Chapter VI. 
profoundly convinced that to go towards the Congo was 
equivalent to going to meet certain death. It was only too 
natural that, with these feelings, they should show extreme 
reluctance to following the Prince westward. 
On the morning of the 15th June, there were only nine 
Bakonjo at Bujongolo, hardly a sufficient number, with the 
addition of the four guides and Botta, to carry the kit of 
the Duke, now reduced to absolute necessities and rations for 
a few days. At the last moment the natives put forward a 
claim to being paid every day, and the Duke of the Abruzzi 
was obliged to load himself with a not inconsiderable weight 
of rupees. 
Finally, about eight o’clock, as no other excuse for fresh 
delay was available, they started from camp in brilliant sun¬ 
shine. First they went up the little valley which, as we saw, 
opens on the right-hand side of the Mobuku, near to 
Bujongolo. They followed the line of the small torrent, 
crossing from one bank to the other, and so reached the 
top of the spur, and came into a valley formed by a 
torrent fed from the southern glaciers of Kiyanja. This is 
the same torrent which forms the picturesque waterfall on 
the right slope of the plain of Buamba. Close to the head 
of the little valley are two projecting rocks forming natural 
shelters, similar to those of Kichuchu and Buamba. 
The ground was drenched with the rain which had fallen 
during the preceding days, and after an hour’s march everyone 
was wet to the skin, and covered with mud. The march was 
tiring, because at every few steps you slipped or sank into the 
mud. The porters were suspicious of the unknown country 
towards which their steps were directed, and proceeded 
unwillingly, with exasperating slowness. They had stopped 
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