Similar Extensive Flats
Give Birth To The Loeti And Kasai, And, As We Shall See Further On,
All The Rivers Of An Extensive Region Owe Their Origin To Oozing Bogs,
And Not To Fountains.
When released from our island by the rain ceasing, we marched on
till we came to a ridge of dry inhabited land in the N.W.
The inhabitants, according to custom, lent us the roofs of some huts
to save the men the trouble of booth-making.
I suspect that the story
in Park's "Travels", of the men lifting up the hut to place it on the lion,
referred to the roof only. We leave them for the villagers to replace
at their leisure. No payment is expected for the use of them.
By night it rained so copiously that all our beds were flooded from below;
and from this time forth we always made a furrow round each booth,
and used the earth to raise our sleeping-places. My men turned out
to work in the wet most willingly; indeed, they always did.
I could not but contrast their conduct with that of Intemese.
He was thoroughly imbued with the slave spirit, and lied on all occasions
without compunction. Untruthfulness is a sort of refuge
for the weak and oppressed. We expected to move on the 4th,
but he declared that we were so near Katema's, if we did not send forward
to apprise that chief of our approach, he would certainly impose a fine.
It rained the whole day, so we were reconciled to the delay; but on Sunday,
the 5th, he let us know that we were still two days distant from Katema.
We unfortunately could not manage without him, for the country was so deluged,
we should have been brought to a halt before we went many miles
by some deep valley, every one of which was full of water.
Intemese continued to plait his basket with all his might, and would not come
to our religious service.
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