182 
TEAVELS IN CENTEAL AFETCA. 
August 13^A. — Feeling unsettled^, I determined to gather wild 
plants for our collection^ there were so many pretty ones in the 
locality. One shrub I vastly admired, and sketched a small bit of 
it. It grew to quite a large bush, and bore bright purple blossoms, 
with yellow petals and brown tips ; the leaves were of a delicate 
green. (See sketch.) 
August \4^th . — We had heard that the negro men would come 
forward as substitutes for their wives, but only in one or two 
instances did they. It was determined that we should make a start 
this day. PonceFs people have become impatient for our departure, 
as there is so little grain. A few bullocks had been purchased from 
Poncet^s agent, and some of these had been well trained by Signor 
Carlo to carry. These beasts obey well the rein, which is passed 
through the nose. Preparations were speedily commenced for the 
march. JickwFs brother Deradau was to act as guide. By the time 
the donkeys and oxen were laden, tents struck, and the loads ad- 
justed, it was four p.m. Of necessity the march would be but short. 
There were but forty porters, and when these were laden, there 
remained on the ground still many loads. The first detachment 
moved on, we remaining to cut down the baggage to a smaller 
compass. All luxuries were dispensed with j some tea we took, no 
sugar, a little coffee, and a few necessaries in case of illness. I 
filled three small bags with clothing, abandoning the remainder. 
The cook, Bechan, was hard to be appeased, shorn considerably of 
his culinary utensils — four tin plates, the same number of knives, 
spoons, and forks, a teapot, kettle, coffee-can, frying-pan and stew- 
pot, half a dozen cups of rhinoceros horn, were all he was permitted 
to take. Sheets and table linen were rejected, some packed. The 
remainder of our baggage was deposited in a large tookul in the 
