240 
TEAVELS IN CENTEAL AEEICA. 
crossed; tlie high grass eflPectually hid them from view and pre- 
vented any attempts on the part of onr men to stop them. While 
engaged in inflating the pnnt^ the negro whose load it was_, sud- 
denly sprang to his legs and attempted desertion. Four of our 
men seized him^ but^ his body slippery with oil_, they could retain 
no hold of him^ and he struggled so efiPectually that he got off. 
My wife and self rowed across in the punt. I estimated the ford 
at three hundred yards across, and how to proceed with the de- 
ficiency of so many porters became a serious question. All round 
a small plot of ground occupied by us the herbage was high and 
dense ; a large tree afforded shade, and in front was an open sheet 
of water, the surface of which, near the margin, was studded with 
flowering water-lilies. 
The name of this back-water of the Haugau is Lak. In the 
summer months it is reported to dry up. West of it is a village 
called Feirjulla. 
PonceFs men with some cattle here joined us, and as the latter 
were to proceed, I determined to send on all the remaining porters 
with Ibrahim, under an escort of forty-nine men. They were to 
go to the next village. PoncePs agent and twenty of my men 
remained with us to look after the dropped luggage. 
Ibrahim sent three of the leading negroes, deputed by the chiefs 
of as many villages, in charge of the porters, to return and beat 
up the fugitives, or obtain others in lieu of them. Our tent was 
pitched, and we determined to make ourselves as little uncomfort- 
able as possible for the night. Unfortunately the provisions had 
been inadvertently taken on, so that a little bread and water was 
all we were fortunate enough to muster. Several loads had been 
thrown away by the runaway negroes, amongst them a box contain- 
ing two large bottles of spirits, one nearly full of reptiles and insects. 
