128 THE PLAGUE IN ASHIRA-LAND. Chap. VII. 



departed on the following morning. This division 

 of my party was a great mistake on my part; it 

 tempted tlie Ashira people to form a plot to plunder 

 me, as will presently be related. 



Quengueza now left me to return to Groumbi. Be- 

 fore his departure I took a photographic likeness of 

 him, and was glad to have this memento of so excel- 

 lent a fellow. He believed I was now well on my 

 way to the white man's country, and told me not to 

 forget to bring him back a big bell a silver sword, 

 a brass chest, and plenty of fine things. On parting 

 he took my two hands in his own, blew on them, 

 and invoked the Spirits of his ancestors to take care 

 of me. I looked after him as he disappeared in the 

 tall grass of the prairie, and returned sorrowful to 

 my hut, for I felt that I had parted from the best 

 friend I had in Africa. 



The men from Goumbi, who came to accompany 

 Quengueza back to his home, brought me a large 

 parcel of letters and newspapers from my friends in 

 England, France, and the United States. They had 

 come by the mail-steamer to Fernando Po ; had been 

 transmitted thence in a sailing vessel to the Gaboon, 

 and forwarded to the Fernand Yaz in a native canoe. 

 From my village they lal b^cn sent np to Goumbi 

 by a negro messenger. Notwithstanding the many 

 changes of conveyance, no injury was sustained, and, 

 as far as I could learn, nothing was missing. 



How I revelled in the kind letters of my many 

 friends, so full of encouragement and good wishes ! 

 They were as manna in the wilderness to me, and 

 gave me new strength of resolution to carry out my 



