CHAPTER XIII. 



THE MAECH THROUGH APONO-LAND. 



Mokalm — Curiosity of the People — Eenewed illness of Mayolo — His return 

 to Otando — Nchiengain's Speech — The Apono agree to take me to the 

 lahogo country — Description of the Apono Tribe — Their sprightly 

 character — Arts — Weapons — Population — Description of Mokaba — 

 — Palm wine — Drunkenness — Ocuya Performances — Leave Mokaba — 

 Piiver Dougoundo — Arrival at Igoumbi^ — Invitation from the elders 

 of the village to remain there — Manners of the Ishogos — Description of 

 Igoumbi^ — The Ishogo huts — Arrival at Yengue, in Ishogo-land. 



June (JiL Mokaba and most of the other villages of 

 the Apouo tribe are situated in an open tract of undu- 

 lating country, partly wooded and partly open prairie. 

 The distance of the town from Mayolo is not more 

 than twenty-seven miles in a direct line, and the 

 altitude above the sea-level is scarcely so great as at 

 that place, being only 414 feet, whilst Mayolo is 496 

 feet ; but Mokaba, as I afterwards found, was within a 

 short distance of the Ngouyai, and lay in the valley 

 of the river, whilst Mayolo lies on the lower slope of 

 the mountain range which separates Otando from 

 Ashira-land. Close to the village, on its eastern side, 

 are some fine wooded hills, which give the place a 

 very picturesque appearance when viewed from the 

 western side. The successive mountain ranges to- 

 wards the east are not visible from the Apono plain, 

 although they formed grand objects from the Otando 



