On hearing those roars, rendered more formidable by the darkness, Dick Sand thought with terror of the obstacles such encounters would present against Hercules’s enterprise, of the perils that menaced each of his steps.  And meanwhile if he himself should find an opportunity to flee, he would not hesitate.

Here are some notes taken by Dick Sand during this journey from the Coanza to Kazounde.  Twenty-five “marches” were employed to make this distance of two hundred and fifty miles, the “march” in the traders’ language being ten miles, halting by day and night.

From 25th to 27th April.—­Saw a village surrounded by walls of reeds, eight or nine feet high.  Fields cultivated with maize, beans, “sorghas” and various arachides.  Two blacks seized and made prisoners.  Fifteen killed.  Population fled.

The next day crossed an impetuous river, one hundred and fifty yards wide.  Floating bridge, formed of trunks of trees, fastened with lianes.  Piles half broken.  Two women, tied to the same fork, precipitated into the water.  One was carrying her little child.  The waters are disturbed and become stained with blood.  Crocodiles glide between the parts of the bridge.  There is danger of stepping into their open mouths.

April 28th.—­Crossed a forest of bauhiniers.  Trees of straight timber—­those which furnish the iron wood for the Portuguese.

Heavy rain.  Earth wet.  March extremely painful.

Perceived, toward the center of the convoy, poor Nan, carrying a little negro child in her arms.  She drags herself along with difficulty.  The slave chained with her limps, and the blood flows from her shoulder, torn by lashes from the whip.

In the evening camped under an enormous baobab with white flowers and a light green foliage.

During the night roars of lions and leopards.  Shots fired by one of the natives at a panther.  What has become of Hercules?

April 29th and 30th.—­First colds of what they call the African winter.  Dew very abundant.  End of the rainy season with the month of April; it commences with the month of November.  Plains still largely inundated.  East winds which check perspiration and renders one more liable to take the marsh fevers.

No trace of Mrs. Weldon, nor of Mr. Benedict.  Where would they take them, if not to Kazounde?  They must have followed the road of the caravan and preceded us.  I am eaten up with anxiety.  Little Jack must be seized again with the fever in this unhealthy region.  But does he still live?

From May 1st to May 6th.—­Crossed, with several halting-places, long plains, which evaporation has not been able to dry up.  Water everywhere up to the waist.  Myriads of leeches adhering to the skin.  We must march for all that.  On some elevations that emerge are lotus and papyrus.  At the bottom, under the water, other plants, with large cabbage leaves, on which the feet slip, which occasions numerous falls.