TREACHEROUS TRACKERS 95 
stone. In a moment he was carried far astern. He 
was a good swimmer, and after half an hour’s struggle 
managed to reach the shore—a miraculous escape. 
Many sampans were about, but not one would put off 
to render him the slightest assistance. There were 
fifty-two trackers on the tow rope besides my own men, 
and their deliberate refusal to exert themselves was the 
cause of the boat getting into this perilous position. I 
have no doubt it was a plot among them to wreck her, 
either from ill-feeling or from the hope of being able to 
steal the wreckage. After half an hour the current 
took us off, having swept the boat clear, and then after 
getting outside again, the ascent was safely made. My 
men now landed, and though they were in such small 
numbers, attacked the natives and inflicted a severe 
chastisement, not, however, without receiving some 
heavy blows in return. These trackers, I should men- 
tion, were not paid a single cash. JI went down to the 
place where the man was who had fallen overboard, 
taking some whisky with me. I found him rather 
weak and exhausted, but he returned on board with me, 
and was all right the next day. Unless he had been 
such a powerful man he must have been drowned. 
While the boat was fast on the rock, the body of a 
man was washed down the river, a poor tracker, I 
should say, for he had what I took to be a tracking- 
