TEE CONGO.
1883.
Jane 11.
. Buruki.
far over the swampy land. The timber had a young
but hardy look about it, just such as one would suppose
would thrive in low lands, although here and
there a crown of dark foliage was uplifted high above
all others.
.Islands began to be seen, but the disparting of the
stream did not improve its dignity. We were fully
three hours en route before the banks appeared, so high
had the river risen. Ink water and dense forests of
young trees were not interesting; strictly speaking,
they approached to the dismal. The En Avant, unencumbered
with a boat astern, proceeded rapidly up the
even-flowing current, and not a single incident transpired,
nor a single object hove in view, up to sunset,
when we camped on the first trifling bit of dry bank
we discovered.
The character of what I saw of the river inspired
, me . with the impression that it belonged to a delta,
having a number of narrow creeks, of wonderful
crookedness, constantly emptying into the river. The
lowness of the land, the young, yet hardy look of the
forest, everywhere; the blackness of such portions of
alluvium as rose to sight, the dead, untroubled silence,
the even-flowing, rippleless eddy less current, nay, let
us call it the African Styx, assisted to convey that
impression. Were it not for the white sun,-that gave
sheen and greenness to the fresh leafage of the forest,
.the prospect had been cheerless indeed.
The next morning found us, at dawn, under weigh,
with an ample supply of red, or rather purple, hard
A THREATENING DANCE. 35,
wood on board ; hut a little before 7 a.m. native ‘huts 1883:
June 1$
appeared on the right hank, and • on the left the land
uplifted into a wholesome height, shaded. by bright
green bananas. When we came opposite the huts, we
saw that they bore the signs of newness. The forest
was uncleared. We looked to the banana groves, -and
discovered not a single soul in view. Was there a war ?
Or had all the villagers gone a-picnicking into the wild
woods ? But the En A vant rushes up the centre of „the:
stream, and as the land improves, rising into clay and
rock bluffs, 20 and 30 feet above the stream, a peopled
village is seen, first on the left, and then on the right
bank, and all at once the edges of the river hanks are
enlivened with yellow-bodied people, afflicted with a
ferocious St. "Vitus’s dance. They leap upward, like so
many acrobats suddenly afflicted with a terpsiehorean
mania, flankwise and rearward, then forward with a
rush, bows in hand, drawn taut until the arrowheads
¡seem to touch the how. 'Those armed with a spear and’
¡shield only practise a Pyrrhic dance, and, but for the
[deep river, we would take it that they were charging
Ion us. On the right hank, as well as on the left bank,
¡the people are doing their best to exhibit their know-
iledge of war games. I t is all very interesting, of
[course. I have always felt more interest in looking
[at human nature than in studying, other aspects of
icreation, but just now it is this Black River that I
■came to see.
; The En Avant goes plunging on at the rate of seven
Iknots an hour. Tillage after village turns out its
d 2