CAPTURED BY AFRICAN SAVAGES 265 



On reaching his destination and utterly igno- 

 rant of danger, he began a brisk trade with the 

 blacks. They appeared to be very friendly. 

 Nearly every day they brought him milk, fruit, 

 and sweet potatoes. But one morning they 

 arrived at his camp earlier than usual, and by 

 ten o'clock fully a hundred natives had assem- 

 bled. Such a throng made Barrett somewhat 

 suspicious, but they all seemed in good spirits, 

 and some of them made a few trifling exchanges. 



After a time they formed a wide circle and 

 began dancing and singing. Barrett did not 

 suspect treachery until he realised that they 

 were gradually closing in upon him. Trying 

 not to betray any nervousness, he carelessly 

 picked up his rifle and began wiping it with 

 his handkerchief; finally he sat down in front 

 of the tent, with the rifle resting across his 

 knees. 



Presently one of his porters came up and 

 asked to have his injured foot examined. As 

 Barrett leaned forward a black rushed up from 

 behind and snatched his gun; then the treacher- 

 ous crowd leaped upon the white man and bore 

 him to the ground. In a few moments they had 

 tied his hands and fastened one end of a ten- 



