398 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



the Kroomen had to take to their oars, whilst the 

 Bekelai and the new comer, whose name was 

 M'pogola, each plied a paddle. 



My crew pulled admirably, singing or indulging 

 in good-humoured chaff as they worked, and the 

 ripple at the bows showed that we were gliding 

 through the water at almost racing speed. Later 

 in the afternoon a light air sprang up, which 

 gradually freshened into a stiff sea-breeze, and 

 again our masts were stepped and sails hoisted. 

 We had now run about forty miles from Glass, 

 and were at the end of the bay, where we boarded 

 the French guard-ship, which is moored here as a 

 protection to trade. 



I went on board and had a glass of wine with 

 the officer in charge, who very kindly showed me 

 some maps of the river, that appeared to be very 

 carefully executed, and offered to put me up for a 

 day or two ; but as there was still some hours of 

 daylight, and a fair wind, I considered it advisable 

 to push on, and entering the Como river, I passed 

 a small island on which was a deserted mission 

 station. 



