52 MURCHISON CATARACTS. Chap. II. 



All the lower part of the river was found to be at least 

 two fathoms in depth. It became shallower higher up, 

 where many departing and re-entering branches dimin- 

 ished the volume of water, but the absence of sandbanks 

 made it easy of navigation. We had to exercise the 

 greatest care lest anything we did should be misconstrued 

 by the crowds who watched us. After having made, in a 

 straight line, one hundred miles, although the windings 

 of the river had fully doubled the distance, we found 

 further progress with the steamer arrested, in 15° 55' 

 south, by magnificent cataracts, which we called, " The 

 Murchison," after one whose name has already a world- 

 wide fame, and whose generous kindness we can never re- 

 pay. The native name of that figured in the woodcut is 

 Mamvira. It is that at which the progress of the steamer 

 was first stopped. The angle of descent is much smaller 

 than that of the five cataracts above it ; indeed, so small 

 as compared with them, that after they were discovered 

 this was not included in the number. 



A few days were spent here in the hope that there 

 might be an opportunity of taking observations for longi- 

 tude, but it rained most of the time, or the sky was 

 overcast. It was deemed imprudent to risk a land journey 

 whilst the natives were so very suspicious as to have a 

 strong guard on the banks of the river night and day ; 

 the weather also was unfavourable. After sending 

 presents and messages to two of the chiefs, we returned 

 to Tette. In going down stream our progress was rapid, 

 as we were aided by the current. The hippopotami never 

 made a mistake, but got out of our way. The crocodiles, 

 not so wise, sometimes rushed with great velocity at us, 

 thinking that we were some huge animal swimming. 

 They kept about a foot from the surface, but made three 

 well-defined ripples from the feet and body, which marked 

 their rapid progress; raising the head out of the water 



