these three hours. A re yo u read y, your guns
and revolvers loaded, and your ears open this
time?”
“W e are,” th ey all firmly answered.
“ Don’t be afraid; be quite cool. W e will try,
while th ey are collecting together, the women’s
suggestion. Go frankly and smilingly, Safeni,
up to Shekka, on the top o f that hill, and
offer him these three fundo o f beads, and ask
him to exchange blood with you.”
Safeni proceeded readily on his errand, for
there was no danger to him bodily while we
were there within 150 yards, and their full power
as y e t unprepared. For ten minutes he conversed
with them, while the drums kept beating,
and numbers o f men bepainted for war were increasing
Shekk a’s force. Some o f them entertained
us b y demonstrating with their spears how
th ey fought; others whirled their clubs like tipsy
Irishmen at Donnybrook fair. Their gestures
were wild, their voices were shrill and fierce,
th ey were kindling themselves into a fighting
fever.
Safeni returned. Shekka had refused the pledge
o f peace. T h e natives now mustered over 300.
Presently fifty bold fellows came rushing
down, uttering a shrill cry. Without hesitation
th ey Came straight to the boat, and, hissing
something to us, seized our Kiganda d r um . It
was such a small affair, we did not resist; still
[A Bumbireh7 5 ] T0LD TO PREPARE FOR FIGHTING. 307
the manner in which it was taken completely
undeceived us, if any small hope o f peace remained.
Loud applause greeted the act o f gallantry.
Then two men came down towards us, and
began to drive some cows away that were grazing
between -us and the men on the hill. Safeni
asked o f one o f them, “W h y do yo u do
that?”
“ Because we are going to begin fighting presently,
and if yo u are men, yo u may begin to
prepare yourselves,” he said scornfully.
“ Thanks, my bold friend,” I muttered to myself.
“ Those are the truest words w e have heard
to-day.”
The two men were retiring up the hill. “ Here,
Safeni;” I said, “ fake these two fine red cloths
in your hand; walk s low ly up after them a little
w a y , and the minute yo u hear my voice run
back; and y o u , my b o y s , this is for life and
death, mind; range yourselves on each side o f
the boat, la y you r hands on it carelessly, but
with a firm grip, and when I give the word,
push it with the force o f a hundred men down
the hill into the water. A re yo u all ready,
and do yo u think yo u can do it? Otherwise
we might as well begin fighting where we are.”
“ Yes, Inshallah Master,” th ey cried out with
one voiCe.
“ Go, Safeni!”
I waited until he had walked fifty yards away,
x 2