CHAP. VII SECOND EXPEDITION 153 



twice, but never got one. As for the hippos, I had given up 

 molesting them, since it was impossible to get one out of the 

 water, even if killed dead, though I saw one, which I had shot 

 before, stuck against a snag or bank in the middle of the river. 

 There was practically no other game in the neighbourhood, and 

 I was too much absorbed in my shipbuilding to go in search of 

 elephants again till that was finished. 



My caravan came in again, opportunely, the day that we 

 cleared a road to the river ; and, in spite of a severe attack of 

 fever, brought on by getting the sun (extremely powerful in this 

 valley) on my back while working at the canoe, I worked hard 

 to get it dragged down by the help of the porters. It is 

 difficult to get natives to exert themselves and pull together. 

 When a number are employed at lifting or pushing any heavy 

 object, each thinks it unnecessary to put much strain on his 

 own muscles. So it proved slow work, the dug-out being 

 heavy and awkward to handle, and we only got it half-way that 

 day. The next morning we got on better, and reached the 

 water of the branch channel, and partly floated, partly dragged 

 it down into the main stream, below the islands. 



Now came the crucial test ; could we paddle it across ? It 

 was a clumsy craft and the current was strong, but some of my 

 men knew well how to use a paddle, being natives of the coast 

 and accustomed to navigating canoes in the sea. So I started 

 them off, with exhortations to ply their paddles with all their 

 might so as to avoid being carried too far down by the current ; 

 for, unless they hit the opposite bank within a reasonable 

 distance, it would be impossible to land. I stood watching the 

 trial trip with keen anxiety. The canoe shot out into the 

 stream, but as soon as it got near the middle of the river, where 

 the current was very strong and the water rather rough and full of 

 eddies from the meeting of the two branches of the river just 

 above, it swung right round and the crew had to bring it back 

 to our side. They reached the shore, of course, far below where 

 they started from, and had then to get out into the water and 



