422 
A FOOLISH UKDEKTAKIXG. 
top of a more elevated mound, I cauglit sight of a flock 
swimming lazily on the bosom of a lagoon, distant some 
three hundred yards and apparently of quite easy approach. 
True, the riccr ims between ns^ but then it did not look 
much larger than one I liad just waded, and I did not 
even stop to reflect that it inighi be too deep and rapid to 
admit of fording. Moreover, I saw the captain’s Ethi- 
opian steward “making a straight wake” for the lagoon; 
and, as he was •onsiderably in advance of me, I had to 
cross at once or let him have the first shot. As I sa}', I 
did not stop to think, but went down the slope at a trot 
and boldly entered upon the trial. I struck the stream 
at a point where a rocky ford, apparently knee-deep, 
promised a safe crossing, while both above and below 
the water was apparently quite deep. Tins ford was 
about a hundred yards in length by twenty or thirty in 
width, was an inclined plane of loose pebbles and firmly- 
embedded and jagged rocks, and altogether a most un- 
pleasant-looking locality after I had advanced too far to re- 
treat The rushing water boiled and foamed among the 
jagged rocks with a force tljat made me feel quite un- 
steady over my five-pbund expedition-boots, and caused 
me, for the first time, to think of retracing my steps. I 
came to a halt, concluded it Avas deeper ahead, if any 
thing, and felt that, if I could only turn Avithout being 
ti ipped up, it Avould be the best course to go back. 
I had a heuAy ship’s musket on my shoulder, and knew 
that, if I braced it against the bottom to support me in 
turning, I should lose just twelve pounds of my Aveight, 
and thus render it much easier for the knee-deep water 
to sweep my feet from under me; still, I could not turn 
