STILL RUNNING THE GAUNTLET ON THE RIVER. 471 
road. At 10 a.m. of the 12th, by another rush forward, 
we were in our second camp. During this day also 
there was a slight interchange of hostilities, but, being 
soon released from the savages, the day party was able 
to prepare half a mile of good road, which Frank during 
the night was able to extend to a mile and a quarter. 
By 5 p.m. of the 13th therefore we were safe in our third 
camp. Excepting Kacheche and a few men detailed as 
sentries, we all rested for this night, but in the morning, 
refreshed from our labours, made the fourth and final 
rush, and thus, after seventy-eight hours’ terrific exer- 
tion, succeeded in reaching the welcome river and 
launching our canoes. 
The Bakumu, utterly disheartened by their successive 
punishments and bad success, left us alone to try our 
hands at the river, which, though dangerous, promised 
greater progress than on land. The following two 
days’ accounts of our journey are extracted from my 
journal : — 
“ January 14.— As soon as we reached the river we 
began to float the canoes down a two-mile stretch of 
rapids to a camp opposite the south end of Ntunduru 
Island. Six canoes were taken safely down by the 
gallant boat’s crew. The seventh canoe was manned by 
Muscati, Uledi Muscati, and Zaidi, a chief. Muscati, 
the steersman, lost his presence of mind, and soon upset 
his canoe in a piece of bad water. Muscati and his 
friend Uledi swam down the furious stream to Ntunduru 
Island, whence they were saved by the eighth canoe, 
manned by stout-hearted Manwa Sera, and Uledi the 
coxswain of the Lady Alice ; but poor Zaidi, the chief, 
paralysed by the roar of the stream, unfortunately 
thought his safety was assured by clinging to his canoe, 
which was soon swept past our new camp, in full view 
of those who had been deputed with Frank to form it, 
to what seemed inevitable death. But a kindly Provi- 
dence (which he has since himself gratefully acknow- 
ledged) saved him even on the brink of eternity. The 
great fall at the north end of Ntunduru Island happens 
to be disparted by a single pointed rock, and on this the 
