338 THE "ASTHMATIC" GROUNDED. Chap. XVII. 



CHAPTEE XVII. 



Down to Kongone — Latest bulletin of "the Asthmatic" — The old lady's 

 demise — Reach Senna by canoe — Unprofi table trading by slaves — The 

 biter bit, or Sequasha squeezed — Coals dear by slave labour — His Ex- 

 cellency's yacht — Kongone — English papers — Flesh, fowl, fish, and har- 

 monious crabs of the mangrove swamps — Busungu — The saw-fish. 



The Zambesi being unusually low, we remained at Tette 

 till it rose a little, and then left on the 3rd December for the 

 Kongone. It was hard work to keep the vessel afloat; 

 indeed we never expected her to remain above water. New 

 leaks broke out every day ; the engine-pump gave way ; the 

 bridge broke down ; three compartments filled at night ; 

 except the cabin and front compartment all was flooded; 

 and in a few days we were assured by Eowe that " she can't 

 be worse than she is, sir." He and Hutchins had spent much 

 of their time, while we were away, in patching her bottom, 

 puddling it with clay, and shoring it, and it was chiefly to 

 please them that we again attempted to make use of her. 

 We had long been fully convinced that the steel plates were 

 thoroughly unsuitable. On the morning of the 21st the 

 uncomfortable " Asthmatic " grounded on a sandbank and 

 filled. She could neither be emptied nor got off. The river 

 rose during the night, and all that was visible of the worn-out 

 craft next day was about six feet of her two masts. Most of the 

 property we had on board was saved ; and we spent the Christ- 

 mas of 1860 encamped on the island of Chimba. Canoes were 

 sent for from Senna; and we reached it on the 27th, to be 

 again hospitably entertained by our friend, Senhor Ferrao. 



A large party of slaves, belonging to the Commandant, 

 after having been away the greater part of a year, had just 



