i84 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



After reaching camp I took thirty armed men, and 

 went in search of firewood and water. Water we 

 found within half a mile, but the firewood we wei'e 

 able to secure was of a most miserable quality ; and 

 as throughout the night the temperature was but 

 53° F., we suffered very much from lack of good 

 fires. In the early morning we awoke, eager to ascer- 

 tain whether the feelings of the Embe, as evinced on 

 the previous day, had undergone a change during 

 the night. 



The little compound in which we pitched our camp 

 had formerly contained goats. As it was not par- 

 ticularly strong or in good repair, we set most of our 

 men at work building it up, and making it strong in 

 appearance, at least. The spot where we were camped 

 was beautiful ; it was at the end of a small valley 

 hemmed in by gently sloping hills covered with velvety 

 green turf. Behind our camp were thick growths of 

 banana trees, and small patches given up to the culti- 

 vation of manioc, cassava, and yams. 



At eight o'clock two of the elders, who said they 

 were the proprietors of our camp, appeared and brought 

 with them a large gourd containing delicious honey, 

 also some sugar-cane and a bushel of millet. The 

 cane of the sugar grown there is not of good size, 

 and has a very poor flavour; the honey, however, of 

 the consistency of dough, was delicious. It was nearly 

 white in colour, and possessed a fine flavour. We loaded 

 our visitors with presents, after receiving which they 

 told us that the Embe wished to make blood-brothers 

 with us. This ceremony is termed by these people 

 " muma." We told them we were quite ready when 



