登陆注册
5210300000138

第138章

The process by which a delta, extending eighty or one hundred miles from the sea, has been formed may be seen going on at the present day--the coarser particles of sand are driven out into the ocean, just in the same way as we see they are over banks in the beds of torrents.The finer portions are caught by the returning tide, and, accumulating by successive ebbs and flows, become, with the decaying vegetation, arrested by the mangrove roots.The influence of the tide in bringing back the finer particles gives the sea near the mouth of the Zambesi a clean and sandy bottom.This process has been going on for ages, and as the delta has enlarged eastwards, the river has always kept a channel for itself behind.Wherever we see an island all sand, or with only one layer of mud in it, we know it is one of recent formation, and that it may be swept away at any time by a flood; while those islands which are all of mud are the more ancient, having in fact existed ever since the time when the ebbing and flowing tides originally formed them as parts of the delta.This mud resists the action of the river wonderfully.It is a kind of clay on which the eroding power of water has little effect.Were maps made, showing which banks and which islands are liable to erosion, it would go far to settle where the annual change of the channel would take place; and, were a few stakes driven in year by year to guide the water in its course, the river might be made of considerable commercial value in the hands of any energetic European nation.No canal or railway would ever be thought of for this part of Africa.A few improvements would make the Zambesi a ready means of transit for all the trade that, with a population thinned by Portuguese slaving, will ever be developed in our day.Here there is no instance on record of the natives flocking in thousands to the colony, as they did at Natal, and even to the Arabs on Lake Nyassa.

This keeping aloof renders it unlikely that in Portuguese hands the Zambesi will ever be of any more value to the world than it has been.

After a hurried visit to Senna, in order to settle with Major Sicard and Senhor Ferrao for supplies we had drawn thence after the depopulation of the Shire, we proceeded down to the Zambesi's mouth, and were fortunate in meeting, on the 13th February, with H.M.S.

"Orestes."She was joined next day by H.M.S. "Ariel."The "Orestes"took the "Pioneer," and the "Ariel" the "Lady Nyassa" in tow, for Mosambique.On the 16th a circular storm proved the sea-going qualities of the "Lady of the Lake;" for on this day a hurricane struck the "Ariel," and drove her nearly backwards at a rate of six knots.The towing hawser wound round her screw and stopped her engines.No sooner had she recovered from this shock than she was again taken aback on the other tack, and driven stem on towards the "Lady Nyassa's" broadside.We who were on board the little vessel saw no chance of escape unless the crew of the "Ariel" should think of heaving ropes when the big ship went over us; but she glided past our bow, and we breathed freely again.We had now an opportunity of witnessing man-of-war seamanship.Captain Chapman, though his engines were disabled, did not think of abandoning us in the heavy gale, but crossed the bows of the "Lady Nyassa" again and again, dropping a cask with a line by which to give us another hawser.We might never have picked it up, had not a Krooman jumped overboard and fastened a second line to the cask; and then we drew the hawser on board, and were again in tow.During the whole time of the hurricane the little vessel behaved admirably, and never shipped a single green sea.When the "Ariel" pitched forwards we could see a large part of her bottom, and when her stern went down we could see all her deck.

A boat, hung at her stern davits, was stove in by the waves.The officers on board the "Ariel" thought that it was all over with us:we imagined that they were suffering more than we were.Nautical men may suppose that this was a serious storm only to landsmen; but the "Orestes," which was once in sight, and at another time forty miles off during the same gale, split eighteen sails; and the "Pioneer" had to be lightened of parts of a sugar-mill she was carrying; her round-

house was washed away, and the cabin was frequently knee-deep in water.When the "Orestes" came into Mosambique harbour nine days after our arrival there, our vessel, not being anchored close to the "Ariel," for we had run in under the lee of the fort, led to the surmise on board the "Orestes" that we had gone to the bottom.

Captain Chapman and his officers pronounced the "Lady Nyassa" to be the finest little sea-boat they had ever seen.She certainly was a contrast to the "Ma-Robert," and did great credit to her builders, Ted and Macgregor of Glasgow.We can but regret that she was not employed on the Lake after which she was named, and for which she was intended and was so well adapted.

What struck us most, during the trip from the Zambesi to Mosambique, was the admirable way in which Captain Chapman handled the "Ariel" in the heavy sea of the hurricane; the promptitude and skill with which, when we had broken three hawsers, others were passed to us by the rapid evolutions of a big ship round a little one; and the ready appliance of means shown in cutting the hawser off the screw nine feet under water with long chisels made for the occasion; a task which it took three days to accomplish.Captain Chapman very kindly invited us on board the "Ariel," and we accepted his hospitality after the weather had moderated.

