Chap. XII. STRONG CURRENTS. 341 



tot driver and leader, would have taken the wagon over 

 the country we had to pass through with the greatest 

 ease ; but no sooner did we get beyond the part of the 

 road already made, than our drivers encountered obstruc- 

 tions in the way of trees and gullies, which it would have 

 been a waste of time to have overcome by felling timber 

 and hauling out the wagon by block and tackle purchases. 

 The Ajawa and Manganja settled at Chibisa's were there- 

 fore sent for, and they took the boat on their shoulders 

 and carried it briskly, in a few days, past all the Cataracts 

 except one ; then coming to a comparatively still reach of 

 the river, they took advantage of it to haul her up a 

 couple of miles. The Makololo had her then entirely in 

 charge; for, being accustomed to rapids in their own 

 country, no better boatmen could be desired. The river 

 here is very narrow, and even in what are called still 

 places, the current is very strong, and often obliged them 

 to haul the boat along by the reeds on the banks, or to 

 hand a tow-rope ashore. The reeds are full of cowitch 

 (Doliclws pruriens), the pods of which are covered with 

 what looks a fine velvety down, but is in reality a mul- 

 titude of fine prickles, which go in by the million, and 

 caused an itching and stinging in the naked bodies of 

 those who were pulling the tow-rope, that made them 

 wriggle as if stung by a whole bed of nettles. Those on 

 board required to be men of ready resource with oars and 

 punting-poles, and such they were. But, nevertheless, 

 they found, after attempting to pass by a rock, round 

 which the water rushed in whirls, that the wiser plan 

 would be to take the boat ashore, and carry her past the 

 last Cataract. When this was reported, the carriers were 

 called from the various shady trees under which they had 

 taken refuge from the sun. This was midwinter, but the 

 sun is always hot by day here, though the nights are cold. 

 Five Zambesi men, who had been all their lives accustomed 



