After three hours’ sail, on the morning of the 29th, the river was narrowed again by the mountains of Mburuma, called Karivua, into one channel, and another rapid dimly appeared.  It was formed by two currents guided by rocks to the centre.  In going down it, the men sent by Sekeletu behaved very nobly.  The canoes entered without previous survey, and the huge jobbling waves of mid-current began at once to fill them.  With great presence of mind, and without a moment’s hesitation, two men lightened each by jumping overboard; they then ordered a Botoka man to do the same, as “the white men must be saved.”  “I cannot swim,” said the Batoka.  “Jump out, then, and hold on to the canoe;” which he instantly did.  Swimming alongside, they guided the swamping canoes down the swift current to the foot of the rapid, and then ran them ashore to bale them out.  A boat could have passed down safely, but our canoes were not a foot above the water at the gunwales.

Thanks to the bravery of these poor fellows, nothing was lost, although everything was well soaked.  This rapid is nearly opposite the west end of the Mburuma mountains or Karivua.  Another soon begins below it.  They are said to be all smoothed over when the river rises.  The canoes had to be unloaded at this the worst rapid, and the goods carried about a hundred yards.  By taking the time in which a piece of stick floated past 100 feet, we found the current to be running six knots, by far the greatest velocity noted in the river.  As the men were bringing the last canoe down close to the shore, the stern swung round into the current, and all except one man let go, rather than be dragged off.  He clung to the bow, and was swept out into the middle of the stream.  Having held on when he ought to have let go, he next put his life in jeopardy by letting go when he ought to have held on; and was in a few seconds swallowed up by a fearful whirlpool.  His comrades launched out a canoe below, and caught him as he rose the third time to the surface, and saved him, though much exhausted and very cold.

The scenery of this pass reminded us of Kebrabasa, although it is much inferior.  A band of the same black shining glaze runs along the rocks about two feet from the water’s edge.  There was not a blade of grass on some of the hills, it being the end of the usual dry season succeeding a previous severe drought; yet the hill-sides were dotted over with beautiful green trees.  A few antelopes were seen on the rugged slopes, where some people too appeared lying down, taking a cup of beer.  The Karivua narrows are about thirty miles in length.  They end at the mountain Roganora.  Two rocks, twelve or fifteen feet above the water at the time we were there, may in flood be covered and dangerous.  Our chief danger was the wind, a very slight ripple being sufficient to swamp canoes.

CHAPTER IX.

The waterbuck—­Disaster in Kebrabasa rapids—­The “Ma Robert” founders—­Arrival of the “Pioneer” and Bishop Mackenzie’s party—­Portuguese slave-trade—­Interference and liberation.