LETTER FROM SIR R. G. HARVEY. 
267 
We ourselves arrived at Charra about 4.30, the only objects 
of interest we had seen being four or five hippopotami and two 
flights of whistling teal. Here we at once began to pitch camp 
and prepare for the mosquitos, as in a former trip here in 1885 
I had found them very bad. Indeed in no part of the world 
have I ever seen them worse. The enormous quantity of them 
is doubtless owing to the swampy nature of this part of the 
country, which is here most uninviting in every way. Twice 
a year for some months the whole country is actually under 
water, owing to the river overflowing its banks. 
We sat down to dinner at dusk, but the mosquitos soon 
appeared in vast numbers, and I was obliged to take refuge 011 
my bed inside the mosquito-curtains, lifting up the curtain 
very gingerly to admit of the plates for the different courses, 
which were handed me by my servant Sadalla, who was skip¬ 
ping gaily about, his movements considerably hastened by the 
mosquitos. 
The start the following morning at 7.30 was most unpro- 
pitious, at all events as regards the large canoe in which I was 
travelling, owing to my men’s ignorance of paddling; hut after 
one and a half hour’s hard work we came to a small Wa- 
kopomo village, where we secured the services of two regular 
boatmen. 
The following is the method of propelling boats on the Tana 
practised by the Wa-kopomo. One man sits in the stern with 
a paddle, with which he works the boat and steers, always 
keeping near the shore and slightly inclining towards the 
bank, so as to permit the other man, who stands in the 
bows, to punt, placing his pole on the bank and not in the 
water. The reason of this is that the lower part of the Tana 
is generally too deep for ordinary punting. 
We arrived at Golbanti about eight o’clock, and took up our 
quarters in the new mission-house, which had been erected 
since my former visit in consequence of the murder of the late 
Mr. and Mrs. Houghton by the Masai. It reflects great credit 
on the architect and builder, Mr. During. The windows are 
