SECOND EXPEDITION 155 



and action, never ready, and can seldom do anything in the 

 nick of time. Their intelligence is of a low order ; but one 

 has to make the best of them and be patient. But though our 

 progress was slow, I was pleased that I had at length made a 

 success of my canoe. 



The next day we got on much better, the men being 

 quicker and wasting less time, and we got all the remaining 

 loads across, with the exception of my tent and personal effects. 

 I then went over myself and piled the loads properly, and 

 prepared camping - ground ready for pitching my tent the 

 following day. The only thing that bothered me now was how 

 we were going to get the donkeys across ; but fortunately the 

 river was falling again, and was altogether about 2 feet lower 

 than when we first arrived. 



The following morning I struck my tent, and sent it and 

 my kit across ; but, with the incomprehensible stupidity peculiar 

 to the negro, the men this time allowed the canoe to be carried 

 down and nearly wrecked on a rocky promontory where the 

 stream was very rapid. However, after much annoying delay 

 they got back and took the boys across, I afterwards crossing 

 myself, and finally the other men were fetched. Owing to the 

 unnecessary delay caused by the careless apathy at the first 

 voyage, it was noon by the time I got over. Then, after 

 pitching my tent and putting things in order, I went to the 

 drift, which was some distance up stream, at the far end of the 

 islands, to see if it would be possible to cross the donkeys there. 

 Juma, my second gun-bearer, being a good swimmer, made the 

 attempt first, and got on to the island all right without getting 

 out of his depth, though the water in the first narrow channel 

 was very strong. I found we could get over to the island, and 

 that it would be possible to pull the donkeys through the big 

 channel (as we had done on my previous journey) with the 

 rope. Besides, the river was now falling every day, and, 

 though this troublesome and ticklish business was yet to 

 come, I felt greatly relieved that our goods and chattels 



