CHAPTER XIV. 
THE YELLALA OF THE CONGO. 
T dawn (September 16), I began the 
short march leading to the Yellala. 1 By 
stepping a few paces south of Nkulu, 
we had a fine view of the Borongwa ya 
Vivi, the lowest rapids, whose foaming slope con¬ 
trasted well with the broad, smooth basin beyond. 
Palabala, the village of Nekorado on the other 
side of the stream, bore south (Mag.), still serving 
as a landmark ; and in this direction the ridges 
were crowned with palm orchards and settlements. 
But the great Yellala was hidden by the hill- 
shoulder. 
We at once fell into a descent of some 890 feet, 
which occupied an hour. The ground was red 
iron-clay, greasy and slippery ; dew-dripping grass, 
twelve to fifteen feet tall, lined the path ; the sur¬ 
face was studded with dark ant-hills of the mush- 
2 See frontispiece. 
