518 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
to bring me presents. I gave them a few beads in 
return, and they retired without alluding to the scene 
of the previous night. Shortly afterwards a messenger 
came from the father, to announce that he expected me 
that afternoon, and that he would send a boat to 
convey me to his village. Our encampment had fresh 
visitors, in the shape of some cobras, which the negroes 
declared to be venomous, and several black scorpions, 
from 4 to 4^ inches in length. One or two of the men 
were bitten by these disgusting reptiles, whose poison, 
however, produced no further mischief than violent 
pain and swelling of the parts affected. 
The Ambuellas were the first people I fell in with on 
my journey who did not conceal their plantations in 
the forest. Their fields under cultivation were all in 
the open, by the banks of the stream, and to this cause 
may be attributed their reputation as husbandmen. 
The inundations which occasionally occur leave deposits 
on the land of the richest kind, and the fields become 
thereby naturally manured. Although they do not, so 
to speak, irrigate the land—an operation which I never 
saw any African tribe practise—they nevertheless take 
the precaution, as I observed, of draining the ground by 
digging deep trenches beside their plantations. 
My occupations had so engaged me during the day 
that it was not till evening that I remembered the canoe 
which the Sova told me would be in waiting near the 
river to convey me to his village. On reaching the 
appointed spot my surprise was considerable at finding 
the frail skiff referred to manned by Opudo and Capeu, 
the two daughters of the chief! I do not consider 
myself a man of a particularly timid nature, but the 
sight of these two girls caused me some alarm. This 
was no time, however, for indulging in such feelings, so 
I stepped into the canoe, and settling myself down, 
gave the signal for departure. The dexterity of these 
young women was remarkable, and they soon cleared 
the little creek or canal which led into the river. The 
sun was fast nearing the horizon. The canoe sped 
swiftly through the open spaces left by the abundant 
