Before We Reach Njole I Recognise My Crew Have Got The
Grumbles, And At Once Inquire Into The Reason.
M'bo sadly informs
me that "they no got chop," having been provided only with plantain,
and no meat or fish to eat with it.
I promise to get them plenty at
Njole, and contentment settles on the crew, and they sing. After
about three hours we reach Njole, and I proceed to interview the
authorities. Dr. Pelessier is away down river, and the two
gentlemen in charge don't understand English; but Pierre translates,
and the letter which M. Forget has kindly written for me explains
things and so the palaver ends satisfactorily, after a long talk.
First, the official says he does not like to take the responsibility
of allowing me to endanger myself in those rapids. I explain I will
not hold any one responsible but myself, and I urge that a lady has
been up before, a Mme. Quinee. He says "Yes, that is true, but
Madame had with her a husband and many men, whereas I am alone and
have only eight Igalwas and not Adoomas, the proper crew for the
rapids, and they are away up river now with the convoy." "True, oh
King!" I answer, "but Madame Quinee went right up to Lestourville,
whereas I only want to go sufficiently high up the rapids to get
typical fish. And these Igalwas are great men at canoe work, and
can go in a canoe anywhere that any mortal man can go" - this to
cheer up my Igalwa interpreter - "and as for the husband, neither the
Royal Geographical Society's list, in their 'Hints to Travellers,'
nor Messrs.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 143 of 705
Words from 39229 to 39508
of 194943
