362 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



come to the end of our wax. It seemed hopeless to think of 

 getting any more for we had left the forest behind. We 

 were in a dilemma. On the off-chance that something like it 

 was known to the Misas, I showed a piece to the chief, and 

 when he said " kissi,'"' I could hardly believe my ears. A 

 short time afterwards a small piece was brought me ; it 

 proved to be the wax of the ordinary bee and not quite so 

 effective as that we got from the forest region. But still, it 

 was a god-send and took a great load of anxiety off my mind. 



There is a good deal of honey in this country ; the natives 

 collect it by placing cylindrical baskets, about 6 in. in cir- 

 cumference in the tops of the trees. Before the honey is 

 deposited, the bee Hues the inside of the basket and also the 

 opening with a kind of resinous wax ; this is the material 

 that the natives use for mending their pots. 



That night, as I lay awake, I heard the village drum 

 starting in to play. First a tap-tap-tap fell upon the ear ; 

 then a pause followed by a loud roll. After a minute's 

 silence there came a distant muffled drumming. It was 

 the Misas caUing up a neighbouring village. And then the 

 drumming went on with varying beats, and the message was 

 passed : " The white man wants honey-wax." 



In the morning, to my great joy, a goodly number of balls 

 of the wax were brought in as a result of the drumming. 

 Two days later these stood us in good stead, for we had to 

 tackle the Bengbi Rapids, which are three miles long and 

 the worst on the river. . After the Bengbi came more rapids, 

 till we struggled into Raffai on November 27. 



Raffai is a small Belgian post and was made by Lamaire, 

 who named it " Les Rapides de Lambermont " after the 



