A visit to Stanley's Rear-Guard at Major Barttelot's camp on the Aruhwimi with an account of river-life on the Congo ... With portraits and other illustrations

Front matter

A VISIT TO STANLEY'S BEAK-GUARD MR. H. M. STANLEY. Front a photograph, by J . Thomson^ 70a Grosvenor Street, W. A VISIT TO STANLEY'S REAR-GUARD AT MAJOR BARTTELOT'S CAMP ON THE ARUHWIMI WITH AN ACCOUNT OF RIVER-LIFE ON THE CONGO i;y J. R. WERNER engineer, late in the service of the etat independant du congo WITS PORTRAITS AND OTSER ILLUSTRATIONS WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS EDINBURGH AND LONDON MDCCCLXXXIX All Rights reserved TO THOSE FRIENDS IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND, WHO, SINCE MY RETURN HOME, HAVE, BY THEIR KINDNESS AND HOSPITALITY, AMPLY RECOMPENSED ME FOR THE TOILS AND HARDSHIPS OF MY SOJOURN IN AFRICA, THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED, WITH SINCERE THANKS, BY THE AUTHOR.

Preface

. The favourable reception accorded to the article entitled " Major Barttelot's Camp on the Aruh wimi " (in ' Blackwood's Magazine ' for February 1889) by the press and the public generally, has encouraged me to write out the full narrative of how I first met the officers of Stanley's rear-guard, and the circumstances which led to my visit to Yambuya Camp, in the hope that it will prove of equal interest to my readers. As this volume is intended for the general public, who, while taking an interest in African affairs, do not care to wade through whole chapters of dry statistics, I have, when speaking of such matters as railways, &c, purposely introduced as few figures

PREFACE.

. as I could, and then restricted myself, as far as possible, to round numbers. The Arabs occupy, in Central Africa, during the nineteenth century, very much the same position as the Spaniards did in South America and the West Indies during the seventeenth, and carry on the same atrocities. History has in this case once more strangely repeated herself; and the description given by Kingsley in ' Westward Ho ! ' of the journey of Amyas Leigh and his men over the Caraccas mountains and up the Orinoco, gives a very fair notion of the difficulties of Stanley's last journey. Stanley, however, had, if anything, a worse country to traverse ; and his followers, being natives of the Dark Continent, only added to his perplexities. Times are changed since the days of Elizabeth, and men cannot go out against the Arabs as Queen Bess's buccaneers did against the Spaniards of old ; but I hope that, before long, the Arabs will be taught, in one way or another, that the natives of Africa were not created solely for the gratification of their avarice and lust of gain. I have to acknowledge with thanks the kindness

PREFACE.

. IX of Sir Walter B. Barttelot, Bart., C.B., and of Mrs Jameson, for allowing me the use of the photo graphs of Major Barttelot and Mr J. S. Jameson ; also of Captain Coquilhat of the Belgian army, and Mr A. J. Wauters, of the Institut National de Geographie, Brussels, as well as of several other friends who have assisted me with the sketches and photographs utilised, in my illustrations. I cannot conclude without expressing my sincere thanks to Mr William Blackwood, whose kindness to me, when I was still an entire stranger to him, in a distant land, I shall never forget. J. E. WEENEE. April 20, 1889. page 1 10 CONTENTS.

Chapter I. Antwerp To Banana

The Micawber business — The Sad Thorns— Down the Scheldt — Passengers for the Congo — Lisbon — Madeira — S. Vincent — Bolama — Principe — S. Thome — Shooting excursion — " Plenty big bird " — First sight of the Lower Guinea coast — Banana Creek — Waiting for the Heron at Banana,

Chapter II

l'etat INDEPENDANT DU CONGO. The Congo State — Discovery of the Congo — Tuckey's expedition, 1816 — Livingstone discovers the Chambezi — Cameron at Nyangwe — Stanley's explorations — The " Association Internationale Africaine " — Stanley's two expeditions, 1879, 1884 — Sir Frederick Goldsmid at Vivi — Sir Francis de Winton's governorship — Changes in the Administration — Constitution of the Congo State — General survey of the river, ......

