294 
TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AI'RICA. 
life-giving element. Reluctantly we left^ but with, renewed vigour ; 
a rapid march of forty minutes was made,, the men in high spirits,, 
whilst the women zachareeted gaily. The briefest possible halt on 
the banks of a rivulet flowing in a westerly direction^ when at a good 
pace we proceeded for upwards of an hour and a half^ until our station 
— miscalled the Neambara^ but in reality Way o, in the Moro territory 
— was seen. Ere it could be reached,, the Bibio^ a river of consider- 
able breadth was forded j this done^ giving a loose rein to Luxor/^ 
encouraged by Petherick^ who could not on his donkey proceed in 
advance,, I gained the summit^ where stood in numbers the men of 
our station,, and those from a neighbouring one^ who had assembled 
to give us a hearty^ noisy^ firing, and even a musical, welcome. 
Petherick was soon surrounded, and with some difficulty way was 
made for our passage to the station, distant but a few hundred 
yards. Arrived there, we were conducted to the quarters prepared 
with much care for us. A lofty and well-ventilated tookul had been 
hastily erected ; it contained one spacious chamber and tw'o small 
ones. There was a neat tookul for Dr. Murie ; Eoxcroft had a 
similar one. There were convenient out-buildings. All these new 
erections were enclosed by a fence, so that, though isolated from 
the station, they still formed a part of it. The men must have 
worked well to have made these additions, as they were only ac- 
quainted with our probable advent when the porters were summoned 
from hence to bring us on. 
The following morning we sallied forth to the river forded the 
preceding evening. It is known as the Bibio, flowing northerly ; 
it is of considerable breath, and its channel rocky. Magnificent 
trees in full bloom adorned the banks. We were entranced with 
the beauty of the country, and would willingly have remained 
monfhs in the locality, but “ Onwards ! was the cry. 
