drums gave out a thunderous sound, which must
have been heard to an immense distance. The
high ridge, which was three miles behind Ya-
ngambi, exhibited cultivated] slopes and many
villages, which discharged their hundreds to the
large council-circle sitting down in view of us.
Many of the aborigines paraded up and down
the banks for our benefit, holding up to our
view bright spear-blades, 6 feet in length and
6 inches broad! the sight of which drew curious
remarks from my hard-pressed followers.
One, named Mpwapwa, cried out, “ Oh, mother,
those fellows mean to split a man in two with
such spears as those!” Another said, “ No, man,
those are the spears from their idol temples,
for mere show; for were a man to be carved
with such a big spear, there would be nothing
left of him.” But Baraka, the humourist, opined
they were intended to spit children on. A
chorus of war-cries sometimes broke out from
the immense concourse of people, wherein we
could distinguish very plainly the words “Ya,
Mariwa!”
While all this was at its height, and as we
were unable to comprehend anything that the
natives bawled out to us, we placed our captives
in their canoe, and, giving each a few shells,
motioned them to depart. As the warriors on
the bank .saw their friends return, they all
gathered round the landing-place, and, as they
rían. 30, 1877.-1 G R O W IN G W E A R Y O F F IG H T IN G . 341
I Y a n g am b i. J
landed, asked scores of questions, the replies
to which elicited loud grunts of approval and
wonder. The drumming gradually ceased, the
war-cries were heard no more, the people left
their processions to crowd round their countrymen,
and The enormous spear-blades no longer
flashed their brightness on us. We waited about
an hour, and, taking it for granted that after
such a signal instance of magnanimity they would
not resume their hostile demeanour, we quietly
embarked, and glided down river unopposed.
Not desirous of risking another encounter this
day, we sought the shelter of a wooded island
opposite an uninhabited forest, and arranged
ourselves in the wild woods with due regard to
safety. Yet we were not unobserved. Some
stray fisherman gave notice to the populous
settlements below, and a furious drumming at
once began from each bank, which was maintained
without intermission until morning.
The river was gradually increasing in breadth;
from 3000 yards it grew to 4000 yards wide.
Islands also were more numerous, with dense
roofs of green foliage upheld by the trunks of
the tall patriarchs. We were getting weary of
fighting every day. The strain to which we
were exposed had been too long, the incessant,
long-lasting enmity shown to us was beginning
to make us feel baited, harassed, and bitter.
Dared we but dash down by night! Ah, but