338 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



I now changed my plans and trekked across country a 

 two days' journey to gain the main road to Yei, a distance of 

 eight days in all from N'soro, 



The rise along the Yei road is so gradual that I was 

 greatly surprised when near Aba suddenly to behold the 

 huge panorama of the Congo-Nile watershed. Behind me 

 to the south lay the dark green vastness of the Congo forests, 

 the monotony of which was here and there relieved by wind- 

 ing partings in its surface that told the courses of rivers. 

 On either side and to the north stretched endless plain with 

 occasionally a lonely hill, and far away to the east appeared 

 the sharp peaks of a sierra chain. 



On October 13 I arrived at Yei, a fine Belgian post within 

 five days of Redjaf on the Nile. I was met outside the 

 station by Captain Groebel and two other ofiicers who brought 

 me to the Commandant Superieur, Baron de Villiers-Perrin, 

 who received me most kindly, saying : "I congratulate 

 you on your great journey." 



Before leaving the Congo I will take the opportunity of 

 saying a few words on the Belgian Administration which my 

 prolonged stay in the country gave me many chances of 

 studying. My observations, of course, only apply to the 

 country through which I passed, which was the Welle region 

 and the Lado Enclave, where the Belgian posts are numerous. 



As a traveller it was always my object to get away from 

 the influence of the posts as much as possible, and most of 

 my time was spent in distant villages in the forest, where I 

 went to make collections. After a short time I invariably 

 gained the confidence of the natives, and I had many talks 

 with the chiefs. I will cite one as an example. I asked a 



