Chap. XVI. THE KARIVUA RAPIDS. 329 



procedure is gone through with grave composure, and mothers 

 may be observed enjoining on their children the proper 

 clapping of the hands, as good manners are taught among 

 ourselves. 



After three hours' sail, on the morning of the 29th, the 

 river was narrowed again by the mountains of Mburuma, 

 called Karivua, into one channel, and another rapid dimly 

 appeared. ' It was formed by two currents guided by 

 rocks to the centre. In going down it, the men sent by 

 Sekeletu behaved very nobly. The canoes entered without 

 previous survey, and the huge jobbling waves of mid-current 

 began at once to fill them. With great presence of mind, 

 and without a moment's hesitation, two men lightened each 

 by jumping overboard ; they then ordered a Batoka man 

 to do the same, as "the white men must be saved." "I can- 

 not swim," said the Batoka. " Jump out, then, and hold on 

 to the canoe ;" which he instantly did. Swimming along- 

 side, they guided the swamping canoes down the swift current 

 to the foot of the rapid, and then ran them ashore to bale 

 them out. A boat could have passed down safely, but our 

 canoes were not a foot above the water at the gunwales. 



Thanks to the bravery of these poor fellows, nothing was 

 lost, although everything was well soaked. This rapid is 

 nearly opposite the west end of the Mburuma mountains or 

 Karivua. Another soon begins below it. They are said to be 

 all smoothed over when the river rises. The canoes had to 

 be unloaded at this the worst rapid, and the goods carried 

 about a hundred yards. By taking the time in which a piece 

 of stick floated past 100 feet, we found the current to be 

 running six knots, by far the greatest velocity noted in the 

 river. As the men were bringing the last canoe down close 

 to the shore, the stern swung round into the current, and all 

 except one man let go, rather than be dragged off. He 