Chapter III. Up-country To Leopoldville

Departure from Banana — Porpoises — Boma — " La Chasse k FAdministrateur-Geni^ral " — Dinner at the station — " Palm- CONTENTS. XII 33 60 oil ruffianism "—Captain Coquilhat—Matadi—Vivi—Pre parations for the march — The " dark ways " of native carriers — King Nozo's caravanserai — My first fever — Col lapse by the way— "A new fetish "— Lukungu — Carried into Leopoldville — Dr Mense — Causes of fever — View from Leopold Hill— The State steamers— How the Stanley was repainted " after many days,"

Chapter IV. Leopoldville To Bangala

Station-life at Leopoldville — Ngalyema and his neighbours — Provision-supply at Leopoldville — Yarn of the champagne-bottles — Climate and fevers — " Congo thirst " — The Stanley's feed-pump — The Italian expedition — Departure of A.I.A. — Winds in the Congo canon — Scenery between Stanley Pool and Kwamouth — Hospitality of the Kwamouth fathers — The Mississippi pilot — Hippo-shooting — Death of Delatte — Equator — Monotonous scenery — Bangala — Arrival of the Stanley — Mata Bwyki, chief of Iboko — Dance and massangadrinking — Departure of the Stanley — My quarters in the gun-room — A tropical thunderstorm — First house at Bangala — Food-supply — The Ba-Ngala — Cannibalism, .

Chapter V. The Loss Of Stanley Falls

News brought by the Stanley — History of Falls Station — Treaty between Wester and the Arabs — Tippoo Tip — Mr Deane wounded on his way up-river to take command — Van Gele sent out, but invalided to Madeira — Deane goes a second time — Contradictory nature of his orders — The runaway slave — Station attacked — Deserters reach Bangala — Palaver with the Ba-Ngala — We start to relieve Deane — Diversity of sentiments among the people of Upoto — Defective cartridges — Yambunga — Captives restored — War-drums — Orera's misfortunes — Traces of the slave-raiders — The friendly natives of Yarukombe — Captain CONTENTS. XIII 87 128 148 Coquilhat's sufferings— Glimpse of Stanley Falls— The Bakumu and their information — Dubois drowned — The Station in ruins — The A.I. A. in a fix — We retreat — Samba — Search for Deane — Deane safe at Yarukombe — Skirmish at Yaporo — Attending the wounded — Deane's story — Re turn to Bangala — The Henry Reed — The fearful and wonderful decrees of the Comiti at Brussels — Departure for Leopoldville — Coquilhat and Deane invalided home — Samba's history, ......

Chapter VI. Exploration Of The Ngala River

Overhauling the A.I. A.— Captain Bayley at Nshassa —Beginning of the rainy season — Start for Bangala — Dissection of a hippo — Hostile natives — Orders to explore the Ngala — The Oubangi-Welle' — Position of Bangala Station — The Oubangi and the Ngiri — Mobeka — Up the Ngala without a guide — Mankula — Village built on piles — Terror of the natives — Rapids — Hostilities with the Saibis — Return — Affair of the hippo — Tornadoes — Arrival of the Stanley,

Chapter VII. River-life In Africa

The missing Houssas from Falls Station — The Langa-Langa — Ikolungu and its chief— Forest of gum-copal trees — H.M. Ibanza of Mpeza — Epidemics in Central Africa — Palaver at Upoto — Curious owls — Return to Bangala — Attacked near BokaM — A desperate run — Cheapness of human life on the Upper Congo — Bangala diversions " owre the wine " — Lusengi and his news — Another night run — Burning the packing-cases — The Eniin Relief Expedition,

Chapter VIII. The Emin Relief Expedition

Stanley on the Congo — News from home — The unprincipled Baruti and his awful fate— Stanley and the missionaries— CONTENTS. XIV 172 197 216 The Henry Reed seized to explore the Loika— A "real mean river"— Chief of Upoto seized as a hostage—Fever—Ngal yema's cow— Leopoldville again — Animal life on the river —Beauty of the Bateke country— 'Joyce'— Reminiscences of civilisation — Remarkable effects of home letters when first opened — The hunters' camp on Long Island— Dualla Island — Lukolela — My bull's-eye creates a sensation,

Chapter IX. News From Yambuya

Improvements at Bangala — State captives not yet liberated — We start for Upoto — Fireworks ait naturel — Burning of Upoto — Purchase of slaves at Mpeza — Down-river again — Death on board the A. LA. — Funeral at Lukolela — Shagerstrom's cocktail — The A.I. A. strikes a crocodile — The son of Miyongo — Death of Van de velde — Ward arrives with news from the Aruhwimi, .....

