106 VISIT TO THE SAMBA NAGOSHI FALLS. Chap. V. 



the foot of Fougamou my aneroids gave an altitude of 

 347 feet above the sea-leveL 



We had brought my photographic camera down to 

 the foot of the Falls, and I ordered a tree to be felled 

 in front in order to get a clear view, finding a large 

 snake twisted round one of its branches, as though it 

 had come there to listen to the music of the waters. 

 The day, however, was cloudy, and after several 

 unsuccessful attempts, I was obliged to give up the 

 intention of taking views of the scenery. I wanted 

 to encamp for the night near the place, and make 

 another trial the next day. But at this suggestion 

 my Aviia guide took great fright, and intimidated 

 my other followers by saying that Fougamou would 

 corae in the night and roar with such anger into our 

 ears that we sliould not survive it ; besides which, no 

 one had ever slept there. 



Like all other remarkable natural objects, the Falls 

 of the Ngouyai have given rise, in the fertile imagi- 

 nations of the negroes, to mythological stories. The 

 legend runs that the main Falls are the work of the 

 spirit Fougamou, who resides there, and was in old 

 times a mighty forger of iron ; but the rapids above 

 are presided over by Nagoshi, the wife of Samba, 

 who has spoiled this part of the ri\-er in order to 

 prevent people from ascending and descending. The 

 Falls to which the name Samba is given lie a good 

 day's journey below the Fougamou, but, from the 

 description of the natives, I concluded they were only 

 rapids, like Nagoshi above. The Fougamou is the 

 only great fall of v/ater. It takes its name from the 

 spirit (mbuiri), who is said to have made it, and who 



