Leo and Natty had been frequently begging me to accompany them to visit
our friends to the south.
We agreed that we should greatly shorten the land journey by proceeding
along the lake, and landing at a spot on its borders nearest the
village, which we thought we could then reach in a few hours' march.
Stanley had no objection to our going, provided we did not remain away
more than three or four days. Mango was to accompany us as interpreter.
From the experience we had had of the natives, we hoped that the
garrison, though thus decreased, was still sufficient for the protection
of our fortress, especially as the lions and leopards had for some time
kept at a distance, finding out, probably, that we possessed ample means
for their destruction. It is extraordinary what instinct wild animals
exhibit, and how soon they desert a neighbourhood where they are
frequently attacked. It is said that even hippopotami and crocodiles
become more wary after being hunted; and though in the wilder districts
they come out fearlessly to feed or to bask on the sandbanks, when
hunters come to the neighbourhood they learn to conceal themselves in
their watery retreats, and will only show their nostrils and eyes above
the surface, keeping always in the most secluded parts.
The boys were greatly pleased at being allowed to take the proposed
expedition. They made wallets to carry their food at their backs, and
the articles they proposed to present to the natives, or to exchange for
meat and other provisions should we not be able to supply ourselves.
The village we were to visit, we learned from Igubo, was called Kabomba,
and he seemed to consider it a very important place. To be sure, as Leo
observed, he had never been in London, or even at Cape Town, so it was
not surprising that he should look upon it with respect.
Our preparations were soon completed. Igubo gave his son charge to
behave well, and to bring no discredit upon his white friends. Kate
urged us all to take care of ourselves, and not to run into unnecessary
danger. The whole party accompanied us down to the canoe. We had
chosen the _Gazelle_, as the best of the two. As the wind was fair, we
hoisted our sail and steered merrily down the river towards the lake.
We had no difficulty, as we passed along, in supplying ourselves with
food. Wild ducks of all sorts abounded. Among them were numbers of the
Egyptian goose. We saw several of them ahead, and made chase. Being
heavy of wing, we found they could not rise out of the water, and we
caught four or five with our hands as we passed by. A little further on
we neared a bank on which a large flock of ducks were seated. Leo and I
fired at the same time, and on landing we picked up a dozen ducks and
three geese which we had knocked over. Among them was a large black
goose, which we saw in great numbers walking slowly about and picking up
their food. The specimen we killed had a small black spur on its
shoulder--as has the armed plover--and as strong as that on the heel of
a cock; but the birds, it is said, never use them except in defence of
their young. They are said always to choose ant-hills for their nests.
The ants cannot hurt the eggs, and the material of which the hills are
composed assists probably in hatching the eggs, as the sand does those
of the ostrich.
I had hitherto held very little conversation with Mango. He had,
however, picked up enough English to make himself understood, and during
this trip I was able to ascertain some of his peculiar notions.
We kept for some time along the north shore of the lake. We were
nearing a point when we saw a beautiful water-antelope, known under the
name of _mochose_. Before I could stop him, Leo had lifted his rifle
and fired. The poor animal was hit, and, as is always the case, instead
of flying along the shore, leaped into the water and began to swim
across the lake. We immediately made chase, for though we had ducks
enough for food, venison was not to be despised. I saw Mango waving his
hands and muttering in a peculiar manner. The mochose swam well, but we
soon gained upon it; and I was anxious to put it out of its sufferings,
for a red mark which appeared in its wake showed that it must have been
badly wounded. Just as we neared it, a long snout projected above the
water. It was that of a crocodile. The next instant the poor mochose
and the hideous monster sank together. Mango uttered an expression of
disappointment; and when I questioned him, he said that he had been
praying to his fetish, who was himself a crocodile, that we might obtain
the venison, but that the fetish would not hear him.
"That is a curious sort of religion," observed Leo; "for to my certain
knowledge he and his father and brother supped off the crocodile Igubo
killed the other day, and still he worships the beast."
