EXPLORATION OF THE BAMINGI 187 



possible, for the sake of giving shelter to one's " boys," for 

 they will work all the better after with dry skins. 



This time we were kept in the tents till nearly seven 

 o'clock, when the rain ceased and we emerged dry from cover. 

 Then fires were lit, and as soon as their belhes were filled, 

 the " boys " were as cheery as ever. It was our first camp 

 on the new river, and we lay down satisfied with the day's 

 work, for though it had been arduous and the journey slow, 

 the hours had passed swiftly in the excitement of exploring 

 unknown regions, where the next step ever seems to be 

 going to land one on the brink of some discovery. 



The following day went by without much incident. No 

 human being was there to watch us pass, for the country is 

 uninhabited. The beauty of the scenery seemed enhanced 

 by the spirit of solitude brooding upon the long silver stretches 

 of the river that slipped silently past its banks, all muffled in 

 green. Thick-leaved bushes, hung with deep crimson berries, 

 rested their branches upon the full flood of the stream. 

 Where the river made a bend, the impinging banks became 

 steep and as high as 10 to 16 ft., and the green coverings fell 

 away to reveal the freshness of the red earth. 



So far, except for the stony-looking crocodiles, we had been 

 passing through the realms of Nature inanimate. Only once 

 or twice, when the screen of foliage gave way upon a view of 

 the open country beyond, were a few kob or a solitary water- 

 buck to be seen disappearing into the distant bush. And once 

 we surprised a pig that was grubbing under the thicket of a 

 ravine. The only diversion was caused by a flock of Egyptian 

 geese which swam for a long time ahead of the boats. Their 

 strange behaviour astonished us at first, for nothing would 



