Surgeon Parke accompanies us to the Nyanza to-morrow according to his own earnest request. Though his place is in the fort with the invalids, there are none who require greater attention than can be given by Captain Nelson through his boys, who have been instructed in the art of bathing the sores with lotions of carbolic acid and water. [Illustration: WITHIN FORT BODO.] Our men on the Sundays have amused themselves with performing military evolutions after the method taught by General Matthews at Zanzibar. They are such capital mimics that his very voice and gesture have been faithfully imitated. Life at Fort Bodo, on the whole, has not been unpleasant except for Captain Nelson and myself. It is true we have fretted and never been free from anxiety respecting the whereabouts and fate of our friends. We have also been anxious to depart and be doing some thing towards terminating our labours, but circumstances which we cannot control rise constantly to thwart our aims. We have therefore striven to employ every leisure hour towards providing unstinted supplies of food, in the hope that fortune will be good enough veer round once in our favour, and bring Barttelot and our friends Jameson, Ward, Troup, and Bonny, with their little army of men, to Fort Bodo before our second return from the Nyanza. ----- [K] Seventy-nine miles one way, and eighty-four miles by another way. CHAPTER XIV. TO THE ALBERT NYANZA A SECOND TIME. Difficulties with the steel boat--African forest craft--Splendid capture of pigmies, and description of the same--We cross the Ituri river--Dr. Parke's delight on leaving the forest--Camp at Bessé--Zanzibari wit--At Nzera-Kum-hill once more--Intercourse with the natives--"Malleju," or the "Bearded One," being first news of Emin--Visit from chief Mazamboni and his followers--Jephson goes through the form of friendship with Mazamboni--The medicine men, Nestor and Murabo--The tribes of the Congo--Visit from chief Gavira--A Mhuma chief--The Bavira and Wahuma races--The varying African features--Friendship with Mpinga--Gavira and the looking-glass--Exposed Uzanza--We reach Kavalli--The chief produces "Malleju's" letter--Emin's letter--Jephson and Parke convey the steel boat to the lake--Copy of letter sent by me to Emin through Jephson--Friendly visits from natives.