pending over us. They think the night of woe
approaching, and even now, as I write, by the
camp-fires they are counting up the lost and
dead. Poor people! Poor me!
''''June 24.—We were five hours engaged in
hauling the Glasgow, our longest canoe, up a
hill 200 feet, with over two hundred men. Of
the smaller canoes we ran up three. It has been
my policy to excite the people, with whatever
tends to keep them from brooding over our
losses, with wine, drums, and music, which I
purchase liberally, because, though apparently
extravagant at such a period, it is really the
most economical.
“ I hear of a place called Kakongo below,
where the natives intend to fight me— for the
glory of it, it seems, for so far reports have all
been in our favour. No native has been injured
by me wilfully, neither have I permitted injury
to be done them from any of my people. Strong
in my innocence, and assured that they shall
have the first fire, it is a matter of unconcern.
If we do not fear terrible Nature in this region,
we certainly shall not step aside for the vaunts
or threats of savages.
''June 25.— At dawn of day we were up and
began to lower the boat and canoes ■* into the
basin below Zinga. By night, thank God, all
our flotilla was beyond the cataract. The
Zingaese say there are only the Ingulufi, Mbelo,
rlune 26, 18771 SHOOTING THE INGULUFI RAPIDS. 1 7 1
V Zin g a . J
and Ntombo Mataka Falls— three more falls!—
and the last, I hope, will prove to be ‘Tuckey’s
C a ta ra c t,’ with fair sailing down to the Yellala
Falls; and then, with bowed heads, we will
travel for the sea as only hungry men can travel.
“ June 26.— I intrusted to Wadi Rehani and
Kacheche the task of taking the goods overland
to Mbelo Falls j while I passed the day at Zinga.
A month ago we descended the Upper Mowa
Falls; it is still in sight of me, being only three
[miles off. Three miles in thirty days, and four
(persons drowned even in this short distance!
1 1 June 27.— Again I led the way this morning,
round the Zinga basin, and approached the In-
[gulufi Rapids. We sought a channel between
(a few scattered boulders which stood close to
(shore and disparted the ever-vexed river, and
having examined the stream, and finding it to
[be mere rapids, without those fatal swirling
[vortices, dashed' over the waves into the Mbelo
basin. Reaching camp, which was at the top
[of a 300-foot cliff, we halted for a hermits lunch
[on bananas, and', wishing to inspire once more
that spirit which was almost quenched by our
ilate accidents, at 1 P.M. I descended the cliff
again by means of ladders of rattan-cane, which
for the last 30 feet enabled us to reach the
water-line, and embarked. Cautiously we moved
along—ten men to the cane-cables at bow and
stern—and step by step; with a prudence born