A LIVE CHIMPANZEE. 



355 



and having walls ingeniously made of bundles of straw, so as 

 to present a chequered pattern. A lofty mass of gneiss lies 

 close to the village, and repays an ascent, as many moun- 

 tains are visible from its summit, the bearings of which had 

 been taken on former occasions, and among which were Jebel 

 Oso, Jebel Togodo, the two jagged peaks of Donvu and Jebel 

 Paya, as also Jebel Riku, which we had long since left behind 

 us. The grass was ablaze all around, and the dense smoke, 

 aggravated by a strong northerly wind, made it difficult to 

 read the compass. Numerous minor peaks peeped out from 

 the forests round us, and our road led past one of them, 

 Jebel Taya. A very small village, which we reached about 

 half-past twelve, afforded welcome rest after a six hours' march 

 in the scorching sun ; unhappily, the scanty supply of water 

 obtainable from its wells smelt so badly that, notwithstanding 

 our great thirst, we took no delight in drinking. Fortunately 

 Chief Tokkoro's village, Kenyi, or Kenyi masa, lay at a distance 

 of only twenty minutes' walk. This extensive place abounds 

 in filth, especially at this time of the year, when many of 

 its inhabitants are absent, but we were able to obtain a drink 

 of good water from the river which flows past it. A further 

 march of twenty-one minutes brought us to the Amadi station, 

 where we were delighted to find awaiting us a young chim- 

 panzee, a present from the Monbuttu chief, Mbitima. 



During my short stay here I set the station in order, and 

 distributed the soldiers, who had arrived during my absence, 

 among the out-stations. Scarcely an hour remained for taking 

 bearings to render my former surveys more complete. A 

 nearly total eclipse of the moon occurred on the 5 th of Decem- 

 ber, and was hailed by the Danagla, as is customary, by 

 knocking together all their tin pots and shrieking. Letters 

 from the Meshra-er-Rek, which informed me that the steamer 

 Borddn might be expected at any moment at Lado, compelled 

 me to hurry my departure. From these same letters I learnt 

 the mournful news of the death of Mgr. Comboni. 



The Ayi, or Yei, is of considerable width at this place, 

 and reached up to our knees. Having forded it, we passed 

 Jebel Merre, where a large herd of elephants was peacefully 

 feeding, and made straight for the lofty black rock of Killa, 



