tening to overturn our frail craft, which it might
easily have done with one heave of its back. Occasionally, too,
crocodiles would swim by, looking up at us with their savage eyes,
showing us how we should be treated should we by any chance be sent
splashing into the water. About mid-day we steered for the shore where
our black crew intimated that they intended to dine.

The raft was secured by a rope round the mast and carried to the trunk
of a tree. We, however, were unwilling to leave our goods on board
without a guard, and therefore determined to remain where we were and to
eat a cold meal; the materials for which we had brought with us. The
water appearing bright and tempting, I was about to plunge overboard,
when I felt the raft give a heave. Directly afterwards, a huge
crocodile poked his ugly snout above the surface, warning me that I had
better remain where I was. Two or three others made their appearance
soon afterwards in the neighbourhood. My uncle and I agreed that the
sooner we were away from the spot the better, as any of the savage
brutes coming under the raft might upset it, and we should be committed
to their tender mercies.

We were very glad, therefore, when the blacks, having finished their
meal, returned on board, and we once more began to float down the
stream.

We were in hopes that at the rate we were proceeding we should meet our
friends before the close of the day, but darkness approached, and the
blacks gave us to understand that we must go on shore and spend the
night at a village of their tribe, where we should be hospitably
entertained. To this we could offer no objection, though it involved
the necessity of landing our goods, as we had no fancy to spend the time
on the raft, with the prospect of finding it melting away below our
feet, and we ourselves left to be devoured by the crocodiles, or
perhaps, to have it capsized by the heave of an hippopotamus beneath it.

As we glided on, we saw a collection of bee-hive looking huts on the top
of the south bank. The raft was directed towards them. The natives,
leaping on shore, secured it as before by a rope to a tree growing on
the beach. They then assisted in carrying our property to the shore.
Having piled it up in a heap and covered it over with a roof of leaves,
they assured us that it would be as safe as if guarded by a hundred men.
As they had hitherto shown themselves to be scrupulously honest, we had
no reason to doubt t