同类推荐
  • Liberty

    Liberty

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 六字大陀罗尼咒经

    六字大陀罗尼咒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 二程粹言

    二程粹言

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说智炬陀罗尼经

    佛说智炬陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 客窗闲话

    客窗闲话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 被神坛篡改的王者荣耀

    被神坛篡改的王者荣耀

    【2018王者荣耀文学大赛·征文参赛作品】神坛的出现复活了王者荣耀故事中的所有英雄,也改变了王者大陆既有的规则。罗俊在一番经历过后,也终于知道了自己身为召唤师所要走的路。“我要让武则天跪下唱征服。”“我要让甄姬给我搓背。”“我要让阿珂给我挠痒痒。”“我要让虞姬给我跳钢管舞。”“我要让……”其实这是一本正经的穿越文。首发在创世,希望大家能够多多订阅,支持正版阅读。谢谢
  • 重整河山(1950-1959 中国历史大事详解)

    重整河山(1950-1959 中国历史大事详解)

    讲述了新中国建立之后发生的众多历史事件和历史活动,包括“人民胜利折实公债的发行”、“第一部《中华人民共和国婚姻法》颁布”等。还讲述了新中国的文化,教育,经济等方面的发展。
  • 韶华不为少年留

    韶华不为少年留

    我还以为我的同桌一定是小巧玲珑那个类型的,没想到她开口的第一句话就让我觉得她很伟大,她笑眯眯的问我:“妞,你有喜欢的人吗?”我花了一分钟调整了一下面部的表情,又花了一分钟思考我该怎么回答,结果我很白痴的说:“没啊。”出于礼貌,我又回了一句:“你呢?”“呵呵,我有没有关你屁事啊?”我的脑袋轰隆一声,爆炸似的冒出两个字,“变态!”认识于喵喵的第一天,我对这个世界绝望……
  • 腹黑老公太危险

    腹黑老公太危险

    爱过方知情深,伤过方知情痛!————题记他是玖城第一豪门慕容家二少爷,路晗恨之入骨的男人,可一组轰动全城的暧.昧照,绑住了他们的婚姻。新婚夜,他将她圈住,缓缓凑近,欲施兽行——“慢着。”她拦住他,“我无、意、间听到你和准大嫂的对话……”“听到什么?”“咳咳,你和准大嫂貌似打算开展一场轰轰烈烈的“地下叔嫂乱.伦情”……”他眸子眯起。“放心,我不捉奸,只要你和我相敬如冰!你们的地下情我绝对视而不见,听而不闻!”“你可真……大度!”他松开她,“可是晗晗,你不知道没有男人滋润的女人会老的很快么?”“……滚!”————她是“克父克母克爷爷连未婚夫也不放过”的路家三小姐,为了妹妹,他染上了她。“晗晗,我不喜欢你叫着其他男人的名字……”“要求我时,先管好你自己总往大嫂身上瞄的眼睛!”————当一场被策划了十六年的惊天骗局浮出水面后,一个永远不可能出现的人竟出现了时……一切又都变了。“带着这个野种滚出慕容家!”大雨中,她带着孩子无处可去……
  • 隋末世家天下

    隋末世家天下

    世家,从夏朝的家天下开始诞生,不断发展到后面可以影响国家的发展。而后多少帝王为巩固皇权而打压;多少次流民屠杀;多少次改朝换代;但它一直存在,到现在也只是换一种方式存在。既然不能消灭那就让它远离中原去发展。
  • 青川旧史

    青川旧史

    据书籍有载,青川史至少两千年。两千年间这片大陆上发生过许多荡气回肠的故事,出现过许多叱咤风云的人。但后世谈论最多的,始终是青川纪元第三百年起,祁国景弘一朝那十余年间。明光台上曾星落如雨。百年不亮的听雪灯一度耀彻霁都。苍梧城的冬天永远长风猎猎,暗香却能穿过时间与尘封的秘密一路往南,刺破终年云雾的蓬溪山。从来没有哪个时代同时出现那么多传奇少年少女。也就再没有哪一个十年,能如烟花爆破般逐个揭开那么多经年难解的悬案。据说她们当中有人回去了。据说他和她重逢在初雪即大雪的山林。据说每年烽火长明那日是她的生辰。据说几百年过去了,那些橙花香气依然流淌在祁宫的夏夜。
  • 如实论反质难品

    如实论反质难品

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 我家学生能改变历史

    我家学生能改变历史

    沉迷游戏不可自拔的李白,每天阅读鸡汤的武则天,学好数理化走到哪里都不怕的墨子,整天捣鼓火药的霍去病。作为这些历史人物的老师,主角表示压力很大,因为一不小心将他们教偏了,那么华夏的历史就会大变模样。《我家客人你惹不起》已经完结。
  • 他说我最珍贵

    他说我最珍贵

    沈怀钰娶我,只不过用我当幌子,掩饰他不为人知的隐情,还差点沦落为替他生孩子的道具。沈以南娶我,明确地和我说,只是想让我替他生个孩子……我唐之雅招谁惹谁了!翻来覆去都是要为你们沈家生孩子!后来孩子还未出生,我却从沈太太变成他尴尬的婚外女朋友。我想逃,逃不出他的手掌和他360°无死角的呵护宠爱。我说,亲爱的,总有渣渣想虐我。他说,唐小猪,渣渣有你男人收拾,你只需不(给)变(我)应(生)万(猴)变(子)!
  • 岂料大神太偏执

    岂料大神太偏执

    身为刚毕业的大学生,意外成为某大牌明星的经纪人,不料这大牌竟然是外冷内热,霸道腹黑?当苏瑾满心欢喜地说:“阿时,我把那群记者搞定了!”某大牌嘴角上扬:“但是由于你的嘴笨,现在我来教教你怎么说话。”某大牌身为“房东”,还要管吃管穿管睡觉真的妥吗?问:房东大大你真的只是房东吗?确定不是猴子请来的逗比?某人微微挑眉,将她拥在怀里,勾起嘴角:“你不知道我还兼职未来老公吗?”猝!