st the rocks
while the water whirls past within an inch of the edge of the little
craft. At a word from the capita one of the paddlers jumps into the
rushing water, rescues the pole and lands safely with it on the bank,
fifty or sixty yards below. All the Sangos swim like salmon but cannot
of course leap up rapids. They however, swim so powerfully that they
steer clear of the rocks and reach the side even in the swiftest
current. On we go slowly struggling up rapid after rapid and when it is
impossible to paddle and pole the canoes against the stream the crew
stand on the rocks and lift them up. Sometimes the drop is three feet at
one spot and it is perfectly marvellous how these men can thus stand
waist deep in the water. Naturally we ship a good deal of water which
wets everything through and through but the crew take this as a matter
of course and bale it out at intervals while the boys take care the
firearms are not injured. The amount of actual work the crew do must be
enormous yet they never seem fatigued and sing as lustily at the end as
at the beginning of the day. At length we pass the island of Mutemu and
seek for a place for a camp. There is not much choice for the forest is
very dense here and it is necessary in every place to clear the
undergrowth before the tents can be pitched. Then fires are lighted and
all are soon asleep.

We start again at daybreak and at once commence the fight with the
rapids. Soon after a Chief appears in a canoe, and having explained that
he is at war with a neighbouring tribe hopes it will not inconvenience
the white man. On being asked why he is fighting he states that he has
lost two women and thinks they have been stolen. I then told him war was
a mistake and I hoped he would make peace as soon as possible, at which
he looked a little surprised and answered that he expected to be
successful and capture several women as well as men.

The navigation of the Uele at this part of its course is so difficult
that there are very few villages on its banks for the native who lives
near a stream hardly ever walks and he will not settle unless he can
travel by canoe. For this reason there is often no pathway at all
between villages only a mile or two apart on the river bank. The few
people there are have probably never seen a white man for as far as one
can ascertain no one has been up here for ten years. However, where
there is a village the Chief comes on board and presents a chicken.