“ I will prove to you before two hours you
are wrong,” I said.
By the time I had finished my breakfast the
Lady Alice was in the river, and a loud shout
of applause greeted her appearance on her natural
element.
The boat’s crew, with Uledi as coxswain, and
Tippu-Tib, Seikh Abdallah, Muini Ibrahim, Bwana
Abed (the guide), Muini Jumah, and two interpreters
and myself as passengers, entered the
boat. We were rowed up the river for half an
hour, and then struck across to a small island in
mid-stream. With the aid of a glass I examined
the shores, which from our camp appeared to
be dense forest. We saw that there were about
thirty canoes tied to the bank,* and amongst the
trees I detected several houses. The bank was
crowded with human beings, who were observing
our movements.
We re-entered our boat, and pulled straight
across to the left bank, then floated down slowly
with the current, meantime instructing the interpreters
as to what they should say to the
Wenya.
When we came opposite, an interpreter requested
them to take a look at the white man
who had come to visit their country, who wished
to make friends with them, who would give
them abundance of shells, and allow none of his
men to appropriate a single banana, or do vio?
rNo*. 20, ’876.-1 BLOOD-BROTHERHOOD p r o p o s e d . 197
L Wenya. J
lence to a single soul; not a leaf would be taken,
nor a twig burned, without being paid for. j
The natives, gazing curiously at me, promised
after a consultation, that if we made blood-
brotherhood with them there should be no
trouble, and that for this purpose the white
chief, accompanied by ten men, should proceed
early next morning to the island, where he
would be met by the chief of the Wenya and
his ten men, and that, after the ceremony,'all
the canoes should cross and assist to carry our
people to their country.
After thanking them, we returned to camp,
highly elated with our success. A t 4 A.M., however,
the boat secretly conveyed twenty men
with Kacheche, who had orders to hide in the
brushwood, and, returning to camp at 7 A.m.,
conveyed Frank and ten men, who were to perform
the ceremony of brotherhood, to the island.
On its return, I entered the boat, and was rowed
a short way up stream along the right bank,
so that, in case of treachery, I might be able
to reach the island within four minutes to lend
assistance.
About 9 A.M. six canoes full of men were seen
to paddle to the island. We saw them arrive
before it, and finally to draw near. Earnestly
and anxiously I gazed through my glass at
every movement. Other canoes were seen advancing
to the island. It was well, I thought,