Search Was Then Made For
Him, But He Could Not Be Found; And They Supposed That He Had Been
Devoured By The Wild Beasts.
On the 4th July they crossed the river Wonda; but as they had only one
canoe, the passage was both dangerous and tedious.
Isaaco, the guide,
exerted himself much, endeavouring to drive six of the asses through a
little below where the party crossed, as the stream was there not so
deep. He had reached the middle of the river, when a crocodile rose,
seized him by the left thigh, and dragged him under water. With wonderful
presence of mind, however, he felt the head of the animal, and thrust his
finger into its eye. The monster quitted its hold for a moment, but then
seized his other thigh, and again pulled him under water. Isaaco again
thrust his fingers into its eyes. This proved effectual. The crocodile
rose to the surface, dashed about a while as if stupified, and then swam
down the middle of the river. Isaaco landed on the other side, bleeding
copiously. He was so much lacerated as for a time to be unfit for
travelling; and as his guidance was indispensable to the party, they
waited four days, to give his wounds time to heal.
On the 11th July they came to Keminoom, the strongest fortified town Park
had seen in Africa, - whence they were very desirous to depart, as they
found the inhabitants to be "thieves to a man," committing depredations
upon the travellers with the greatest coolness and impudence, in which
the King and his thirty sons formed accomplished models for the subjects
to look up to.
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