e is
a post of the Trading Company of that name, and the two agents there
kindly extend hospitality to us. Some of the natives here show well
marked Semitic features and a few, oddly enough, have eyes shaped like
the Chinese. They are all ready to bring rations for the paddlers and
accept payment without comment. Indeed, the native never says "thank
you," but as he speedily lets you know when he is dissatisfied, silence
obviously means contentment. The Company has a rubber plantation and a
well kept farm with cows, pigs and sheep which live healthily here.

The Koto river is almost as large as the continuation of the Ubangi and
rises far away up north. Passing it we continue ascending between banks,
on which villages are practically continuous the whole way until we
reach Gumba, a large village on the French side with a hospitable Chief
and a mud guest house. In this we store the baggage and arrange to sleep
on the verandah which has fortunately a water-tight, roof for the almost
daily tornado happened to be of an unusually violent description. The
lightning is practically continuous and of a vivid, blinding green
colour; the thunder sounds as if whole streets have been struck and
knocked down, while the rain descends like the stream of a shower bath.

The Chief's house in this village is oblong, but at the two ends of the
roof, spire-like tops are affixed, similar to those on the rest of the
huts in the village. They are not ornamental nor useful, but interesting
as marking a native characteristic on a house copied from those in the
Government Posts.

Next morning it was still raining hard, so we waited in the dry without
anxiety, as we knew the journey to Yakoma would only take five or six
hours, but about 10 a.m. having emptied the canoes, which were full of
water, we arranged the baggage and made a start. Village succeeded
village, in which were numerous people elaborately decorated with beads
and paint, but not otherwise covered. All the Chiefs were well disposed
and presented eggs or chicken, and took the cloth or salt offered in
return without grumbling. About midday we reached the commencement of
the Yakoma village, which extends for some miles along the bank. Most of
the crew were evidently well known here and several lived in the
village. Their well-meaning friends therefore, jumped on to the canoes
as they passed or swam out to them and took the paddles and poles from
their tired comrades. With a greatly au