Chapter X. Major Barttelot's Camp

Start for Yambuya — A royal stowaway — War-drums — The Basoko — Scenery of the Aruhwimi — Depredations of the Arabs — Fine timber — Description of Major Barttelot's camp — Salim bin Mahomed — Manyemas — Salim sends his ivory to the Falls — Natives living in canoes — Black " mashers " — Arabs at the Lomami — Large canoes — Raschid's house — His account of the loss of Stanley Falls Station — Yaporo once more — Yangambi, . . . . .

CHAPTER XL KINSI KATINI.

Arab reports of a large lake — Major Barttelot comes on board at Yalasula — Bwana Nzige — Present state of Wana Rusari — Walk round the island — Possibility of passing Stanley Falls by means of locks — The Bakumu and Wenya — The CONTENTS. XV 247 281 crocodile and hippo — Return of Jameson and Tippoo Tip — "Nubian blacking" — Tippoo keeping his accounts — Salim bin Soudi — Her Majesty's birthday — A Manyema child wounded — Tippoo Tip and his followers take passage for Yambuya — A contretemps near Chioba Island — A snake on board — Tippoo's method of securing a night's lodging — Arrival of his secretary and garrison — Altering the loads — Difficulties with the Manyemas — " Good-bye " — Leave Yam buya — Terrible news — The Holland — News of Deane's death — Salim bin Mahomed arrives from Yambuya — The last of Kinsi Katini — I am taken ill — Ward comes up-river,

Chapter XII. My Return Home

A wet journey to Equator — Kindness of Mr and Mrs Banks — News of Major Barttelot's death — Down-country in a hammock — Overtaken by Ward — Jameson dead ! — Back at Matadi — The " Devil's Caldron " — Ward catches the mail — Down-river in a schooner — Congo State coinage — Improvements at Boma — Two in a port-hole — Waiting for the Africa — To Loanda — Homeward bound — Kotonou — On board the Biafra — The Addah shipping-clerk's letter — Sierra Leone — The Canaries — Quarantine at Madeira — Characteristics of English scenery — Home once more ! . . .

Chapter XIII. The Bismarck Of Central Africa

Tippoo Tip — His first meeting with Livingstone — Cameron visits his camp on the Lomami — Travels with Stanley in 1876— His dress and appearance— Deserts Stanley at Vinya Njara — His own account of this transaction — Raids of Karema and others near Stanley Falls — Tippoo arrives at the Falls in November 1884— Palaver with Van Gele — Goes to Zanzibar — Deane attacked — Loss of the station — The Arabs left to their own devices for a whole year — Tippoo returns as governor — His feelings towards the Germans — Terms of his agreement with Stanley— He sees the weak- CONTENTS. 300 321 331 ness of the Congo State — Advantages of the Arabs — Distrust of Europeans — Tippoo sets to work to strengthen his position and subdue the Bakumu — The original object of the State defeated — Arabs on Lake Nyassa — The African Lakes Com pany — Futility of attempting to control African operations from Europe — The sort of men required for Central Africa — What the Bakumu think of Deane,

Chapter XIV Conclusion

Inducements to slave-raids — Extinction of the elephant — Improved transport the only effectual means of putting an end to the slave-trade — Ivory bought by the Sanford Company and the Congo State on the Upper Congo — Black and white tusks — Different routes to the interior — The Nile Basin — East coast route — The Tana river — Difficulties of the Congo route — Railway past the Livingstone Cataracts — Proposed bullock -road — African Lakes Company — Portuguese claims — ShaU Livingstone's work be in vain ? . Index, ILLUSTRATIONS. MR H. M. Stanley, ...... Frontispiece leopoldville, ...... To face page 34 MATA BWTKI, . . . . . . n n 80 FIRST EUROPEAN' HOUSE AT BANGALA STATION, n n 84 MR WALTER DEANE, . . . ... n n 88 MAP OP STANLEY FALLS DISTRICT, . . n n 106 CAPTAIN COQUILHAT, . . . . . n n 112 THE A.I.A. AT BANGALA, . . . . n n 134 WEAPONS OF VARIOUS TRIBES, . . . n n 166 THE EN AVANT PASSING ONE PALM POINT, . n n 188 MR HERBERT WARD, . . . . . n n 197 TWO PALM POINT, . . . . . n n 208 THE A.I.A. AGROUND ON A CROCODILE, . . n n 210 MAJOR E. M. BARTTELOT, . . m n 216 PLAN OF ARUHWIMI CAMP, . . . . n n 22V KNIVES OF ARUHWIMI TRIBES, . . . n n 240 MR J. S. JAMESON, . . . . . ll M 246 MY START FOR HOME, . . . . . n n 282 MAP OF CONGO AND ITS TRIBUTARIES, At end A VISIT TO STANLEYS KEAR-GUAED.

