104 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



puted our calm to confidence in some great ju-ju, to a 

 witchcraft we could exercise in our defence, and which 

 would sweep them all to the evil Djiuns of the river ; 

 or perhaps each party waited for the other to take 

 action first. However that may be, their indecision 

 saved us. Another moment and we were past them, 

 in the canoe, and out in mid-stream. As the current 

 swept us onwards shouts of anger and disappoint- 

 ment were raised, and till the bush closed thick 

 upon the shore and concealed them from our sight, 

 swarthy savages ran down the banks brandishing 

 their clubs. 



Our satisfaction in being safely on board a canoe in 

 the centre of a broad stream was very considerable, and 

 we felt no desire to land again until we reached the 

 German Fort of Bongor. We arrived there by moon- 

 light, and found two ofiicers peacefully drinking coffee 

 on a broad esplanade by the river-side. They received 

 us hospitably, and we did not recount our adventure 

 lest they might ask us to refrain from landing in 

 future. Perhaps the precaution was unnecessary, for 

 the Resident himself warned us that they could 

 not depend upon the friendliness of the natives, but 

 thought it unlikely they would attack so large a 

 party as ours. We continued on our way with jio 

 overweening confidence, and Mrs Talbot and I took 

 care not to extend our walks on shore beyond sight 

 and sound of our camp. 



On four consecutive days the same festival was 

 held, and on each occasion the natives said it was 

 a wake for " one big man." It seemed likely that the 

 ancient custom of making human sacrifice in propitia- 

 tion to the harvest-god might still be practised. Any- 



