Chap. IV. OBINDJI. 81 



for axes and cutlasses. The fence was demolished in 

 a few seconds, a number of Bakalai looking on from 

 the bank armed with guns and spears. 



to^ 



From the 30th October to the 5th November we 

 were detained at Obindji, waiting for porters from 

 the Ashira country to carry my baggage overland. 

 Our camp was pitched on a wooded point of land 

 opposite to the village, and below the junction of the 

 Ofoubou with the Ovenga. 



The town of Obindji has been erroneously jjlaced 

 in maps, published since my first exploration of this 

 country, on the eastern bank of the Ofoubou ; it is 

 in reality situated on the western side. It is built 

 at the foot of a fine wooded hill ; indeed, the whole 

 country around is clothed with forest of great luxu- 

 riance and beauty. From the northern bank of the 

 Ovenga, on which onr camp was placed, stretches 

 a long point of beautiful white sand ; this sand, in 

 the dry season, connects the point with the mainland 

 of the right bank of the Ovenga. The sand is then 

 most delightfid to walk on, especially in the early 

 morning, when the natives ramble about to dig up 

 the eggs of a species of fresh-water turtle laid during 

 the night. The turtle was the species that I dis- 

 covered in my former journey, Aspidonectes Aspilus. 



I was glad to find my old acquaintance Obindji, 

 one of the chiefs of the Bakalai of the Ovenga, look- 

 ing as well as ever. He was a faithful ally and 

 friend of Quengueza, who was his superior chief, in 

 the sense of his being king of the river, and having 

 the right of road and trade both up and down. This 

 section of the Eakalai tribe had been led to abandon 



