As The Ships Steamed Off, Many Anxious Sellers Ran
Along The Bank, Holding Up Fowls, Baskets Of Rice And Meal, And
Shouting "Malonda, Malonda," "Things For Sale," While Others Followed
In Canoes, Which They Sent Through The Water With Great Velocity By
Means Of Short Broad-Bladed Paddles.
Finding the "Pearl's" draught too great for that part of the river
near the island of Simbo, where the
Branch called the Doto is given
off to the Kongone on the right bank, and another named Chinde
departs to the secret canal already mentioned on the left, the goods
belonging to the expedition were taken out of her, and placed on one
of the grassy islands about forty miles from the bar. The "Pearl"
then left us, and we had to part with our good friends Duncan and
Skead; the former for Ceylon, the latter to return to his duties as
Government Surveyor at the Cape.
Of those who eventually did the work of the expedition the majority
took a sober common-sense view of the enterprise in which we were
engaged. Some remained on Expedition Island from the 18th June until
the 13th August, while the launch and pinnace were carrying the goods
up to Shupanga and Senna. The country was in a state of war, our
luggage was in danger, and several of our party were exposed to
disease from inactivity in the malaria of the delta. Here some had
their first introduction to African life, and African fever. Those
alone were safe who were actively employed with the vessels, and of
course, remembering the perilous position of their fellows, they
strained every nerve to finish the work and take them away.
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