第46章

The”Dutchman”wasthebestrifleIevershotwith，andwasquiteinvaluablethroughouttheexpedition。

Ihadservedoutamonth’srationstothemen，andmylastinstructionstoRaoufBeyweretolookwellafterLivingstone，andprovideforhiscomfortshouldheappearduringmyabsence。

On22ndJanuary，1872，westartedat8a。m。，whenItookleaveofmygoodfriendandexcellentengineer-in-chief，Mr。EdwinHigginbotham。I

littlethoughtthatweshouldnevermeetagain。

Thewindwaslightandvariable，andmydiahbeeahsoonovertooktheheaviervessels。Intheeveningwealljoinedandconcentratedourforcesattherockyravine，withthedetachmentthatprotectedthecattle。

Onthefollowingday，the23rdJanuary，weallstartedinexcellentspirits。Thesoldiersknewthecountry，andeveryoneappearedtosharetheenjoymentofadventure。Thepeoplehadlearnttodependuponmyguidance，andalthoughtheinteriorofthecountrywasunknowntothem，theywerequitecontentedthatIhadhadapersonalexperienceofthefarsouth，andtheyweresafeinmyhands。

Thestreamwasverypowerful，andthewindwassovariablethatitwasnecessarytotowthevessels。Thiswouldhavebeeneasyworkiftheriverhadbeendeepinallparts，butunfortunatelythewaterwasratherlow，andmanyextensivesandbanksnecessitatedlongdetours。

Themenwerethenobligedtowadehip-deep，andtotowthevesselsroundthebanks。

Ineversawthepeopleinsuchhighspirits。Theywerenotcontentedwithawalkingpace，buttheyracedwitheachother，splashingthroughthewater，andhurryingroundthepointsofthesand-banks，untiltheyoncemorereacheddryground。Theneventhewomenandboysjumpedashore，andlayingholdofthetow-rope，joinedthemeninsinging；andrunningforwardalongthehardbanktheymadethediahbeeahsurgethroughthewater。

Thisfunhadcontinuedforsomehours，andIrejoicedthatallheartsseemedtohaveatlengthunitedinthework。Ihadnofanaticswithme。

Theblackofficerswereexcellentfellowsnowthattheywererelievedfromacertaininfluenceathead-quarters。Abd-el-Kaderwasastrueasgold。MonsoorwasaChristian，——andmy”FortyThieves”werestanch，bravefellowswhowouldgothroughfire。

AliNedjarwas，asusual，revellinginstrengthandactivity，andwasnowforemostintheworkoftowingthediahbeeah。

Asuddenbendintheriverhadcausedasmallsand-bank。Itwasnecessarytodescendfromthehighshoretotowthevesselroundthepromontory。

Men，women，andchildren，jumpeddownandwadedalongtheedgeofthebank。

Asthediahbeeahturnedthesharppoint，Inoticedthatthewaterwasexceedinglydeepclosetothesand-bank，andthestreamwasrunninglikeamillrace。

Fearingsomeaccidenttothechildren，Iorderedallwhocouldnotswimtocomeonboardthediahbeeah。Atthattimethebowofthevesselwasactuallytouchingthesand，butthestern，havingswungoutinthestream，mighthavebeenaboutfifteenfeetfromtheedgeofthebankinverydeepwater。

Whentheorderwasgiventocomeonboard，manyofthepeople，intheebullitionofspirits，leaptheedlesslyintothewateramidships，insteadofboardingthevesselbytheforepart，whichtouchedthesand。

Theseweredraggedonboardwithconsiderabledifficulty。

TheboySaatwouldhavebeendrownedhadnotMonsoorsavedhim。Intheconfusion，whenseveralwerestrugglinginthewater，InoticedAliNedjar，whocouldnotswim，battlingfranticallywithhishandsinsuchamannerthatIsawthepoorfellowhadlosthishead。Hewasnotthreefeetfromthevessel’sside。

Myfourlife-buoyswerehungonopenhooksatthefourcornersofthepoop-deck；thus，withoutonemoment’sdelay，Idroppedabuoyalmostintohishands。Thisheimmediatelyseizedwithbot

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