240 MAYOLO TO APONO-LAND. CnAr. XIL 



right-about. I could not, however, get Nchicngain 

 away, and we started without him. I wondered 

 afterwards at the good-nature of these people, who 

 saw with composure a stranger knocking o\'er so 

 large a quantity of their cherished beverage. They 

 did not resent my act, but only grumbled that so 

 much good liquor was spilt instead of going down 

 their throats. 



We reached the banks of the river, distant about 

 three miles from the village, at two p.m. The 

 Ngouyai was here a fine stream, nearly as Avide as 

 the Thames at London Bridge, and from ten to fifteen 

 feet deep, flowing from the S.S.W. 



It was now the dry season, when the water is 

 about ten feet below the level of the rainy season. 

 The yellow waters formed a curious contrast to the 

 dark green vegetation of its banks. I could not but 

 admire the magnificent trees which towered above 

 the masses of lower trees and bushes growing from 

 the rich soil ; some of them grew on the very brink 

 of the stream, and their trunks were supported by 

 erect roots, looking like May-poles, eight or ten feet 

 high, and projecting in places over the water. Open- 

 ings in the wall of foliage revealed to us the interior 

 of the jungle, where the trees were interlaced with 

 creepers of all kinds, especially the india-rubber vine, 

 which is here very abundant. 



I was surprised to find Kchiengain's flat-bottomed 

 canoe, or ferry-boat, large and well-made. It carried 

 my party and baggage across in seven journeys. 

 We finished at half-past four p.m., and encamped 

 for the night on the opposite side. !Nchiengain 



i 



