Explorers arid their Explorations, 59 
During the next part of the journey, two hundred miles 
of cataracts had to be passed ; cliffs lined the banks of the 
river, ranging from six to fifteen hundred feet in height ; 
but, notwithstanding, the canoes had to be dragged over 
these cliffs, when they were not swept away, which some- 
times happened. Stanley himself was shot like an arrow 
down two falls, only escaping by a kind of miracle ; while 
many of his men were carried to destruction, in the same 
way. Frequently a smooth stretch of river would invite 
them to try voyaging again ; but, ere long, other and more 
dreadful cataracts would be reached, and every effort must 
be made to get out of the stream, for dear life, boats, and 
all. In one day three canoes and eleven of his party were 
thus carried away. Kalulu, and Frank Peacock — two of his 
dearest helpers — perished in this way. Hard work, in- 
sufficient food, sickness, daily loss of life, insubordination, 
desertion, and contests with the natives, distinguished this 
part of the descent, until it seemed as if they would all lay 
their lives down in the attempt to unravel the mystery of 
the Congo. But at last they almost reached the sea, and 
then Stanley led his men overland to Boma, where he knew 
he should find English people and English kindness. The 
mouth of the Congo was found to be ten miles wide, and 
through it were poured two million of cubic feet of water 
into the ocean, every second. They had travelled or voyaged 
over seven thousand two hundred miles, and had lost one 
hundred and fourteen members of the Expedition. Only 
a remnant survived to tell the tale of that terrible eight 
months' journey. In regard to it, Mrs. H. Grattan 
Guinness impressively says : " And through all those seven 
thousand miles, and among all those countless people, 
kindreds, and tongues, and during all those long months 
and years, Stanley did not meet one single Christian; or 