Chapter I. Antwerp To Banana

THE MICAWBER BUSINESS — THE SAO TSOMli— DOWN THE SCHELDT — PASSENGERS FOR THE CONGO— LISBON — MADEIRA — S. VINCENT — BOLAMA — PRINCIPE — S. THOM^ — SHOOTING EXCURSION — " PLENTY BIG BIRD " — FIRST SIGHT OF THE LOWER GUINEA COAST — BANANA CREEK — WAITING FOR THE SERON AT BANANA. Why I went to the Congo is a question which I have often been asked since my return. I have never yet been able to answer it to my own satis faction. Perhaps an innate desire for travel had something to do with it ; and the opportunity coming, as it did, just when I was free from other engagements, gave a definite direction to my plans. The circumstances which led to my going are as follows : — In the beginning of 1886, happening to be at Antwerp — where I had passed some weeks, like Mr A Micawber, waiting for something to turn up, in the shape of a vacant post as engineer on board any of the steamers frequenting that port, — I was one day accosted by Mr W. Best (since dead), who asked if I would go to the Congo.

Upon my replying in the affirmative, he said he would send my appli cation to Brussels, which he did. Accordingly, a few days later, I received notice, through the agents of the Etat du Congo, to present myself at their offices in Brussels on April 8th. It was past noon on the 9th before I finally left Brussels, with my contract signed, and written orders in my pocket to sail from Antwerp on the 15th of the same month in the Sao Thome, a Portuguese steamer running from Hull, Antwerp, and Lisbon, to West African ports. I was to proceed with her to Banana Town, at the mouth of the Congo, and thence — by one of the steamers belonging to the Congo State — to Boma, some fifty miles up the river. I reached Antwerp at 4 p.m., and punctually, at 5 p.m., left for London via Harwich, in one of the Great Eastern Railway Company's splendid twin screw boats.

I duly arrived in London on the morning of Saturday, April 10th; and though I had a pretty busy time of it getting everything ready, managed to be back in Antwerp on the 14th, when, to my chagrin, I learnt that the de parture of the Sad -Thome had, for various reasons, been postponed till the 17th. I had thus hurried DEPARTURE OF THE SAO THOME. 3 over, only to wait two days in, to my mind, the most miserable of all earthly positions — viz., having everything packed and ready, and nothing left to do, yet unable to start, though in hourly expec tation of the summons — circumstances under which it is impossible to turn one's mind to anything. I was further annoyed by hearing that the Sao Tliome was to remain sixteen days at Lisbon ; and reflecting that I had hurried off without saying good-bye to many of my friends, when — had I only known it in time — I might have spent two more weeks in England, and gone to Lisbon overland.

At last, on April 17th, all was ready, — the Sao Thome was flying the blue-peter at the fore, and the Congo State flag (a five-rayed gold star on a blue ground) at the main ; while aft was the some what more intricately designed flag of Portugal. This being the first boat of a regular service be tween Antwerp and the Congo, a great crowd collected to see her off. Going on a falling tide, we soon left the quay behind — past the docks and forts, — past the dykes holding back the river from the rich pasture-lands of Belgium, till, at Lille Fort, we enter Holland, and the country becomes, if possible, drearier and flatter than ever, while the lofty spire of Antwerp Cathedral gradually vanishes in the dim distance. It is a cold, cheerless day, and I soon dive below, and ransack my baggage for books and papers, but find myself too restless to read, and speedily go on deck again.

We stop for a few minutes at Flushing to land the river-pilot : the place is hidden in a damp mist, and some clock is just striking five, bringing to mind tantalising visions of warm, cosy drawing-rooms, with comfort able chairs, and English ladies seated behind tea trays, ready to dispense the refreshing " bohea " to casual callers. I go in search of a cup of " bohea " for myself, and am served by a Portuguese steward with a black composition which he calls cha — whatever that may be : it certainly does not look or taste like tea. In disgust, I adjourn to my cabin, and, rolling myself up in my rug, fall asleep. I awake with a dryness in my throat, and all the other uneasy sensations that a man experiences when he goes to sleep at improper times and sea sons. I find, when I grope my way on deck, that the mist has cleared off; it is quite dark, and we are just in the middle of the Straits of Dover — the two lighthouses showing out boldly on either side before backgrounds of smaller lights.

