304 
TEAVELS IN CENTEAL AFEICA. 
N.N.W. to S.S.E. At noon a water-pool was reached, where we 
rested during the great heat of the day. Trees bearing magnificent 
scarlet blossoms, without foliage, were conspicuous ; also the trees 
which the Arabs call Cooke, with its two-feet-in-length seed-pods. 
These are eaten greedily by elephants and monkeys. Our way 
now wound up a pathless ravine most difficult of ascent, and many 
were the bleeding feet I saw, cut by the fragments of scattered 
stones. In little more than an hour we crossed a wild mountain 
stream, and then encamped, almost too weary to enjoy the grand 
beauty of the prospect surrounding us. Murie was delighted, as 
the scenery reminded him of the Trossachs. 
February \hth . — We suffered much from the cold during the 
night, at an altitude we were unaccustomed to; and at six a.m. 
gladly resumed the march, descending a narrow gorge of just width 
sufficent to permit a donkey laden only on the top of his back, not 
at the sides, to pass; the defile was rugged in the extreme, and 
dangerous, for in parts huge granite boulders encumbered the 
path. But a plain was entered, thickly covered with low hush, 
and we went on our way, soon to meet a happy surprise. Ad- 
vancing towards us a long line of men appeared, marching in single 
file, who shouted and fired, alarming me for a moment ; but they 
proved to be a party of our men, who had recently arrived at Gon- 
dokoro from Khartoum, and, fearing some evil had befallen us, 
were then coming in search. How wild and extravagant were the 
greetings ! To me it seemed as if they had believed they never 
more were to have seen us. It will be remembered that when our 
disabled boats left Aboo Kuka, or Lolnun, for Khartoum, they 
were there to be replenished with stores, and at the close of the 
year to proceed to Gondokoro. Prior to the departure of the boats 
