78 THE CONGO.
o an(^ kuk&nga. Indeed, if I understood rightly, the
uranga. natives of Irebu spoke as though it were possible to
travel from the Lukanga to the Mohindu or Buruki.
It is rash, however, to place too much reliance upon
these native statements, though it would not at all
surprise me to learn some day that a few days’ journey
inland on either the Mohindu or Lulungu there was a
labyrinthine system of liquid channels through a low
jungly forest, connecting the three rivers Ikelemba,
Lulungu, and Mohirfdu. A short journey up the
Ikelemba, we find the stream nearly impassable to
row-boats by the wide overhanging branches stretching
from either hank. Canoes, however, travel far inland,
if their crews are known to the aborigines, who seem
to be too free with their arrows. We experienced this
disposition of the aborigines on the Mohindu to make it
credible that on the Ikelemba they are equally averse
to strangers. The Congo tribes are civilised compared
to the natives dwelling on the hanks of the affluents.
The natives of Uranga came out breathlessly and
eagerly in their canoes with friendly hails; hut except
returning their greetings, and maintaining a
running fire of compliments and amenities, according
to the custom of warm friends, we could do no more,
as our journey would he protracted indefinitely if we
stayed at every populated district we saw.
Ascending the Lulungu a few miles, we turned
up a narrow channel connected with the Congo. The
latter river being bank-full, the shore and islands
were flooded, though here and there the mainland
THE TERRIBLE BANGALA. 79
showed places where the water had yet to rise two 1883.
. . . October 1*! feet before overflowing, which no doubt it would if uranga.
the watermarks on the trees are to he trusted. A
furious squall of wind and rain compelled us to seek
an early camp.
On the 19th we travelled all day along a forested
mainland, with palmy islets on our left, until, camping
a few miles below Bolombo, trading canoes bound
down river told us that Iboko was anxious to see us,
the Bangala having already heard of our coming.
The next day we stopped at Bolombo in N. lat.
1° 23'—forty-three hours’ steaming above Equator
station. I made a verbal treaty and blood-brotherhood
with the chiefs, hut there was a famine in Bolombo,
and the gifts were poor and scant. The people, however,
were very amiable, and as amicably inclined as
any we had met.
On the 21st of October, four hours above Bolombo, I
found myself at last in view of the Bangala—the terrible
fighters who pressed so hard upon us in 1877. The
country of the Bangala is called Iboko, though I did
not know it then. I have been told that they remember
the fight well, but rumour has varied greatly as to
their intentions. Some have told us that they have
vowed that if ever the Ibanza returns, they will dispute
every inch of the waterway with him. Mangombo of
Irebu told me that the lesson was so severe that the
Bangala had received, that I need only “ shake a stick
at them.” However the negotiations might end, it
cannot he denied that I felt some anxiety as the flotilla