CHAP. VII 
SECOND EXPEDITION 
*53 
twice, but never got one. As for the hippos, I had given up 
molesting them, since it was impossible to get one out of the 
water, even if killed dead, though I saw one, which I had shot 
before, stuck against a snag or bank in the middle of the river. 
There was practically no other game in the neighbourhood, and 
I was too much absorbed in my shipbuilding to go in search of 
elephants again till that was finished. 
My caravan came in again, opportunely, the day that we 
cleared a road to the river ; and, in spite of a severe attack of 
fever, brought on by getting the sun (extremely powerful in this 
valley) on my back while working at the canoe, I worked hard 
to get it dragged down by the help of the porters. It is 
difficult to get natives to exert themselves and pull together. 
When a number are employed at lifting or pushing any heavy 
object, each thinks it unnecessary to put much strain on his 
own muscles. So it proved slow work, the dug-out being 
heavy and awkward to handle, and we only got it half-way that 
day. The next morning we got on better, and reached the 
water of the branch channel, and partly floated, partly dragged 
it down into the main stream, below the islands. 
Now came the crucial test; could we paddle it across? It 
was a clumsy craft and the current was strong, but some of my 
men knew well how to use a paddle, being natives of the coast 
and accustomed to navigating canoes in the sea. So I started 
them off, with exhortations to ply their paddles with all their 
might so as to avoid being carried too far down by the current ; 
for, unless they hit the opposite bank within a reasonable 
distance, it would be impossible to land. I stood watching the 
trial trip with keen anxiety. The canoe shot out into the 
stream, but as soon as it got near the middle of the river, where 
the current was very strong and the water rather rough and full of 
eddies from the meeting of the two branches of the river just 
above, it swung right round and the crew had to bring it back 
to our side. They reached the shore, of course, far below where 
they started from, and had then to get out into the water "and 
