446 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



miles of rolling prairie and luxuriant forest, and 

 although we fell in with hog, wild cattle, n'cheri 

 antelope, chimpanzees and other kinds of monkeys, 

 we came across no gorillas, and only once saw any 

 " sign " of their presence. 



Towards mid-day we halted by a small stream 

 for dinner, and we rested a couple of hours, as the 

 atmosphere became very oppressive, and we had 

 covered at least twenty-miles of ground that 

 morning. 



During the intense heat of the day, all animals 

 seek the most shady places in the forest, the birds 

 remain silent, and even the leaves droop and look 

 languid. Having taken a siesta of about two hours 

 after dinner, I awoke like a giant refreshed, and 

 got over another ten miles without inconvenience, 

 which is not bad work in an African climate. 



Late in the afternoon we came across a Shekiana 

 bush-village, where we put up for the night. Here 

 I learnt from one of the villagers that there was a 

 large river, the " N'gobai," about half a day's 

 journey to the southward, which was full of river- 

 horse. By dint of a considerable bribe of tobacco, I 