It is, however, too cold to stay on deck long ; so I soon descend again, and, rolling into my bunk, sleep soundly till morning. I was aroused next day by the sudden stoppage of the engines, and found we were lying off Vent nor, Isle of Wight, waiting for the boat to come and take our pilot ashore. This was the last I saw of England ; and, after we had weighed anchor, I BAY OF BISCAY. began to turn my attention to my fellow-passengers. Of these there were seven, all foreigners, and all bound for the same destination as myself. The Baron de Stein and Lieutenant Roget, two Swedish captains, Cronstedt and Shagerstrom, and one Belgian captain, Heuse, were going out, like myself, in the service of the Etat du Congo. Of the other three, Mr F. Hens was an artist, while Messrs Linden and Demeuse were naturalists, going out in search of orchids and other rarities.

The Bay, for a wonder, was calm. I say, for a wonder, because of the general reputation of this much-maligned piece of water. My experience of it, however — and I have crossed it pretty often — leads me to believe that it is no worse than any other part of the Atlantic. It was very misty till the day we arrived at Lisbon, when it cleared, and we had a splendid view of the beautiful castle of Pena, Cintra, perched on the very top of a rocky hill between Lisbon and the sea. This was my first visit to Lisbon, and, my pre vious knowledge of that city being chiefly derived from history, I was somewhat surprised to find that the place whence Diaz and Vasco da Gama had sailed to the discovery of the Cape of Storms was more backward in regard to shipping accommoda tion than any newly developed port in Australia or New Zealand.

All the steamers had to lie out in the river ; not a dock or pier was there — not even a quay with water enough alongside to have floated the cockle-shell in which Columbus first crossed the Atlantic. All ships which required repainting had to go to Cadiz in order to be dry-docked, unless, like those of the Empreza Nacional (to which Com pany the Sad Thome belonged), they traded to some better-developed port. The Sao Thome had brought coal from Hull, which we had to discharge here ; and we consequently spent a very enjoy able time among the coal-dust for the next ten days. The coal being discharged, she had to take in wine, — an improvement greatly appreciated by the passengers, especially when the wine merchant came on board, and invited us all over to his place on the" south side of the Tagus.

Accordingly, we took our places, next day, on board a huge lighter, — the sail was hoisted, and off we went across the sunny Tagus. We were duly received by our host as we landed, and conducted round the grounds of the King of Portugal's hunting-palace, and after wards through immense wine-vaults, which were beautifully cool — coming at last to a small court yard over which an awning had been placed to keep out the sun. Here we found a table ready laid for lunch, down the centre of which stood a row of decanters con taining no less than twenty-one different kinds of wine. After lunch we returned to the lighter, whose crew had evidently also been lunching, for FESTIVITIES AT LISBON. 7 they were in a decidedly festive condition, and crowded sail on the old tub till she fairly flew. The great event in Lisbon at this time was the approaching marriage of the Duke of Braganza to the Princess Amelie of Orleans ; and the coming event was celebrated almost daily by a tremendous waste of gunpowder, and nightly, by an equal ex penditure of gas and rockets.

At last, on May 6th, all was ready for departure, and heartily glad was I to be off once more. Before starting, we received a large addition to the passenger-list, mostly Por tuguese and French. Among them, however, I presently discovered three or four English and American missionaries bound for Benguela, en route for Bihe, a place some 250 miles inland. Two of these, Mr Fay and Mr Currie, had only lately been married, and their young wives were accompanying them to their far-away home. Mrs Currie, I have since heard, soon succumbed to the climate, and paid for her devotion with her life. Mrs Fay is still, I believe and hope, carrying on her good work among the natives of Angola. Two others, Messrs Swan and Scott, intended to proceed across Africa to a station in Ilala. Mr Scott, however, was compelled by bad health to remain at Bihe ; and Mr Swan has disappeared into the interior of the Dark Continent.

Madeira, where we arrived two days after leaving Lisbon, has been so often described, that I will not weary the reader with a repetition of attempts to depict the beauties of this island. No amount of description can do it justice — it must be seen to be appreciated, and not only seen but studied. The first view is apt to be disappointing, especially if one arrives at the glaring hour of noon, when the fierce sun, reflected from every white wall and pane of glass, casts a blinding glare over everything. The finest view I had of the place was on my re turn voyage, when the steamer arrived and an chored in Funchal Bay by night. I was up and on deck before sunrise, and was rewarded by seeing the island in all the beauty of the changing tints of dawn, and watching the sunlight as it first gilded the hill-tops, and then gradually descended to the pebbly beach in front of the town.

