Year: 1877

strike or for Monbuttu? Indeed, there were
many questions to be decided in connection
with this one Would it be possible, with
twenty-three Sniders and thirty -one mus
kets, to defend ourselves against the
cannibals, when another explorer, with
forty-seven Sniders, declined attempting it?
Was it right attempting task.so desperate.
when all the Arabs did their utmost to show
us that it was an impossible task? 'Toss
up, said Frank - s'heads for the north, tails
for the south and Katanga." The propo-
sition was adopted; but tails won after three
trials. Yet neither of US liked the idea Of
being thus ordered south by destiny; it was
too much like poaching on known ground.
Finally it was decided between us to take
advantage Of the Arabs escort. to get clear
OF Nyangwe, and then to go on alone and
never to return, no matter what opposed
us; but to charge with heads of steel against
any and every thing hostile to our arriving



at the ocean.


BROKEN SHOES


The tramp through the gloomy forests of
Uzimbar and Uvinza wore Franks last pair
of shoes out, and mine were getting well
used up also. The Arabs were tired of
their bargain and wished to return, but an
other contract induced them to accompany
us across the Lualaba and to try the left
bank short distance. They then aban-
doned us and we resumed our journey with
our own people unsupported by any volun-
teer. At the several falls we were obliged
to pass overland q good deal of rough
tramping through bushes and forests and
over rocks, backward and forward, had
to be made, and nothing that Frank
or I could invent endured very long.
Portmanteaus and bull hides were cut up
and sewn and patched over and over, but it
was useless; three or four days always suf-
feed to leave him as unprotected as ever.


DISABLED.
His feet became chafed rocks and thorns
wounded them, and at Nova Falls, or the
thirty-ffth Of the lower series, he became
permanently disabled from walking, being
attacked with ulcers in both feet. The duty
of leading the way over the rapids and Sc
lecting the best and most feasible paths for
hauling boat and canoes overland de-
volved on myself, while his duty now
was to superintend the soldiers as
they carried the goods overland and
distribute each days rations; and
it was in the prosecution Of my dangerous
labors that had at times narrowly escaped
death. Feeling almost sure that if either
of us was destined to be lost it would be
myself had prepared my mind for that
event, and had drawn up instructions for
Frank how to proceed. At Nova Falls, as
Frank, disabled by ulcers, could neither
be trusted to do duty supervising the pass
age Of the canoes, as he was altogether too
bold, and nothing but the utmost prudence
could save life, nor could, he proceed over
land with the goods party, he was placed
on the sick list along with twenty-five sick
Wanguana, and obliged to wait until ham
mock bearers could be sent for him.


FROM sTAHLEY's JOURNAL.


now refer to my journal of June 3,
1S77:-This morning the people shouldered
the goods and baggage, and under Kacheche
marched overland three miles to Zinga,
while resolved to attempt the passage
down two small falls, the Massesse and
Massassa, in the boat with the boats crew.
Clinging close to the shore we rowed three
quarters of mile or thereabouts, when we
halted by lofty cliff, by the sides of which
we could proceed no further, as the tide,
thrust to right and left from the centre of
the river by the furious waters escaping from
the Nova Falls, came running to meet us up
river with many brown wave, and heave,
and dangerous whirlpool. Steering for the
centre of the river we fought sturdily on
against this strong back tide, but we could
make no headway. Then we thought we
would attempt the central stream that rushed
down river with foamy face. We could
not reach it, and fortunately, for the boat
was sinking steadily under its growing
weight of water since she was very leaky,
and the repairs we had made were utterly
insufficient.


THE wHIRLPooLs.


BY observing the shores and the increas-