23S 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
every appearance of an approaching deluge of 
rain, blew off without a drop. It was about six p. m. 
when our situation became extremely unpleasant, 
not to say alarming. The animals had no water 
since the 7th, and the men who had but a scanty 
supply on the 8th, had none at all on that day, 
the 9th, and how to procure it without proceed- 
ing to extremities alone remained to be decided 
upon. I had too many invalids and weak animals 
to authorize my forcing my way to Baquelle with 
such incumbrances and in absolute want of wa- 
ter 5 and to destroy either the whole or even a 
proportion of my baggage and animals, was an 
act which I conceived should be my last resource. 
In this dilemma I determined on going myself 
to Baquelle, in order to obtain twenty or thirty 
men from the French vessels then there, and 
return with them immediately, either to force 
our way to that place, or, by the appearance of 
such a reinforcement, to intimidate the natives 
into compliance with my wishes. I left Mr. 
Partarrieau in command of the party, with direc- 
tions to endeavour by any means to keep those 
people at arm's length, and procure a supply of 
water until my return, which I settled should be 
at a late hour on the evening of the 12th. I 
was accompanied by two of the native soldiers. 
We left the camp at half after seven, and, hav- 
ing passed two villages during the night and an- 
