4 MR. G. MANN'S EXPEDITION 
but he did not do this, and I should have been in great difficulty 
if Mr. Pinnock had not had a youth with him who was aequainted 
with the language, and whom he kindly allowed to remain with me. 
After another altercation with the natives, who employed every 
stratagem to obstruct my ascent, we left the place on the 15th, 
and after a four hours’ walk reached Mapanya (alt. 3146 ft.). The 
way led through the forest and cultivated fields of plantains, where 
an Erythrina thickly covered with flowers, but without leaves, 
looked like masses of flame in the distance, and beautifully adorned 
the landscape. Before reaching Mapanya I observed the last 
Eleis, which was not above 40 feet high, and had a very dwarfed 
growth. The natives here are accustomed to climb the palm-trees 
at break of day, and bring down the palm wine, leaving an empty 
gourd-flask for the next day. During this employment they make 
a loud laughing cry, which is repeated from the surrounding trees, 
and which I can compare to nothing better than to the crowing 
of cocks. The palm oil is only prepared for household use on the 
mountain, and the fresh nuts taken out of the spikes are carried 
to market. 
I found the chief Botani an unusually polite man, and very 
different from the one I had previously seen. He had one of the 
huts cleaned for me at once, and asked about my requirements. I 
only wanted water, which he provided for a reward in tobacco. 
The natives here do not smoke, but snuff all the more; conse- 
quently I had provided myself with the latter article, which the 
people of both sexes ‘accepted.’ Even children of three or four 
years took a pineh, which plainly showed the custom to be an old 
one with them. 
On the next morning at daybreak, the chief told me that the 
guide was ready to go with me up the mountain, whereupon 1 left 
the hut, and, to my no small astonishment, found eleven instead of 
one! I now gave the chief his arms, and made each of the people 
a present of some clothing and tobacco. I then gave four of my 
Kroomen orders to go back with Mr. Pinnock to Victoria, and 
await the arrival of Consul Burton, and return with him. I then 
left the place, with two of my people, accompanied by eleven 
natives. First we ascended a few bushy hills with a few trees, and 
on both sides of the way saw Saccharum spontaneum, 8-10 feet high. 
The Amomum had disappeared, and two species of Impatiens were 
common. When we had left behind the last plantation of plantains, 
we found ourselves in a forest in which I soon recognized the be- 
ginning of the fern region, and soon the valleys were seen filled 
