OUR JOUENEY UP THE UBANGUI 247 



each four yards] of red^ flannel which, by-the-bye, is 

 one of the best trade goods that can be taken on an ex- 

 pedition of this kind. The " boys " 

 were dehghted with it, for their 

 clothes were by now reduced to the 

 scantiest rags and the nights and 

 mornings had suddenly become 

 cold. It was the end of the rains 

 in this region, the last having 

 fallen on December 15 ; then fol- 

 lowed dense fogs in the early morn- 

 ings, with the thermometer between 

 59° and 60°. 



When Christmas day arrived 

 our great want was meat to make 

 merry with, and Gosling proved a 

 proper sort of Santa Claus when he 

 came into camp with a fine water- 

 buck. So all were in the best of 

 spirits, which were raised still further 

 when the chief of the village 

 brought in six calabashes of palm wine, a drink the 

 " boys " dearly loved. We made our feast off the water- 

 buck near a blazing fire and toasted each other in the palm 

 wine, which was fresh and so had a sparkle that we tried to 

 believe made it not unlike champagne. Our talk naturally 

 went back to our last Christmas at Kaddai, and then forward 

 to the next, which at this time we fondly believed we should 

 be spending at home. 



The " boys " had prepared a surprise to follow the 



YAKOMA QIEL WEAEING 

 TRESSES OF TWINE 



