EXPLORATION OF THE KIBALI 329 



wax, some of which weighed no less than ten pounds ; but 

 substantial as they were, they never lasted more than two 

 days and sometimes not even that, having to be renewed at 

 the end of each day's journey. There was always a certain 

 amount of leakage going on, and I shall never forget the 

 anxiety with which I used to watch the water creeping inch 

 by inch above the floor-boards. Quasso sat in the stern 

 always bailing, and the only thing he had to bail with was 

 my large tin teapot. 



I found the Ira navigable for twelve miles, with an average 

 width of fifty yards. Its shores are uninhabited and it flows 

 through an open country of grass and bush, and the banks in 

 places have a scanty lining of trees. About six miles from 

 the post it makes a remarkable loop to the west, following 

 a chain of volcanic hills called Rangu-Rangu, which are some 

 600 ft. in height and run parallel to the right bank. They are 

 inhabited by the Logos, or Bauus as they are now more often 

 called. They were given the latter name by the Belgian 

 soldiers, mimicking the noise they made as they ran before 

 the strangers, which was like the howling of dogs. The 

 natives have now adopted it themselves, and if one is asked 

 the name of his tribe, he always replies " Bauu." Often on 

 our way we came upon numbers of elephants which, " so 

 unaccustomed to man," allowed us to approach quite close, 

 and it was a pretty sight to see them playing on the banks 

 and bathing in the water. 



Beyond the Rangu Hills, the river takes a sudden turn to 

 the south, and the country on both sides becomes very open, 

 with nothing but long grass intersected by numberless 

 elephant-paths. In places the banks are quite flat with low. 



