Across Africa

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1877 Excerpt: ...holes, jump through into the baskets ready for their reception. The flsherwomen seemed to think it great fun, and July, enjoyed themselves immensely, shrieking, screaming, and laugh1874. ing t-he whole while. Leaving the banks of the Luama, we forded an affluent--the Lulwu, thirty yards in width and four feet in depth--and, marching two miles farther, reached the bend of the Luama, where we had arranged to cross it. Canoes were here in readiness; but as there were only tbree, the work of getting the caravan over occupied some time, for the river was fully a hundred yards in width and eight to ten feet deep in the middle, and had steep banks. While we were thus engaged, at 9h. 10m. local mean time, there was a slight shock of earthquake; a low, rumbling sound and a faint though distinctly perceptible tremor of the ground passing from east-north-east to west-south-west. A large number of hippopotami were blowing in mid-stream, on our reaching the river, so I occupied myself by firing at them. One, getting a bullet and shell in his head in rapid succession, sunk, and the rest cleared out, which was a very desirable result, since they often hog up underneath a canoe in deep water, and heave it right out, capsizing all the occupants. The canoes bore marks of the tusks of these brutes, which look upon them as intruders, and often attack them wantonly. By the time the caravan had been ferried over, the sun was very powerful, and it was too late to proceed farther; so we camped in a small scattered village about a mile from the river. Although they afterward became common, I here saw for the first time large platforms, on which were stored huge bundles of grass ready for thatching the huts on the approach of the rainy season. The two centre-poles of the platform, w...