Chap. XIV. VILLAGE OF MOKEXGA. 279 



new village, the king ran away. They added that 

 they would send for him; meantime, food was 

 brought to us, as is always tlie custom on such 

 occasions, and things looked pleasant. 



The " M'bolo" salutation common to the Mpongwes 

 of the Gaboon and all the tribes of the Ogobai is 

 unknown in this interior country. 



June 17 th. Last night, as some of my men were 

 fixing their mosquito nets outside the huts, they were 

 told by the Mokenga people that they had better 

 sleep inside and secure well the doors, as leopards 

 were loaming about the village, and had lately killed 

 many of their dogs and goats. They added that in a 

 neighbouring village a leopard had killed several 

 people. So careful were they of my safety, that a Ijody- 

 guard of three of my men came to protect me whilst I 

 was out taking meridian altitudes of a and (5 Centauri 

 and Arcturus. One of them fell asleep before my 

 work was half done, and made the rest of us laugh by 

 snoring most boisterously. This sort of thing gene- 

 rally happened when any of the negroes pretended 

 to keep watch whilst I was out in the night taking 

 observations. I was once startled at midnight by 

 hearing a formidable snore close to where I stood. 

 Looking on the ground I saw my man Igalo fast 

 asleej), his gun by iiis side. Kicking him gently, I 

 asked him why he was not in his hut. He replied : 

 "Do you tliink I could leave you here alone at night 

 amongst people who use poisoned arrows ? No ; I 

 keep watch." I laughed at the poor fellow's style of 

 keeping watch, but felt, nevertheless, glad of this 

 proof of his good intentions. I was annoyed to find 



