Captain Casati. 375 the country from the seat of Komunda, one of Mdarama's chiefs, to the royal residence, which bears the king's name.

" All these little streams at the time of the greatest rains become quite large rivers with a very strong current. Till the end of May they are almost without water, " I am persuaded that Dr. Junker must now have reached Mdarama.

" The kingdom of Isolongo is traversed by numerous branches of the river Mbomu. To the east of that kingdom are the possessions of King Jedi with his capital Bambia. To the south of Mdarama lives King Jettua, the brother of the former, and still farther south lives King Malingde, where the governor of Bahr-el-Ghazal has a seriba for storing ivory. To the east of the Kings Mdarama and Jettua, lives King Mbio, and south of Malingde, across the river Blima, is the powerful tribe of Uanda. Continuing towards the south the Welle is met with, after crossing which one is in the midst of Monbuttu.

" Although King Mbio seems friendly, I have no faith in him, and I have advised Dr. Junker to be on his guard. King Uanda is a great enemy of the government of Monbuttu. I hope that Dr. Junker, by means of suitable gifts, will be able to cross his states without difficulty, the more because on his previous journey he sent a present to the king from Makraka. The son of King Uanda, having been pursued by his father, who wanted to kill him, took refuge with our troops camped in Monbuttu. Mbio is the uncle of Mdarama, but at present they are actual enemies. Uanda and Mbio are allied for defence or attack against Mdarama and the Government troops. I am now sending a governor to Monbuttu to try every means of making friends with Uanda, promising that no aggression will be made on his states. To tell the truth, I have little