334 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



then our troubles were over ; we flew down the river at a 

 prodigious rate, in our headlong course taking an elephant 

 in the water by surprise. We got within twenty yards of 

 him, when forward went his ears and the next moment the 

 ponderous beast was plunging and stumbling to the bank ; 

 and then there was a heaving of huge limbs, and with tail 

 erect he disappeared into the long grass. 



On August 9 I was back once more at N'soro, where I 

 found all well, including " Mistress Anne," who from a 

 shadow had grown into quite a substantial little person, 

 thanks to the fresh milk of N'soro, where a number of cows 

 are kept. In my absence the " boys " had become addicted 

 to a new form of vice, with which I had to deal. Tobacco 

 was difficult to obtain in the country, and Agoma and Lowi, 

 who were great smokers, took to smoking a noxious weed, a 

 kind of hemp which very soon produces mental collapse 

 similar to drunkenness. It is a slender plant with long 

 narrow leaves which are serrated all the way up, and the 

 scent of the flower is very like that of thyme. The Belgians 

 prohibit its use, punishing it heavily, but the Aberambo who 

 are great offenders grow the plant secretly. In Bangala it is 

 known as " bangi " or " mundengba." 



Next day Jose set out to shoot meat with which to buy 

 "geri" for the men. The difficulty of getting sufficient 

 was always a source of anxiety, for the rifle was all we had to 

 depend on, and the chance of finding game at this time was 

 small, owing to the long grass. But it was not long before 

 he returned, looking very ill, and soon afterwards he went 

 down with a severe attack of fever of the intermittent form, 

 which lasted three days. 



