Chap. XXXIII. UNSAFE WILDERNESS. 
401 
the mountain chain was still visible, with a glance 
now and then at the Mindif and Kamalle. Sud- 
denly there was visible on this side a river from 
thirty to forty yards broad, and inclosed by banks 
about twelve feet high, with a considerable body of 
water, flowing through the fine but desolate plain in 
a northerly direction, but with a very winding course 
and a moderate current ; and it henceforth continued 
on our side, — sometimes approaching, at others re- 
ceding, and affording an agreeable cool draught, in- 
stead of the unwholesome stagnant water from the 
pools, impregnated with vegetable matter, and very 
often full of worms, and forming certainly one of the 
chief causes of disease to the foreign traveller. In 
this part of the forest the karage was the most com- 
mon tree, while besides it there was a considerable 
variety, — the toso or kadena, the korawa, the ka- 
biiwi, the zfndi, and the acacia-like paipaya ; the fruit 
of the toso, or rather its thin pulp, and the beauti- 
ful cream-fruit of the gonda-bush (Annona pains- 
tris?) remaining our favourite dainties. 
Suddenly the spirit of our little troop was roused ; 
some naked pagans were discovered in the bushes near 
the stream, and so long as it was uncertain whether 
or not they were accompanied by a greater number, 
my companions were in a state of fright ; but as 
soon as it was ascertained that the black strangers 
were but few, they wanted to rush upon and cap- 
ture them as slaves ; but Ibrahima, with a dignified 
air, cried out, " imana, imana," intimating that the 
vol. n. D D 
