410 HURRIED VISIT TO SENNA. Chap. XV. 



in its course, the river might be made of considerable 

 commercial value in the hands of any energetic European 

 nation. No canal or railway would ever be thought of for 

 this part of Africa. A few improvements would make the 

 Zambesi a ready means of transit for all the trade that, 

 with a population thinned by Portuguese slaving, will 

 ever be developed in our day. Here there is no instance 

 on record of the natives flocking in thousands to the colony, 

 as they did at Natal, and even to the Arabs on Lake Nyassa. 

 This keejoing aloof renders it unlikely that in Portuguese 

 hands the Zambesi will ever be of any more value to the 

 world than it has been. 



After a hurried visit to Senna, in order to settle with 

 Major Sicard and Senhor Ferrao for supplies we had drawn 

 thence after the depopulation of the Shire, we proceeded 

 down to the Zambesi's mouth, and were fortunate in meet- 

 ing, on the 13th February, with H.M.S. "Orestes." She was 

 joined next day by H.M.S. "Ariel." The "Orestes" took the 

 " Pioneer," and the "Ariel" the "Lady Nyassa" in tow, for 

 Mosambique. On the 16th a circular storm proved the sea- 

 going qualities of the "Lady of the Lake;" for on this day a 

 hurricane struck the " Ariel," and drove her nearly back- 

 wards at a rate of six knots. The towing hawser wound 

 round her screw and stopped her engines. No sooner had she 

 recovered from this shock than she was again taken aback 

 on the other tack, and driven stem on towards the " Lady 

 Nyassa's " broadside. We who were on board the little 

 vessel saw no chance of escape unless the crew of the "Ariel " 

 should think of heaving ropes when the big ship went over 

 us; but she glided past our bow, and we breathed freely 

 again. We had now an opportunity of witnessing man-of- 

 war seamanship. Captain Chapman, though his engines 

 were disabled, did not think of abandoning us in the heavy 

 gale, but crossed the bows of the "Lady Nyassa" again and 

 again, dropping a cask with a line by which to give us 



