CHAPTER V 



West Coast of Africa Nimbi War palaver Sacrifice Island 

 The fight The Island of Ascension Rollers Turtle-turn- 

 ing Wide-awake Fair St. Helena Longwood Dinizulu 



A huge Tortoise. 



"Where man tarries man must slay." 



ONE day news came to Calabar that 

 the natives of Nimbi and the sur- 

 rounding villages had risen and 

 attacked Akassa, the head station of the Niger 

 Company, which is situated on the sea at one of 

 the mouths of the Niger River. There had been 

 friction for some time past, owing to differences 

 between the Company and native chiefs. 



Sir Claude had summoned the paramount 

 chief to come and state his grievances, and ere 

 long this worthy arrived in a big war canoe, 

 sixty feet or so long, a big gun in the bows, and 

 some forty paddlers on each side. Small pennant 

 flags ornamented the vessel, which made a 

 brave show as it arrived at Brass for the palaver. 

 The gist of the chief's remarks was that he had 

 no palaver with the great white Queen, but for 

 the Niger Company he had a wholesome con- 

 tempt. 



The ultimate result of the discontent was an 



56 



