A Naturalist in Mid-Africa, being an account of a journey to the Mountains of the Moon and Tanganyika

Front matter

Snow Peaks of Ruwenzori. Frontispie c. A NATURALIST IX MID-AFRICA BEING AX ACCOUXT OF J JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON AND TANGANYIKA BV G. F. SCOTT ELLIOT, M.A., F.L.S., F.R.G.S. LONDON A. D. INNES & CO BEDFORD STREET S-'n6 So MY FORMER PRECEPTOR, PROFESSOR PATRICK GEDDES, THIS RESULT OF A MOST INCONVENIENT LOVE OF BOTANY IS VERY RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. PEEFACE. It is a pleasure as Avell as a duty to begin this Avork by an attempt to show the indebtedness of AA'hich I am fully conscious to the many AA'ho have assisted me directly and indirectly in the prepara tion of this Avork. If it had not been for the care and hospitality of Captain Gibb, the French Fathers in Buddu and on Tanganyika, Mr. LaAA7, Mr. Heard, and the late Dr. Scott in British Central Africa, I should cer tainly not have survived the expedition.

In the preparation of it, I must express my thanks first to Mr. A. D. Innes for the numerous suggestions and re\risions that have shaped my rough-heAvn manuscripts. Dr. Gregory should have the credit of much of the geological por tion, and Mr. Butler and Mr. Murray have given me tAA'o lists Avhich are now printed in the Appendix. In the preparation of the illustrations, I have to thank first Mr. J. Thomson, to whose ex-

Preface

. VIII cellent teaching the photographs are really due ; and I have also to thank the London Stereoscopic Company, Messrs. Gunn and Stuart, Mr. Percy B. Highley, and Mr. B. F. Anderson for the preparation of prints and draAvings from materials so bad that the results are sufficiently astonishing to myself. The conditions under AA'hich my photo graphs Avere taken scarcely gave them a fair chance. The original negati\'es haA'e not been in any AA'ay interfered with ; although it Avould haA'e in many cases been easy to make an infinitely more attractive picture by touching up and re draA\ing, it seemed to me preferable to reproduce the picture as it appeared. Dr. Mill and Dr. Gunther have most kindly permitted me to make use of the plates reproduced in Figs. 31 and , 12, and I haA'e to express my thanks to them, as Avell as to the publishers.

I have also to thank Mr. Coles for the instruc tion AA'hich has resulted in the map iioav produced for the first time. The Royal Geographical Society very kindly prepared a map from my materials for their October Journal. I could not utilise this map for my oavii work, as several inaccuracies were retained in deference to a more recognised au thority than myself. I have therefore had a neAv map produced, in AA'hich some of these are cor rected for the first time, though unfortunately in a very hurried manner. G .F. SCOTT ELLIOT. CONTENTS. CHAPTEE I. MOMBASA TO KIKUYU. Keason of expedition — Royal Society grant — At Mombasa — Imperial British East African Company — Thorn-tree desert — Mkuyuni — Difficulties with porters — Ukambani — Formation of forest and steppes — AA'akamba customs — Products — Cultivation — Hartebeest — Kikuyu pp. 1-22 CHAPTEE II.

KIKUYU TO THE VICTORIA. Donkey caravan — Masai Elmoran, camps and travelling — Future of Masai and their country — A stampede of cattle — Wandarobbo — The firestick — The Mau forest — Aralleys in the Nile drainage area — Jackson's hartebeest ....... pp. 23-35 CHAPTEE III. THE VICTORIA REGION; INCLUDING UGANDA. The Nandi hills — Kavirondo — Native rotation of crops — A'illages — Sarnia iron mines — The area and characteristics of the A'ictoria region — Uganda — Sinking of the Nyanza level — Consequent character of valleys — Alluvium — Papyrus swamps — Ridges — Fertile places — Forests — Climate — Banana — Wheat — Rice — Coffee — Tobacco — Cotton — Cattle — Horses . . -PP- 36-51 CONTENTS. X CHAPTEE IV. THE WAGANDA AND TRAVELLING EXPERIENCES. The AA'aganda— Their feudal system— Effects on labour— Currency- Customs— Origin of the race— Wahima— Demand for European goods — Number of Europeans required — Stations suggested — On the march — Crossing swamps — Forests — A day's work — Kampala — The Unyoro campaign — Taratibu PP- 52-68 CHAPTEE V. ANKOLE AND KARAGWE The first view of Kagera river — Arabs — The geology, valleys, and inhabitants of Karagwe and Ankole — Lukala — Langheld's expedition — Suliman Msudi — Ruizi river — First view of Ruwenzori —The Albert Edward at sunset— Kuliafiri's . . . pp. 69-80 CHAPTEE VL NORTH-EASTERN VALLEYS ON RUWENZORI.