I have not before mentioned it, but we had tasted the flesh Leo spoke
of. It had a strong musky odour, which did not tempt us to try it
again; though I do not know what we should have done had we been pressed
by hunger. In a short time we came to a wide bay, across which we
stood. The wind was fresh, and we flew rapidly over the water. The
pure air raised our spirits, and we anticipated an interesting visit to
our Kabomba friends. Mango pointed to a spot some way ahead, where he
thought we might land; but at the same time said that if we continued
further, we might possibly have a still shorter land journey to the
village.
"It would be a pity to leave the canoe, as long as we can sail along so
pleasantly," said Leo. "Do, Andrew, let us follow his suggestion."
As I saw no objection to it, we stood on down the lake. The breeze was
increasing. I took two reefs in our sail, but still it was as much as
the canoe could bear. Suddenly a strong blast came sweeping over the
lake. I shouted to Natty, who was at the halliards. Almost before the
words were out of my mouth, he had let them go. It was fortunate that
he did so, or the canoe must inevitably have been upset. As it was, she
heeled over so much that we took in a quantity of water. We set to work
to bail it out; but the wind from that moment blew stronger and
stronger, and in a few minutes the whole lake, which had hitherto been
so calm, was covered with foaming seas. They increased every instant,
and I saw that it would be dangerous to expose our light canoe broadside
to them. Even as it was, they continued breaking over the sides, and it
required active bailing to free her from water. Our only course,
therefore, to escape being swamped, was to keep her directly before the
gale. This carried us further and further down the lake, and drove us
also off from the north shore. I told Natty and Leo to get out the
paddles, while we set Mango to bail. We thus ran before the seas, and
kept the canoe tolerably free from water. Night was approaching, and
still there was no cessation of the gale. We could only see the land
dimly on our right side, while we flew on, surrounded by the hissing and
foaming waters. Much depended, I knew, on my steering well. The
slightest carelessness might have allowed the canoe to broach to, when
she must inevitably have been upset. Even had we clung to her, we
should have lost our provisions, and we might have been picked up by
some crocodile exploring the deeper water in search of prey; for I could
not tell whether the monsters did not swim occasionally thus far from
land. The boys plied their paddles energetically, as if they fancied
our safety depended upon their exertions. Seeing this, I told them not
to exhaust their strength, as it was only necessary to keep the paddles
going sufficiently to assist me in steering the canoe. I tried to
pierce the gloom ahead, but nothing could be seen but the troubled
waters. It was different to any scene we had yet witnessed, for
hitherto the lake had been calm as glass, unless when occasionally a
ripple played over its surface.
"I say, Andrew, I wonder whether we are ever coming to an end of this?"
exclaimed Leo. "If we go on at this rate, we shall be hundreds of miles
away from Kate and the rest, and they will not know what has become of
us."
"Not quite so far as that, I fancy," said Natty. "We must pray to be
preserved, and hope for the best. I do not think we can do anything but
that just now."
"Right, Natty," I said. "Do our best, and hope for the best. That is a
right principle, and people who act thus are seldom led far wrong.
Storms, in these latitudes, though they are very violent, do not last
for any length of time; and I hope we may soon fall in with some island,
under which we may take shelter."
"Suppose, though, we run against it. What shall we do then?" asked Leo.
"We must jump out and haul the boat up," answered Natty. "The shore is
not dangerous like that of the sea-coast, and we shall have no great
difficulty in saving ourselves, even if we are driven on it."
"We need not talk of such a contingency," I remarked. "I hope we may
keep clear of all dangers till the gale drops, or till daylight
returns."
Though I said this, I could not help feeling very anxious, particularly
at the thought of being driven so far from home, for I knew that Kate
would become alarmed should we not return at the time we proposed.
Still we kept on; but often as I bent my head forward, trying to make
out any object ahead, nothing could I see but the curling waves as
before. I had no idea that the lake was so long, and expected every
minute to find that we were approaching the end of it. Still on and on
we went. Hour after hour passed by, and I calculated that morning must
be approaching. The gale still increased, and as the light canoe flew
over the foaming seas I dreaded every instant that they would break on
board. She behaved beautifully, however, and though occasionally the
top of a wave tumbled over her, we took in no great amount of water. At
length, as I cast my eye towards the east, a faint light appeared in the
sky. I hailed it as the harbinger of morning. At the same time the
wind began to fall, and in a few minutes had evidently greatly
decreased. I began to hope that our dangers were coming to an end, and
that we should only have the trouble of paddling back again without
visiting our Kabomba friends.
