after a white man
appeared with some Senegalese soldiers and demanded to know what was in
the cases. He explained, when the white man fired and killed all the
crew, but he ran away and escaped. The affair seemed serious so Lord
Mountmorres and Commandant Sillye left for Brazzaville to discover the
truth, while I stayed on the ship to superintend the landing of our
cargo if the fire extended.

Soon after the Commandant of the Port of Leopoldville arrived in a
steamer and asked if we wanted assistance as another ship had run on the
rocks higher up and sunk and he was hastening to rescue any possible
survivors. Sunday, July 24th indeed, seemed to be a veritable day of
horrors, but still no one appeared at all excited. By midday the fire in
the forehold was extinguished and thus one danger was removed. Later in
the afternoon just before sunset, an immense flock of ducks and geese
crossed the river, but as they were flying nearly a hundred feet up in
the air, it was impossible to shoot them. Soon after Mountmorres and
Sillye returned and reported they had found all the crew safe, except
one man who had probably deserted and had also brought back the cases of
beer. The white man was a French officer of Customs, who had naturally
thought the crew of the canoe were engaged in smuggling and had fired
blank cartridges to frighten them. So passed an eventful day with much
smoke but little fire. It was indeed becoming apparent that the Congo
was a true land of exaggerations. On all sides were great hills, great
plains, great forests, great rivers, great beasts, great trees, and
great lies.

Next day we continued our course up Stanley-Pool, which meant threading
our way up narrow channels between uninteresting sandbanks covered with
forest or grass. In the distance could be seen the hills forming the
boundaries of the Pool and at its upper end _Dover Cliffs_ so called
from their resemblance to that part of the English coast. About midday
we sighted the _Anversville_, the vessel which was supposed to have been
sunk, comfortably lying on a sand bank, and the _Brugesville_ which had
gone to her assistance, also resting on the same bank. One of the
passengers came off to the _Flandre_ and told us that no one was hurt
and all the baggage was safe and that he had heard we had been burnt
out, attacked by natives and all killed. Truly the Congo is a wonderful
place.

As the _Flandre_ moors we decide to go ashore hunting. Within a few
y