me in plenty,
and food. What feasts we shall enjoy, what bowls of palm-wine."

It was very evident from this that although the prince wished to treat
us kindly, he fully intended to keep us well employed in his father's
service. By this time we had picked up a good many words of the
language of the people, and Aboh had also greatly improved in English,
so that we were much better able to understand what was said. Prince
Ombay was constantly describing to us the curious creatures of the
country, and among others he mentioned some huge apes which he said were
like wild men, and built houses for themselves in the trees, and were
almost as big as men.

When I expressed doubt on the subject, Ombay said he would show us the
houses, and the apes also. He called the animal "Nshiego." They did
not live in tribes, but generally in pairs, and that the male built a
house for himself, and the female for herself, close on a neighbouring
tree.

Next day as we were travelling along, through a thick part of the
forest, we came upon some shrubs bearing a pretty sort of wild berry.
Prince Ombay at once said we should find some Nshiegoes not far off. By
going a short distance from the travelling path, he pointed out what
looked like a huge umbrella fixed on a large bough, about twenty feet
from the ground, and close to it another of similar character, both the
trees being so far removed from each other that the boughs did not
touch.

"There are the houses," said the Prince. "But the Nshiegoes have either
gone out hunting, or hearing us coming have hidden themselves, you see
what wise fellows they are. No leopard or other savage beast can get up
to them, nor could a serpent climb the trunk of that tree, as it is too
large to be encircled by its body, while no boughs can fall from any
neighbouring tree on their heads."

Charley, who was very anxious to examine the roof, managed to throw some
stout vines over the bough, above which it was placed, by this means we
climbed up. No human beings could have made the roof more neatly. It
was constructed of thick leafy branches, secured together by vines, so
formed that it was capable of completely throwing off the rain. Ombay
told us that the male is the actual builder, while the female gathers
the boughs and vines, and brings them to him; and that he builds her
nest as well as his own.

As we were soon after this to pitch our camp, Ombay promised to show us
some of these apes at