Chap. XIX. MAGOUGA RECOUNTS OUR ADVENTURES. 373 



performed a part, cursing the Niembouai people for 

 stealing my goods, and describing how the Mohana 

 villagers wanted to kill him. Then with regard to 

 our affair at Mouaou Komho he gave a most 

 exaggerated account. He said the villagers had 

 attacked us because they did not want us to pass ; 

 that we had killed eighteen of them, and that all 

 the arrows shot at me had glanced off without 

 doing me any harm ; and then he again related 

 the history of my various transformations. So well 

 did he describe our misfortunes, that the Mongon 

 people all took our part. " What a shame it is," 

 said they, "that war should be made on such 

 men, who do no harm, who take nothing by force, 

 and bring us only good things." They said they 

 would resist the Mouaou warriors if they came near 

 their village. The women after this brought us 

 fowls, eggs, and ripe plantains, which they exchanged 

 with us for a few trinkets. We were pressingly in- 

 vited to remain for the night in the village ; but I 

 thought this would be an imprudent proceeding, so 

 I made an excuse. We left the place towards the 

 evening, and, after marching three or four miles, 

 slept in an abandoned plantation on the road to 

 Niembouai West. 



July 2Sih. We slept very little during the night, 

 for neither myself nor my men considered we were 

 yet quite out of danger of an attack. We lay down 

 with our loaded weapons by our side, three of my 

 men lying in the same hut with myself. 



Rising at daylight we resumed our march, walking 

 very rapidly till nearly noon, when we arrived at 



