enced operations. My cutlass was invaluable, as
it enabled us to cut down a number of young palms, the wood of which was
soft and light. There were also plenty of creepers, which served
instead of ropes for binding the logs together. We first placed a row
of young trees side by side, and then secured another row at right
angles upon them. By evening our raft was complete. We also provided
ourselves with long poles, which would enable us to guide it in shallow
water or keep it off overhanging trees; and, in addition, we formed five
rough paddles--one being larger than the rest, for steering. We
intended also to form a triangle, between which we could spread our
shirts to serve as a sail should the wind be fair. Well satisfied with
our day's performance, we launched our raft, which had been built close
to the water, and secured it to the bank. It floated us all well; and
as it was likely to afford a more secure resting-place than the shore,
we lay down on it to sleep--two of us at a time keeping watch, lest any
wild beast might, attack us. But although lions were heard roaring all
night long, and other strange sounds came out of the forest, we slept
securely on our floating bed.

At daybreak, and in good spirits, we commenced our adventurous voyage.
At first we floated tranquilly down the stream, having only occasionally
to use our paddles to keep the raft off from the trunks of sunken
trees--called snags, in America--which appeared above the water. In a
short time, however, the current became more rapid, and we found, by the
way the water leaped about, that we were being carried over a shallow
part of the river. Our poles, too, showed that the depth was not above
three or four feet. Presently the water became more shallow and more
agitated, and we thought it wise to make for the bank. We were steering
towards it, when the raft, striking an unseen rock, was whirled rapidly
round and round: the water rushed over it, and we ourselves were swept
off; while the raft, freed from our weight, was carried downwards, and
quickly dashed to pieces among a number of rocks, over which the water
furiously rushed, not a hundred yards below us. Happily we were all
good swimmers, and we managed to reach shallow water and climb up the
bank.

"What has become of our weapons?" was the first question we asked.
They, with my Moorish sword, had been placed in the centre of the raft,
and so had been lost. We had cause to be thank