travelled all your life among slaves have not
yet learned that there lies something good in
the heart of every man that God made. Men
were not made all bad, as you say. For God
is good, and He made all men. I have studied
my people; I know them and their ways. It
will be my task to draw the good out of them
while they are with me; and the only way to
do it is to be good to them, for good produces
good. As you value my friendship, and hope
to receive money from me, be silent. Speak
not a word of fear to my people, and when we
part, I shall make known my name to you. To
you, and to all who are my friends, I shall be
‘ the white man with the open hand.’ But if not,
then I shall be ‘Kipara-moto.’ ”
While I had been speaking, a small canoe
with two men was seen advancing from the
opposite bank. One of the interpreters was
called, and told to speak to them quietly, and
to ask them to bring canoes to take us across.
“ NdugU, O ndugu” (“Brother, O brother”),
the interpreter hailed them, “we are friends; we
wish to cross the river. Bring your canoes and
take us to the other side, and we will give you;
plenty of shells and beads.”
“Who are you?”
“We are Warungwana” (Wangwana).
“Where from?”
“ From Nyangwe.”
r Nov. 19, 1876- 1 b e l ie v e d t o b e “ b a d w a s a m b y e .” 195
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“Ah, you are Wasambye!” (the uncircumcised).
“No; we have a white man with us as chief,
and he is kind,”
“ If he fills my canoe with shells, I will go
and tell the Wenya that you want to cross the
river.”
“We cannot give so much as that, but we
will give ten shells for each man.
“ We want a thousand shells for each man, or
you shall never cross the river.
“ Ah, but, Ndugu, that is too much; come, we
will give you twenty shells for each.
“Not for ten thousand, brother. We do not
want you to cross the river. Go back, Wasambye
; you are bad! Wasambye are bad, bad,
bad! The river is deep, Wasambye! Go back,
Wasambye; you are bad, bad! The river is
deep, Wasambye! You have not wings, Wasambye!
Go back, Wasambye!
After saying which they sang the wildest,
weirdest note I ever heard, and sent it pealing
across the river. “ Ooh-hu, ooh-hu-hu-hu! ” In
response we heard hundreds of voices sing out
a similar note— “ Ooh-hu, ooh-hu-hu-hu!
“That is a war-cry, master,” said the interpreter.
“Nonsense, don’t be foolish. What cause is
there for war?”
“ These wild people do not need cause; they
are simply wild beasts.”