It Became Shallower Higher Up, Where
Many Departing And Re-Entering Branches Diminished The Volume Of
Water, But The Absence Of Sandbanks Made It Easy Of Navigation.
We
had to exercise the greatest care lest anything we did should be
misconstrued by the crowds who watched us.
After having made, in a
straight line, one hundred miles, although the windings of the river
had fully doubled the distance, we found further progress with the
steamer arrested, in 15 degrees 55 minutes south, by magnificent
cataracts, which we called, "The Murchison," after one whose name has
already a world-wide fame, and whose generous kindness we can never
repay. The native name of that figured in the woodcut is Mamvira.
It is that at which the progress of the steamer was first stopped.
The angle of descent is much smaller than that of the five cataracts
above it; indeed, so small as compared with them, that after they
were discovered this was not included in the number.
A few days were spent here in the hope that there might be an
opportunity of taking observations for longitude, but it rained most
of the time, or the sky was overcast. It was deemed imprudent to
risk a land journey whilst the natives were so very suspicious as to
have a strong guard on the banks of the river night and day; the
weather also was unfavourable. After sending presents and messages
to two of the chiefs, we returned to Tette. In going down stream our
progress was rapid, as we were aided by the current.
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