Chap. IV. STORY OF THE DRY AND WET SEASONS. 79 



when we commenced our land journey. The old 

 chief threatened to shoot them down right and left if 

 they forced him to use strong measures, and in this 

 way about thirty were mustered. 



We started at 10 a.m. on the 28th of October, 

 halting at night at the junction of the Niembai 

 and the Ovenga. It being the dry season, and fish 

 plentiful at this place, we resolved to pass the night 

 here. Our camp was a lively one in the evening, for 

 we caught a great quantity of fish ; the smoke of many 

 fires ascended amongst the trees on the river's bank, 

 and all had their fill. Jokes and laughter and tale- 

 telling were carried on far into the night. 



I was much amused by the story one of the men 

 related about the dry and wet seasons. The remark- 

 able dryness of the present season had been talked 

 over a good deal, and it was this conversation that 

 led to the story. As usual with the African, the two 

 seasons were personified, Nclmnga being the name of 

 the wet, and Enomo that of the dry season. One 

 day, the story went, Nchanga and Enomo had a 

 great dispute as to which was the older, and they 

 came at last to lay a wager on the question, which 

 was to be decided in an assembly of the people of the 

 air or sky. Nchanga said, " When I come to a place 

 rain comes." Enomo retorted, " When I make my 

 appearance the rain goes." The people of the air all 

 listened, and, when the two disputants had ceased, 

 they exclaimed, " Verily, verily, we cannot tell which 

 is the eldest, you must both be of the same age." 



The dry season this year was an unusual one for the 

 long absence of rain and lowness of the rivers. The 



