248 TIMEHRI. Be 
carriers was required. The explanation is that on such 
a journey as I was then contemplating into the unknown 
and for an indefinite period, it is absolutely necessary to — 
carry with one large stores. By bitter experienceona 
previous occasion I had learned the rashness of trusting 
entirely to the food which might be picked up on the | 
way. On that previous occasion | had for thirteen days _ 
had to satisfy the cravings of hunger only with a supply 
of unripe bananas, taken from the Redmen’s fields which — 
we passed. There had been a long drought over the — 
savannah ; and the Redmen had wandered away insearch 
of food for themselves—as had also the wild game which 
is under general circumstances fairly abundant in those 
parts. Moreover, on this later journey on which I was 
now about to start certain scientific apparatus which I 
had to carry with me largely added to the bulk of the — 
impedimenta. Still I thought that about enoughhad now _ 
come in. Moreover, with that marvellous instin& which 
serves in place of a telegraph to convey news from a far — 
distance, my redskinned hosts told me that no more 7 
carriers were coming. I made up my mind therefore to — 
start the next morning as early as possible. | 
The start was to be made as early as possible in the — 
morning. On these long walking journeys across” 
treeless mountainous country but little north of the — 
