Homeward Bound 257 



Congo State. His expressive face and the narrow lips betray 

 that his lean person is dominated by a power of will out of the 

 common, which, in conjunction with tact and shrewd diplomacy, 

 has had a most beneficial effect on the natives. The Belgian 

 Government has placed the right man in the right place. For 

 the Zone de I'Haut Ituri comprises the great rubber reserve, where, 

 as I have elsewhere mentioned, the native question is a specially 

 difficult one, and the administration therefore carries with it 

 great responsibility. 



Our new crews showed themselves equally as experienced 

 as the previous oarsmen, and knew how to navigate skilfully the 

 long-drawn rapids at Kalagwa, which we had to pass on the 

 1st of May. As the river winds between islands abounding in 

 craggy rocks at this spot, the current was more than usually 

 strong and was considered very dangerous. Every boat there- 

 fore took one or two pilots from the neighbouring Mobali 

 villages, who were intimately acquainted with the peculiarities 

 of the stream. Sitting in the bows, these men would indicate 

 the exact course with their hands, and the trusty crew en- 

 deavoured to guide the canoe into the sole navigable channel 

 with their long poles. Most of the boats negotiated the three 

 hours' passage through the seething froth in safety, but Wiese's, 

 Schubotz's, and Mildbraed's barks were in considerable peril. 

 Although the prophecy that we should have to anticipate losing 

 at least one boat at this spot was happily left unfulfilled, it was 

 only after a long and severe struggle that we were enabled to 

 free the canoes from danger. 



When we arrived at Djambi we had to elude the cataracts 

 by making a detour on land. We came upon huts for the first 

 time which differed entirely from the usual kind. The Wan- 

 gilima, the ruling tribe in these parts, cover their rough huts 

 with pointed, pyramidal roofs of broad leaves and brushwood. 

 The natives told us that this covering is the only protection they 

 are afforded against the driving rains in the wet season. This 

 style of architecture appears only at intervals, and after another 

 two days' journey the ordinary form of hut resumed sway. On 



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