MY JOURNEY FROM LOKO TO DORRORO 183 



outrages had caused a punitive expedition to be sent against 

 them, a cruel necessity that always paralyses a country for 

 at least two years. 



On July 1 I left to go down the river in a Government 

 steamer to Lokoja, in the hopes that the change and better 

 food and comforts, which one is able to get there, would pick 

 me up. Also, I wanted to see the P.M.O. and have a thorough 

 overhauling. He made a beautiful coloured slide of my 

 blood for the microscope, which revealed the fact that I 

 had been terribly sapped of strength by the little black 

 demons of the fever. The use of the microscope, recently 

 instituted in the medical practice of the country, is an 

 incalculable boon ; for, the microscope is a very powerful 

 engine in the battle against African fevers. By an examina- 

 tion of the blood a doctor is at once able to tell whether a 

 patient has malaria or not, or on recovery, how far con- 

 valescence has progressed. I remember once at Maifoni, 

 Dr. Blair, who was making a chance examination of me, 

 predicted an attack of fever two hours before I should have 

 been aware of it, and so by the prompt administration of a 

 dose of quinine did better than cure me later on. 



But to return to the events of which I am now writing, a 

 pleasant month was spent by me at Lokoja in the house of 

 Major Merrick, whose kindness and good fare were better 

 than medicine, and each day I was happy in the consciousness 

 of returning strength. Besides my desire to complete a cure, 

 another reason had determined me to return to Lokoja. I 

 was anxious to turn the time passed upon any route, by which 

 I could overtake my companions, to the best account by choos- 

 ing one which would promise the most interest to the explorer. 



