256 In the Heart of Africa 



threaten our boat, I dropped my rifle and picked up my camera. 

 Just then the ill-natured beast took his departure! 



Our river journey had been very poor in respect of fauna. 

 Besides the few elephants we had only seen one or two crocodiles. 

 Flights of grey parrots had frequently passed over our heads, 

 but the trees seemed almost lifeless. The interior of the forest 

 is alive with animal life during the daytime ; it is only at night 

 and in the early morning hours that the river banks show signs 

 of life, and after the animals have drunk their fill they retire 

 again into the shady shelter of the thickets. 



We reached the " Awake " rapids at three o'clock in the 

 afternoon. This place certainly has a name, but possesses no 

 houses, so we set up our tents in the forest close to the water's 

 edge, whence we could enjoy a splendid view of the rapids, 

 which stretched the whole width of the river. We were very 

 glad to finish the day's journey, as the air on the water was 

 most sultry and oppressive. 



In the evening immense hosts of flying foxes flew circling 

 over our camp. Uncertain as to whether they were identical 

 with the Kwidschwi species, we brought down a few with our 

 rifles. We were very much surprised to see that generally two 

 fell to the ground together, instead of the one hit only, and on 

 falling became detached. They were love pairs, who were 

 probably whispering tender caresses into each other's big ears 

 during their aerial flight. We found them to be identical with 

 the Kwidschwi species. 



At Bomili we learned what a well-kept European station of 

 considerable dimensions was like. Pretty, whitewashed houses 

 stretched out invitingly along the gently sloping river banks 

 before the eyes of the weary traveller. Just opposite to them 

 the Nepoko flows out from the green forest and joins the 

 Aruwimi, which here forms a rushing cataract. As we were 

 emerging from the Zone de I'Haut Ituri to enter the Zone de 

 Falls, our amiable travelling companion. Commandant Engh, 

 turned back for Avakubi with his rowers. A Norwegian by 

 birth, Engh is one of the most striking personalities in the whole 



