Mokulu,
meet them, where the ceremony of blood-brotherhood
was enacted, and shrill screams of satisfaction announced
that their timidity was at last vanquished.
The town of Mokulu heard the good news, and the
great drums now sounded the intelligence around,
which presently were responded to with thunderous
booms from some other distant community, and thus
our intercourse with the wild Basoko commenced. CH A PTER X X IX .
UP THE BIYEKRE.
Yumbila returns with an interesting story—Slave kidnappers probably
from the Sondan—Skilful workmanship—Umaneh and Yakiii
Conical huts—The course of the river—Metropolitan Yambumba—
A sham famine—The rapids—Suppos'ed identity of the Biyerre and
Welle—Seasons for this opinion—Arabs in the neighbourhood
Again on the Congo. .
Y u m b il a , the guide, crossed over to Mokulu with his
newly-made blood-brother that evening. When he
returned the next morning he was radiant with
triumph. The white man had promised to reward
him for his signal services, and the Basoko had presented
him with two fine tusks of ivory, to show their
appreciation of his worth.
It may well be supposed that he gossiped until latfe
hours among the Basoko, satisfying them with abundant
information respecting the white men and the propelling
agencies that drove the smoke-boats so far up
against the current of the Congo. And evidently the
Basoko had something to say which smacked of tradition
and wonder.
Unfolding his budget, Yumbila informed us first of
1883. -
Nov. 16.
Mokulu.