398 JOURNEY TO THE COAST. Chap. XIX, 



and bones, sad evidence of the ravages of the plague, 

 and showing how many had died in the forest on their 

 march from one place to another, their bones gnawed 

 and scattered by prowling hyenas and leopards. 



We missed the path during the journey, and were 

 guided only by knowing that we were going in the 

 right direction for the Ofoubou by the compass ; 

 finally, we reached the banks of this river, but at a 

 point much lower down than the village of Gralipadi. 

 Whilst at Angouka's, we had received a message from 

 Quengueza, saying that, when his people came back 

 from Goumbi, he would send some of them to me. 

 He was staying on the banks of this river cutting 

 ebony and deciding palavers amongst the Bakalai, 

 and we now endeavoured to make our arrival known 

 to him, by marching along the banks and firing our 

 guns. At length our signals were heard : we saw a 

 canoe approach the place where we stood, and on its 

 approach recognised Ncheyouelai, one of the king's 

 principal slaves. The water of this river was very 

 low ; we had to go some distance before arriving at 

 Quengueza's encampment. On reaching it v^e were 

 received with a most hearty welcome ; the loyal old 

 chief hugged me to his breast, and I am sure I reci- 

 procated the joy he felt at our meeting. He beat 

 his kendo, and, in a kind of solemn chant, thanked 

 the spirits of his ancestors for my safe arrival. 



Sholomba of my own village was here, and some 

 other negroes whom I knew. Nothing could be done 

 until they had heard the story of our adventures. 

 My men did not wait for me to tell the tale; but 

 began their own story. As they proceeded, they 



