water’s edge about 40 feet upward to where it
meets the prodigious luxury o f the grove. There
were about a dozen natives clad in dingy goatskins
seated on the beach, sucking the potent
maramba from gourds when we came u p , and
without question we hauled our boat and two
canoes high and dry. T o our greetings the
natives responded readily and civilly enough.
With rather glazed eyes they offered us some
o f the equatorial nectar. The v o y a g e had been
long on this d ay , and we were tired, and it
might be that we sighed for such cordial refreshing
drink as was now proffered to us. A t
any rate, we accepted their hospitable gift, and
sucked h e a r tily , with bland approval o f the
delicacy o f the liquid, and cordial thanks for
their courtesy. A n observation for longitude
was taken, the natives looking on pleased and
gratified. T o all our questions as to the names
o f the localities and islands in view th ey replied
like friends.
Sunset came. W e bade each other good-night.
A t midnight there was a fearful drumming heard,
which k ep t us all awake from the sheer violence
o f the sound. “ Is anything w rong ?” we demanded
o f Sentum and Sentageya. “ Oh, n o !”
th e y answered. Still the drumming sounded
hoarsely through the dark night, and the desire
for sleep fled.
My men were all up before dawn, impatient
[ApM a k o n g o 75' ] IN DANGER AT MAKONGO. 283
for the day. Instinct, startled b y that ominous
drumming, warned them that something was
wrong. I was still in my boat with drawn
curtains, though able to communicate with my
people. A t sight o f the natives Safeni, the
coxswain, hailed me. A s I was dressed, I
arranged my guns and soon stepped out, and
my astonishment was great when I perceived
that there were between 200 and 300 natives,
all in war costume and armed with spears, and
bows and arrows, and long-handled cleaver-like
weapons, with ample and long cane shields for
defence, so close to us. F o r this terrible-look-
ing b od y o f men stood only about thirty paces
o ff regarding us steadfastly. It was such a
singular position, so unusual and so strangely
theatrical, that, feeling embarrassed, I hastened
to break the silence, and advanced towards a
man whom I recognized as the elder who had
given me some native wine on the previous
evening.
“What means this, my friend?” I asked. “ Is
anything w rong ?”
He replied rapidly, but briefly and sternly,
in the Kinyambu language, which as I did not
understand, I called the Mtongoleh Sentum to
translate for me.
“ What do yo u mean b y drawing your canoes
on our beach?” I was told he asked.
“ Tell him we drew them up lest the surf