minutes the seventy musket-armed canoes of the
-Marunja were retreating to a more respectful
distance. After following us for five miles, they
abandoned the pursuit, and we happily saw no
more of them.
A t noon we obtained an observation, north
latitude 1p 28' o", while at noon of the 12th we
were in north latitude i° 36' o". Our course
among the islands had ranged from west half
north to west-south-west.
After we had escaped the Marunja, we crept
from channel to channel and creek to creek,
which wound in and out between island groves,
until night, when we encamped, to undergo the
usual nightly tortures of the light-coloured mosquitoes.
of the Livingstone.
We had discovered on several islands, since
leaving Urangi, small camps, consisting of,
perhaps, a dozen small grass huts or sheds, which
had, no doubt, been the temporary shelter erected
by some trading tribe below, and, as we heard
from the aborigines of Rubunga the power of
the Bangala highly extolled, we came to the
conclusion that, upon arriving in the Bangala’s
country, we should be freed from all strife and
danger.
During the forenoon of the 14th February,
while anxiously looking out lest we should be
taken by some erratic channels in view of other
villages, we arrived at the end of an island,
which, after some hesitation, we followed along
the right. Two islands were to the right of us,
and prevented us from observing the mainland.
But after descending two miles we came in full
view of a small settlement on. the right bank.
Too late to return, we crept along down river,
hugging the island as closely as possible, in
order to arrive at a channel before the natives
should sight us. But, alas! even in the midst
of our prayers for deliverance, sharp, quick
taps on a native kettledrum sent our blood
bounding to the heart, and we listened in agony
for the response. Presently one drum after
another sounded the alarm, until the Titanic
drums of war thundered the call to arms.
In very despair, I sprang to my feet, and,
addressing my distressed and long-suffering
followers, said, “ It is of no use, my friends, to
hope to escape these bloody pagans. Those
drums mean war. Yet it is very possible these
are the Bangala, in which case, being traders,
they will have heard of the men by the sea,
and a little present may satisfy the chiefs. Now,
while I take the sun you prepare your guns,
your powder, and bullets, see that every shield
is ready to lift at once, as soon as you see or
hear one gun-shot. It is only in that way I can
save you, for every pagan now, from here to
the sea, is armed with a gun, and they are black
like you, and they have a hundred guns to. your