MY JOURNEY FROM LOKO TO DORRORO 187 



pagan country North of Ibi, which promised the most 

 attractive opportunities for the indulgence of their propensi- 

 ties, we had the greatest difficulty to drive off the many 

 parasites who fastened on the column. As I was short of 

 carriers, I took on two of these boys who, beheving that they 

 would have even better opportunities of looting with me, 

 were glad to come. But it was not long afterwards that 

 they discovered their mistake ! 



I started on the march late in the afternoon of July 31, 

 only going two hours that day, which brought me to camp 

 near a dirty little village, called Washi — on the lucus a non 

 lucendo principle I suppose. Still, the hut that the chief 

 gave me to sleep in was clean enough, and I was glad of its 

 shelter, as it saved time the next morning that otherwise 

 would have been spent in striking and packing up tents and 

 baggage. This was the rainy season, when there was always 

 the chance of a tornado coming on to break one's night's 

 rest and, perhaps, the tent as well. The distance was very 

 small that we had covered this first day, but one is always 

 prepared for a bad start from any large town, for the " boys " 

 are demoralised by the dissipations of the market, and one 

 is thankful enough if the first move does no more than 

 shake off the dust of the town and enable one to gather one's 

 forces together for a better start on the morrow. 



Next day, in spite of an early start, we accomplished 

 only half a day's march, for I felt an attack of fever coming 

 on, and therefore decided to stop and camp ; this time well 

 outside the village we had come to, which was even dirtier 

 than the last. That night I had a rather bad time, aggra- 

 vated by a tornado which broke with great force driving 