"I see the shore!" cried Leo, "on my right hand."
"And I see it on the left!" exclaimed Natty.
Just then Mango, who had been sitting quiet at the bottom of the canoe,
lifted up his head as if listening, and then pointed to the south
evidently in a state of alarm. He uttered a few words, but what he
meant to say I could not make out. There was still so much sea that I
was afraid of hauling the boat up: to attempt to reach the north shore.
I therefore stood on as before, and in a short time found that we were
entering either a narrow part of the lake or the commencement of a river
flowing out of it, and I hoped every instant to reach some point where
we could safely land. We had stood on some little way further, when I
began to suspect, by the rapid way we passed the land, that we must have
a strong current with us as well as the wind. Scarcely had I made this
discovery when the loud roar of waters reached my ears. It was the
deep, solemn sound which proceeds from a cataract. Now for the first
time the truth broke on me. We were in a rapid current, which was
hastily hurrying us on towards a waterfall. Not a moment was to be
lost. I told the boys to lower the sail and to endeavour to get the
canoe's head round so as to pull in for the shore; for as to making any
way against the current and the wind combined, that I knew was
impossible. They did their utmost, I helping them with my steering
paddle, and Mango working away with a spare one; but still so heavy were
the waves that they threatened every instant to capsize us, and I saw
that we were being carried down almost as rapidly as before. In vain we
paddled. We appeared to make no way. "Hope for the best, hope for the
best!" cried Natty, exerting himself to the utmost. The perilous
position in which we were placed pressed heavily on my mind. The loud
roar of the cataract sounded louder and louder, and as daylight
increased I made out in the distance a cloud of spray rising in the air.
Down it there appeared every probability we should be carried, and what
hope was there then of our escaping with life? I looked anxiously round
on every side, and at length the increasing light revealed a small
island a little way further down the stream. I trusted that by our
exertions we might reach it. We continued straining every nerve.
Rapidly the canoe was borne down sideways towards it. "A few strokes
more and we shall be there," I cried out. "Work away, boys, work away."
In spite of our exertions down glided the canoe, and the end of the
island was passed. Still, we might reach some part of the side of the
island. Had I been alone I might almost have leaped on shore. The
moment was a fearfully anxious one. I could distinguish the southern
end of the island. If we failed to reach that we must be lost. Trees
overhung the banks. I gave a few more desperate strokes, and drove the
canoe forward till her bows just touched the shore. "Leap out!" I
cried. The canoe swung round. Natty seized the branch of a tree which
hung down close to him, and swung himself up. I thought Leo and Mango
had done the same, for I saw Leo clinging to a branch of a tree, and the
black springing with the painter in his hand towards the shore. I
therefore, seizing my gun and ammunition, leaped to the bank. What was
my horror the next instant to see Leo fall back into the boat, the
branch he had caught hold of breaking, and the black boy still holding
on to the painter floating after the canoe. Leo seemed scarcely
conscious of his own danger, but rushing to Mango, assisted to drag him
in. My impulse was to spring into the water and try to regain the
canoe, but just then Natty's voice reached me, crying, "Oh, help me,
Andrew! help me!" and I saw that, though clinging to a branch, he could
not manage, laden as he was, to climb along it so as to gain the shore
in safety. I hurried to assist him, my heart sinking at the thought of
what would become of Leo and Mango. I clambered along the tree, and at
length got hold of Natty, but it required some caution to prevent us
both falling off into the water. I got him, however, safe on shore, and
then we hurried together to the south point, anxiously looking for the
canoe. Leo and his companion had got out their paddles, and were
working away in what appeared an utterly vain attempt to reach the north
bank before the canoe would be hurried down the cataract. Natty wrung
his hands in despair.
"Oh, how could it have happened?" he exclaimed, "I would have done
anything rather than let Leo go. What is to be done? what is to be
done?"
