Soon after starting we pass the Catholic Mission on the French bank and immediately begin to fight a rapid.  The paddlers strain every muscle, the pole men push with all their strength against rocks and tree trunks and the soldiers help by pulling on branches of trees or anything else which is fixed.  The water whirls past as we creep up inch by inch.  At one moment gaining, at another losing, the excitement being intense, for if once we are conquered by the stream, the canoe will probably be broken to pieces on the rocks.  At times some of the crew jump out and clinging with their feet to the rocks, while up to their middle in the torrent, push the boat up with all their strength.  At length smooth water is reached and on we go quietly for an hour or two, when another rapid is reached and the struggle commences again.  The work is intensely hard and dangerous, but the Sangos are expert boatmen and seem anxious to finish their task as soon as possible.  In rough water or smooth, the crews race along, singing, shouting and encouraging each other to make one more effort.  After an exciting and tiring day we reach a village and having seen the crews rationed, pitch our tents.

On again at 6.30. a.m. in a heavy river mist which however, is soon dispersed as the sun rises.  The rapids, which at first had the excitement of novelty, began to pall for it was tiresome not being able to read or sleep without being disturbed by the possibility of a bath in a current running, at the rate of perhaps fifteen miles an hour, between rocks.  Towards sunset we reach the site of Bokanda, a village now deserted, for some years ago the Chief with his people migrated across the river to the French side.  We decide therefore, to sleep in the new village and proceed to cross, but are still in mid stream when we see the majority of the people running away into the forest behind, the women gathering up their children and household utensils, while the men followed more leisurely.  The Chief however, and a few braves appear on the beach with guns and for a moment it looks as though they mean mischief.  They evidently however think better of it, for we land unmolested and send interpreters to say we are hunters and only desire a place for our camp and food for our men.  The Chief at once advances and gives us chickens and eggs while the soldiers pitch the tents in the square of the village.

On again at daybreak, the journey being still more tiring, for it is impossible to force the canoes heavily laden up some of the cataracts.  We have therefore to land three times and while the baggage is carried along the bank, the empty canoes are hauled up with ropes.  At length the elephant rapids are safely negotiated and an hour or two afterwards Mokoangai is reached but in three long days’ hard work, we have ascended only about thirty miles of the river.