CHAPTER X. 
TO THE MBIKA (HILL) ; THE SOURCES OF THE 
GABOON.-RETURN TO THE PLATEAU. 
OT yet despairing of a shot at or of 
capturing a “ poor relation,” I per¬ 
suaded Mr. Tippet to assemble the 
lieges and offer them double what was 
proposed at Mbata. No one, however, appeared 
sanguine of success, the anthropoid keeps his 
distance from the Fa n. A trip to the interior was 
suggested, first up the Mbokwe, and finally ar¬ 
ranged for the Londo River. Information about 
the country was, as usual, vague ; one man made 
the stream head two days off, the other a few 
hours, and Mr. Tippet’s mind fluctuated between 
fifty and one hundred miles. 
The party was easily assembled, and we set out 
at 7 a.m. on April 14th. I and Selim had the 
dignity of a “dingy” to ourselves: Mr. Tippet 
out of a little harem of twenty-five had chosen 
