Chap. XTY. GOOD CONDUCT OF THE APONO PORTERS. 275 



alone, having requested me to give it to him at 

 night, so that the people might not see what he got. 

 I also gave a handsome present to his head wife. 



As my Apono porters had now brought me 

 to Ishogo-land, and had shown themselves discon- 

 tented several times during the march, I called them 

 all together this morning, and told them I did not 

 wish them to take me any further, but would pay 

 them and send them back to their country. At this 

 Kombila came forward and begged of me not to 

 mind what the boys had said. To leave me here in 

 a village of strangers would fill him and them with 

 shame. They had hearts, and would not think of 

 going back to their own country, before taking me 

 to the place to which they were bound. He said the 

 chief of this place to which he wished to take me 

 was a true friend of his, and that not until he had 

 delivered me into his hands could he dare to show 

 himself again in Mokaba. All the porters applauded 

 the speech, and declared their readiness to go further 

 on ; and said, laughing, that I must not mind what 

 they did, as they were only trying to get something 

 more. This is a sample of the uncertainty of all 

 dealings with these fickle, but not wholly evil-minded, 

 savages. The chief of the Ishogo village to whom 

 we are bound is, I am now told, to take me forward 

 into Ashango-land. 



The river Ogoulou, on the banks of which Yengue 

 is situated, is a fine stream forty or fifty yards broad, 

 and of great depth in the rainy season. It is now 

 about ten feet deep, and I perceived that it was fifteen 

 feet lower than the highest water-mark. The banks 



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