sheet of water, the silver sheen of which contrasted with t£e
sombre hue of the lofty mountains around. Towaids tne
N W. the waterline extended to the horizon, and e river
swept in a noiseless slow current past the foot of the hills
^ H i Í first object on reaching the banks of the Great River
was to establish peaceful relations with the Apfuru “ d .oth«
tribes of the ’Ubanji nation. The principal tribe of this farm y
áre the Alhialumo “ sailors of the Congo,” who are born, live
and die with their families on board the fine canoes, in which
they carry on their trade in ivory and other goods between the
Alima and Stanley Pool. This was so on de Brazza s firs
visit. Now I am informed that trade route is to a considerable
•extent diverted. ,
De Brazza addressed himself to Ngampey their chief, who
seemed inclined to be friendly. “ Choose,” said he “ between
the cartridge and the flag I send you. One will be the
sign of a war without mercy, the other a symbol of a peace
as profitable to you as to us.” He left the tribes on this side
time to think over the answer and went on to King Makok .
De Brazza here says he felt his rights of priority and those
o f France now clearly established over the whole region between
the Ogowé, the Equator, and the Congo , an e nf“*
-wished to extend this over the l e f t b a n k of the Cong ,
N , as far as the confluence of the river Djue to the sou
Stanley Pool. In this part of the country the plateaus are
more fertile and better cultivated than those in the interior
and the population denser and equally pacific. lh e Mussulman
element,” says de Brazza, “ being unknown in this
region, European civilisation need not expect to encoun
-the hostility, hatred, and fanaticism which oblige the French,
for instance, not to advance except with a r m e d forces from the
Senegal to the Niger. There is nothing to be feared there
■except the natural opposition of the natives to w atever is
new.M
akoko received him with all available magnificence, an
he remained twenty-five days with the chief and foi a onger
period in his provinces, and “ could not ha\e been etter