CHAPTER XXIV 



FROM GULFEI TO FORT LAMY 



On June 1 a sudden bend of the river to the west brought us 

 to the Httle village of Mana, which is picturesquely situated 

 on the left bank. This was the time of low water and the 

 bank dropped sheer for some 40 ft., which gave the village 

 the appearance of being perched upon an eminence. From 

 the mouth up to this point the average width of the river 

 had been 400 yards, with a current of two and a quarter miles 

 and there were scarcely any sand-banks to impede our 

 progress. Often I noticed that the high, clean-cut banks 

 were honeycombed with the nesting-holes of the Carmine- 

 breasted bee-eaters. 



We chmbed up to the village by steps cut in the bank, 

 and, having pitched camp under a shady tree near by, I 

 went for a stroll in the bush with my gun. The thorn was 

 very thick and large flocks of guinea-fowl abounded. I 

 returned with a bush-hare, a useful addition to the pot, for 

 Captain Cotton, a French officer, had meanwhile arrived 

 in camp, on his way from Fort Lamy to Mani. Being a 

 colonial of wide experience, he interested me extremely. 

 He showed a great knowledge of the country to the north of 

 Chad, consequently the nomad Tuaregs often entered into 

 his story. He told me that they are supposed by some to 

 be descended from the Saracens, a theory that is supported 



