84 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



They had danced for us the previous night, as a matter 

 of business, and we had paid ; there our connection 

 was to cease. They did not like us, and they saw 

 no reason to conceal their feelings. It made us very 

 sad, but, as we could not convince them of our merits, 

 there was no use in remaining, so we turned back to 

 the shore and re-embarked. 



Another day of peace and contentment was before 

 us, and we paddled lazily along the lake, with the drip 

 of the water, as it splashed off the poles, lulling the 

 senses into drowsy enchantment. 



That night, on landing, Mrs Talbot and I went a 

 stroll together as usual, but in a few minutes her hus- 

 band joined us. He had brought his rifle, greatly to 

 our astonishment, and he begged us to keep within 

 sight of camp. It appeared that there had been 

 recent fighting at the neighbouring township, for the 

 chief of Fianga had forbidden any one to work for 

 the white man. In defiance of this order two of the 

 villagers had served as carriers, and on their return 

 to Fianga the chief had beaten them. They ran 

 away and complained to the French, who sent a black 

 sergeant and three soldiers to remonstrate. This little 

 party was soon put to flight, and three out of the 

 four were wounded. 



Everything seemed peaceful now, however, and the 

 only shot fired was at bats, which had clustered so 

 thickly in the branches of a tree that twelve fell to 

 one shot, and the rest circled about us in so dense 

 a cloud that lioj'ht could not be seen throuMi it. 



The night passed without sign of hostility, and next 

 morning we visited the village, where the people, 

 though timid, showed no unfriendliness. The women 



