WITH THE SURVEY PARTY 85 



base are on small hills from which one can see practically 

 everything. I have plotted the triangles roughly for compass 

 bearings and they look all right." 



At once on receipt of this a second messenger was sent 

 out, who, I was glad to know, could carry a more hopeful 

 letter about his brother, which had just come from Gosling. 

 The carrier succeeded in reaching him at Lakushi, after my 

 first note had arrived. He said in reply : 



" The bearer reached me at about 8 p.m. which I call 

 good going — especially as he had been round by Giddan 

 Galadima. I gave him meat and meal, and shall " dash " him 

 2s. before he goes back to-morrow with this. Many carriers 

 would not have gone alone into this country. As for your 

 horse-boy, I think he deserved great credit for having pene- 

 trated right on to Mount Madong camp. 



" I shall go on to Ibi as I have got so far, I expect to be 

 there on the 31st and shall try to get back to Giddan Galadima 

 as soon as possible, unless you'd like me to look you up at 

 Wase. If you write, let me know what you think of the 

 proposed base. 



" The country has altered a good deal since we passed — 

 the corn-fields are 11 to 12 ft. high, and the Simanka quite 

 a good river." 



On June 2 he wrote again from Ibi, saying how serious 

 his brother's illness had been. The latter was now shghtly 

 better, but they were having great diflSculty in persuading 

 him to go down to Lokoja for a rest, instead of up country 

 as he was determined to do. 



It now became necessary to have frequent communica- 

 tion with Ibi from Wase, and we were fortunate enough to 



