Page:The journal of the Royal Geographic Society of London. Volume 34, 1864. (IA s572id13663720).pdf/203

Rh stone, occasionally siliceous. This may prove eventually to be a fresh-water formation.

During my explorations in the previous year, I had only visited the eastern shore of the lake, but on the present occasion I determined to pass to its western side, and at the same time ascend the Ugono Range, in order to ascertain how the iron there existing is worked. These mountains are not above 5800 feet high, but I did not ascend to the top, the highest point I reached being 3975 feet. The Ugono tribe supply almost the entire adjacent country with iron, which they procure by smelting, in large holes, a kind of sand strongly impregnated with the metal, which they find in the streams. It is extraordinary how they are able, with their rude smelting apparatus and primitive tools, to turn out such neatly-fashioned weapons and utensils of all sorts.

I here first had to use my boat, made of iron and gutta-percha, which I had brought from the coast, and in which I now embarked upon the lake. Every furlong or so I caused soundings to be taken, which gave a maximum depth of 17 feet. The surface of the lake was in constant agitation, caused by the movements of hippopotami, crocodiles (some 19 feet long), and fresh-water turtle. The bottom is almost everywhere sandy, with little or no mud. There are but few shells, and those of very minute size.

I spent a couple of days on the lake, enjoying good sport, and then directed my steps to its outlet, passing to the north-eastward of the Arusha hills. The river Daffeta, which rises in the mountains of Djagga, empties itself into the lake, after which it forms almost a right angle, and, where it passes out, takes the name of the River Jipé, which a little lower down changes to Rufu, and still lower down to Pangani, under which designation it falls into the ocean at the little town of the same name.

Another three days’ march brought me to the Arusha Mountains, which barely exceed 4000 feet in height. Of a certain Lake Arusha, which is delineated on many maps, I could not find the slightest trace. In the rainy season the river Arusha may possibly overflow here and there, and thus have given rise to the notion of there being a lake.

W.S.W. of our encampment and about 30 miles distant, we could perceive the Mount Meru, a very beautifully-proportioned and peculiarly-formed hill. On my first journey, we had no favourable opportunity of examining it, as it was always enveloped in clouds, and Mr. Thornton and myself both assigned to it a greater height than my last measurement proved it to possess. Of course, with my present deficient means, I am unable to give the precise elevation, but I believe an accurate computation will scarcely make it more than 13000 feet.

Kilima-ndjaro itself was often visible with wonderful clearness