252 THE MARCH THROUGH APONO-LAND. Chap. XHI. 



cause of his illness. His people begin to recollect 

 that he was first taken ill the day after he had a dis- 

 pute with his children about beads ; and if he dies 

 there will be a frightful witchcraft palaver in Otando. 

 I shall feel his loss greatly, for, besides being a 

 staunch friend, he speaks the Commi language a 

 little, which I understand better than I do any other 

 of these African idioms. He has been therefore a 

 good guide in every way. Fortunately our long stay 

 at Olenda and Mayolo has enabled me to acquire the 

 Ashira language to some extent. 



Before the Otando men departed, I went and bid 

 good-bye to Mayolo, but he was too ill to recognise 

 me. After his departure I entreated Nchiengain to 

 hurry me off as quick as he could. He said " You are 

 in as great a hurry as if you had killed somebody." 

 I gave to each of Mayolo's men and to his wife a 

 parting present, and my Commi boys gave them 

 their old garments. The Mokaba people took alarm 

 at night in seeing me look at the stars with my 

 instruments ; and the chief, accompanied by his 

 people, came and told me they would build a shed 

 for me at a distance from the houses, as they were 

 afraid of the mysterious work I was doing. I firmly 

 refused, saying that they had made me come to the 

 house where I was staying, and tliat now I would 

 not remove. 



June Sth — dth. Still at Mokaba, waiting for port- 

 ers. Messengers came on the 9 th for Nchiengain 

 to return to his village, as one of his men had 

 died ; they brought also the new^s that Mayolo had 

 been vomiting blood. This was most distressing 



