Next day, as there were no signs of the trackers, I went again to
the place of the elands, wounded a fine male, but gave up the
chase, as I heard the unmistakable gun-firing return of the
party, and straightway proceeded to camp. Sure enough, there
they were; they had tracked the animal back to Marenga Mkhali,
through jungle-- for he had not taken to the footpath. Then
finding he had gone on, they returned quite tired and famished.
To make the most of a bad job, I now sent Grant on to the Robeho
(or windy) Pass, on the top of the western chain, with the mules
and heavy baggage, and directions to proceed thence across the
brow of the hill the following morning, while I remained behind
with the tired men, promising to join him by breakfast-time. I
next released the prisoners, much to their disgust, for they had
not known such good feeding before, and dreaded being turned
adrift again in the jungles to live on calabash seeds; and then,
after shooting six guinea-fowl, turned in for the night.

Betimes in the morning we were off, mounting the Robeho, a good
stiff ascent, covered with trees and large blocks of granite,
excepting only where cleared for villages; and on we went
rapidly, until at noon the advance party was reached, located in
a village overlooking the great interior plateau--a picture, as
it were, of the common type of African scenery. Here, taking a
hasty meal, we resumed the march all together, descended the
great western chain, and, as night set in, camped in a ravine at
the foot of it, not far from the great junction-station Ugogi,
where terminate the hills of Usagara.