I had no consolation to offer him. Still the increasing light showed me
that there were other islands intervening between the falls and the one
we were on. It was barely possible, however, that the canoe would drift
against one of them. We stood watching them with the deepest anxiety as
the canoe was carried further and further down the current. Already she
appeared to be in the rapids, from her quicker movement; and gliding
faster and faster away, she soon was almost out of sight. It must be
understood that there was a considerable distance between us and the
cloud of vapour which I supposed to mark the situation of the fall. At
length the canoe was hid from us altogether by a tree-covered island;
but whether Leo and his companion had managed to reach it or not we were
left in fearful doubt. It was some time before I could rouse myself.
Poor Natty sat down on the ground with his head resting on his hands,
completely overcome.
"But perhaps, after all, they may not have been lost!" he exclaimed,
starting up, "and they may manage to tow the canoe along the bank of the
river and come back to us. What do you think?"
"I dare not offer an opinion," I answered. "It is possible, just
possible, and we must hope for the best."
Still we waited, looking in the direction we had last seen the two boys,
anxiously hoping that they might reappear; but in vain. At length I
began to feel somewhat faint, and Natty at last exclaimed, "Oh, I am so
hungry!" It recalled us to the necessity of trying to find something on
which we could support life. The island was so small, that had any
birds been on it they would have flown away when we landed. I had,
fortunately, a tinder-box in my pocket, so that we might light a fire if
we could find anything to cook. At length Natty discovered a small
fruit like a plum, growing on a tree covered with dark green leaves. He
called me to it, and on examining it it struck me that it must be the
_moyela_, which David had found near the banks of the river only a day
or two before. This would at all events assist to satisfy the pangs of
hunger, though it might not do to support us. I helped Natty up the
tree, and he threw down to me as many as we thought we should require.
We then sat down on the ground and discussed them, but the recollection
of Leo made us too sad to talk.
"I am very thirsty," said Natty, "and must get a draught of water."
He went to the shore, and was stooping down to fill his hand full, when
at that instant I saw a ripple in the water rapidly approaching. I had
just time to spring up and pull him violently back, when a huge snout
projected above the surface. The monster, startled by the fearful
shriek Natty set up, and the loud cries I uttered, did not venture to
approach, and slunk back again beneath the surface. I confess I was
completely unnerved, and stood trembling all over, while Natty would
have sunk to the ground had I not supported him. It was some minutes
before I recovered.
"I must not again run the risk of being caught like that. I ought to
have remembered the crocodiles," he said at last. "But I say, Andrew,
don't you think it very likely that the creature may have its nest
somewhere about the island? I will have a hunt."
Forthwith we began poking about in all directions with pieces of
bamboo--a small grove of which grew on the island.
"Here is a hole," cried Natty at length, "and full of eggs, too. We
will pay the crocodile off now for the fright he gave us."
I confess at first I could scarcely bring myself to think of eating
crocodile's eggs. Natty had no such scruple. We filled our hats, and
brought them to the beach, where, clearing away the grass to prevent an
accident, we soon had a fire burning. As we had no pot to boil our
eggs, we put them into the fire to roast, stirring them round and round
with a stick. In spite of my repugnance, so excessive was my hunger
that as soon as we thought the eggs were done, and Natty had pulled them
out, I cracked one. The yolk alone had set, but that looked tolerably
tempting; and on putting it to my mouth I could scarcely distinguish it,
except by a peculiar flavour, from the yolk of a bird's egg. A couple,
however, satisfied me.
"They will last the longer for not being too nice," observed Natty; "and
we do not know how long we may have to stay here."
"We must think of means of getting away," I said; "for it is not likely
that any canoes will pass by, and it is very certain that we must not
attempt to swim on shore, though, were it only for the distance, I think
I could do it, and carry you on my back."
"No, no, indeed!" exclaimed Natty. "We have had experience already of
what would be our fate if we ventured into the water. But do you not
think that the captain will come to look for us in the _Giraffe_ when we
do not return? He will never give us up without a search."
"But you forget," I said, "our friends do not expect us back for two or
three days, so that they will not think of setting out till after that
time, when they find we do not return."
