home. We gladly accepted his offer. As soon as
we had pitched our camp and had had supper, Charley and I with Aboh
accompanied Ombay and two of his best hunters, set off, and after going
a short distance in the woods, they told us if we would remain quiet, we
should certainly see a couple of Nshiegoes under their nests in two
trees close at hand. We kept perfectly quiet, scarcely daring to
breathe for nearly an hour, it seemed much longer, when out of the
forest came a creature which in the gloom looked almost as big as a man;
presently it began to cry out "hew, hew," when another creature appeared
of the same description. The first of these climbed up into one of the
trees, where he sat with an arm clasped round the stem, while his feet
rested on the lower branch, and his head reached quite up into the dome
of the roof, so that it served as a night cap at the same time. The
other Nshiego followed his example, and got into her abode, when, after
exchanging a few cries, which seemed as if they were wishing good-night
to each other, they both went to sleep. It seemed barbarous to
interrupt so much domestic felicity, but the natives would have thought
very little of us if we had not killed the Nshiegoes.

Accordingly Charley taking one, and I the other, we both fired, and both
the animals fell at the same time, and the blacks taking them up,
carried them back to the camp, where, by the light of the fire, we had
an opportunity of examining them. We found them just about four feet
high, with black skins. The back and shoulders had black hair two or
three inches long, while the rest of the body was covered with short,
thin, bluish hair, the top of the head being completely bald, the nose
was flat, and ears remarkably large; the chin was somewhat round, some
thin short hairs growing on it. As soon as we had done examining the
creatures, our black escort cut them up, although, I must have been very
hard pressed before I would have eaten any of the flesh.

"You think those big apes," observed Ombay, as we were marching along.
"If we keep a look-out, we may see some much larger. I must warn you if
you do see them to keep out of their way, for they can kill a man in a
moment."

As our escort were in no hurry, having once reached their own country,
we made but short journeys each day. Having hurried over our supper, we
set out as we had done the previous evening. Charley advised that we
should try and kill as much gam