the Rusizi runs seemingly in a broad and mighty stream,

through a wide alluvial plain, its own formation, in a hundred

channels, until, approaching the lake, it flows into it by three

channels only, as above described.

______________

* After the patient investigation of the North end of the Lake,

and satisfying ourselves by personal observation that the Rusizi

ran into the Lake, the native rumor which Sir Samuel Baker brought

home that the Tanganika and the Albert N’Yanza have a water

connection still finds many believers!

______________

 

I should not omit to state here, that though the Doctor and I have

had to contend against the strong current of the Rusizi River, as

it flowed swift and strong INTO the Tanganika, the Doctor still

adheres to the conviction that, whatever part the Rusizi plays,

there must be an outlet to the Tanganika somewhere, from the fact

that all fresh-water lakes have outlets, The Doctor is able to state

his opinions and reasons far better than I can find for him; and,

lest I misconstrue the subject, I shall leave it until he has an

opportunity to explain them himself; which his great knowledge of

Africa will enable him to do with advantage.

 

One thing is evident to me, and I believe to the Doctor, that Sir

Samuel Baker will have to curtail the Albert N’Yanza by one, if

not two degrees of latitude. That well-known traveller has drawn

his lake far into the territory of the Warundi, while Ruanda has

been placed on the eastern side; whereas a large portion of it,

if not all, should be placed north of what he has designated on

his map as Usige. The information of such an intelligent man as

Ruhinga is not to be despised; for, if Lake Albert came within a

hundred miles of the Tanganika, he would surely have heard of its

existence, even if he had not seen it himself. Originally he came

from Mutumbi, and he has travelled from that country into Mugihewa,

the district he now governs. He has seen Mwezi, the great King of

Urundi, and describes him as a man about forty years old, and as a

very good man.

 

Our work was now done; there was nothing more to detain us at

Mugihewa. Ruhinga had been exceedingly kind, and given us one

ox after another to butcher and eat. Mukamba had done the same.

Their women had supplied us with an abundance of milk and butter,

and we had now bounteous supplies of both.

 

The Doctor had taken a series of observations for latitude and

longitude; and Mugihewa was made out to be in 3 degrees 19 minutes

S. latitude.

 

On the 7th December, early in the morning, we left Mugihewa, and

rowing past the southern extremity of the Katangara Islands, we

approached the highlands of Uashi near the boundary line between

Mukamba’s country and Uvira. The boundary line is supposed to be

a wide ravine, in the depths of which is a grove of tall, beautiful,

and straight-stemmed trees, out of which the natives make their canoes.

 

Passing Kanyamabengu River, which issues into the lake close to the

market-ground of Kirabula, the extreme point of Burton and Speke’s

explorations of the Tanganika, we steered south along the western

shore of the lake for half an hour longer to Kavimba, where we

halted to cook breakfast.

 

The village where lived Mruta, the King of Uvira, was in sight of

our encampment, and as we observed parties of men ascending and

descending the mountains much more often than we thought augured

good to ourselves, we determined to continue on our course south.

Besides, there was a party of disconsolate-looking Wajiji here,

who had been plundered only a few days before our arrival, for

attempting, as the Wavira believed, to evade the honga payment.

Such facts as these, and our knowledge of the general state of

insecurity in the country, resulting from the many wars in which

the districts of the Tanganika were engaged, determined us not to

halt at Kavimba.

 

We embarked quickly in our boat before the Wavira had collected

themselves, and headed south against a strong gale, which came

driving down on us from the southwest. After a hard pull of about

two hours in the teeth of the storm, which was rapidly rising, we

pointed the head of the boat into a little quiet cove, almost

hidden in tall reeds, and disembarked for the night.

 

Cognizant of the dangers which surrounded us, knowing, that savage

and implacable man was the worst enemy we had to fear, we employed

our utmost energies in the construction of a stout fence of thorn

bushes, and then sat down to supper after our work was done, and

turned in to sleep; but not before we had posted watchmen to guard

our canoe, lest the daring thieves of Uvira might abstract it, in

which case we should have been in a pretty plight, and in most

unenviable distress.

 

At daybreak, leaving Kukumba Point after our humble breakfast of

coffee, cheese, and dourra cakes was despatched, we steered south

once more. Our fires had attracted the notice of the sharp-eyed

and suspicious fishermen of Kukumba; but our precautions and the

vigilant watch we had set before retiring, had proved an effectual

safeguard against the Kivira thieves.

