278 ACEOSS AFRICA. [Chap. 



September, handkerchief tied round his head — performed a jigging dance 

 1874. with his two daughters. 



The Terpsicliorean performance being conchided in about a 

 quarter of an hour, lie tlien entered the hut, and we had a long 

 conversation. I acquainted him with my wish to cross the 

 Lomami and proceed to Lake Sankorra, and found that the 

 country and road presented no great difliculties, and that we 

 should be almost certain of meeting people who owned large 

 boats on the lake ; but it would be necessary to obtain per- 

 mission from the chief on the opposite bank of the Lomami, 

 before passing through his territory. 



Kasongo kindly offered, in the iirst instance, to confer per- 

 sonally with this chief on the matter ; but afterward, coming to 

 the conclusion that he was too old for the journey, decided to 

 dispatch some of his people with a party belonging to Tipo-tipo 

 and myself to obtain the necessary permission. He made many 

 inquiries as to my nationality and business, and I informed him 

 that it was from my country that cloth and other articles used 

 in trading in Africa were sent ; and my object was to visit the 

 people who purchased these things and to see their countries, 

 so that I might be enabled to tell my sultan what they wanted, 

 and increase the trade for the benefit of both sides. 



When Kasongo had taken his departure, which was conduct- 

 ed with much the same ceremony as that observed on arrival, I 

 asked Tipo-tipo to lend me a few men, and detailed an equal 

 number of my own, to accompany Kasongo's jDcople to the 

 Lomami. 



Next morning the party started, and I settled down for two 

 or three days' rest. I was, however, occupied with doing many 

 things for the benefit of the camp. All broken locks of mus- 

 kets were brought to me for repairs ; I was asked to doctor 

 peoj^le for fever and dysentery ; and in one instance to perform 

 a surgical operation upon a man who had been shooting with 

 copper slugs, and had lodged the charge in his hand. I cut the 

 slugs out, put splints on the broken fingers, and dressed the 

 whole with carbolized oil, and, l)efore I left, had the satisfaction 

 of seeing the unfortunate fellow on the high-road to recovery. 

 I could not make him hold his hand steady while extracting 

 the slugs, so had to adopt rather a rough-and-ready course, and 



