244 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



of the covert, and one of extraordinary size moved slowly toward 

 us until he halted beneath a tall, spreading heglik. This tree 

 must have been nearly three feet in diameter, and was about 

 thirty feet high from the ground to the first branch ; it was there- 

 fore impossible for the elephant to gather the coveted fruit. To 

 root up such a tree would have been out of the question, and I 

 should not have thought that the power of any animal could have 

 affected it. The elephant paused for a short time, as though 

 considering ; he then butted his forehead suddenly against the 

 trunk. I could not have believed the effect ; this large tree, 

 which was equal in appearance to the average size of park timber, 

 quivered in every branch to such a degree, that had a person 

 taken refuge in it, and thought himself secure in the top, he 

 would have found it difficult to hold on." 



ON THE MARCH. 



BAKER'S original intention had been to establish a line of forti- 

 fied posts, not more than three days' march apart, between Gon- 

 dokoro and Albert Lake, but his force of twelve hundred men 

 was now reduced to five hundred. Of this number three hundred 

 were left to guard the base of supplies at Gondokoro, so that he 

 was left with only two hundred men to make the advance south ; 

 nevertheless, with this small force he started, January 23, 1872, 

 for the Albert Lake. The boats were loaded with necessary sup- 

 plies, and the voyage up the river commenced. On the fourth 

 day out they reached the first cataract, where a chief named 

 Bedden had promised two thousand carriers to convey the boats 

 which were made in sections and luggage to Lobore. But the 

 old scoundrel disregarded his promise, and insolently told Baker 

 that his people had quit being slaves for the Turks and certainly 

 would not enter the service of Christians. Traveling in Africa 

 is always attended with the most provoking obstacles ; Baker had 

 learned this from a bitter experience, and was therefore not dis- 

 couraged, though greatly angered, at Bedden' s deceit and treach- 

 ery. He determined to establish a station here, and leave a 

 strong guard to protect it and the boats, and then push on 

 southward with a picked force of one hundred men. 



