The Yellala of the Congo . 293 
“ The boat that arrives at the Mwanza (the 
River) the same shall go up to the Yellala” 
(rapids). It is part of a chant which the mothers 
of men now old taught them in childhood, and the 
sole reminiscence of the Congo Expedition, whose 
double boats, the Ajojos of the Brazil, struck their 
rude minds half a century ago. 
These quitandas are attended by people living 
a dozen miles off, and they give names to the days, 
which consequently everywhere vary. Thus at 
Boma Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are 
respectively called “ Nke’nge,” “ Sona,” “ Kandu,” 
and “ Konzo.” This style of dividing time, which 
is common throughout Pagan West Africa, is 
commonly styled a week : thus the Abbe 
Proyart tells us that the Loango week consists of 
four days, and that on the fourth the men “ rest” 
by hunting and going to market. Tuckey also re¬ 
cognizes the “ week of four days,” opposed to the 
seven days* week of the Gold Coast. 
After half an hours run to the north-west my 
bearers, raising loud shouts of “ Alii ! vai sempre !” 
dashed into the market-place where about a hun¬ 
dred souls were assembled. The women rose in 
terror from their baskets and piles of vendibles; 
some began hastily to pack up, others threw them¬ 
selves into the bush. Order was soon restored by 
the interpreter; both sexes and all ages crowded 
round me with hootings of wonder, and, when 
