Homeward Bound 
257 
Congo State. His expressive face and the narrow lips betray 
that his lean person is dominated by a power of will out of the 
common, which, in conjunction with tact and shrewd diplomacy, 
has had a most beneficial effect on the natives. The Belgian 
Government has placed the right man in the right place. For 
the Zone de THaut Ituri comprises the great rubber reserve, where, 
as I have elsewhere mentioned, the native question is a specially 
difficult one, and the administration therefore carries with it 
great responsibility. 
Our new crews showed themselves equally as experienced 
as the previous oarsmen, and knew how to navigate skilfully the 
long-drawn rapids at Kalagwa, which we had to pass on the 
1 st of May. As the river winds between islands abounding in 
craggy rocks at this spot, the current was more than usually 
strong and was considered very dangerous. Every boat there¬ 
fore took one or two pilots from the neighbouring Mobali 
villages, who were intimately acquainted with the peculiarities 
of the stream. Sitting in the bows, these men would indicate 
the exact course with their hands, and the trusty crew en¬ 
deavoured to guide the canoe into the sole navigable channel 
with their long poles. Most of the boats negotiated the three 
hours^ passage through the seething froth in safety, but Wiese’s, 
Schubotz’s, and Mildbraed’s barks were in considerable peril. 
Although the prophecy that we should have to anticipate losing 
at least one boat at this spot was happily left unfulfilled, it was 
only after a long and severe struggle that we were enabled to 
free the canoes from danger. 
When we arrived at Djambi we had to elude the cataracts 
by making a detour on land. We came upon huts for the first 
time which differed entirely from the usual kind. The Wan- 
gilima, the ruling tribe in these parts, cover their rough huts 
with pointed, pyramidal roofs of broad leaves and brushwood. 
The natives told us that this covering is the only protection they 
are afforded against the driving rains in the wet season. This 
style of architecture appears only at intervals, and after another 
two days’ journey the ordinary form of hut resumed sway. On 
