Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-01-27

equipment eOOdTus
Though it appeared hopeless we
should ever hear of the bost again, four
several triplets of messengers were dis
natch.d in as many directions across
country to warn the natives down river
and offer rewards for her recovery; and
7 set off with Dualla and another toward
the Great Cataract of Kintamo, over the
hill of Lcopoldville.
On reaching the summit overlookin g
the cataract, Stretch, one of the young
attendants, with his sharp eyes, de-
tected the boat about mldstream,
stranded upon a reef, the lower part OF
which seemed to hang over the edge OF
the roaring cataract. With my glass l
could see her like tiny speck compared
to the mile-wide river. Above the reel
the puissant Congo was treachercusly
placid. but we, who had SO often crossed
it two miles above the station within
view of the gulf, had often occasion to
dread its terrible velocity, and below the
reef it was all scene of remorseless
furv. a countless series of tossing waves
and sprav crowned crests, and here and
there veritable towers which were no
sooner formed than they seemed to be
swung bodily into the air, to be FOL
lowed by others. The eye was fascinated
by the wild picture OF tremendous
strength and incessant rage which the
Great Cataract furnished at this view OF
it. One could gaze at it for hours, for
its suggestion of ceaseless passion,
power and its awful engulph'ng-
ness. while its hoarse roar IS IN mt
volume accompaniment to the watery
horror.
sat down and studied the river above
the reef. From our side the boat was
quite seven hundred yards, and about
one thousand yardsF from the opposit te
hank. The low rock OH which she lay
was probably fifty yards in width, and
rose about foot above the water, and
by one of those surges caused by the
vicinity of the cataract and shifting cur,
rents the beat had doubtless been swayed
aside and rested in what appeared to De
the beginning of groove or channel.
Various plans were vaguely formed 1of
saving her, but we're dismissed, owing to
the imminent danger. A foot rise in the
river would also sweep the boat over the
reef into certain destruction.
We returned to the station. AT our
beach were paddle steamer and canoe
We set mark by driving peg at the
water line, and resolved to wait and see
whether the river rose or fell.
Twenty hours later The river had sub
sided six inches. I went back to the
hill of Leopoldville. The boat was
higher out of the water, the reel was
larger and extended further up the river
in low gray tongue Of rock. That was
one great comfort.
On the third day the river had sub
sided several inches more; the reef was
still larger. Dualla was by my side, and
looking at the river | conceived plan
which audibly revealed, saying that
"If Iwere Younger and had not SO many
responsibilities on me I could save her.
would have liked such a Job. But whom
have I that could be trusted for dell
cate task as this9 And if 2 single life were
lost ] should never forgive myself. Yet
if had man who could remember In
structions and obey them to the lettel
that boat would be in our cove in short
time"
"Can | do it, sir3' asked Dualla, a.
though I had been addressing him.
"You, shol was thinking OF a dar'
ing Young officer who could learn hi
lesson by heart, and act according
What could you dos'
'T could try, sir"
"No doubt you could try, my boy
but it wants head as we'll as bol(
heart here"
"Well, sir, do not see myself hov
anybody could get to that boat. | thinI
sne is already lost, for she is only tiv
wards from the cataract, and long befor
we could get to the reef we should b.
over the falls, as the current flows like
fying arrow. But how do you think
sir, any one could get theres'
"Wcll, the thing is easy, provides
one was sure OF his crew. l would TAX
that new coil of Manila rope which is j
our store room and which is 300 yard
lonp. and | would tie one end of it t
our steamer anchor. l would the
choose the best canoe men in the camp
man our canoe at the beach, strike ou
boldly for the centre Of the river iron
our cove, and when saw that the boa
and reef we're directly below me woul'
steer straight toward them. Whel
about two hundred and fifty yards abov
the reef point l would then drop my an
chor and pay out the hawser half it
length. The other half, alter maxim!
fast at the bow of the canoe, l woulC
paw out along the length of the canoe
make fast at the stern, and then the bes
man should swim down to the boat will
the other end of the rope and make
fast to the ring bolt at the boats bow
Then the rest of the crew would fioa
down by the rope to the reef, and al
hands, after putting an oar under he
bow, would roll the boat up bit by bl
over the reef until she was aaoat. AL
the crew, except the steersman, woul'
then haul themselves hand over hand t.
the canoe, and when all were aboar(
would haul the boat abreast of the canoe
Then I would transfer all the crew, ex
cept the steersman, into the boat, and
pulling up boat and canoe until the an
Choir was near atrip, seat everybody II