else to give, retired with his posse to debate; whilst we derided the wild manners of these “bush-folk,” who feared to shake hands with us.  After an hour or so the council returned, clapped palms, sat clown, grumbled at the gift and gave formal leave to see the Yellala—­how the word now jarred in my ears after its abominable repetition!  Had these men been told a month before that a white would have paid for permission to visit what they considered common property, they would have refused belief:  with characteristic readiness, however, the moment they saw an opportunity of “making money,” they treated the novelty as a matter of course.

This palaver settled, the chiefs danced within a ring formed by their retainers; the speeches were all sung, not spoken; and obeisances and dustings of elaborate complexity concluded the eventful meeting, which broke up as it began with drum and Chingufu.  There was not a symptom of hospitality; we had preserved some provaunt from our last station, or we should have been famished.  My escort forgot their disappointments in a “ball,” which lasted through the cool, clear and dewy night till nearly dawn.  It is evidently a happy temperament which can dance off hunger and fatigue.

Chapter XIV.

The Yellala of the Congo.

At dawn (September 16), I began the short march leading to the Yellala.[FN#29] By stepping a few paces south of Nkulu, we had a fine view of the Borongwa ya Vivi, the lowest rapids, whose foaming slope contrasted 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 surface was studded with dark ant-hills of the mushroom shape; short sycomores appeared, and presently we came to rough gradients of stone, which severely tried the “jarrets.”  After an hour, we crossed at the trough-foot a brook of pure water, which, uniting with two others, turns to the north-east, and, tumbling over a little ledge, discharges itself into the main drain.  An ascent then led over a rounded hill with level summit, and precipitous face all steps and drops of rock, some of them six and seven feet high, opposed to the stream.  Another half hour, and a descent of 127 feet placed us under a stunted calabash, 100 feet above the water, and commanding a full view of the Yellala.