"And what shall we do in the meantime?"
Although an idea had occurred to me by which we could reach the shore,
yet it was so perilous that I thought as long as we could find food on
the island it might be prudent to stay there without attempting it. The
day passed slowly away, and as evening approached I bethought me that we
should wish to sleep.
"But what if a crocodile comes and picks us off?" said Natty. "That
will not be pleasant."
"Too true," I said. "Then we must try and form a house in the trees."
There were not many on the island. We selected one with wide-spreading
branches, into which we could without difficulty climb.
"But when we are there," said Natty, "how are we to sleep? As we cannot
cling on like birds or monkeys, we should tumble off, for certain. I
have it, though. Let us build a platform of bamboo; you have your
hatchet, and we can soon form one large enough to hold us both."
The idea I thought excellent, and immediately set to work to cut down a
good supply of bamboos. As I cut them I handed them up to Natty, who
fastened the ends with flexible creepers, of which there was an
abundance around us. Before it was dark we had formed a flooring about
six feet long and as many broad. We now climbed up, and sat ourselves
down to contemplate our performance.
"Suppose no canoe passes, how shall we ever be able to get from this,"
said Natty. "We are not going to live here for ever, I hope."
"I have thought of forming a reed raft, on which we can ferry ourselves
across the narrowest part of the stream towards the north shore."
"But surely the current will carry us down?" he observed justly.
"I have thought of that; we must wait till a strong wind blows up the
river, and then I have hopes that it will keep back the waters of the
lake and probably greatly lessen the current. If so, and we can
manufacture a mat sail, I think we shall be able to reach the nearest
bank. It is dangerous, I grant, but I see no other way."
"Nor do I, indeed," he said; "but, by-the-by, I left our eggs near the
river, and probably the mother crocodile will come to look for them and
carry them off."
Without waiting for my reply he climbed down the tree, and was soon back
again with our provisions. "I think I saw a snout just coming out of
the water," he remarked; "and a minute later the creature would have got
hold of them, I fancy. I did not stop to look a second time, however,
for I was afraid that it would have caught me had I delayed."
"I am very glad you have brought the eggs, and still more that you
escaped the monster. It is evident that we must be careful not to stand
carelessly by the side of the bank, or go into the water," I answered.
We were silent for some time.
"I think we should have prayers," I heard Natty observe. "Will you say
them, Andrew?"
"Gladly," I replied; and to the best of my power I offered up a prayer
for protection before we lay down to sleep. I was soon in the land of
dreams, for I was thoroughly tired with the exertion I had gone through
during the previous day. I was awaked by feeling Natty touch my arm.
"Look down there, Andrew," he whispered. "See! it is just as well we
are safe up in the tree!"
As I cast my eyes down on the ground below us, I saw three huge
crocodiles crawling slowly about; and though they generally take their
food in the water, I had no doubt that they would not have objected to
seize us for their suppers had they found us unprepared for resistance.
It was rather difficult to go to sleep again with the knowledge that
such creatures were in our vicinity. However, after watching them for a
time, I felt my eyes closing, and shortly forgot all about them and
everything else present. When I awoke the sun was shining through the
branches of the trees. The crocodiles had disappeared, the wind was
light, the sky blue, and the smooth water shone in the beams of the
rising luminary of day. Voices reached my ears. A faint hope rose in
my heart that they might proceed from Leo and Mango. I quickly
descended the tree, and made my way to the edge of the island on the
side whence they appeared to come. There I saw, at some distance, a
canoe with four blacks in her, engaged in combat with a hippopotamus.
One of them, standing up, was about to plunge his spear into the
animal's neck. Several more animals were standing on the nearest
reed-covered bank, while the heads of others protruded from among the
reeds in the distance. Here was a means of escape, if we could make the
blacks hear, and they were inclined to assist us. I called to Natty,
who, descending the tree, was soon by my side. We shouted with might
and main, but the blacks were so eagerly engaged in attacking the
hippopotamus that they did not hear us. The monster, as he received the
wound in his neck, turned round and attempted to seize the canoe; but
the blacks, plying the paddles quickly, got out of his way, holding him,
however, by a rope attached to the spear. Spear after spear was darted
into his neck; and in a short time the blacks, taking him in tow,
dragged him on shore, where, in spite of his struggles, they hauled him
up, and several other people hurrying down to the bank, soon despatched
him with their clubs. No sooner had they done so, than they set up loud
shouts, and began dancing away in frantic joy at their success. I
thought this was a favourable opportunity for again trying to attract
their attention. We shouted and shouted, but still they did not hear
us.
