230 WILD LIFE UNDER THE EQUATOR. 
When the morning arrived, our canoes were on the 
beach. I was on the shore ready to embark; Obindji 
stood near me; every woman and man brought to me a 
parting gift. Iwas very much touched by their simple 
ways. * 
When all was ready for a start, Macondai, my boy, 
fired a gun, and then I swung the American flag to the 
breeze, the first time that it or any other flag of a civilized - 
nation was over these waters. The people shouted, and 
we were off; and as we glided down, and before we disap- 
peared by the bend of the river, I saw Obindji’s hand 
waving farewell to me. 
Presently several miles down the stream we passed 
Querlaouen’s plantation. He and his kind wife and their 
children stood on the shore and beckoned me to stop. 
We paddled in, and the good fellow silently put into my 
canoe another smoked-boar ham, while his wife gave me 
a great basket of sweet potatoes. As we started away 
again, the wife shouted, ‘‘ When you come back bring 3 
me some beads.” The children cried out, “‘ When you 
come back bring us some clothes.” But old Querlaouen 
stood still and silent, like a black statue, until, by a turn 
of the river, he was lost to our sight. 
Quengueza accompanied me to Washington and Bia- © 
gano, and all of the Goumbi people that had canoes accom- 
_ panied us, beating tam-tams, singing songs, and firing 
guns as we descended the stream. 
Quengueza was bringing back safely to Ranpano his 
friead Chaillee. At last we reached the place where the 
old bamboo house was, and the whole population turned 
out to receive me, headed by King Ranpano and old 
Rinkimongani, my housekeeper, and brother to the 
