Bongos
 

Not really an "I need a hint moment"
but
i asked noogie to speed up the bongo tempo. Lo and behold, the bile level rises.
I walk past the treasure pile, the beat stops, and the bile goes back down again.
BUT the bongo beat then goes back to being fast, and the bile level is still low, and I cannot ask Noogie to play it faster again to make it rise

is this just some bad glitch and I'll have to start it again and try and avoid this one; or is there a way around it.

this does sound like a glitch.
But anyway you have to find a faster route to the edge ;)

i think it is just a graphic problem as inventory items work on it still as though it were full.
odd.
but problem solved at least!...ish