VII 
SECOND EXPEDITION 
155 
and action, never ready, and can seldom do anything in the 
nick of time. Their intelligence is of a low order ; but one 
has to make the best of them and be patient. But though our 
progress was slow, I was pleased that I had at length made a 
success of my canoe. 
The next day we got on much better, the men being 
quicker and wasting less time, and we got all the remaining 
loads across, with the exception of my tent and personal effects. 
I then went over myself and piled the loads properly, and 
prepared camping - ground ready for pitching my tent the 
following day. The only thing that bothered me now was how 
we were going to get the donkeys across ; but fortunately the 
river was falling again, and was altogether about 2 feet lower 
than when we first arrived. 
The following morning I struck my tent, and sent it and 
my kit across ; but, with the incomprehensible stupidity peculiar 
to the negro, the men this time allowed the canoe to be carried 
down and nearly wrecked on a rocky promontory where the 
stream was very rapid. However, after much annoying delay 
they got back and took the boys across, I afterwards crossing 
myself, and finally the other men were fetched. Owing to the 
unnecessary delay caused by the careless apathy at the first 
voyage, it was noon by the time I got over. Then, after 
pitching my tent and putting things in order, I went to the 
drift, which was some distance up stream, at the far end of the 
islands, to see if it would be possible to cross the donkeys there. 
Juma, my second gun-bearer, being a good swimmer, made the 
attempt first, and got on to the island all right without getting 
out of his depth, though the water in the first narrow channel 
was very strong. I found we could get over to the island, and 
that it would be possible to pull the donkeys through the big 
channel (as we had done on my previous journey) with the 
rope. Besides, the river was now falling every day, and, 
though this troublesome and ticklish business was yet to 
come, I felt greatly relieved that our goods and chattels 
