In Search of the Okapi | Page 5

pleasure from
the expedition."
"Another word. I am not an exacting man; but there is one thing I will
not tolerate, and that is disobedience. It is well to understand that now;"
and there came a stern expression into those singular eyes.
"That is only right," said Compton; and Venning agreed.
CHAPTER II
A NOVEL CRAFT
A month was devoted to preparation--a month that was full of pleasure
to the two friends, for they came into close touch with Dave Hume the
hunter, and learnt to regard him almost as a brother. Ordinarily, he was
curt in his speech and cold in manner, especially with strangers; but at
night, when he had shed his boots and coat, he would talk to them
freely of his hunting experiences, and listen with interest to their
opinions. He never laughed at their mistakes, nor damped their

enthusiasm, but he got the best out of them by a fine courtesy that
seemed part of his nature.
Thus it was that when, early in the first week, Venning said he had an
idea for a boat that could be easily carried round the cataracts and
worked without much labour, he was at once encouraged to give plans
and specifications.
"I read once about a 'sneak-box'--a flat-bottomed shooting canoe-- that
could carry a sail and serve at the same time as a cabin."
"I have used one myself duck-shooting. Go on."
"Well, sir, I built a boat on the plan given, and spent a holiday one year
on the Broads. It drew very little water, and was easily managed.
However, you know all that. But what I was thinking about was a
design for a larger boat of the kind, with a propeller attached to it which
could be worked by lever."
"By a lever?"
"Perhaps you have seen a lame man working a bicycle by a lever-- well,
after that principle. There would be a steel rod with cog- wheels, and
one man could work the lever as the lame cyclist does without the
labour of rowing." Venning waited nervously for the criticism.
"At any rate the lever would be a relief after the paddles," said Mr.
Hume, gravely.
"But that is not all," continued the inventor, hastily. "I would rig up a
light American windmill amidships, which could work the screw and
get more speed with a following wind in conjunction with a sail rigged
up forward."
"Bravo, my boy!" said Mr. Hume, laughing. "How many revolutions of
the screw to the minute do you expect to get out of your windmill?"
"That depends on the power of the wind, sir. Do you think it is a mad

scheme?"
"It would impress the natives," said Compton, "and at any rate we
could start wheat-milling, you know, in case we came to the end of our
resources."
"There's no wheat in Central Africa, you duffer! Besides, sir, it's mainly
a question of gear. With a lever, cog-wheels, and a running chain after
the pattern of the cycle chain, one could----"
"And ball bearings," suggested Compton, slyly.
"Yes; and ball bearings--the friction would be reduced, and we could
get more power out of a screw and propeller than we could from four
paddles."
"You may be right," said Mr. Hume, thoughtfully.
"We don't want to take a large party, and I confess the water transport
has bothered me very much. The wind-mill, I am afraid, we must leave
to some other time, but the other part of your scheme is worth placing
before practical men, and I will give you a letter to a friend of mine
who had a boat built on the Thames."
Venning saw the friend the very next day; the friend gave him an
introduction to a member of a great firm of torpedo-boat builders on the
Thames, and this gentleman very kindly gave the matter five minutes'
attention.
"Your idea, eh?" said the great designer. "Explain what advantage you
expect to gain."
"Less labour in working than with paddles, and greater speed."
"Humph! Well, my lad, you leave the matter with me, and I will report.
You can look over the yards if you like."
Venning spent the rest of the morning among the wicked-looking
sharks of the Navy, and he went back depressed with the thought that

his "sneak-box" was merely a plaything. However, he picked up
confidence when the next day brought an offer from the builders to turn
out an aluminium sneak-box in three divisions, with capacity for a crew
of six, to be worked on occasion by two men pulling at levers, driving
the propeller by means of endless chains and cog- wheels, the gear to
be made of best oil-tempered nickel-steel, with hardened ball bearings.
Each division, when detached, of such weight that it could be easily
carried by