Identifier: journeytoashango01duch (find matches)
Title: A journey to Ashango-Land, and further penetration into equatorial Africa
Year: 1874 (1870s)
Authors: Du Chaillu, Paul B. (Paul Belloni), 1835-1903 Owen, Richard, 1804-1892
Subjects: Natural history Ethnology
Publisher: New York, Harper & brothers
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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their guns, but leftbehind their woollen-shirts and blankets, and every-thing that was not indispensible. We left Olenda at nine a.m., and pursued a N.-E.direction xmtil we struck the Ovigui river. Wehad to cross this on a bridge formed of a singletree-trunk lying about fifteen feet above the water.We passed it with some difficulty, nearly losing mycamera, owing to the timidity of the carrier whenhalf-way across. From the eastern bank of the riverthe path led to the foot of a high range of hills,which bounds the Ashira plain on this side. Atfour p.m. we encamped for the night on the banksof a small stream. In the evening we had a frightfulthunder-storm, and had to lie down for the night inwet clothes. December 2nd. Resumed our march at six a.m.The path lay along the western foot of the hillyrange, through a dense forest, the rich and variedfoliage of which was dripping with moisture. Nota sound was heard, as we trudged steadily along inIndian file. At nine oclock we came upon a beau-
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<< pqO o o Chap. V. OPANGANO PRAIRIE. 91 tiful prairie encircled by a wall of forest. Thisprairie was called Opangano. From it I had a clearview of the Ndgewho mountains. At ten oclockwe arrived at a Bakalai village. Like many of theprimitive villages of this warlike tribe, it was art-fully constructed for purposes of defence. The singlestreet was narrow, barred at each end by a gate, andthe houses had no doors in their outer walls. Thiswould effectually guard the place against nocturnalsurprise by other Bakalai with whom the villagersmight be at war. This mode of construction had alsoanother object, namely, to allow the people to killand plunder any party of traders whom they mightentice into the village and prevent from escapingby closing the two gates. The neighbouring tribes,especially the Ashiras, dread the power and treacheryof the Bakalai. The chief of the village was absent.I bought, fqjc a few beads, a quantity of smoke-driedwild hog of one of the inhabitants. Leaving t

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