TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XLIX 
its cherry -like fruit, called by the Shiiwa people a'bii- 
deje, was frequent. 
My young Shiiwa companion here called my at- 
tention to the honey-bird (cuculus indicator), called 
by his countrymen " shneter," and said to be a meta- 
morphosed old woman searching after her young son, 
and calling him by name, " Shneter, Shneter ! " All 
over Africa this little bird has given rise to a va- 
riety of the most curious tales, from the Hottentot 
country to the Somaul, and from the Somaul to the 
M61 
Having gone about five miles, we wanted to obtain 
a supply of water from a small hamlet of the name of 
Bagawu, which we saw on one side of our track ; but 
as soon as we approached the well, a decrepit old man 
rushed furiously out of his hut, as if we were about 
to steal his most valuable property, and ordered us 
away with the most threatening attitude. Such is 
the value of water in this dry region ! We there- 
fore continued our march, and could only account 
for the existence of this miserable village, by the 
extensive tract of cultivated ground which was spread 
about. 
We then entered a thick forest or jungle, with 
tall reeds, and showing numerous footprints of the 
giraffe, an animal not at all frequent in the popu- 
lous districts of Negroland. Further on, the path 
exhibited various signs of being a common thorough- 
fare for elephants. This animal further westward 
had not made itself remarkable, while its inveterate 
