414 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXXXV. 
Thursday, Starting at a very early hour, we soon as- 
May 24th. qqj^^q^ hilly ground ; but, after we had pro- 
ceeded some miles, were greatly frightened by the 
sight of people on our right, when we three horsemen 
pursued them till we had driven them to the border 
of the lake. For this whole tract is so very unsafe, 
that a traveller may feel certain that the few people 
whom he meets on the road, unless they bear distinctly 
the character of travellers like himself, will betray him 
to some predatory band. Having proceeded about 
nine miles, we halted near an outlying creek of the 
lake, the water of which was fresh, although most of 
these creeks contain brackish water. When we con- 
tinued our march in the afternoon, we passed another 
creek, or rather a separate lake, and, winding along 
a narrow path made by the elephants, which are here 
very numerous, reached, after a march of a little more 
than ten miles, the leafy vale, or " henderi," of Kibbo, 
and encamped on the opposite margin. This locality 
is interesting, as constituting, apparently, the northern 
limit of the white ant. We, however, were prevented 
by the darkness from making use of the well, as these 
vales are full of wild beasts, and we were therefore 
oblio^ed to remain here the forenoon of the followinsr 
day, — a circumstance which was not displeasing to me, 
as I did not feel at all well, and was obliged to have 
recourse to my favourite remedy of tamarind- water. 
We pursued our march before the sun had attained its 
greatest power ; but met with frequent stoppages, the 
slaves of our Tebu companions, who were heavily laden 
