A NIGHT IN CAMP. 221 
time listening to Gambo’s stories. The boys swore that 
what Gambo said was all true. They had seen the 
ghost too. . 
If you could have had a peep at us, you would have 
seen us inside of our fortress by the side of a bright fire 
round our orala, enjoying and warming ourselves. We 
_ were perfectly happy; how the men seemed to enjoy 
their smoke of tobacco! Malaouen had been collecting 
some palm wine, and each of them had had a good 
draught of the beverage—the empty calabash was now 
lying by their side. 
Our nchombi and ncheri were getting somewhat 
tame, and were lying on the ground not far from us. 
They had got accustomed to the fire and to ourselves. 
Our dogs were there also; the poor fellows had had a 
hard fare of late. 
Hach one of us had one hand resting on his gun, which 
was supported by a forked stick, stuck in the ground 
for that purpose, and our hunting-bag was hung by 
the side of the gun. In our bags we had each of usa 
flask full of powder, two or three scores of bullets, and 
_ shot of two or three sizes. We could seize all these in 
an instant, if danger were to threaten us. In sucha wild 
country people must never fancy themselves secure, and 
must be always ready for any emergency, for any fight- 
ing against the savages, or against the attacks of the 
ferocious leopard; and I got so accustomed to carry 
arms that I never left my gun by itself if I went any- 
where, however short the distance might be; my re- 
volvers, of course, hanging always by my side. 
I was dressed with the clothes I had made from the 
skins of wild animals. I wish I could have gone into 
