hundred miles. On the north it is bounded by the Mukondokua, or
upper course of the Wami river and on the south by the Ruaha, or
northern great branch of the Lufiji river. It forms a link of
the great East Coast Range; but though it is generally
comprehended under the single name Usagara, many sub-tribes
occupy and apply their own names to portions of it; as, for
instance, the people on whose ground we now stood at the foot of
the hills, are Wa-Khutu, and their possessions consequently are
U-Khutu, which is by far the best producing land hitherto alluded
to since leaving the sea-coast line. Our ascent by the river,
though quite imperceptible to the eye, has been 500 feet. From
this level the range before us rises in some places to 5000 to
6000 feet, not as one grand mountain, but in two detached lines,
lying at an angle of 45 degrees from N.E. to S.W., and separated
one from the other by elevated valleys, tables, and crab-claw
spurs of hill which incline towards the flanking rivers. The
whole having been thrown up by volcanic action, is based on a
strong foundation of granite and other igneous rocks, which are
exposed in many places in the shape of massive blocks; otherwise
the hill-range is covered in the upper part with sandstone, and
in the bottoms with alluvial clay. This is the superficial
configuration of the land as it strikes the eye; but, knowing the
elevation of the interior plateau to be only 2500 feet above the
sea immediately on the western flank of these hills, whilst the
breath of the chain is 100 miles, the mean slope of incline of
the basal surface must be on a gradual rise of twenty feet per
mile. The hill tops and sides, where not cultivated, are well
covered with bush and small trees, amongst which the bamboo is
conspicuous; whilst the bottoms, having a soil deeper and richer,
produce fine large fig-trees of exceeding beauty, the huge