204 



THE WET NIGHT. 



species ; the officinal varieties are too luscious, 

 cloying, and bilious to be sucked with impunity 

 by civilized man. After walking that day a total 

 of 16 miles, about 4 p. m. we were driven by a 

 violent storm of thunder, lightning, and raw 

 S. West wind, which at once lowered the mercury 

 several degrees, and caused the slaves to shudder 

 and whimper, into the Banda-ni or Palaver-house 

 of a large village. Our shelter consisted of a 

 thatched roof propped by rough uprights and 

 wanting walls : the floor was half mud, half 

 mould, and the furniture was represented by stone 

 slabs used as hones, and by hollowed logs once 

 bee-hives and now seats. The only tenants were 

 flies and mosquitos. We lighted fires to keep off 

 fevers : this precaution should never be neglected 

 by the African traveller, even during the closest 

 evenings of the tropical hot season. Our Baloch, 

 after the usual wrangle about rations, waxed me- 

 lancholy, shook their heads, and declared that 

 the Kausi, the S. West trade-wind that brings 

 the wet monsoon, was fast approaching, if, indeed, 

 it had not regularly set in. 



Sunday, February 15, dawned with one of 

 those steady little cataclysms, which to be seen 

 advantageously must be seen near the Line. At 

 11 A.M., thoroughly tired of the steaming Banda-ni, 



