go with them, but he preferred waiting for my return from the west. We
now resolved to go due north; he to buy ivory, and I to reach another
part of the Lualaba and buy a canoe.

Wherever the dense primeval forest has been cleared off by man, gigantic
grasses usurp the clearances. None of the sylvan vegetation can stand
the annual grass-burnings except a species of Bauhinia, and occasionally
a large tree which sends out new wood below the burned places. The
parrots build thereon, and the men make a stair up 150 feet by tying
climbing plants (called Binayoba) around, at about four feet distance,
as steps: near the confluence of the Luamo, men build huts on this same
species of tree for safety against the arrows of their enemies.

_21st December, 1869._--The strong thick grass of the clearances dries
down to the roots at the surface of the soil, and fire does it no harm.
Though a few of the great old burly giants brave the fires, none of the
climbers do: they disappear, but the plants themselves are brought out
of the forests and ranged along the plantations like wire fences to keep
wild beasts off; the poles of these vegetable wire hedges often take
root, as also those in stages for maize.

_22nd, 23rd, and 24th December, 1869._--Mohamad presented a goat to be
eaten on our Christmas. I got large copper bracelets made of my copper
by Manyuema smiths, for they are considered very valuable, and have
driven iron bracelets quite out of fashion.

_25th December, 1869._--We start immediately after Christmas: I must try
with all my might to finish my exploration before next Christmas.

_26th December, 1869._--I get fever severely, and was down all day, but