468 THE EXPLORATION OF THE NIGER communicating with the land. Baudry .had sent to ask me to try and get a boat from the village. I went there, and with the aid of our guide Amadu I made my request.

Very great unwillingness to grant it was at first shown, followed by a formal refusal on the ground that the villagers had been forbidden to help us. Who had forbidden it ? I could not find out. I drew forth my revolver and held it to the chief's forehead. It was the first and last time I ever had recourse to such an argument as this, but it had the desired effect. A canoe was sent off from the village with two rowers, and I went along the bank to the place where the A ube was anchored.

When I got there, I found that the canoe was righted again. Our coolies had plunged into the very rapid itself, and clinging to submerged roots they had succeeded in passing ropes under her keel and floating her. The water where she had gone down was more than nine feet deep. Brave fellows, indeed, were these coolies of mine ! They may have their faults ; they are gluttons and liars ; they are often lazy enough ; but on any dangerous emergency these scions of the noble Sarracolais race rise to the occasion, and their devotion may be depended upon under whatever strain.

Baudry now informed me that the rudder of the Dantec was broken, so that it was impossible to steer her. " Take the crew off and abandon her ? No ! I hope to take her on by towing her ! " I watched everything made ready for the difficult manoeuvre. The Dantec was towed along from tree to tree, to the very edge of the big rapid, whilst behind her came the canoe with a rope passed twice round a trunk, as her bow plunged into the foam. On the stern of the Aube stood Samba Demba, our best coolie, with a coiled rope in his arms, ready to fling it to the Dantec as, she went over the rapid. One second's hesitation, and everything would