toucans, razor-bills and serpent birds are keeping very
badly but those of the monkeys, leopards and antelopes are in better
condition. It is however, doubtful if they will last, for to preserve
them it is necessary to hang them out in the sun every day which is
obviously impossible when travelling. As a small native war is in
progress higher up the Uele, Mr. Van Luttens kindly arranges to
accompany us for the first three days in order to ensure that relays of
paddlers shall be forthcoming for many of those gentlemen have forsaken
the wooden blade for the iron lance. We are therefore a large party on
October 23rd when we leave Yakoma in a drizzling rain, the remains of
the usual nightly tornado. Although the paddlers wear no clothes and do
not hesitate to jump into the water at any moment it is curious that
they dislike rain very much and never work so well as when a hot sun is
shining. The least diminution of temperature indeed affects them very
much and they sit drowsily over the fire hugging themselves, being
aroused to action only with difficulty. We number now about two hundred
including the thirty soldiers and armed capitas, but as the current is
not very strong we make good headway through somewhat flat and
uninteresting country until we arrive at Prekissa, a large village on
the north bank of the Uele.

Here we were received by the Chief of the Abira tribe, a great potentate
who sat in a long hammock chair surrounded by courtiers and ministers
squatting on the ground and holding spears of state on each side of him.
Having welcomed us he escorted us through the village which is of great
extent and well arranged. Opposite his square hut or palace is the Guard
House in which are a few soldiers armed with cap-guns for he has some
independent authority and the power of life and death in certain limited
cases. Behind the palace are many rows of round huts close together. Not
a soul is visible or a sound heard for these are the quarters of the
wives of the Chief and except the official lady who acts as legal queen
none are presented to the white men. The present Chief is a keen
commercial man and understands the advantage of being on good terms with
the Slate for he has a large rubber plantation and also works metals.
The blast furnace is most interesting. It is simply a pit about two
feet wide and deep formed by banking up clay and earth for several feet
around which has been dried by the great heat of the furnace int