242 MAYOLO TO APONO-LAND. Chap. XII. 



to travellers that fishes are very scarce in seasons of 

 flood, and abundant in the dry season, in the same 

 rivers. The scarcity and abundance, of course, are 

 only apparent ; the total population of the water 

 must remain pretty nearly the same all the year 

 round, but we are apt to lose sight of the fact that 

 the area of the waters of any river with many arms 

 and lakes must be immensely greater in the flood 

 season than in the dry, and thus the population is 

 more scattered and hidden from view. 



4^A. We left the banks of the river at a quarter- 

 past six a.m. Shortly afterwards we passed through 

 an Apono village, and at half-past eight a.m. came to 

 three Ishogo villages close together. All three pro- 

 bably belonged to the same clan, and they contained 

 a considerable population. It was no new feature to 

 find a settlement of a tribe living in the middle of a 

 district belonging to another tribe. The Ishogos 

 had been driven by war from their own territory, 

 and have thus intruded on unoccupied lands within 

 the territory of their neighbours. 



The Ishogos of these villages knew that I was to 

 pass through the places. They had heard of the 

 untold wealth I brought with me, and were annoyed 

 when they perceived my intention to pass on witho^lt 

 stopping. The villages are built in an open grassy 

 space ; and as soon as the caravan came in sight the 

 excitement was intense. Women, children, and 

 armed men came around, shouting and entreating ; 

 some running along the line of march, with goats in 

 tow, offering them as presents if I would stay with 

 them, even if it was only for a night. It is the 



