( 354 ) 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



EETKEAT FKOM ASHANGO-LANU. 



A Palaver proposed to settle the Death of the Man — A "Woman killed — 

 The War Cry ! — Eetreat commenced — Igala and myself wounded with 

 Poisoned Arrows — Narrow Escape of Macondai and Eebouka — We are 

 closely pursued by the Natives— Collections and Note-hooks thrown 

 into the Bush — We make a Stand — Two Men Shot — Pursuit continued 

 — I am wounded a second time — Igalo shoots the Bowman — We make 

 another Stand — Cross the Bembo — Pass Mobana — Still pursued — Make 

 a final Stand — The Pursuers driven off at last — A Halt — The Party 

 all collected together — Sleep in the Forest — Night-March through 

 Niemhouai — Friendly Conduct of the Head Chief — We are well 

 received at a Plantation — Arrival of Magouga — We continue the March 

 to Ishogo-land. 



For a moment there seemed a chance of the affair 

 being patched up. Igala had explained, in shouting 

 to the frightened Komho and the elders, that it was 

 all an accident, and that I would pay the value of 

 twenty men in goods if they would listen to me. I 

 had hurriedly taken out a quantity of beads and 

 cloth and spread it on the ground in the middle 

 of the street, as the price of the life. One of the 

 head men had even come forward, saying " it is 

 good, let us hold the palaver." The war drums had 

 ceased beating. But it was but a gleam of sunshine 

 in the midst of a storm : at that moment a woman 

 came rushing out of a hut, wailing and tearing 

 her hair — the head wife of the friendly head man 



