370 CAMERON'S JOURNEY ACROSS AFRICA 



The country of Ulunda was entered on the 27th of July, 1875. 

 The privations of hunger now began to be felt severely by Cameron 

 and his men, as beads were no longer of use, and the people would 

 exchange provisions only for slaves, cloth and gunpowder, none of 

 which could be given them. The great river of South Africa, the 

 Zambesi, was now not far distant, and we find that on August 8th it 

 was only fourteen miles to the south of the camp. Cameron remarks 

 that by a short system of canals the two rivers, the Congo and Zam- 

 besi, might be united, so closely do they approach each other even at 

 this part. 



On October loth Cameron finally left Alvez and his crew behind 

 him, and again set forth alone. The first place of any importance that 

 was reached was the town of Kagnombe, which is of considerable 

 size, being three miles in circumference; but as large space is occu- 

 pied by cattle and pig-pens and tobacco-gardens, the population is not 

 so large as the size of the town might lead one to expect. The expe- 

 dition had now reached Portuguese West Africa and in this town was 

 the house of Signor Goncalves, a very kind-hearted old Portuguese 

 gentleman, who entertained the travelers most hospitably. The nov- 

 elty of anything like civilized life again was a perfect delight to Cam- 

 eron. There was actually a clean white cloth spread upon the table! 

 and the meal, consisting of biscuits, butter and other "canned deli- 

 cacies," washed down with wine and coflFee, was a royal feast to him 

 after the long privations of the way. But, alas, he was to find that 

 those privations were not yet at an end! 



The men day by day became more and more helpless, and Cam- 

 eron, pondering on the one hundred and twenty miles that had still to 

 be traversed to the coast, made up his mind that something decisive 

 nmst be done. The result of his cogitations was this: to abandon 

 tent, boat, bed and everything, except his instruments, journals and 

 books, and, with a few of the strongest men, to push on without delay 

 for the coast, and send assistance from thence as speedily as possible 

 to the ailing men who were behind. Having decided on this move, 

 it was quickly carried out. Everything was left but about twenty 

 pounds weight of things, which were carried by the men in turns 

 on the way. Bombay was left in charge of the other men, and forced 