"I think, Andrew, you must fire your gun. They will hear that, at all
events," said Natty.
I was about to do as he suggested; but then the question arose in my
mind, whether we should be better off with the savages than we were by
ourselves. Still, should we lose this opportunity of getting to the
mainland, another might not occur. At length I fired. The effect was
curious. The blacks ceased dancing, and looked about them with glances
of astonishment. Presently five of them leaped into the canoe, and
having pulled out from the shore, so as to allow the current to carry
them directly towards it, began cautiously paddling down to the island.
They, of course, knew its strength, and the necessity for care. As they
approached, Natty and I each took a branch in our hands and waved it,
hoping that they would understand it as a signal of friendship. As they
drew near they stopped rowing, and gazed at us with looks of curiosity.
I again waved to them, and showing them my gun, I placed it by my side,
that they might understand I had no intention of using it. Except the
usual small waist-cloth, the strangers had no clothing, though the man
who sat in the stern guiding the canoe had a few ornaments about his
head and on his neck, which showed that he was a chief. They began
jabbering away to us, but of course we could not understand a word they
said. I replied to them, therefore, by signs that we wished to be
ferried over to the opposite shore. Natty fortunately recollected just
then that he had a few beads, a clasp-knife, and one or two articles
which he had put into his wallet just as we were coming away. He showed
these to signify that we would pay them for the service they might
render us. They seemed to understand our signs, and beckoned to us to
step into the canoe, carefully turning her round, so that they might
instantly paddle off again up the stream. We stepping in, they shoved
off, exerting themselves to the utmost to stem the current. We made,
however, but little way. As their backs were turned towards us, I could
only judge of their disposition by watching the countenance of their
chief. It was not particularly prepossessing, and the exertions he was
making added not a little to its natural ugliness. He seemed to be
regarding us with looks of intense curiosity, as if he had never before
seen white people. After paddling along for a considerable time with
the greatest exertion, they suddenly turned the canoe round and paddled
across the current towards the shore. At length we got into a counter
eddy, and now without difficulty they made way; the people who had been
surrounding the hippopotamus running down along the bank to look at us.
We soon reached a place where we could land, but for some minutes we
were kept in the boat, while the tribe collected on the high banks above
us, grinning down and gazing at us much as we should at a wild beast in
its den in the Zoological Gardens. They were, I think, the ugliest
savages we had yet met with.
"Well, I do declare I think poor Chico was a beauty to them," exclaimed
Natty, as he looked up at them squatting in all sorts of attitudes on
the bank. The women, (I must not call them the fair sex), were even
less attractive than their lords and masters. Two or three of them had
huge necklaces hanging down over their breasts and rings round their
arms, which in no way added to their beauty. Some of them carried
children slung to their backs by straps of buffalo hides, and the little
creatures, as they looked down upon us, grinned from ear to ear, though,
when their mothers approached nearer than they liked, they set up the
most terrific cries, such as I should have thought no human beings could
have uttered. At last the canoe-men allowed us to land, when the female
portion of the spectators hurriedly retreated, as if we were some wild
creatures likely to do them harm. My first object was to inquire
whether they could give us any information about Leo and Mango; but they
only shook their heads, and we could not tell what that intended to
signify. I explained to them, as well as I could, that we had come in a
canoe, which, with our companions in it, had been drifted down towards
the cataract. Each time they only replied as before, with an ominous
shake of the head. Their countenances brightened a little as I
distributed among them the articles which Natty had brought, giving the
chief a knife and a double allowance of beads. Some who had been in the
background, and had not received any, now pressed forward, and looked
very indignant when we showed them that we had no more to give. I now
made signs to them that we wished to go down the banks to try and
ascertain what had become of the canoe; but they put themselves before
us, and intimated that they did not wish us to move to a distance. "But
we must go, and we will go!" cried Natty. "We must find out what has