We only remained here some six hours, and then turned southwards for the Cape de Verd Islands. A four-days' run brought us to St Vincent, a barren rocky island, without a single green leaf on it. Even the drinking-water has to be brought over from S. Antonio, a larger island close by, from which come all the food-supplies of the town. The only point in which St Vincent is superior to S. Antonio is its possession of a sheltered harbour ; but this outweighs all other considerations, and the town has gradually grown up in spite of the dis advantages of its situation. The barrenness of the place, however, did not deter Captain Heuse, who B0LAMA AND BISSAO. had been suffering from a slight attack of fever, from landing — preferring to wait here a month for the next steamer, rather than approach the swampy shores of Gambia.

We only stopped here long enough to fill the bunkers with coal, and then left for Santiago, another of the Cape Verd Islands, and a much more fertile one. Two days hence brought us to Bolama, a Portuguese settlement on one of the low islands at the mouth of the Rio Grande, about 120 miles south of the Gambia river. Bolama is, I believe, only the port of Bissao, which is on another island, a little to the north ; but as the arm of the river on which it stands has not water enough for large steamers, the latter all go to Bolama. This place, which, like all Portuguese settlements in Africa, is very dirty, consists for the most part of native huts, the greater number of the Portuguese living at Bissao. There were, of course, a church and a hospital, the latter pretty full. The whole place had a dead-alive sort of look, as if doomed to ex tinction, and only waiting the inevitable end — the only things which seemed to enjoy life being the monkeys, parrots, and insects.

I afterwards learnt from one of the West African Telegraph Company's agents that Bolama and Bissao are among the most dreaded of West African stations, situated, as they are, right in the centre of a group of low-lying malarious islands. We left this place after several hours' delay; and passing out through the Bissagos islands by a more southerly channel than the one by which we had entered, were soon tossing about in a westerly gale which quickly disposed of the greater part of the passengers. After the steaming atmosphere of Bolama, the fresh Atlantic breeze was delightful ; and Captain Shagerstrom and myself remained on deck, in the lee of the companion, to enjoy it, till the seas began to wash right over the poop, when we disappeared below. A six days' run brought us to Principe, or Prince's Island, in the Gulf of Guinea — a regular little paradise to look at, with its forest-covered peaks and little town nestling at the far end of a long, deep bay, with steep hills behind and on either side of it — a beautiful situation indeed, had the island been in a temperate latitude, instead of in something under 2° north.

The town, however, is close and hot as an oven : not a breath of fresh air can reach it, unless the wind is due east, and blowing straight into the deep bay, at the far end of which stands the now half-deserted town. To walk through the streets and see the decaying houses and churches, one would think it some ruined city, long forgotten and lately rediscovered, instead of being, as it is, an old Portuguese colony, which, under wiser management, might have covered the whole island with flourishing plantations of cocoa and coffee. The heat was OUR NATIVE GUIDES. 11 fearful ; and we were all greatly relieved when evening arrived, and we steamed out of the narrow canon where we had been lying all day. Early next morning the Sao Thome dropped her anchor opposite the town after which she was named, and Demeuse and myself went ashore.

Demeuse took his gun, and we wandered off into the woods, to see what was to be had in the way of game. We strolled about for some time, seeing nothing but a few small birds not worth wasting powder and shot on. The forest is not so thick as at Principe ; and there are plenty of cocoa-nut palms and papaw-trees about, besides numerous banana - plants. Not having provided ourselves with lunch, we satisfied our hunger on some ripe bananas which we came across, and were thinking of returning, when we met a solitary native, who was at last made to understand what we were after, and undertook to show us some birds. Several were soon pointed out, perched among the dense foliage, and scarcely distinguishable by our unpractised eyes ; and one or two of them had been bagged when another native turned up, and a great consultation ensued between the two blacks, both of whom cast dubious glances at us as we stood watching them.

At last they arrive at some decision, and our guide, approaching us, gives us to understand — helping out his meaning by signs — that the other one knows where there is "plenty big bird — good for eat ;" and off they both go, down a narrow glade. We follow them for nearly three-quarters of an hour, through dense forest and across a small stream or two, till we reach a little clearing in which are two or three huts, with several women and children standing about. A few words pass between our guides and one of the women, and then, making signs to us to follow quietly, the former glide off down a narrow path leading to a large grove of cocoa-nut trees at the bottom of a valley, and we after them, in a state of subdued excitement, expecting a turkey at the very least. Suddenly one native stops, and looks cautiously up, and then both stand still, pointing at the same object.