uq travels in 
yet very impeifedly acquainted with tlie art i 
and I by no means found myfelf fufficlently 
confident to attempt an overflowing river, 
which was at the fame time extremely rapid 
and of an Immenfe breadth. 1 held a confulta- 
tion therefore with my people on the courfe to 
be purfued, and the beft and moll prudent 
means to enfure its fuccefs. 
The firft idea that fuggefted itfelf to us was 
that of a raft ; which was the moft natural as 
well as the moft convenient mode of convey- 
ance, and that which 1 had tried before without 
^ny accident, but on rivers, it is true, lefs dan- 
gerous. Trufting to the ftrength of my fwim- 
mers, I imagined for a moment that it would 
be an eafy tafk for them to drag it to the op- 
pofite bank ; but on examining the difficulties 
more minutely, we apprehended, and with 
reafon, that, as the raft w^ould form an ex- 
tenfive furface, it might acquire a velocity 
which it would not be poffible for the fwim- 
mers to overcome and to dired:. It was necef- 
fary however to find or to conftru^fl fome 
fpecies of float that would bear me, and they 
might be able to condud. My Hottentots had 
no {kill upon this fubjed. How indeed fliould 
they 
