106 AT ANCHOR. 



implicit faith), " these people no good, — Machinga 

 speak fight — get guns quick !" 



I now loaded the four Sniders, and handed one 

 with some ammunition to Reid,who was as usual at the 

 helm. Seeing that if the boat was not stopped we 

 were almost certain to come to blows, as these men 

 could propel their canoes at double the pace we were 

 going — at the same time feeling certain that the na- 

 tives only wanted to assure themselves that we were 

 not foes — I again requested Mr. Young to stop ; and 

 on his refusing, I took off my shirt, and stood up in 

 the middle of the boat to let them see I was a white 

 man. They were now, however, evidently enraged 

 at our continuing our course right through their place, 

 under their very noses, and contrary to their wishes or 

 orders, and had become very excited. 



Perceiving a number of canoes full of armed men 

 shoving oiF, I pointed it out to the leader, and again 

 requested that the boat might be stopped, to which he 

 now consented, and in less than a minute we were at 

 anchor, and the sail off. I made Moloka tell them 

 that they might send one canoe to inspect us, but 

 if they sent any more we should fire on them ; that 

 we did not want to fight, being their friends, but 

 would not allow ourselves to be surrounded by the 

 number of canoes then pushing up the river. They 

 stopped, and after a minute's consultation a large canoe, 

 with seven armed men in it, hastened to us. Our 

 arms, which were ready loaded, were concealed from 

 sight by order, with the exception of the Snider I held 

 in my hand, and the revolver in my belt. They pad- 

 dled to within ten yards of us, and then round the 



