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They laughed joyously as they glided in Indian file through the forest jungle beyond the clearing of Mrera, and boasted of their prowess. An ambassador from Simba, the Lion of Kasera, received two gorgeous cloths, and other articles, as tribute Stanley thus making that chief a friend for ever.
We are Wakonongo, who came to your camp to accompany you to Mrera, and we are looking for honey." "Oh, to be sure, you are the Wakonongo. Yes Yes. Ah, it is all right now, I thought you might be Ruga-Ruga." So the two parties, instead of being on hostile terms with each other, burst out laughing.
The Wazavira, we were told by the Wakonongo of Mrera, were enemies to all Wangwana. In a narrow strip of marsh between Mwaru and Mrera, we saw a small herd of wild elephants. It was the first time I had ever seen these animals in their native wildness, and my first impressions of them I shall not readily forget. I am induced to think that the elephant deserves the title of "king of beasts."
Upon leaving Mwaru we entered the district of Mrera, a chief who once possessed great power and influence over this region. Wars, however, have limited his possessions to three or four villages snugly embosomed within a jungle, whose outer rim is so dense that it serves like a stone wall to repel invaders.
Westward, beyond Mrera, was a wilderness, the transit of which we were warned would occupy nine days hence arose the necessity to purchase a large supply of grain, which, ere attempting the great uninhabited void in our front, was to be ground and sifted. Happy auspices, Ant-hills. The water-shed of the Tanganika Lion. The king of Kasera. The home of the lion and the leopard.
He had been stung dreadfully in the head and in the face; the bees had settled in handfuls in his hair; but, after partaking of a cup of warm tea and some food, he was as cheerful as if he had never travelled a mile. At Mrera, Central Ukonongo, we halted a day to grind grain, and to prepare the provision we should need during the transit of the wilderness between Mrera and Manyara.
The hilly ridge that bounded the westward horizon, visible from Utende, was surmounted on this day. The western slope trends south-west, and is drained by the River Mrera, which empties into the Malagarazi River. We perceived the influence of the Tanganika, even here, though we were yet twelve or fifteen marches from the lake.
We laughed joyously, as we glided in Indian file through the young forest jungle beyond the clearing of Mrera, and boasted of our prowess. Oh! we were truly brave that morning! Emerging from the jungle, we entered a thin forest, where numerous ant-hills were seen like so many sand-dunes.
He seemed to be affected with a disease in the limbs, which caused him to sprawl, and tremble most painfully, besides suffering from an attack of acute dysentery. But constant attendance and care soon brought him round again; and on the third day he was able to endure the fatigue of riding. I was able to shoot several animals during our stay at Mrera.
During the interval of my stay at Mrera I employed a large portion of my time in mending my shoes, and patching up the great rents in my clothes, which the thorn species, during the late marches, had almost destroyed.
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