. Stanley and the white heroes in Africa; being an edition from Mr. Stanley's late personal writings on the Emin Pasha relief expedition ... d hearing what they had to say for andagainst the attempt, the convincing argument at length beingthat if we did not get over, we should have no supper, theyagreed to make a trial. Acting on their good impulse, I in-spanned at once, every spare rheim being knotted together tomake as long a fore-tow as possible; and the cart being verylight, for fear the force of the stream should upset it, I put insome very large, heavy stones for ballast, and Matakitakit
. Stanley and the white heroes in Africa; being an edition from Mr. Stanley's late personal writings on the Emin Pasha relief expedition ... d hearing what they had to say for andagainst the attempt, the convincing argument at length beingthat if we did not get over, we should have no supper, theyagreed to make a trial. Acting on their good impulse, I in-spanned at once, every spare rheim being knotted together tomake as long a fore-tow as possible; and the cart being verylight, for fear the force of the stream should upset it, I put insome very large, heavy stones for ballast, and Matakitakit onhis hams inside to keep them in their places. I fastened theremnant of the sail down fore and aft, having previously lash-ed all fast to the axle-tree to prevent everything from goingasunder; and having taken the precaution to strip, and fastenmoney, promissory notes, etc., round my neck in a small bag,I mounted the box, whip in hand. Mick and Inyous took thetow, got some twenty yards ahead of the oxen, which werestanding in the water, as deep as they could get without swim-ming. It was pretty good ground going in, when I shouted41. THE CONGO FREE STATE AND RECENT EXPLORATIONS. 645 * Treck! and away we went. The stream carried the leadersdown very fast, and the oxen were gaining on the lads, thecart floating beautifully, and I thought all would go well, andwas chuckling with inward satisfaction. When the front oxenhad reached the boys, I shouted: * Let go the tow, and get out of the road I They got confused, stuck fast, and pulled the oxen roundin the middle of the stream; and just as the leading oxensheads were w^ithin two feet of my knees, sailing down with thefull force of the current, seeing an upset inevitable, I took aheader down stream as far as ever I could go, out of harmsway, and turned on my back to see the result. The cart haddisappeared; Mick and Inyous, seated on the backs of twomiddle oxen, were going round in a frightful state of confu-sion, and there was not
Size: 1213px × 2060px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidstanleywhite, bookyear1890
