Homeward Bound 
267 
the Barumbu plantation, which lay only an ^ hour away by 
steamer, and very kindly escorted us. This big plantation lies 
close to the river bank, and on it are grown cocoa, coffee, rubber, 
and cotton. The cultivation of the two last-named is in its 
infancy, but the other two are already producing excellent results. 
The cocoa harvest, for instance, amounted to thirty-four tons 
for the four months preceding our arrival. The higher officials 
of Basoko possess a kind of Tusculanum in Barumbu, a stately, 
spacious house beautifully situated on a hill in the centre of 
palm groves and blooming gardens, from which a wonderful view 
of the river framed by the primeval forest is obtained. 
Without doubt there are more interesting journeys in Africa 
than a voyage on the Congo. For instance, it is not so full of 
diversity or so absorbing as travelling on the Uganda Railway. 
Yet it would be unjust to condemn it as being devoid of charm, 
as the Congo officials do. We enjoyed the agreeable and new 
experience of sitting at table and having the forests and villages 
passing before our eyes as if we were present at a panoramic 
performance. Considerable demands are made upon the captain 
during this trip. With straining eyes he has to read ’’ the water, 
that is to say he has to look out for the least curling or roughen¬ 
ing of the surface which betray the presence of shoals, and avoid 
them by constant zigzagging. He dare not leave his post forward 
on the upper deck during the course of the voyage. Behind him 
a reliable black takes the helm, and on the lower deck, under the 
incessant scrutiny of the captain are two other darkies who 
measure the varying depth of the water with two long poles. It 
is no uncommon event, however, for a steamer to run aground, in 
which case it may have days or weeks to wait until it can be 
floated with the assistance of another vessel. We were mercifully 
spared that misfortune, thanks to the captain and the high level 
of the water. Of course we only steamed by daylight; at night 
we anchored anywhere, if possible at some village. These halt¬ 
ing places serve at the same time as depots for wood, which is 
used exclusively for firing in consequence of the lack of coal. 
The supplementing of these wood stores is a business which is 
