446 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
that were already bad enough. Not a dry rag nor a 
dry stick could now be found in the canoe. 
We were quite lost in the misleading currents, which 
threw us carelessly from one sand bank to another, until 
at last we grounded hard upon a hidden reef, and there 
firmly stuck. Busy boys were at once at work en¬ 
deavouring to launch the old log again, when we heard 
a splash in the water as of something passing down in 
the safety of the deep current. 
Could it be Giraud in the other canoe ? We shouted, 
and needle-like from the gloom shot a tiny dug-out, 
propelled by a solitary Manganja, who in answer to our 
inquiries said that he had not seen the other large 
canoe. He agreed to pilot us, and at the close of that 
stage of the journey the troubles and vicissitudes of the 
day were over; the relief excusing a general sigh of 
satisfaction as we walked along the village street, 
Chiromo on the Ruo river. 
The day had been weary through incessant work. 
Not a morsel of food had been touched for four-and- 
twenty hours. We found the other canoe moored at 
the bank. 
“ Ah ! ” exclaimed Giraud, “ you have arrived at last: 
we have been waiting here and wondering what had 
O O 
become of you.” 
“ I heard a good deal of firing after you left in the 
morning,” I remarked. 
“ Yes,” was the reply ; “ we were among hippos, and 
succeeded in killing an old bull. It was hot work ; but 
we landed him. He had fine tusks. We bagged a 
monster crocodile too.” 
Exchanging stories of our hunting experiences, we 
sat down to supper, which had been receiving the 
attention of the Wangwana people for about a couple of 
hours. The viands were served in tin plates, placed on 
a split reed mat. Absolute silence ensued. Considering 
our protracted fast we were to be pardoned for devoting 
assiduous attention to the repast, and while I was 
engrossed with the attractions of the feast my small 
tea-kettle was appropriated by some appreciative native. 
