120 FKOM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



of a cliff, which fell 700 or 800 ft. sheer beneath us. From 

 this point we got a splendid bird's-eye view of the country, 

 and especially of the whole curve of the Gongola. As there 

 were no very convenient hills to the north or north-west, 

 and as we wanted to get more to the east before striking up 

 through Bornu, it was decided to make for a curious needle 

 peak, which we saw in the south-east. So, in the afternoon, 

 we determined to push on to Ashaka, but against this the 

 carriers struck. Chiefly because they had been doing 

 long marches lately, often climbing hills, and probably 

 were somewhat tired ; but partly, no doubt, because they 

 thought they had us in their power, and that we could not 

 get on without them. When they found out that we were 

 going to put our beds and tents on three donkeys which 

 Alexander got from the chief of the village, and were told 

 that we would bring back oxen for the rest of the goods, and 

 let them go — ^they soon gave in. Alexander thought it 

 necessary to give them a lesson, so we started from Bagi 

 that night at 6.30 p.m., and arrived at Ashaka at 1 a.m. It 

 was pouring all the time. The night was pitch dark and we 

 did not know the way at all. The road was so bad that it 

 would have been difficult by dayhght, and nothing surprised 

 me more than the way my horse kept his footing the whole 

 time — stepping gaily down gullies, and picking his way 

 through swamps. When we came to the first village, the 

 carriers and soldiers thought that they would have their 

 revenge and so persuaded the guide to run away. We did 

 not suspect them at first, but when we found that the two 

 succeeding guides behaved in the same manner, although 

 put under charge of two soldiers, we saw that something 



