The woman Bacheeta had told the natives that we were separate
parties.
"A severe attack of fever prevented me from starting. This terrible
complaint worries me sadly, as I have no quinine."
"FEB. 10th.--The woman Fadeela died of fever. I am rather better, and
the chief is already here to escort us to Kamrasi. After a quick march
of three hours through immense woods, we reached the capital--a large
village of grass huts, situated on a barren slope. We were ferried
across a river in large canoes, capable of carrying fifty men, but
formed of a single tree upwards of four feet wide. Kamrasi was reported
to be in his residence on the opposite side; but, upon our arrival at
the south bank, we found ourselves thoroughly deceived. We were upon a
miserable flat, level with the river, and in the wet season forming a
marsh at the junction with the Kafoor river with the Somerset. The
latter river bounded the flat on the east, very wide and sluggish, and
much overgrown with papyrus and lotus. The river we had just crossed was
the Kafoor; it was perfectly dead water, and about eighty yards wide,
including the beds of papyrus on either side. We were shown some filthy
huts that were to form our camp. The spot was swarming with mosquitoes,
and we had nothing to eat except a few fowls that I had brought with me.
Pages:
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458