130 Seven Years in Central Africa. [Feb. 
a landmark for many miles east and west. I had a little tent 
with me which I made during my stay at Benguella, and I found 
that an extra inner lining of blue calico added greatly to my 
comfort. 
February ^th. — We reached Chivulu, where there is an inde- 
pendent native ruler. As I had to communicate with his town, I 
sent him a present of fifteen yards of calico, which was accepted. 
At Chivanda, a little further on, another independent ruler also 
accepted a similar present. 
Wi. — Arrived at Ohumbe, on the borders of the Bailundu 
country. 
STAY AT BAILUNDU. 
Most of my men belonged to this district, so I had to remain 
here as their guest for some days. They took me to their village, 
on the top of a high hill overlooking an immense stretch of 
country, and entertained me to the best of their ability with fowls, 
goats, and meal. Too much of such kindness, however, was 
rather embarrassing, as I was anxious to proceed on my journey 
to Bihe; so on the loth I succeeded with much difficulty in 
arousing my porters out of their houses, and managed to make 
a short march in the afternoon. Two days brought me to 
Chilume, where I found Mr. and Mrs. Sanders in good spirits. 
Here I paid off my Ohumbe men, intending to collect a fresh 
company of porters to take me on to Bihe ; but I did not get 
away from Bailundu until March 6th, and arrived at Belmonte, 
Bihe, on the loth. 
The journey had been so far a pleasant one, though many of 
the rivers were much swollen. On one occasion, on crossing one 
of them on the shoulders of one of my men, I looked down into 
the clear water, when about halfway across, and saw to my 
surprise that the man was balancing himself on a fallen tree, about 
the thickness of a person's arm, which appeared to form part of a 
submerged bridge over the river. My position was so ridiculous, 
and I so shook with laughter, that the man began to sway about, 
and finally losing his balance, we were both plunged into the 
river, with the sunken tree between us. He stupidly held on to 
my left foot so tenaciously that, but for a kick from my other, he 
might have drowned me. By swimming I was able to reach the 
other side safely. 
