A SKIRMISH WITH CANNIBALS 



hours. We were parched with thirst and I had an awful 

 headache ; the sun poured down on us unmercifully as 

 we stood surrounded by some hundreds of yelling mad- 

 dened cannibals, and many days from the nearest white 

 man. 



Juma had for some time been shouting for the chief, 

 and at last he came forward from the crowd on the bank, 

 and after a lot of haggling he finally consented to come 

 across and listen to what I had to say. I was not 

 inclined to receive him on my side of the water with more 

 than half a dozen of his followers, and at first he would 

 not agree to this. Ten minutes later, however, he came 

 over, followed by half a dozen warriors, all of them 

 armed with spears and bows. I told Juma to inform 

 him that his men must lay down their weapons before 

 coming close to us. At first they demurred, but on seeing 

 me la)' down the gun across the loads and advance a 

 step with hand raised aloft, they followed suit and came 

 forward to within eight feet of me. I was careful to keep 

 within arm's reach of the gun, for I thought it likely 

 that some trickery might be behind this curious armistice. 

 Anyhow, I could see that it would have to end one way 

 or the other soon. Syce was the interpreter and managed 

 to get a hearing. 



1 Why did you come here ? " the chief asked. 



" I am going back to Wadelai," I replied. 



' You have killed two of my people," he said. 



' Yes," I replied, " you have killed two of mine ! " 



At this he shook his head and spoke to his followers, 

 who turned round and pointed to the country we had 

 traversed that day. 



" My people did not kill your boys. No, they were 

 not my people who killed them," he said. 



" Who did this ? " I asked, pointing to my shoulder. 



He laughed at this. " Are you coming back here ? " 

 he asked. 



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