78 START FOR THE INTERIOR. Chap. IV. 



him, at length, to give the order for our departure, 

 after we had spent thirteen days at Goumhi. It was 

 scarcely day-ligl]t, on the 28th October, when I was 

 awoke by the beating of the Kendo (royal bell) and 

 the voice of the old chief invoking, in loud tones, the 

 s^oirits of his ancestors to protect us on our journey. 

 The roll of his ancestors was a formidable one^ 

 Igoumbai, Wombi, Rebouka, Ngouva, Ricati, Olenga 

 Yombi ; but they were rather the deceased relations 

 whose heads he had preserved in his mondah or 

 alumbi* house. Quengueza was prouder than any 

 chief I knew of the prowess of his deceased relatives, 

 and there were, I believe, men of great bravery and 

 ability amongst them. Quengueza himself was a bold 

 and courageous warrior in his younger days. It is 

 the rule in Western Africa, when chiefs have been 

 warlike and enterprising in the days of their prince- 

 hood, to become quiet and settled when they succeed 

 to the chief authority, and then the people rob them ; 

 for, as they say, if they do not steal from their 

 father, from whom should they steal ? 



There were great difficulties as usual on the day of 

 departure. Firstly, Quengueza's chaste and faithful 

 wives refused point blank to accompany him. This 

 did not seem to concern him much, for, in every 

 village of the Bakalai, a wife would be offered to him 

 as the lord of the land ; but he was greatly excited 

 when liis slaves were not ready for the journey. 

 Some of them had hid themselves, and others had 

 run off to distant plantations. A large number of 

 men were absolutely necessary to carry our loads 



* For description of tlie Alumbi house, see p. 199. 



