appeared in the
sky. I hailed it as the harbinger of morning. At the same time the
wind began to fall, and in a few minutes had evidently greatly
decreased. I began to hope that our dangers were coming to an end, and
that we should only have the trouble of paddling back again without
visiting our Kabomba friends.

"I see the shore!" cried Leo, "on my right hand."

"And I see it on the left!" exclaimed Natty.

Just then Mango, who had been sitting quiet at the bottom of the canoe,
lifted up his head as if listening, and then pointed to the south
evidently in a state of alarm. He uttered a few words, but what he
meant to say I could not make out. There was still so much sea that I
was afraid of hauling the boat up: to attempt to reach the north shore.
I therefore stood on as before, and in a short time found that we were
entering either a narrow part of the lake or the commencement of a river
flowing out of it, and I hoped every instant to reach some point where
we could safely land. We had stood on some little way further, when I
began to suspect, by the rapid way we passed the land, that we must have
a strong current with us as well as the wind. Scarcely had I made this
discovery when the loud roar of waters reached my ears. It was the
deep, solemn sound which proceeds from a cataract. Now for the first
time the truth broke on me. We were in a rapid current, which was
hastily hurrying us on towards a waterfall. Not a moment was to be
lost. I told the boys to lower the sail and to endeavour to get the
canoe's head round so as to pull in for the shore; for as to making any
way against the current and the wind combined, that I knew was
impossible. They did their utmost, I helping them with my steering
paddle, and Mango working away with a spare one; but still so heavy were
the waves that they threatened every instant to capsize us, and I saw
that we were being carried down almost as rapidly as before. In vain we
paddled. We appeared to make no way. "Hope for the best, hope for the
best!" cried Natty, exerting himself to the utmost. The perilous
position in which we were placed pressed heavily on my mind. The loud
roar of the cataract sounded louder and louder, and as daylight
increased I made out in the distance a cloud of spray rising in the air.
Down it there appeared every probability we should be carried, and what
hope was there then of our escaping with life? I looked anxiously round
on every sid