236 Wanderi7tgs in Eastern Africa. 
not come to-day, and that we should have to sleep 
there for the night. To-morrow had not come yet. 
The idea of sleeping in that place made me shudder. 
The huts were all falling ; their framework had been 
devoured by white ants, and their loose thatch had 
become a nest for all kinds of vermin. Mosquitos, 
while the sun was yet high, were troublesome ; what 
would they be when the sun should set ? The whole 
place reeked with pestilential vapours. It was dark, 
dank, noisome ; everything forbade a night's lodging 
there. The moment we were assured the Gallas would 
not meet us that day we gave orders to return to 
Ngau. We were quickly paddled back again across 
the lake, shot through the narrow, rushing channel 
like an arrow into the river, and down this with the 
speed of a steamboat to the little village, the return 
occupying us only half an hour. 
We had had Httle food all day, and we returned to 
a very unsatisfactory supper. Pelican we did not 
care about a second time. We were in poor circum- 
stances. Still, be it observed, we had before us the 
precious prospect of to-morrow ! Of this we had never 
been bereft. Certainly if it had not been for the con- 
solations of the Gospel we could not have endured 
the discomfort and rebuffs with which we had met. 
Wednesday, i6th. — We thought of returning to the 
little rotten village over the lake early this morning; but 
our Wapokomo said, "Wait a Httle,until the sun has dis- 
persed the mosquitos." Good advice ; besides there was 
no necessity for being in such a hurry. While we were 
waiting in this way who should make his appearance 
but our long-lost Aba Rufat. We were exceedingly 
glad to see him, and he seemed equally glad to have. 
