chap, xii.] NATIVES VOLUNTEER AS BOATMEN 
345 
in a large bay, the opposite headland being visible at 
about eight or ten miles distance. Should we coast 
the bay it would occupy two days. There was another 
small promontory farther in shore; I therefore resolved 
to steer direct for that point before venturing in a 
straight line from one headland to the other. 
Upon looking behind me, I observed our canoe con¬ 
sort about a mile astern, amusing herself with pointing 
to all parts of the compass—the lazy men not having 
taken the trouble to adapt the rudder as I had ordered 
them. 
We travelled at about four miles an hour, and my 
people were so elated that they declared themselves 
ready to row, without assistance, to the Nile junction. 
The water was perfectly calm, and upon rounding the 
next promontory I was rejoiced to see a village in 
a snug little bay, and a great number of canoes^ 
drawn up on the sandy beach, and others engaged in 
fishing. A number of natives were standing on the 
sand close to the water s edge, about half a mile from 
us, and I steered directly towards them. Upon our 
close approach, they immediately sat down, and held 
up their paddles above their heads ; this was an un- 
mistakeable sign that they intended to volunteer as 
boatmen, and I steered the boat upon the beach. No 
sooner had we grounded, than they rushed into the 
water and boarded us, most good-humouredly pulling 
down our mast and sail, which appeared to them highly 
absurd (as they never use sails); and they explained 
that they had seen on the other side the headland that 
we were strangers, and their chief had ordered them 
to assist us. I now begged them to send six men to the 
assistance of the lagging canoe; this they promised to 
do, and, after waiting for some time, we started at a 
rattling pace to pull across the wide bay from point 
to point. 
When in the centre of the bay we were about four 
miles from land. At this time a swell set in from 
the south-west. While at Yacovia I had observed that 
