. The
boy was supported between the mats and cloak; and his pleased and
youthful face, he being a very fine specimen of the native race,
presented a striking contrast to the miserable looks of his whining
mother. In the large bag she carried some pieces of firewood and a few
roots, apparently of tao, which she had just been digging from the earth.
Such was the only visible inhabitant of this splendid valley resembling a
nobleman's park on a gigantic scale. She stated that the main river was
called Temiangandgeen, a name unfortunately too long to be introduced
into maps. We also obtained the gratifying intelligence that the whole
country to the eastward was similar to these delightful vales and that,
in the same direction, as Piper translated her statement, "there was no
more sticking in mud." A favourable change in the weather accompanied our
fortunate transition from the land of watery soil and dark woody ravines
to an open country. The day was beautiful; and the balmy air was
sweetened by a perfume resembling hay which arose from the thick and
matted herbs and grass. Proceeding along the valley the stream on our
left vanished at an isolated rocky hill; but, on closer examination, I
found the apparent barrier cleft in two, and that the water passed
through, roaring over rocks. This was rather a singular feature in an
open valley where the ground on each side of it was almost as low as the
rocky bed of the stream itself. The hill was composed of granular felspar
in a state of decomposition; the surrounding country consisting chiefly
of very fine-grained sandstone. It is not easy to suppose that the river
could ever have watered the valley in its present state and forced its
way since through that isolated hill of hard rock; as to believe that the
rock, now isolated, originally contained a chasm, and afforded once the
lowest channel for the water before the valley now so open had been
scooped out on each side by gradual decomposition. Another rivulet
approached this hill, flowing under its eastern side and joining the
Wando just below. According to my plan of following down the main river
it was necessary to cross both these tributaries.

ENCAMP ON THE GLENELG.

In the open part of the valley the channels of these streams were deep
and the banks soft; but at the base of the hill of Kinganyu (for such was
its name) we found rock enough and, having effected a passage there of
both streams that afternoon, we encamped after