s gourd is
completely realised. Thus, in time, we had all sorts of vegetables,
which contributed greatly to keep my companions in health, and to
restore my strength. Stanley's gun also supplied us amply with animal
food of the greatest variety, so that we were never on short allowance.
Igubo and his sons were expert fishermen, and caught as many fish as we
required. There were often more than we could eat fresh; the remainder
were sun or smoke-dried, and, hung up, kept for a considerable time.
The fishermen had to be careful not to fall into the jaws of crocodiles,
who were constantly on the watch; and thus they often had to beat a
rapid retreat to escape from the monsters.

Up to the time I am speaking of we had received no visits from the
inhabitants, but Stanley, in his more extensive shooting excursions, had
fallen in with a few, though the nearest village was about four miles
off. It was situated in a valley to the north of us. The people
appeared peaceably disposed. They seldom or never ventured far from
their homes, having the means of supporting life and abundance of game
round them. They also cultivated the soil sufficiently to obtain enough
vegetables for their wants. Stanley had won their friendship by making
them presents of birds and some animals, and in return they begged him
to accept a supply of manioc, which Mango and Paulo brought to us. They
look upon it as their staff of life, and as it is produced with very
little labour, it well suits their habits. Stanley described the
plantation which surrounded the village. The plants, he told me, grow
to the height of six feet, and the leaves are often cooked as a
vegetable; indeed, every part is useful. The roots are about four
inches in diameter and eighteen long. To cultivate it the earth is
formed into beds about three feet broad and one in height, and into
these pieces of the stalk are placed about four feet apart. In about
eight months, or sometimes rather more, the roots are fit to eat. There
are two sorts, I ought to say. One is sweet and wholesome, and fit to
eat when dried, and can at once be beaten into flour for making bread or
cakes; the other is bitter, and contains poison, but is more quickly fit
for food than the sweet sort. To get rid of the poison it is placed for
four days in water, when it becomes partly decomposed. It is then taken
out, stripped of the skin, and exposed to the sun. When thus dried it
is easily pounded int