496 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
edcly and the down stream, caused by the shock of the 
opposing currents. The down stream is raised like a 
ridge, its crest marked by ever-leaping waves, shedding 
a great volume over its Hanks, which comes rushing to 
meet that which is ejected by the eddy. The meeting 
•of these two forces causes one to overlap the other, and 
in the conflict one advances or recedes continually, and 
the baffled volumes create vortices, around which are 
wheeling bodies of water of great velocity, until the 
■cavities are filled, when the whole becomes replaced by 
watery masses rising like mounds. Every minute in 
endless and rapid succession these scenes transpire. Such 
a one commenced before our terrified eyes. A whirlpool 
had ceased revolving for a brief moment, and in its place 
there rose one of those mounds whose rising volumes and 
horrid noise inspired the desire to flee the scene. Fear- 
ing we should be unal >le to escape, I doffed coat, shoes, 
■and belt, and motioning to Uledi to keep off, I shouted 
to the boat’s crew to do their best or die. Even had my 
actions not been sufficiently significant of our dangerous 
position, the stunning uproar would have informed them 
that we had been rash to approach the terrible scene, 
'therefore, following the upheaved and ejected waters, 
we retreated from the aqueous mound, for in its sudden 
subsidence lay danger, but were halted on the verge of 
the fatal pit which had now begun to replace the mound, 
and which angrily yawned behind the stern of our boat. 
Desperately we rowed, happily maintaining our position 
until a second convulsion occurred, by the efflux of which 
we finally escaped. 
The boat was by this time half full of water. Our 
repairs were found to have been utterly insufficient, and 
we resolved therefore upon returning to camp to renew 
the attempt in the new Jason, as its swiftness would 
■enable us to force our way against the current of the 
eddy, and reach Massassa. When we returned to Mowa 
it was ten o’clock, and the boat-boys were fatigued with 
their desperate exertions, and, probably unwilling to risk 
the terrors of the river without fortifying themselves, had 
•scattered to search for food. But unable to control my 
