CAPTAIN TUCKEY’S NARRATIVE, 135 
but where there is now not a single hut. I immediately 
sent Simmons to the Chenoo of Noki, to request he would 
send me a person acquainted with the river higher up; but 
on his return in the evening, I found that nothing could be 
done without my own presence, and the usual dash of a 
present of brandy. 
August 9. I went this morning up the river in the gig, 
and found the difficulties encrease every mile, from the 
velocity of the current, and the ledges of rocks; the 
barrenness of the hills also became greater, and the only 
trace of inhabitants was discovered in a few miserable fish- 
ermen, who take some small fish in scoop nets off the rocks 
and dry them. 
August 10. There being every prospect that we should 
not be able to proceed much further in the boats, and find- 
ing that there were many Mandonzo men at Noki, whose 
country is situated very far up the river, and whose manners 
and language were described to me as totally differing from 
those of Congo, I this day paid a visit to the Chenoo of 
Noki, to endeavour to ascertain these facts, and to procure 
guides. We were led a two hour’s most fatiguing march 
before we reached the banza; sometimes scrambling up the 
sides of almost perpendicular hills, and over great masses 
of quartz and schistus, sometimes getting on pretty smoothly 
