PYRAMID POIKT. 103 
gined at the water’s edge by cschinomenae, and a little farther inland lined by 
mimosa, thence past Iramba, a similar country to Shahshi, until we reached 
Pyramid Point, so christened from the shape of its hills, but on running up 
mto the hay (which has its greatest width at Rugedzi Strait), we found that 
Pyramid Point really forms the south-western end of a mountain-range. One 
of the most conspicuous objects we saw, as we stood on the uplands of Usman, 
jwking towards the N.N.E., was this Pyramid Point, hut at that time wo 
of course, only a dim idea of its neighbourhood to the lake. 
Near the Point is a group of small islands, the principal being Eitaro, on 
which cattle and goats are found. Though the islanders obtain but a scanty 
subsistence from the soil, they 6nd reason to congratulate themselves in that 
Ihey are safe from the periodical raids made by the Wajika, or Wirigedi, a 
tribe unpleasantly distinguished for the length of their knives and the breadth 
and weight of their spears. On one of this group, which was uninhabited, wo 
stayed to cook our mid-day meal It appeared fair and pleasant enough from 
Without—one mass of deepest verdure, with a cone rising about 100 feet above 
the lake. Upon exploring it, we found it to be a heap of gigantic rocks, 
hetwetm which the deposit of vegetable matter had given birth to a forest of 
young trees, the spreading green foliage of which was rendered still more im 
pervious to sunshine by a multitude of parasitical plants and lliancs, which 
had woven the whole into as thick and dense a shade as I ever remember to 
have seen. Below this mass of tangled branch and leaf the thermometer descend» 
h) 70® Fahr. ; without, exposed to the blazing sun, it ascends to 115® Fahr, 
In the evening we camped on a small island in the middle of the bay of 
^kerewé, cast of the beautiful isle of Nifuah, which is inhabited and is tho 
home of an industrious colony subject to the king of Ukerewé. 
Prom the summit of Nifuah we could distinguish the tall trees which gavo 
“hade to our camp and to Kaduma’s village of Kagehyi, across S|)eke Gulf. 
Üpon coming down to the water’s edge, we saw nothing but the blue hills, 
Coo feet high, situated three miles south of Kagehyi; nor, turning our eyes to 
the north, could we see anything of tho low shore which the Rugedzi 
Channel cuts. Standing close to the water at Nifuah, we would have imagined 
that Ukerewé was an island separated by a strait about two miles broad ; but 
turning our boat to the north, a couple of hours’ rowing brought us so near 
that wo could see that the opposing point of the mainland is joined to tho 
Inland, or appears to be joined, by a very low bush-covered neck of land a mile 
iu width, which thus separates the waters of Speke Gulf from the great body 
uf Lake Victoria. A still closer examination, however, reveals tlie fact that 
this narrow neck is cut by a shallow channel G feet wide and in some places 
only 3 feet deep. 'Ihe ground, though extremely low on each side, is firm and 
comjMict enough ; but here and there it is of a boggy nature. lienee it will bo 
•cen that Captain Speke, who called Ukerewé an island, was literally correct. 
On the 13th we enjoyed a fine six-knot breeze, and were able to make