uling out the wagon by block and
tackle purchases. The Ajawa and Manganja settled at Chibisa's were
therefore sent for, and they took the boat on their shoulders and carried
it briskly, in a few days, past all the Cataracts except one; then coming
to a comparatively still reach of the river, they took advantage of it to
haul her up a couple of miles. The Makololo had her then entirely in
charge; for, being accustomed to rapids in their own country, no better
boatmen could be desired. The river here is very narrow, and even in
what are called still places, the current is very strong, and often
obliged them to haul the boat along by the reeds on the banks, or to hand
a tow-rope ashore. The reeds are full of cowitch (_Dolichos pruriens_),
the pods of which are covered with what looks a fine velvety down, but is
in reality a multitude of fine prickles, which go in by the million, and
caused an itching and stinging in the naked bodies of those who were
pulling the tow-rope, that made them wriggle as if stung by a whole bed
of nettles. Those on board required to be men of ready resource with
oars and punting-poles, and such they were. But, nevertheless, they
found, after attempting to pass by a rock, round which the water rushed
in whirls, that the wiser plan would be to take the boat ashore, and
carry her past the last Cataract. When this was reported, the carriers
were called from the various shady trees under which they had taken
refuge from the sun. This was midwinter, but the sun is always hot by
day here, though the nights are cold. Five Zambesi men, who had been all
their lives accustomed to great heavy canoes,--the chief recommendation
of which is said to be, that they can be run against a rock with the full
force of the current without injury--were very desirous to show how much
better they could manage our boat than the Makololo; three jumped into
her when our backs were turned, and two hauled her up a little way; the
tide caught her bow, we heard a shout of distress, the rope was out of
their hands in a moment, and there she was, bottom upwards; a turn or two
in an eddy, and away she went, like an arrow, down the Cataracts. One of
the men in swimming ashore saved a rifle. The whole party ran with all
their might along the bank, but never more did we see our boat.

The five performers in this catastrophe approached with penitential
looks. They had nothing to say, nor had we. They bent down slowly, and
to