120 ASHIRA-LAND. Chap. VI. 



sprouts are planted, others eight or ten months, and 

 others again not before eighteen months ; these last 

 generally bear the largest-sized bunches. The sight 

 of this great plantation, with the magnificent foliage 

 covering the gentle hollows and slopes, was most 

 pleasing ; nothing had so much delighted me for 

 many months. It was within the borders of the 

 forest which skirts the prairie, the trees of which 

 had not been all felled, but killed by barking their 

 trunks, and making fires at their bases. In early 

 morning a light mist hung over the landscape, and 

 veiled with thin clouds the forest slopes of the neigh- 

 bourino; hills. 



The first days of the New Year were spent by me 

 in much anxiety of mind. There were, in the first 

 place, many unpleasant disputes with the Ashira 

 people, on account of the intrigues of my Commi 

 men with the native women, and these led to a 

 quarrel between me and Mpoto, Olenda's nephew, 

 who was very violent. Mpoto was a hot-headed 

 negro, never well-disposed towards strangers. He 

 came, with the intention of making a disturbance, 

 one morning from his village, which was within a 

 short distance from Olenda, and singling out my 

 head man, Igala, pointed a loaded gun at his head. 

 I was obliged to interfere, otherwise blood would 

 have been shed, and only prevented him from firing 

 by levelling a revolver at him. All my men had 

 seized their arms, and a general melee was imminent. 

 Igala behaved like a brave fellow as he was, facing 

 the enraged Mpoto when the muzzle of the gun was 



