328 ASHANGO-LAND. Chap. XVL 



given them a fat goat to present to me that I might 

 consent to the delay ; but I made a firm stand 

 against these manoeuvres, and forced the porters to 

 take up their loads by pointing my revolver at their 

 heads, while I took old Magouga by the arm, and led 

 him forward. We left at about eight a.m., and after 

 two hours' march arrived at a small village called 

 Niongo, where we stoj^ped for breakfast. 



The importunities of the villagers and their chief 

 delayed ns here nearly three hours. I was getting 

 annoyed at these repeated delays, for, at this rate of 

 travel, when should I get to the Nile ? It was now 

 nearly a year since I left the coast. At last, I told 

 the chief that if he was so fond of me I would tie 

 him with ropes and carry him with us ; we were 

 allowed, after this, to depart without further trouble. 

 Of course I refused the proffered goat ; for it is an 

 universal rule with these tribes that, a present being 

 received by a stranger from the villagers, he is bound 

 to make some stay in the place. The refusal of the 

 present of food is a token that j^ou do not wish to 

 remain, and hence the pertinacity of these people in 

 trying to force goats and so forth upon us, when we 

 are passing a village. After an hour's march we 

 were again brought to a stand-still, by the porters 

 laying down their loads and demanding more pay. 

 This was the Ishogo scene over again, and terminated 

 in the same manner, by the vigorous measure of bring- 

 ing my Commi men up with the muzzles of their 

 guns levelled at the heads of the offenders, followed 

 by their sudden repentance, and their laughing over 

 the attair, as usual, saying, " Let us stop a while and 



