STILL RUNNING THE GAUNTLET ON THE RIVER. 487 
Three miles below the rapids we passed a small river 
about thirty yards wide entering the Livingstone between 
high banks, and soon after the right and left bank, rising 
up to hills, approached each other within seven hundred 
yards, and there seemed every prospect of another 
cataract. As we rushed through the straits, I dropped 
the lead with twenty fathoms of line into the river, but 
found no bottom, but I could not repeat the experiment, 
as the rapidity of the current compelled me to be 
mindful of my course, and everybody in the canoes was 
trusting to my guidance. 
At ten miles north of the Equator, below the straits, 
we crossed to the left bank, and occupied the village of 
Utikera, the sole inhabitant remaining being one very 
reserved old man. Utikera is situated opposite the 
three rocky islands of Mikuna. I suspect this settle- 
THE KING’S GREAT PIPE. 
ment was abandoned because of some war that had taken 
place between them and some more powerful tribes down 
river, for according to all appearance the people must 
have left several days previously. Indeed the old man 
as much as indicated this, though we were not certain 
that we understood him. The village was large, and 
constructed after the pattern of those up-river already 
described. 
On the 24th we halted to repair the boat and canoes, 
and the next day resumed our journey. The course of 
the Livingstone from the Sixth Cataract to the straits 
near Utikera had been north-north-west ; it now ran 
north-west by west, with a breadth of 2000 yards. We 
preferred the right bank again, and soon entered a deep 
branch between a long and exceedingly picturesque 
island and a low shore, edged with mangrove brush- 
wood. When about halfway, we heard the hoarse 
