26o In the Heart of Africa 



shells are made into ornaments ; the fish are similar to oysters, 

 and form a favourite article of food. 



We reached Yambuya by way of Bakanga and the Bogbodet 

 rapids on the afternoon of the 8th of May, and were at the 

 end of our " romantic " journey by native boat. There we learnt 

 that an early steamer was coming to pick us up and carry us 

 to Basoko. 



But our last day in the canoes was not destined to pass without 

 accident. The boat occupied by my servant Weidemann (our 

 general factotum in every sense of the word) filled with water 

 in consequence of the stern striking a submerged rock, and lay 

 on its beam ends. The occupants were thrown into the rushing 

 stream, and as this boat happened to be the last of the proces- 

 sion the catastrophe remained unobserved, and it was a long time 

 before the natives of the neighbouring village decided to as- 

 sist the unfortunates, who were shouting and wildly signalling 

 for help. The canoe was got to the bank, fortunately un- 

 damaged, but, sad to say, a number of stores, cartridges 

 and letters, as well as a thousand photographic plates, were 



irrevocably lost. 



• » « * * 



Yambuya, as well as Basoko, played an important part as 

 a base on Stanley's memorable expedition to Emin Pasha's relief, 

 and the boundaries of the old encampment are still recognisable. 

 Directly opposite was the anchorage berth of the Delivrance, 

 which we were anxiously expecting. When her shrill whistle at 

 length broke the stillness of the river valley, we all rushed to 

 the shore in eager excitement to feast our eyes on the sight of 

 a regular steamer. 



The Delivrance belongs to the smallest type of Congo 

 steamer. She is furnished with a large stern-wheel, a deck lying 

 almost level with the surface of the water, and an upper deck. 

 The latter would be a splendid domicile were it not for the 

 wood ashes which escape from the funnel and rain down to 

 burn holes in your clothes. So we joined our Danish captain 

 and made ourselves comfortable on the bridge, which was one 



