262 TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
me to move forward. To remedy the former, at 
least as much as lay in my power, I despatched 
another messenger to Sego on the 9th of De- 
cember ; but to procure the necessary supplies 
without the arrival of vessels from the coast was 
impossible : I was therefore obliged to wait until 
all things should combine to render my moving- 
likely to be productive of any benefit. 
In addition to the deaths already mentioned 
since our arrival at Baquelle, wehad to deplore the 
loss of two of the most useful, and hitherto most 
healthy Europeans of the mission ; the one a ser- 
geant (Duffy), and the other a private (Dodds), 
of the royal African corps. Nearly all had suffered 
more or less from the effects of the rains which 
ceased about the latter end of October, leaving 
behind them, however, swamps and stagnant 
pools, not less deleterious in their effects on the 
constitution than the former, and certainly more 
immediately unpleasant, by the effluvia arising 
from such putrid reservoirs of the vegetable mat- 
ter, which in that country so profusely abounds 
in all low situations. 
Our animals too, particularly those not bred 
in the country, died rapidly. We had lost since 
our arrival three camels, six horses, and eight 
asses. 
We found much difficulty in procuring an 
adequate supply of provisions during the rains. 
