The following note has just been placed in my hands:--
"Saat Tato reached us at 3 P.M. yesterday with your order to follow him. We at once recrossed the river (the creek which the boat's crew had searched) and hope to reach you to-night. I can understood how great your anxiety must have been, and deeply regret having caused it.
"I have the honour to be, "&c., &c., &c. "A. M. Jephson."
On the 22nd we moved camp to the foot of the highest Mabengu Rapids, and on the following day proceeded above the rapids.
I then took the opportunity of mustering the people. The following returns tell their own tale:--
Healthy. Sick. Dead. Loads. Company No. 1 80 6 4 43 Captain Stairs, No. 2 69 14 5 50 Captain Nelson, No. 3 67 16 4 72 Captain Jephson, No. 4 63 21 3 72 Europeans 6 Boys 12 Soudanese 10 Somalis 6 Cooks 2 Donkey boy 1 Sick 57 --- 373 Dead 16 --- 389 ---
The experiences of the column during its wanderings appeared to confirm me in my impressions that the Aruwimi in this region of rapids was not so much utilized by the natives as it was below. Large settlements had been discovered inland; the scouts had traversed the forest by several well-trodden tracks which led from the river to the interior. The river banks were not so populous, the settlements were now generally a little way inland, and along the river bank was a perceptible path which materially assisted us. Ever since leaving Utiri we had noted this fact. On the 24th we travelled a few miles, and camped below Avugadu Rapids, near a rich plantain grove, and the next day passed the rapids and formed a comfortable camp in a somewhat open portion of the forest, haunted by fishermen. On the 26th the column on land swung along at a good rate, while we had a long stretch of undisturbed river, and had to pull hard to keep pace with them until both columns met in one of the largest villages of the Avejeli tribe established in front of the Nepoko mouth.
This latter river, of which Dr. Junker was the first to inform us, and which he had crossed far up, tumbled into the Aruwimi, now called the Itiri, by a series of cascades, over reefs of shaly rock, from an altitude of 40 feet. The mouth was about 300 yards wide, narrowing to about 250 yards above the cascade. The natives had staked a considerable distance of the reef, to which to attach their large funnel-shaped baskets for the reception of the fish washed down the rapids. The colour of the Nepoko was of chocolate, that of the Itiri was of tea and milk.