and bathed his head with permanganate
of potassium and he was quite well next day. After this delay we
struggle on until just before dark we reached the worst rapid on the
river the Kandoko Falls, up which the canoes are lifted inch by inch.
Everything was already wet so the fact that a terrific tornado burst
before we could pitch the tents added but little to our discomfort.

On again at daybreak and after one or two ineffectual attempts to
negotiate the last strong rapid on this piece of the river we conquer it
and reach smooth water. In the course of the morning a canoe intercepts
us in which is a native dressed as a State capita and armed with a gun.
He says he has been sent by a white man to tell us not to sound our
tom-toms as it will attract the hostile tribe and they will attack our
camp. We ask for the letter for white men never send verbal messages by
natives and when it was not forthcoming became suspicious that our
visitor was spying our strength. We told him that we were peaceful
travellers, that we should beat our tom-toms as much as we liked and
camp where we wished and that if the tribe attacked us we should defend
ourselves. Probably our rifles made an impression for we were not
molested at all during the day and at night camped in the village of the
hostile tribe. Our paddlers indeed fraternised with the enemy, against
whom they would have been fighting if they had not been employed by us.

[Illustration: THE SULTAN OF DJABIR.]

The usual tornado burst in the night and we did not make a start until
7 a.m. when we continued up the river and passed several villages before
2 p.m. when Djabir came in sight. The view of the town from the distance
is very pretty indeed. In the centre is an old fort with four towers now
partly demolished and on each side the houses of the officials
stretching along the river bank. Here we land two hours afterwards and
feel that at last we shall have a night's rest without fear that our
habitation will be blown away or soaked with water.

FOOTNOTE:

[3] Now in the British Museum (Natural History).

CHAPTER VIII.

Across Uele.--Djabir to Ibembo.

Djabir is a disappointing place. Although very imposing from a distance
it is being rebuilt at present and at close quarters it becomes obvious
that some of the old houses are in a very bad state of repair. Some
welcome newspapers meet us here and I am delighted to learn that the
Government has passed the Licensing Bi