ABSTRACT
WE left Fort Lome on Nov. 6th, and presently arrived at the Mpanga river, which separates Toru from Unyoro proper. The heavy rains had made the stream a boiling flood, which was of course quite unfordable and very deep. I quote my description of our passage of the river, for we subsequently had several such to cross. "Nov. 8th.—Up at daybreak, and found a place where a large branching acacia grew in the very middle of the river, on what was probably an island when it was not in flood. To this with much difficulty we managed to lay two date-palms 30 or 40 ft. long, which, reaching from the bank to the big boughs of the tree, formed the basis of a bridge across to it. We did the same thing again from the other bank to the central tree, but the fierceness of the current made the work very difficult. My picked Swahilis
worked admirably, and they swim like ducks; the Sudanese officers Shukri and Ferag were indefatigable, and of course Dualla was invaluable." Then we placed short bars across the long poles, and lashed them with creepers, and over all we laid down huge bundles of grass, and so completed the bridge. From the tree to the bank I tied a strong rope of creepers, so that the people should be able to hold on to it and steady themselves when crossing. All was finished by about 10 A.M.
