2(34 
TRAVELS m CENTRAL AFRICA. 
iis to proceed in the afternoon ; but she could partake of nothing, 
and at three p.m. the unmistakable symptoms of a sharp attack 
of ague rendered encampment for the night unavoidable. Under 
the circumstances, not being aware of the presence of a village 
in the immediate neighbourhood, and from scarcity of food in the 
possession of our men, I retained a dozen only of them with us, 
and sent the remainder with the porters to Neangara, with instruc- 
tions for a portion of them to return for us in the morning. The 
insufficient space between the rocks and the shallowness of the soil 
precluding the driving of its pegs, our tent could not be pitched ; 
so the Doctor gave up his, which a couple of trees served to 
sustain, for the use of my poor suffering wife, and two small 
tents of Major Rhodes^ design served for the Doctor and myself. 
November — Ague had left its never-failing successor, great 
debility, behind; but on the arrival of our men, my wife^s usual 
courage enabled her to make the necessary effort to mount and 
proceed. The chiefs eldest son, about twenty-three years of age, 
preeeded . our men from Neangara to act as guide, and after 
welcoming us cordially and shaking our hands, he cheerfully led 
us on our way. His countenance seemed open and confiding, and 
the ever-ready smile which played upon it gained our confidenee. 
The only peculiarity in his dress, if a few ornaments can be con- 
strued worthy of the denomination, consisted in a quantity of 
various coloured beads, the majority green and blue, strung on 
every tuft of hair he could devote to the purpose ; and a novelty 
of several necklaces of goats^ teeth, upon his black skin, made a 
conspicuous and not ill-looking bauble. Leaving our nest of rocks, 
that had harboured us from the sun and occasional blasts of a 
cutting north-east wind, we entered thick bush, from which we 
