A Root Yielding A Grateful Bitter Was Used In Lieu Of
Hops, The Name Of Which I Have Forgotten; But The Corn Which Yields
The Wort Is The Holcus Spicatus Of Botanists.
Early in the morning (the 12th) I found that one of the elephant-
hunters had absconded with the money
He had received from me in part
of wages; and in order to prevent the other two from following his
example, I made them instantly fill their calabashes (or gourds)
with water; and as the sun rose, I entered the wilderness that
separates the kingdoms of Woolli and Bondou.
We continued our journey without stopping any more until noon, when
we came to a large tree, called by the natives neema taba. It had a
very singular appearance, being decorated with innumerable rags or
scraps of cloth, which persons travelling across the wilderness had
at different times tied to the branches, probably at first to inform
the traveller that water was to be found near it; but the custom has
been so greatly sanctioned by time, that nobody now presumes to pass
without hanging up something. I followed the example, and suspended
a handsome piece of cloth on one of the boughs; and being told that
either a well, or pool of water, was at no great distance, I ordered
the negroes to unload the asses, that we might give them corn, and
regale ourselves with the provisions we had brought. In the
meantime, I sent one of the elephant-hunters to look for the well,
intending, if water was to be obtained, to rest here for the night.
A pool was found, but the water was thick and muddy, and the negro
discovered near it the remains of a fire recently extinguished, and
the fragments of provisions, which afforded a proof that it had been
lately visited, either by travellers or banditti.
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