Chap. XV. DIFFICULTIES AND DISCOURAGEMENTS. 'Ml 



As to the inhabitants, my first impressions were un- 

 favourable. They brought us no food either for sale 

 or presents, and the few men who came to our camp 

 spent all the time in tedious speechifying, of which I 

 was by this time heartily sick. My Ishogo men 

 again began to show signs of discontent, this time 

 not against me but against the villagers ; they said, 

 " If there is nothing to eat, let us be off. We do 

 not stop at villages where goats are not given to 

 the Oguizi ! " The rascals knew very well that the 

 goats would be given to them to eat. I fed my 

 porters well, for many were induced to come from 

 hearing the stories told by the Aponos of the great 

 number of goats they had eaten while with me. In 

 truth it is enough to weary a man out. It is a 

 tremendous task that I have undertaken. The ordi- 

 nary difficulties of the way, the toilsome marches, the 

 night watches, the crossing of rivers, the great heat, 

 are as nothing compared with the obstacles and annoy- 

 ances which these capricious villagers throw in our 

 way. I begin to dread the sight of an inhabited place. 

 Either the panic-stricken people fly from me, or remain 

 to bore me by their insatiable curiosity, fickleness, 

 greediness, and intolerable din. Nevertheless I am 

 obliged to do all I can think of to conciliate them, 

 for I cannot do without them ; it being impossible 

 to travel without guides through this wilderness of 

 forests where the paths are so intricate ; besides, we 

 could not make our appearance in the villages with- 

 out some one to take us there and say a good word 

 for us. The villagers are frightened enough of us 

 as it is, although we come with their friends. I am 



