15 TRAVELS IN AFRICA.

Lamina, the guide, who had given them to Mr. Dochard to keep for him, and who would no doubt demand them at Sego, it became absolutely necessary that they should be replaced. To effect this, Mr. Dochard despatched one of his men, accompanied by one of Lamina's, back to me, giving, as I before said, this account of all that had taken place since his leaving Samba Contaye up to the 7th of September.

In that short march he experienced all the difficulties which the state of the country at that time of the year, and the disposition of the natives, could possibly throw in his way to impede his progress. He appeared, however, thus far to have surmounted them all, and to have been going on as well as might be expected.

The men who came from him had taken more time to perform this journey than would have been necessary had they both been swimmers.

This was not the case, his own man did not swim at all, and the other could do so but badly. To obviate, therefore, a similar delay in his receiving the articles he required, I selected a man to replace the former, and having made a small parcel of the dollars, together with some amber and beads, secured well with tarpaulin, and provided the men with means of subsistence till they could overtake Mr. Dochard, I despatched them on the 21st of September.