IN WESTERN LIBERIA. 143 



After having explored this district , we removed to 

 So fore Place, a good days walk higher up the country. 

 We had much trouble iu getting a sufficient number of 

 carriers, as the chief of Bavia was not willing to let us 

 move so soon and we , therefore , were obliged to order 

 carriers from Sofore Place , which I had visited some time 

 before on a hunting excursion. 



At Sofore Place , also on the right bank of the river , 

 we staid from the l^t of April till the IS^Ij of October. 

 The country round this place was still more mountainous 

 than at Bavia , and the river full of rapids and waterfalls. 

 Large islands , densely covered with forest , divided the 

 river into several arms. 



This country still belongs to the Golah-tribe , while the 

 left bank of the river is inhabited by the Pessy-people. 

 Notwithstanding the rainy season had set in , we explored 

 this country in every direction , and many long excursions 

 were made , before we had to stop them on account of 

 the advance of the rainy season and the hostilities of the 

 natives. Hunting was very fatiguing in these forests, and 

 many places really inaccessable on account of the numerous 

 sweetwater-swamps. So we found , in the vicinity of Sofore 

 Place , the tracks of an Elephant , which the natives told 

 us was the only one in whole the neighbourhood. It had 

 its head-quarters on oae of the large islands of the river, 

 which it crossed swimming and extended its ramblings 

 sometimes very far on both sides of the river. Although 

 there were some experienced Elephant-hunters at Sofore 

 Place , this old specimen was too cunning for them and always 

 succeeded in escaping their pursuit. Elephant-hunting is a 

 very peculiar kind of sport amongst the natives. The Ele- 

 phant-hunters , who make long trips through the country 

 especially farther up where the immense forest-region is 

 bordered by the Mandingo Plains , are armed with a long- 

 barreled flint-gun and a bundle of longshafted iron spears, 

 the shafts of which are adapted to the barrel of the gun 

 instead of a ball. The Elephant , after having received one or 



^otes from th.e Leyden IMuseuixi, Vol. "VII. 



