370 THE NOCTURNAL MUSICIAN. 



that he intended to play all night to induce them to give him a 

 present. The nights being cold, the thermometer falling to 

 47°, with occasional fogs, he was asked if he was not afraid of 

 perishing from cold ; but, with the genuine spirit of an Italian 

 organ-grinder, he replied, " Oh, no ; I shall spend the night 

 with my white comrades in the big canoe ; I have often heard 

 of the white men, but have never seen them till now, and I 

 must sing and play well to them." Such a proposition was 

 dreadful. The situation was serious, as who may not imagine 

 who has been robbed of his needed slumber by the nocturnal 

 knights of the muse who infest all communities. It was an 

 occasion demanding action, and the treasures were opened as 

 eagerly as if to satisfy the covetous demands of an extortionate 

 chief, and the few yards of cloth were considered well spent 

 which were invested in buying the courteous visitor off from his 

 purpose. 



A range of hills, commencing opposite Senna, comes to within 

 two or three miles of Mboma village, and then runs in a north- 

 westerly direction; the principal hill is named Malawe; a num- 

 ber of villages stand on its tree-covered sides, and coal is found 

 cropping out in the rocks. The country improved as they 

 ascended, the rich valley becoming less swampy, and adorned 

 with a number of trees. 



Both banks were dotted with hippopotamus traps, over every 

 track which these animals have made in going up out of the 

 water to graze. The hippopotamus feeds on grass alone, and, 

 where there is any danger, only at night. Its enormous lips 

 act like a mowing-machine, and form a path of short-cropped 

 grass as it feeds. It is never seen to eat aquatic plants or reeds. 

 The tusks seem weapons of both offence and defence. The hip- 

 popotamus trap consists of a beam five or six feet long, armed 

 with a spear-head or hard-wood spike, covered with poison, and 

 suspended to a forked pole by acord, which, coming down to 

 the path, is held by a catch, to be set free when the beast treads 

 on it. Being wary brutes, they are still very numerous. One 

 got frightened by the ship as she was steaming close to the bank. 

 In its eager hurry to escape it rushed on shore, and ran directly 

 under a trap, when down came the heavy beam on its back, 

 driving the poisoned spear-head a foot deep into its flesh. In 



