100 VISIT TO THE SAMBA NAGOSHI FALLS. Chap. V, 



populated. Xo groups of people were seen, happy 

 at their work; no songs of boatmen were heard, 

 paddling their canoes over the pleasant stream. The 

 craven superstitions of these wretched people, and 

 the horror of remaining in any place after a death 

 has occurred, are the causes which lead to the aban- 

 donment of their dwellings. Where the people of 

 this neighbourhood had gone to I could not ascer- 

 tain. No wonder that these interior tribes make no 

 advance in industry, wealth, and culture, whilst such 

 customs exist. 



About three miles below the Aviia village, we 

 came in sight of the Nkoumou Nabouali peaks, 

 which appeared to extend from N.N.W. to S.S.E. 

 There were four distinct ranges of hills in view from 

 this spot, Nkoumou Nabouali, the highest, being the 

 second in point of distance from us. A little after 

 three o'clock we began to hear the roar of the Falls, 

 and soon after we put ashore at Luba, another village 

 of the Aviia tribe, which was the nearest to the 

 Falls. 



A little below this village there are two large 

 rocks in the middle of the river, or a little nearer to 

 the left bank, called Nami Gemha. In the dry sea- 

 son these form dangerous rapids ; and the current, 

 rushing at headlong speed between the obstructions 

 to its course, creates a loud noise which is heard at a 

 considerable distance. I made the discovery on my 

 present visit to this part that it was these rapids of 

 Nami Gemba which my guides represented as the 

 Falls of Samba Nagoshi, on my former journey, when 

 in search of the Falls from the Apingi country. I 



