60 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NH^E 



Could I describe the disappointments of all the days,, 

 the defeats by the mud and the sleepless nights of 

 despair when no island could be gained and we were forced 

 to lie huddled up in the crowded boats ; could I echo the 

 groans and curses of the men and " Maifoni's " pitiful 

 howls as all night long the hordes of mosquitoes pressed their 

 attack : or paint the spectral form of hope lifting sightless 

 eyes each dawn to the sun that rose and mocked her from the 

 eastern horizon, I fear I should inflict my readers with a 

 degree of the weariness which we ourselves suffered. So I 

 will not dwell longer than is necessary on this part of our 

 trials. At length privation and the hopelessness of constantly 

 defeated effort sapped the energy and courage of the men,, 

 and the first signs of a passive mutiny began to show them- 

 selves. Then the food and firewood gave out and there 

 was nothing left to do but to retrace our way to the Yo mouth. 



We arrived there on March 16, having made nineteen 

 different camps on the islands. I felt much disheartened 

 at the fruitlessness of our attempts to land on the 

 eastern shore ; but after all, much experience had been gained 

 and a greater knowledge which has now been embodied in 

 the map of the Lake. 



The first thing to do was to send into Bosso for more 

 food, so we stayed for two days on the old familiar island. 

 It was also necessary to give a rest to the men who were 

 tired out and still showed signs of the discontent which had 

 almost developed into something more serious. The day 

 after our arrival my gun-boy deserted. He was seen to leave 

 the camp with his bundle of clothes and told every one that 

 he was going to the river to wash ; which was true in a sense,. 



