BOAT-SONGS 



241 



under which the European sits on his long chair, 

 while the paddlers stand at either end, and the 

 baggage occupies the intervals. A big canoe will 

 carry forty or fifty loads, half a dozen 'boys,' and 

 about twenty paddlers. Going downstream, the 

 current is usually so swift that it is enough if the 

 paddlers give a stroke now and again to get steerage 

 way on to the canoe ; but when they really work — 

 and they do sometimes, particularly when they come 

 in sight of the village where you intend to camp — 

 it is amazing how the clumsy-looking craft travels 

 over the water. As a rule the paddlers are merry 

 fellows, more cheerful and of finer physique than 

 the average Congo porter. They have a good 

 musical ear, and they love to sing at their work. 

 I reproduce here one of their most easily remembered 

 songs, which may be heard almost anywhere between 

 Kasongo and Stanley Falls : 



Solo. 



Chorus. 



zzj^. 



Solo. 



^-/- 



l^ii^ 



The solo is sung by the steersman to extempore 

 words, which generally treat of the character and 

 personal appearance of the European in the boat. 



16 



