co:nte2s'TS. xxiii 



CHAPTER XIX. 



JOURNEY TO THE COA&I'. 



Arrival at jrongon — Magoiiga recounts the Story of our Adventures to the 

 ViUagers — Reach Niembouai — Mistrust of the People — Restitution of 

 Stolen Property — Majiioiiga consents to guide us to MoUenga — Reach 

 the last of the Ashango Villages — Passage into Ishogo-land, and out of 

 clanger of Pursuit — Magnuga's Difilomacy — Arrival at Mokehga — 

 Friendly Reception — Magouga delivers us safely into the hands of the 

 Villagers — My Men exaggerate the Deeds of Valour they had performed 

 — Arrival at Yengne — Project of descending the Ogoulon in a Canoe — ■ 

 Lose our Way — Distant View of the Apono Prairie — Igonnibie' — 

 Reach Mokaba — TheNgouyai — March to Nchiengain's — Cross the River 

 — Xchienjjaiu's Villa.:e — Reception at Mayolo — Operation of the African 

 Law of Inheritance — Maich to Ashira-land — AhiTm of the Ashira 

 Peoi)le — Avoid Olenda — Sojourn at Angouka's — Cross the Ofonbou — 

 Quengueza's Encampment — Sorrows of the old King — Devnstations of 

 the Plague at Guumbi — Quengueza wants to go to the Wliite Man's 

 Country — Descend the River — Arrival at ''Plateau " — Gratitude of the 

 Commi People — Departure for England Page 371 



CHAPTER XX. 



PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE. 



Great Forest of Equatorial Africa — Scanty Population — Scarcity or absence 

 of large African Animals — Hilly Ranges — River Systems — The Ogobai 

 — French exjiloring expeditions — Amount of rain — Seasims — Rainy 

 climate of Central EqnatoriMl Africa — Temperature — Heat of the sun's 

 rays — Coolness of the forest shades 406 



CHAPTER XXI. 



ETHNOLOGY. 



Isolation of the tribes in the interior of Western Equatorinl Africa — Scan- 

 tiness of the Population — Divisions of tribes and clans — Patriarchal 

 form of Government — Comparison of Customs betw^en Western Equa- 

 torial tribes and Eastern — Laws of inheritance — Cannibalism — Migra- 

 tions always towards the West — Decrease of Population — Its Causes — 

 The Alricau race doomed to extinction 424 