 

The western shores of the lake as we proceeded were loftier, and

more bold than the wooded heights of Urundi and bearded knolls of

Ujiji. A back ridge—the vanguard of the mountains which rise

beyond—disclosed itself between the serrated tops of the front

line of mountains, which rose to a height of from 2,500 to 3,000

feet above the lake. Within the folds of the front line of

mountains rise isolated hills of considerable magnitude, precipitous

and abrupt, but scenically very picturesque. The greater part of

these hills have the rounded and smooth top, or are tabularly

summited. The ridge enfolding these hills shoots out, at intervals,

promontorial projections of gradual sloping outlines, which on the

map I have designated capes, or points. When rounding these points,

up went our compasses for the taking of bearings, and observing

the directions of all prominent objects of interest. Often these

capes are formed by the alluvial plains, through which we may be

sure a river will be found flowing. These pretty alluvial plains,

enfolded on the south, the west, and the north by a grand mountain

arc, present most luxurious and enchanting scenery. The vegetation

seems to be of spontaneous growth. Groups of the Elaeis Guineansis

palm embowering some dun-brown village; an array of majestic,

superb growth of mvule trees; a broad extent covered with vivid

green sorghum stalks; parachute-like tops of mimosa; a line of white

sand, on which native canoes are drawn far above the reach of the

plangent, uneasy surf; fishermen idly reclining in the shade of a

tree;—these are the scenes which reveal themselves to us as we

voyage in our canoe on the Tanganika. When wearied with the romance

of wild tropic scenes such as these, we have but to lift our eyes

to the great mountain tops looming darkly and grandly on our right;

to watch the light pencilling of the cirrus, brushing their summits,

as it is drifted toward the north by the rising wind: to watch the

changing forms which the clouds assume, from the fleecy horizontal

bars of the cirrus, to the denser, gloomier cumulus, prognosticator

of storm and rain, which soon settles into a portentous group—Alps

above Alps, one above another—and we know the storm which was

brewing is at hand, and that it is time to seek shelter.

 

Passing Muikamba, we saw several groves of the tall mvule tree.

As far as Bemba the Wabembe occupy the mountain summits, while

the Wavira cultivate the alluvial plains along the base and lower

slopes of the mountain. At Bemba we halted to take in pieces of

pipe-clay, in accordance with the superstition of the Wajiji, who

thought us certain of safe passage and good fortune if we complied

with the ancient custom.

 

Passing Ngovi, we came to a deep bend, which curved off to Cape

Kabogi at the distance of ten miles. About two-thirds of the way

we arrived at a group of islets, three in number, all very steep

and rocky; the largest about 300 feet in length at the base, and

about 200 feet in breadth. Here we made preparations to halt for

the night. The inhabitants of the island were a gorgeously-feathered

old cock, which was kept as a propitiatory offering to the spirit

of the island, a sickly yellow-looking thrush, a hammer-headed

stork, and two fish-hawks, who, finding we had taken possession of

what had been religiously reserved for them, took flight to the

most western island, where from their perches they continued

to eye us most solemnly. As these islands were with difficulty

pronounced by us as Kavunvweh, the Doctor, seeing that they were

the only objects we were likely to discover, named them the

“‘New York Herald’ Islets;” and, in confirmation of the new

designation given them, shook hands with me upon it. Careful

dead-reckoning settled them to be in lat. 3 degrees 41 minutes S.

 

The summit of the largest island was well adapted to take bearings,

and we improved the opportunity, as most extensive views of the

broad and lengthy lake and surrounding lines of imposing mountains

were attainable. The Ramata Hills were clearly visible, and bore

N.N.E. from it; Katanga Cape, S.E. by S.; Sentakeyi, E.S.E.;

Magala, E. by N.; south-western point of Muzimu bore S., northern

point of Muzimu island, S.S.E.

 

At dawn on the 9th December we prepared to resume our voyage.

Once or twice in the night we had been visited by fishermen, but

our anxious watchfulness prevented any marauding. It seemed to me,

however, that the people of the opposite shore, who were our

visitors, were eagerly watching an opportunity to pounce upon

our canoe, or take us bodily for a