100 WILD LIFE UNDER THE EQUATOR. 
busily engaged in cutting the boa into small pieces and 
in roasting some of it over the fire. , 
The next morning when I awoke the sun was ; bright; 
a kind of vapor was rising from the waters of the Delta 
of the Ogobai, and all Nature was still. I could not hear 
the song of a single bird or the chatter of a single mon- 
key; now and then a fishing-eagle passed over our 
heads, and the whole scene presented was one of desola- 
tion. : 
We cooked our breakfast, and immediately after our 
meal we again set out and soon entered a very narrow 
creek—so narrow in some places that the trees on the 
two banks were so close together that we had trouble in 
passing through with our canoe; in one place I thought 
it would be utterly impossible. 
At last we emerged into the waters of the Npoulou- 
lay and soon after found ourselves on the broad and 
placid waters of the Fernand Vaz, coming in sight of my, 
settlement at Washington. 
A thrill of joy filled my heart when I saw my little 
settlement, for I was tired and worn out, and I needed a 
little rest—a little comfort in a plain way. I wanted to 
see my plantation, to see how it had grown since we 
parted, and if my stock of fowls had increased by new 
broods, or I could get a little milk from my goats. 
Then I wanted to see good King Ranpano and: his 
brother Rinkimongani and all the good folks of Biaga- 
no. They were there on the shore ready to receive 
me. They were honest, straightforward people. 