become of Leo, and the whole tribe together shall not stop me!" It
struck me, however, that probably they wished to cut up the hippopotamus
and distribute it among the people; and that perhaps after this
operation they might be willing to accompany us. Without hesitation,
therefore, we walked along the bank towards the spot where the creature
had been drawn ashore. I concluded that I was right, by seeing the
chief and several men instantly begin to attack the monster. In a short
time they had it skinned and cut up, each one taking a portion. The
chief took none himself, but several men, whom I supposed to be slaves,
were laden with larger portions than any of the rest, which, I have no
doubt, were his share. This done, I again signified our wish to go down
the banks to look for the canoe; and at length, greatly to my
satisfaction, the chief and six of his companions began to move in that
direction. Natty and I hurried on as fast as we could walk, though,
indeed, had we not restrained our eagerness, we should soon have got
ahead of our companions. The distance to the falls was far greater than
I had supposed, for after we had gone some way we could still see the
cloud of mist rising above them. When we got abreast of the islands to
the south of the one we had landed on, we examined them narrowly; but no
sign of the canoe could we discover. It was difficult, however, at all
times to see across the river, on account of the thick wood which in
many places fringed the banks and overhung the water. "Oh, they cannot
be lost! they cannot be lost!" Natty exclaimed every now and then. I
could only reply, I hoped not; and still, as I saw the rapid current
rushing by, I dreaded to find my worst apprehensions fulfilled.
At length we got near the edge of the cataract. A dark ledge of rocks
ran, it appeared, across the stream, some rising high above the water,
which flowed with terrific force between them. There was, however, from
the western shore on which we stood a point which ran out for some
distance, and within this the water circled round, forming a back eddy.
My only hope was, from not having seen the canoe on any of the islands,
that she might have drifted into this eddy. We searched the shore on
every side, but nowhere was she to be seen. That she could possibly
have floated down the cataract without turning over, I feared was
impossible. We, however, continued our way, not without difficulty,
till we reached the lower level, and looking back, saw the stream
rushing over its rocky bed, making a fall and leaping madly downwards to
a depth of fifty or sixty feet, where it bubbled and foamed in a vast
caldron, which sent up unceasing clouds of spray high into the air.
Then after a time it began to flow more calmly, till it went gliding on
as if fatigued by its hurried course. We now more narrowly examined the
banks, not with any hope of finding our companions, but in the
possibility that the canoe might have been drifted on shore, and that we
might thus ascertain to a certainty their fate.
We went on till we readied another stream which ran into the main river.
Here our companions placed themselves before us, and signified that we
must go no further. I could only conjecture that they looked upon it as
the border of their territory, and were afraid that should we pass it we
should attempt to make our escape. I saw them looking out eagerly over
the country beyond the stream, as if to ascertain whether any enemies
were in the neighbourhood. They then signed to us that we must
accompany them back again. As we returned we still continued examining
the banks, in case we might have passed any spot where the canoe could
be drawn up. We had not gone far when Natty, who had run through a
narrow pathway leading down to the water, exclaimed, "Here, here!
Andrew. I think I see the canoe a little way up the bank! Come and
look!" I hastened to him. There, under some bushes at the end of a
little point some few hundred yards from us, I saw an object which
looked very like a canoe. Still, it might be that of some of the
natives. We marked it well, and then hastened up again along the bank,
examining the bushes that we might discover if there was any path
through them. We searched about, however, for some time before we could
find a pathway. At length one appeared, and Natty darting down it, made
his way towards the water as last as he could run. It was like the
former one, formed, I concluded, by elephants or rhinoceroses to reach
their evening drinking-place. There was the canoe. The paddles,
however, and everything in her, had been taken way. My heart beat with
satisfaction and gratitude. Leo and Mango had escaped destruction in
the cataract; but what, then, had become of them? We could discover no
trace or sign, nothing whatever to give us any clue to their fate.