Arrival — Mubuku valley — Leopards in camp — Elephants — The plains round the mountain — Butanuka — Kasagama — Lion hunting — Kivata Camp — Temperate plants — Makwenda — Forest formation — Bamboos — Heather region — Sunbirds — Yeria summit — AVimi valley pp. 81-103 CHAPTEE VII. WAHIMA, WAKONDJA, AND SUAHILIS. Kasagama — Maosolia at the Salt Lake — Visit of Wanyuema — Congo ivory — Chiefs — Oppression exercised by them — Untruthfulness — AVakondja — Cultivation — Laws — Treatment of Women — Kabbarega's raids — Future prospects of district — Communications — Cost of administration ....... pp. 104-122 CHAPTEE VIII. THE SALT LAKE AND SEMLIKI VALLEY. Plains of Eastern side — Drought — Thorn woods — Unpromising country — Animal life — Chukarongo — The Salt Lake — Formation CONTENTS. XI 147 160 177 206 ■220 of salt — Unhealthiness — Mosquitoes — People on the Nyanza — The Semliki — Butagu valley — Ascent — Attack by natives- Vegetation and insects — Return to Salt Lake — Ascent by Nyamwamba — Monkeys pp. 123.

CHAPTEE IX. THE WAWAMBA. AA'awamba — Affinity — Language — Physical appearance — Character — Raids from the AVest — German methods — Attack on my men — Tengetenge and his chiefs' desire for Europeans . pp. 148 CHAPTEE X. GEOLOGY. The Alctoria region — Iron mines — Changes of level — Ruwenzori, according to Stairs, Stuhlmann, and Gregory — Recent volcanoes — Hot Springs — Glaciation — Geology of Central AVatershed . pp. 1G1 CHAPTEE XI. METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATE. Instruments — Oil-palm, coffee, colony zones, and cloud belt — Short account of climates — Table — Rainfall and monsoons — Climates of Mombasa and Taru, Masai Highlands, A'ictoria region, Ruwenzori — Cloud phenomena and mountain breeze — Discovery of mountain — Rainfall — Climate of Central Ridge, Tanganyika, Stevenson Road, Shir<5 Highlands, Zambesi valley — Moist heat — Malaria — Mosquitoes — Hints on position of stations . pp. 178 CHAPTEE XII.

BOTANY. Evolution and systematic botany — Differentiation of species by flowering season — AVesterly wet, Central Ridge dry, Easterly wet floras and climate — Statistical method — North to south migration — Origin of Victoria region plants — Origins of Tropical African flora — Comparison with economic regions — South America and Africa — Botanical mountain phenomena pp. CONTENTS. XII CHAPTEE XIII. MI'ORORO AND EAST SHORE, ALBERT EDWARD. Kwa Kaihura — AVaruanda inroads — Raids — Eastern shore of the Albert Edward— A'olcanic area — Lake shore — Characteristics of people — German enterprise — Rufue and Kakitombo rivers — Kagera river — Hippopotami — Hot springs . . . pp. 227-239 CHAPTEE XIV. KARAGWE. Rumanika — Decline of country — Kajeti — Character of valleys — AA'ater — Distances from Tanganyika to the Victoria — Rhinoceros hunting — AVindermere — Kakaruka — Sunstroke — Buhimba — Ru- A'uvu pp. 240-254 CHAPTEE XV.

BUGUFU AND URUNDI. Absence of Alexandra Nyanza — Boundaries of Bugufu — Fertility — People — Dances — Ornaments — Urundi — The Central African mountains — Valleys — Cultivation — Attack by the natives — Dense population — Mwesi — Kiriba chain .... pp. 255-269 CHAPTEE XVI. THE TANGANYIKA BASIN. Source of the Nile — Height of Kiriba chain — Alpine flora— Valley to north of Tanganyika — Kilimanyambi's country — Fertility — Tanganyika — Arab dhow — Ujiji music — Storm — Rumonge — Sefu bin Raschid — Ujiji — Karemi — Kala — Kituta — History of Tanganyika — Changes of level — Flora — Arab question — Rumaliza — Former slave raiding — Present distribution . . pp. 270-287 CHAPTEE XVII. BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA. Method of travel — Blindness — Stevenson Road plateau — Nyassa Mlanje — Crossing rivers — Expenses of journey — Formation of colony — Buchanan — Prosperity of colony — Coffee planting — Area and natural state of coffee zone — Alternatives — Native labour Locusts — Future native troubles — Requirements . pp. 288-304 CONTENTS.

XIII CHAPTEE XVIII. TRANSPORT. Suahilis unsatisfactory — Water transport — Bullock waggons and railways compared— Pack animals— The three railway routes — Kagera river — Central African Lakes Route— Comparison of country opened to commerce — Union of East and British Central Africa pp. 305-340 CHAPTEE XIX. THE SUAHILI. Origin of name — Contradictory qualities — Life history — Approaching extinction — Slavery and Arabs — Missions — Roman Catholic and Protestant pp. 341-355 CHAPTEE XX. HINTS ON OUTFIT AND EXPENSES. Packing and marching routine — Medicines — A month's supply — Packing — Bed — General list of outfit — Canteen — Tent — Mosquito curtain — Photography — Shooting — Botany — Mammalia — Insects — Trade goods pp. 356-382