38 SEARCH FOR THE GORILLA AND THE IPL Chap. ILL 



twice during the year 1864, once in February and 

 again in June. During the first excursion, besides 

 hunting the gorilla, I spent some time in search of 

 a large species of pangolin, or scaly ant-eater, called 

 Ipi, which I had not succeeded in obtaining during 

 my earlier travels in this country. We left my 

 village, "Plateau," as I had named it, on the 13th 

 of the month, in two canoes, one manned by eleven 

 men in which I myself embarked, and the other 

 manned by six men. 



As my readers will see by the map, the Fernand 

 Yaz runs in the lower part of its course, for about 

 forty miles, nearly parallel to the sea, the space 

 between the river and the sea-shore being a tract of 

 level sandy country covered with grass and isolated 

 groups of trees, and nowhere more than a few 

 miles wide. The nearest road to Aniambie', a sea- 

 shore town, the capital of Olenga-Yombi, is therefore 

 up the stream to a point nearly opposite the town, 

 and then across the tongue of land. A little south 

 of this point, and towards the interior, the level land 

 ceases, and a hilly and more thickly-wooded country 

 commences, where are the plantations of the king. 



As we put off from "Plateau" on our first journey, 

 Malonga, an old negro, whom I left in charge of my 

 house and property,* assured me that he had made a 

 fetich to ensure us fine weather, and that we should 

 have no rain. In this country the doctors are not 

 makers, but unmakers, of rain. He was miserably 



* Ranpano had named this man to be guardian of my premises whenever 

 I was absent ; and the guardian having been named by the chief, he and 

 his people became responsible for the safety of my property. 



