298 t h r o u g h t h e d a r k c o n t i n e n t . rAprti ,8,
L Bumbireh. J
Herds o f cattle grazed on the summit and
opes, a tolerably large acreage here and th
showed a brown soil upturned for planting while
e x tenslve b an an a .g ro v e , markedP J
village sites. There was a kindly and prosper
ous aspect about the island.
theAcoaT “ ^ had SaiIed a Uttle distan“ aI°"g
w h ich K , W<\ ca “ g h ‘ Sigbt o f a « * • f ig u r e !
the ' * eVCn and the grassy summiti and hearsdm o^otf l woeu„t.lkine of
b y hT of ,he imirl r_ j ’ Hehu-a hehu-u-u-u! ”
°ud, long-drawn, and ringing.
The figures increased, in number, and fresh
voices joined in the defiant and alam ing nT
St.U hungry wretches as we were, e w i r o n S
y jfficulties o f all kinds, just beginning to feel
warm^ after the cold and w e . o f t h f n i g h f b e f S ZTJT7gues o f a st eoau rb ev tiwt a ei es ’n 4usu eansd our friends at
Usukuma, and nothing eatable in our boat we
s X s ^ S f t h ' 0 riSk SOmethinS< «m in d in g our-
there are no circumstances so desperate
which Providence may not relieve ”
e a s t 'en d 'O f Th8 d;Scoverf d a “ ve near the south-
into it I a- ° n,g ,S,and’ and pulled slowly
hhee ssl oopnees!, shh8o uti^ng w a^r-c r"ieast iavnesd uttering fdieorwcne
ejaculations. When about a
cllnrp T , , , at)out 5 0 yards from the
- ore, bade the men cease rowing, but Safeni
TRICKED IN.
and Baraka became eloquent, and said, “ It is
a lm ost, always the case, master, with savages.
T h e y cry out, and threaten, and lo o k b ig , but
you will see that all that noise will cease as
soon as they hear us speak. Besides, if we leave
here without food, where shall we obtain it? ”
The last argument was unanswerable, and
though I gave no orders to resume their oars,
four o f the men impelled the boat on slowly,
while Safeni and Baraka prepared themselves
to explain to the natives, who were now close
within hearing, as they came rushing to the water’s
edge. I saw some lift great stones, while others
prepared their bows.
W e were now about xo yards from the beach,
and Safeni and Baraka spoke, earnestly pointing
to their mouths, and b y gestures explaining that
their bellies were empty. T h e y smiled with insinuating
faces; uttered the words “ brothers,”
“ friends,” “ g o o d fe llow s ,” m5 st volubly; cunningly
interpolated the words Mtesa— the Kabaka—
Uganda, and Antari king o f Ihangiro, to whom
Bumbireh belongs. Safeni and Baraka’s pleasant
volubility seemed to have produced a good
effect, for the stones were dropped, the bows
were unstrung, and the lifted spears lowered to
assist the steady, slow-walking pace with which
they now advanced.
Safeni and Baraka turned to me triumphantly
and asked, “What did we sa y , master?” and