236 MA YOLO TO APONO-LAND. Chap. XII 



eacli other, and, besides, the chiefs have children with 

 their slaves who are brought from various tribes, far 

 and near. The Apingi were not so much accustomed 

 to me as the Apono were, and whenever they caught 

 sight of me they fled. The noise made by these 

 fellows was quite unbearable. 



I took a walk into the neighbouring woods ; and 

 on my return, going to look at the thermometer hung 

 under the verandah of my hut, I found it had been 

 stolen. This was too much to be borne, as it was the 

 only thermometer remaining to me after the plun- 

 dering of the Ashira. I felt that I must use energetic 

 measures to recover the instrument, so I seized two men 

 who were running away from the heap of plantains 

 in front of my hut, and calling on my Commi boys to 

 cock their guns, I sent for Nehiengain and said that 

 I would shoot a man if the instrument was not re- 

 turned to me. Nehiengain and the Apono declared 

 that the Apingi were the tliieves. Two chiefs who 

 were with the Apingi protested that the theft was 

 committed by none of their men, that they did not 

 come to steal, &c,, &c. My strong measures, how- 

 ever, had the desired effect ; the thermometer, for- 

 tunately unbroken, was found shortly after lying on 

 the ground near a neighbouring hut. Many of tlie 

 Apingi were armed with spears, but they are not so 

 warlike as the Apono. They are more accustomed 

 to the water, and build large canoes, which they sell 

 to the Apono. 



June Ibt. I paid the new Apono porters to-day. 

 We were obliged to have seven more men than 

 before, as the loads were so heavy that the former 



