“ Safeni, use your wit.” “ Please God, master,” he
replied.
Safeni drew nearly all the crowd after him, for
curiosity is strong in the African. I saw him
pose himself. A born diplomatist was Safeni.
His hands moved up and down, outward and
inward; a cordial frankness sat naturally on his
face; his gestures were graceful; the man was
an orator, pleading for mercy and justice.
Safeni returned, his face radiant. “ It is all
tig h t, master, there is no fear. T h e y sa y we
must stop here until to-morrow.”
“ Will they sell us fo o d ? ”
“ Oh, yes, as soon as they settle their shauri.”
While Safeni was speaking, s ix men rushed up
and seized the oars.
Safeni, though hitherto politic, lost temper at
this, and endeavoured to prevent them. T h e y
raised their clubs to strike him. I shouted out,
“ L e t them go, Safeni.”
A loud cheer greeted the seizure o f the oars.
I became convinced now that this one little act
would lead to others; for man is the same all
over the world. S e t a b eg g a r on horseback,
and he will ride to the devil; give a slave
an inch, and he will take an ell; if a man submit
once, he must be prepared to submit again.
The shauri” proceeded. Another messenger
came, demanding five cloths and five fundo o f
necklaces, T h e y were delivered. But as it was
now near noon, and they were assured we could
not escape, the savages withdrew to their nearest
village to refresh themselves with wine
and food.
After the warriors had departed, some women
came to lo o k at us. W e spoke kindly to them,
and in return they gave us the consoling assurance
that w e should be k illed ; but they said
that if we could induce Shekka to make blood-
brotherhood, or to eat honery with one o f us,
we should be safe. If we failed, there was only
flight or death. We thanked them, but we would
wait.
About 3 P.M. we heard a number o f drums
beaten. Safeni was told that if the natives co llected
again he must endeavour to induce Shekka
with gifts to go through the process o f blood-
brotherhood.
A long line o f natives in full war costume
appeared on the crest o f the terrace, on which
the banana grove and village o f Kajurri stood.
Their faces were smeared with black and white
pigments. Almost all o f them bore the peculiar
shields o f Uzongora. Their actions were such
as the dullest-witted of us recognized as indicating
hostilities.
Even Safeni and Baraka were astounded, and
their first words were, “ Prepare, master. Truly,
this is trouble.”
“ Never mind me,” I replied, “ I have been ready
THROUGH THE DARK CONTINENT. VOL. I. . X