XXXIL] THE KUKfiWI. 417 



CHAPTER XXXIL 



My Dispirited Crew.— Native Bridges.— Bad Weather.— Secure Dwelling.s.— Breaiv- 

 dowu of my Men. — A Man missing. — Fallen out by the Roadside. — A Fearful 

 Night.— Searching for the Straggler.- Delay Dangerous.— The Straggler arrives.— 

 Past Recovery.— His Death and Burial— Locusts.— The Slave-trade on the Coast. 

 — Mode of Embarkation. — Failing Strength of my Carriers.— I throw away Tent, 

 Boat, Bed, etc.— A Rush for the Coast.— Our Highest Camp.— Gay Umbrellas.— 



A Mulatto Settlement. — Cascades. — Numerous Up Caravans. — Their Trade. No 



Food left.— Search for a Camp.— Dead-beat.— A Tedious March.— Skeletons of 

 Slavers' Victims. — Starvation and Exhaustion. — The Sea.— Leaving the Worn-out 

 Men behind.— The Final Effort.- Scurvy attacks Me.— Help.— A Good Samaritan. 

 — A Haven of Rest. 



Another wretchedly wet and rainy night seemed to deprive 

 my people of the little energy they possessed, and the drag of 

 the march was indeed painfnl. Instead of being as men who 

 had nearly accomplished a difficult task, they looked and moved 

 more like a funeral procession. The distance was not great, 

 but the time occupied was dreadfully long, and on arriving at 

 our camping -place the men were too dispirited to hut them- 

 selves properly, though rain was threatening. Others, who had 

 lagged behind, did not reach camp till after dark. 



On the road we passed the Kukewi, a large stream falling 

 into the sea at Nova Don do, and also one of its affluents, the 

 Kuleli, besides numerous rills and streams. 



Both these rivers were crossed on bridges constructed of 

 poles planted in the bed of the stream ; and upon others, lashed 

 at the top, ^mailer poles and branches were laid to form the 

 footway. When first laid down, these were secured to the cross- 

 pieces by lashings ; but they had rotted away, and consequently 

 the bridges afforded a very precarious footing. That over the 

 Kukewi was more than a hundred feet long and twelve feet 

 wide, and was a most creditable specimen of construction by 

 uneducated natives. 



The threatenings of the weather were not belied by the 



