New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-09


wide stream; but "a il suddenly leaves the sea, IL
takes tire name Of Rombo-I Then; for thirty niles
runs in an eastern direction, then in northeasery u-
rection for twenty five miles, then Tor Tour mice pp,
town of the Renibo River, and was welcomed oy mug
QueDguza. Goumbee Is ninety.two mules from ns
mouth. For more than hall way ap the kemoo, Tue
country az overfowed and for the first twenty miles
enc coud hardly find dry land on which put bis feet
but az the streams take northeastern direction the
country becomes more bill y; aud toward GonmOee
has almost heappesrance OF mountainous region Dus
between these bills, along the banks OF the river, eVeo
higher up when the stream flows through the magnll-
mountains there are broad valleys which are over
flowed during the rainy season; when the dry season
returns the retiring sediment and much OF
decaying matters which in the drying process must IN
such hot climate give fever IN these MOUNTAINOUS
regions. But these cannot be so frequent nor
their forms 80 dangerous those Oh the SEQ shore
where the mixture OF fresh and stagnsnt salt water
makes the climate Of Western Africa one so unhealthy
left Goumbee accompanied by toe King, and we as-
cended the narrow Rembo follow ed by more than two
hundred and Atty men. From Goumbee we assembled
the stream for eighteen miles in eastnorth-east d.
rection when we came TO the junction Of the 0vengs
and Eiembay which, after uniting, takes the Of
Rembo The Eiembay is q shallow lake rather than
river. We ascended the Ovenga, which, though mar
row. is very Deep and has very strong current but
Is far from being as trong as the Ogooay We as
cended the OyeDga for forty miles, until We came to
the Ofeubou. The frat twenty miles were IN north
east direction, then i've miles southeast, when the
river became very crooked, running sometimes cast
sometimes SOUTH sometimes north, out MAKING on the
whole south-east-ty-e direction TOT tne isst i1oeh
miles. From the Ofonbou we assembled the OVenga
for twenty five miles i'll northeast direction then
five miles north west and then We assembled the
stresm northeast for fifty miles more, until II
became 30 narrow and the current so strong
that We could not manage our canoe easily. Inc
Ovenea, the headwsters Of the Fernand-Faz
takes its source in the Asbankolo Mountains.
The Ofoubou is a small stream, running In south and
southwestern direction, taking It's source IN The iou
bon Orere mountains in the Ashira country. Along
the banks of the Ovenea stad FIX montns and during
that time made the finest collection Of birds have
ever collected in Africa. While making that collection
had enty five attacks OF fever These feyerS were
partly caused by the great hardships encountered
having hunted and travelled during these SIX months
2COO niles OH foot and than 200 miles by Canoes
and having suffered hunger day after day, with no
shelter, and wet night after night many times lhere
hunted after the Gorilla. From the Ofoubou rivers
and the OveDga was fairly in the mountains OF Kong;
then leaving that country, travelled by Hand through
an unbroken forest and mountainous country, aud
after journey of thirty mlles east, reached the
Ashr prairiee the finest region have in Africa.
II is inhabited by the Ashira tribe, OF the finest
tribes have seen anywhere. Contrary to all my
former and latter observations, L found that the ne
groes Of the mountainous regions were not 80 black
as those Of the plain, Of the seashore The Ashra
are very black, and form quite contrast Ia COM
plexion with the numerous tribes surrounding them
The Ashra caltyate tobacco extensively aud carry Oh
an immense trade In that article with other tribes
They also cultivate cotton but do not make cloth.
Peat nuts plantain, and manioe also extensively
cultivated. From these prres could see IN the far
distance the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Mountains, de-
taching themselves from the Kong; this later FOL
lowing the southern direction, while the Nkoomoo~
Nabouslee westward. 1hese mountains, whose
fantastic peaks rose in the heavens and the blue out
lines Of which could only see, were indeed grand
sight and rewarded me for all tbs hardshlps nad en-
dared learned from the natives that the other side
of the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS range great rver
came down through the mountains, making tire.
merdous noise. 1t is fall, and il il known among all
the tribes as Samba-Nagoshi. Tue Ashira thinks that
back of these mountains there is mighty Spirit send
ing down. with fury the waters Of the Remb0-A plng
for such is the name Of the stream further up Ny
curiosity excited to visit this locaity but had
the greatest difficulty in finding guides. They were
afraid There were no roads. Spirit dwelt in those
mountains and no one had ever tried TO go there.
Finally, by the offer Of good pay, succeeded in So
curing few men TO go and Try 10 ascend Win NE tne
Nkoomoo- Naboualee, which 1 supposed was at dis.
lance Of forty miles from the Ashra country Armed
with guns axes and cutasses made for the forest
took the bearing Of the mountains, and through the
almost impenetrabe woods re made our way, some
times following the paths Of elephants or of other wild
beasts. The sun we could not see. The paths
we made were 20 crooked, and the forest so dense,
that could not far enough TO take exact bear.
ings with the compass. As we went, we cut
down the trees and made marks 10 the forest in
order to find our way back. Mountains were
al every side of us, but for the Nkoomoo-
NabOualees, Knew hot where tney WERE lle loou We
had taken with us as gone, hanger pressed on as,
berries became scarce game disappeared and starva-
ton stared IN the face. The angel OF death was
ready to seize us, ana as we returned toward home
each one Of US looked on every tree, and when one
WAS happy enough to fpd berry he hid 1t for fear
that his neighbOr would ask to par!ake Of it. Bat
thanks TO nercifu Providence we reached the Ashra
praries after incredible hardshps and grateful was
that no one among US bad persisted. was not daunted
INQUIRED from the natives, and learned that there
was road by which the Rembo-Apingi River could
be reached. called the Ashra people, The KING said
be would send me 10 the Api0g King, who was his
friend and who inhabited the bank Of the river
wanted to see. So ! left the Ashira praires aud
plunged once more into the deep forest. After jour
ney of 100 miles, 30 miles Of which We maize east and
80 miles southeast we reached the noble Renbo-Apny
which was nothing but OF the branches forming the
0gobay. The RembO-Aping was splendid stream,
about i've hundred yards WIDE and from three to four
fahoms Deep Its current is of tremendous power.
In the distance could see tho range Of the Nkoomoo
Nab0uaee Mountains far higher than the mount .nous
country where stood was received BY the Apini
people with great kindness the first day Of my arrival.
The King offered Of his slaves 10 be killed for my
evening meal need not say that refused it. They
thought was mighty spirit and the most wonderful
stories went all round the country about me. They
made me the King of the village, and the emblem of
ch;eftain was given to me. The RemboApngi takes
its name from The people which nhabt its shore, and
changes its name according TO the tribes nhabtlng II.
assembled the river for forty miles in southern
direction; but having upset several times in the very
small Apingi canoes, being unable to have another
canoe made, gave up the ascent Of this beautiful
stream. The forest of the Aping country contains an
immense quantity Of palm trees, and | have no
doubt that large Quantities of palm oil could be
made. The India.rnbber vine Is also abundant;
ebony trees found plentiful in the country,
between the Ashira and the Apngi. In NE noun.
taiDs back Of the ApiDgi, iron Is plentiful and the
forest affords inc xhaustibe amount Of timber learn
cd enough from the Aponon tribe, the tribe higher
up the river 10 know that after four days journey by