2 THROUGH UNKNOWN AFRICAN COUNTRIES. 
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re) 
obliged to camp. In the morning I divided my boys 
into three parties, which I started off in different direc- 
tions, leaving the tired camels to look after themselves, as 
I wished to find how far off the Erer River was, and to 
explore the country about it. Five boys and myself kept 
on down the brook, which, to give it a descriptive title, I 
have named Stony Brook, and, after two miles’ hard scram- 
bling over rocks, arrived at the banks of the beautiful, 
swift-flowing Erer.’ 
It would be hard to exaggerate the beauties of the valley 
through which this river runs. The high, rocky walls on 
either side of the rapidly flowing stream were covered with 
countless varieties of flowering plants and vines; while the 
rugged, barren tops of the mountains, as they towered three 
thousand feet above the bed of the river, contrasted beau- 
tifully with the yellow reeds along the banks of the stream, 
and the lovely, light-green color of the shrubs. The valley 
was alive with animal life: countless birds chirped and 
sang among the trees; while among the rocks armies of 
conies, monkeys, and squirrels caroused, and made war 
upon each other. 
I was greatly disappointed to find the natives’ report 
true, and that it would be impossible to get the caravan 
through this country; but I was well repaid for my trip, 
as I succeeded in collecting a large variety of birds, but- 
terflies, fish, mammals, and beetles, besides locating this 
important river. 
Aiter spending two days by the Erer, we marched back 
to the caravan, which we reached on the afternoon of the 
second day. I was delighted to find that Gillett had killed 
a fine lion, Fred’s account of his encounter with the beast 
running as follows : — 
' The Erer was eighty feet broad at this point, with a depth of only one to 
three feet, and a current of four miles an hour. 
