Chap. XVI. VILLAGE OF NIEMBOUAI OLOMBA. 329 



have a smoke. Do you tliink we would leave you 

 in the woods ? People may be left in a village but 

 not in the forest." 



Aliout four p.m. we reached the villnge called 

 Niembouai Olomba, or " Further Niembouai," to 

 disting-ui.sh it from the other place of the same name 

 which I will call Niembouai West for the sake of 

 distinction. We had made but eight miles in a 

 direct line in four hours' march ; but the road lies 

 over a succession of hills and narrow valleys, every- 

 where thickly wooded; and travelling is most toil- 

 some, heavily-laden as we all were. 



We were received with great joy by tlie chief, 

 who is the " father," head chief, or king of this clan 

 of Ashangos. Houses were allotted to us ; presents of 

 goats and plantains were laid at my feet ; and I was 

 glad to find that the old chief had not run away. 

 He had one of the mildest expressions of face I ever 

 saw ; was tall, and about 60 years old. Of the two 

 goats he gave me, I gave one to my Ashango porters. 

 As they went away with it, I heard one say, " We 

 did not know that he would give us one!" This 

 plan of feeding my porters well has a very good 

 effect on the villagers, and helped me in the diflicult 

 task of getting fresh porters. 



The people of Niembouai Olomba were shy, but 

 many of them had seen me at Niembouai West. 

 Like all the villages in these mountains, it is sur- 

 rounded with groves of plantain-trees. Goats are 

 very abundant, and the goat-houses are scattered 

 here and there throughout the village. Swallows 

 were flying over the streets, and numerous birds 

 23 



