274 FROM THE NIGEE TO THE NILE 



bush when I heard him cry out to me, almost painfully. 

 On reaching him he said, "I have got blackwater." Alas! 

 it was only too true ; there is no mistaking the symptoms. 

 The start was made in depressing silence, for both knew 

 that his case would be most serious, coming as it did 

 after the arduous work of the last two years when fever 

 and poor hving had tried his constitution. Fortunately we 

 had not far to go ; another ten minutes brought us to the 

 little village of Basinga, or Pompari as it was formerly 

 known. It was a squalid place, and only a small hut 

 could be found. Our camp beds had long ago given way, 

 but I was lucky in finding some dry grass to make his bed 

 soft. In our box of medical comforts there was one tin of 

 Benger's Food left and our last four pint-bottles of champagne 

 which we had saved carefully since leaving Nigeria. I 

 firmly believe that they saved Gosling's life ; as I supported 

 him and watched him take the cup in both hands and eagerly 

 drink it up I could see his strength revive in him, and I felt 

 that these little bottles which had come safely through the 

 risks of 4000 miles held the most precious thing in the whole 

 world. The attack was an obstinate one, lasting five days, 

 or just double the usual time. I did not leave his side day or 

 night till the change came on the 23rd. For treatment I could 

 do nothing but administer a strong dose of calomel, keep up 

 a constant apphcation of the hot-water bottle to the region of 

 the liver, and give plenty of tea to drink. 



This terrible disease which proves fatal in so many cases 

 is not painful, except for the vomiting in the early stages, 

 which, of course, is very distressing. After that, extreme 

 lassitude sets in and the patient grows weaker and weaker 



