The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

822 SOUTH AND KART Al'RTfA.the zone of lowlands often iuundated during the rainy season, and then climbs thehills to its culminating point at the village of Kola, about 80 miles west of Dares-Salaam.At Kola, where it descends westwards in the direction of the KinganiValley, two routes will branch off, one running to Lake Tanganyika, the other toNyassa. The former, keeping more to the west, will traverse the mountains andvalleys of Usagara and Ugogo, and so on probably through Taboro to Ujiji, whilethe latter, bending to the south-west, will cross the rolling plains of Uzaramo, theEufiji gorges, and the Luwego Valley. Although still far from perfect, the Dares-Salaamroad is already utilised for a considerable local traffic, and the riverainplanters so highly appreciate its advantages that they have constructed severalbranches to connect the more remote villages with the main highway.Bagamoyo.North-west of Dar-es-Salaam follows Bagamoyo, which, however, imlike it,possesses no natural haven. It stands on an open beach which slopes gently downto the water's edge and then shoals so gradually that the shipping has to ride atanchor about two miles off the coast. But this point of the bay, whose name ofBaga-Moyo, or "Bottom of the Heart," indicates its central position on the concavecurve of the shore, enjoys the advantage of standing exactlj' opposite the cityof Zanzibar, about 26 miles distant. It thus occupies the most convenient point onthe coast for the traffic between the capital and the mainland. Bagamoj'o alsolies only a few miles to the south of the Rufu or Kingani estuary, and thus commandsthe entrance to a thickly peopled fluvial valley, which descends from theUsagara uplands, strategical centre of the whole country.Thanks to these favourable conditions, Bagamoyo has already become a largeAfrican town, with a population of as many as ten thousand during the season forengaging porters to join the caravans which are here equipped for the interior.Like Zanzibar and other Arab towns, it has its bazaar, and several of its buildingshave been constructed in the European style. But the surrounding district is lowand insalubrious, the streets and open spaces are encumbered with refuse of allsorts ; on the beach are left rotting in the sun the remains of the fish which formsthe staple food of the Warimas (Wa-Rima), or coast people; lastly the place isoccasionally visited b}' fierce cyclones, which uproot the trees and sweep away thenative dwellings.The Arabs are relatively less numerous in Bagamoyo than in the neighbouringisland of Zanzibar ; but on the other hand the Hindus of various castes have hereformed a powerful colonj', which has monopolised nearly all the local trade, anddisposes of the "Wanyamezi porters to the caravans on its own terms. The placehas a garrison of Baluchi troops, who mount guard before the governor's palace,lying in the midst of shadj' gardens some two mQes farther south. To the northof Bagamoyo rise the numerous structures connected with the Catholic mission,head centre of all the other missionary stations throughout East Africa. Herenearly six hundred children, purchased for the most part from the slave-dealers.