64 A NATURALIST IN CANNIBAL LAND 



through the first without making any noise, but in 

 the second village some of the sleepers were aroused, 

 and followed us, full of curiosity mingled with alarm. 



The third village was aroused thoroughly before we 

 entered it, and there were over 1000 people collected 

 in the main street. Apparently they did not wish us 

 any harm, but were anxious that we should stop in 

 the village to answer their inquiries, and they offered 

 us food and presents. I wanted to push on, but the 

 natives seemed to think that this was an unfriendly 

 attitude on my part. Trouble was apparently 

 brewing. Finally I was struck by something that a 

 child had thrown, but of course did not retaliate. 

 Then a man who was in mourning for some dead 

 relative and was covered over with black pigment, 

 as is the custom there, put his hand on my white 

 clothes, soiling them badly. At the same time he 

 pushed me. I knocked him over and the natives 

 then dispersed a little. My boys were very frightened, 

 but they followed me as I pushed on, the natives 

 following behind with spears. Their attitude was so 

 threatening that I thought it best to halt and parley 

 with them. I tried the effect of fear, firing my 

 revolver at a tree. They had evidently never heard 

 firearms before and some of them fell to the ground 

 in fright. I gave two or three of the men some 

 tobacco, and then they seemed friendly enough and 

 allowed me to pass on. 



During the night we passed through several large 



