THE CANOE A LOST PARTY A LUXURY. 457 



small hatchet. The natives are not at all particular as to 

 the shape of the canoe. The after-part of some that have 

 come under my notice would form an angle of near forty- 

 live degrees vrith the stem! Nevertheless, they were pro- 

 pelled through the water by the Bayeye (my boatmen were 

 of that nation) with considerable speed and skill. 



The " appointments" of the canoe consist of a paddle, and 

 a pole ten to twelve feet in length. The paddle-man sits 

 well in the stern, and attends mostly to the steering ; while 

 his comrade, posted at the head of the canoe, sends her along, 

 by means of the pole, with great force and skill. 



The natives, however, rarely venture any distance from 

 the shore in their frail skiffs. It was said that they had 

 made several attempts to cross the widest part of the Lake, 

 but had never succeeded. A party, consisting of ten or 

 twelve canoes, hazarded the experiment a few years previous 

 to its discovery by Europeans, but were not again heard of. 

 from which it was concluded that they had been overtaken 

 by a storm and perished. After about an hour's paddling, 

 the broad expanse of the Lake lay before me, glittering in all 

 the beauty and softness produced by reflection of the warm 

 rays of a tropical sun. It was, indeed, a luxury, after so 

 much traveling in the burning desert, to be able at last to 

 float upon 



" The glassy, cool, translucent wave," 



and the pleasure was increased by my partiality to water, 

 an element with which I became familiar in the early stages 

 of boyhood, and on which I have spent some of my happiest 

 days. 



As I felt the cool breeze fanning my cheeks, new life seem- 

 ed to stir within me, and my heart beat high with joyous 

 excitement. 



Our party, at starting, consisted of only three or four ca- 

 noes ; but, as we proceeded on the voyage, the number in- 

 creased, and ultimately amounted to about a dozen. 



U 



