ViVi TO ISANGILA. Sl 
the descent towatds the Congo became a terrible glissade 
and soon I was thoroughly, hopelessly wet through as 1 
half ran, half waded along the swampy paths, while a. 
continuous sheet of water acted on me like a shower-bath. 
At last I turned a corner round the hillside I was des- 
cending, and there, conspicuous on a rising mound, was 
the station of Isangila. The path changed into a broad 
eauseway, up which I walked, feeling, now that I was no 
longer in the wilds, somewhat embarrassed by my dis- 
reputable appearance. However it was absolutely neces- — 
sary to change my clothes in order to avoid a rheumatic 
attack, so I hastened to present myself to the chief of the 
station, who fortunately would not wait for an explanation, 
but hurried me off to a room, and busied himself so 
effectively in serving out fresh garments, and in pre- 
paring a hot bath, that before many minutes were past, I 
had quickly peeled off my soaked clothes, and had washed 
and clothed myself in dry, if somewhat expansive, habili- 
ments. Iwas seated at a comfortable repast, and drinking 
endless cups of hot coffee as one by one my bedraggled 
men came in, their burdens terribly soaked... I spent the 
remainder of the day in learning the worst, but fortunately 
although so unprotected my luggage had very little 
suffered within. The rain, which had begun at six this 
‘morning, lasted for twelve hours without intermission ; a 
thoroughly hopeless, drenching, furious, persistent down- 
pour, and not at all the violent, but fleeting thunder- 
shower one imagines so characteristic of the tropics. 
