By noon of the 26th the Expedition was across the main Ituri River. Six calves were slaughtered for a Christmas ration of beef. The next day one of our head men died from inflammation of the lungs, caused by a chill caught while halting on the brow of the plateau after the perspiring ascent from the lake plain. By the 29th we had reached Indésura; we thence proceeded to the small village of three huts near Iyugu. On the 1st of January, 1888, we camped at Indé-tongo, and the next day passed by a gigantic granite rock in the forest, which sometimes is used by the forest natives as a refuge resort during internecine strife. On the 6th January we passed by Indémwani, and came across the spot whence Msharasha, a Zanzibari, had fallen from a log and broken his neck. The scavengers of the woods--the red ants--had eaten the scalp and picked the skull clean, until it resembled a large ostrich egg. The chest of the body was still entire, but the lower limbs were consumed clean. On the next day we entered Ibwiri, and came to Boryo's village; but, alas! for our fond hopes of rendering the village comfortable for occupation, the natives had set fire to their own fine dwellings. Fortunately for us, they had taken the precaution to pick out the finest boards, and had stacked many of them in the bush. The large stores of Indian corn had been hastily removed into temporary huts built within the recesses of impervious bush. We set to at once to collect the corn as well as the boards, and before night we had begun the construction of the future Fort Bodo, or the "Peaceful Fort." [Illustration: VIEW OF FORT BODO.] ----- [J] In November, 1887, Emin Pasha wrote to his friend Dr. Felkin: "All well; on best terms with chiefs and people; will be leaving shortly for Kibiro, on east coast of Lake Albert. Have sent reconnoitering party to look out for Stanley, which had to return with no news yet. Stanley expected about December 15th (1887)." We arrived on the 14th. CHAPTER XIII. LIFE AT FORT BODO. Our impending duties--The stockade of Fort Bodo--Instructions to Lieutenant Stairs--His departure for Kilonga-Longa's--Pestered by rats, mosquitoes, &c.--Nights disturbed by the lemur--Armies of red ants--Snakes in tropical Africa--Hoisting the Egyptian flag--Arrival of Surgeon Parke and Captain Nelson from Ipoto--Report of their stay with the Manyuema--Lieutenant Stairs arrives with the steel boat--We determine to push on to the Lake at once--Volunteers to convey letters to Major Barttelot--Illness of myself and Captain Nelson--Uledi captures a Queen of the Pigmies--Our fields of corn--Life at Fort Bodo--We again set out for the Nyanza.