66 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



Bertaut suffered for his generosity, and was almost 

 dropped into the water by his less skilled carrier — 

 as Mr Talbot was quite ; but the former hastened 

 to reassure us by the words, " Moi je n'ai pas eu 

 peur." 



Our camp was pitched on a narrow strip of ground 

 raised out of a swamp that encircled three sides of it, 

 while the fourth side was girt with a clear shallow 

 river that ran swiftly over a rocky bed. It was an 

 ideal place for paddling, and a little islet tempted us 

 to go there, but the current was strong and the water 

 unexpectedly deep, so we rested content with a seat 

 on a rock, and dabbled our feet till the sun had lost 

 its power and we could start on a preliminary search 

 for the Falls. 



M. Bertaut led the way, but showed great courtesy, 

 for he paused that we might all be together whenever 

 he thought that it was possible to light upon some 

 discovery. His consideration was all the more gener- 

 ous, for the natural wish to be the first to discover 

 the oft-sought Falls must have been intensified in his 

 own district, and also we were of different nationality. 

 Together we broke through high spiky grass, which 

 concealed sharp granite rocks, and picked our way in 

 and out of scattered mimosas and low scrub in pur- 

 suit of the sound of water. We struck the river 

 at a point where two streams joined and swirled in 

 wild precipitancy down some rapids. On the opposite 

 shore trees crept down to the river's brink. We fol- 

 lowed its course until, at a sharp bend in the banks, 

 a tributary from the other side added its waters to 

 the main stream, which thus united in the form of 

 a St Andrew's cross. To a daughter of Scotland 



