to Katomba or Moene-mokaia, who stated that the leader was anxious for
advice as to crossing Lualaba and future movements. He supposed that
this river was seven days in front of him, and twelve days in front of
us. It is a puzzle from its north-westing and low level: it is possibly
Petherick's Bahr Ghazal. Could get no latitude.

_2nd February, 1870._--I propose to cross it, and buy an exploring
canoe, because I am recovering my strength; but we now climb over the
bold hills Bininango, and turn south-west towards Katomba to take
counsel: he knows more than anyone else about the country, and his
people being now scattered everywhere seeking ivory, I do not relish
their company.

_3rd February, 1870._--Caught in a drenching rain, which made me fain to
sit, exhausted as I was, under an umbrella for an hour trying to keep
the trunk dry. As I sat in the rain a little tree-frog, about half an
inch long, leaped on to a grassy leaf, and began a tune as loud as that
of many birds, and very sweet; it was surprising to hear so much music
out of so small a musician. I drank some rain-water as I felt faint--in
the paths it is now calf deep. I crossed a hundred yards of slush waist
deep in mid channel, and full of holes made by elephants' feet, the path
hedged in by reedy grass, often intertwined and very tripping. I
stripped off my clothes on reaching my hut in a village, and a fire
during night nearly dried them. At the same time I rubbed my legs with
palm oil, and in the morning had a delicious breakfast of sour goat's
milk and porridge.

_5th February, 1870._--The drenching told on me sorely, and it was
repeated after we had crossed the good-sized rivulets Mulunkula and many
villages, and I lay on an enormous boulder under a Muabé palm, and slept