THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 471 



calling his men about him, he berated them soundly for their 

 cowardice, reminding them that everything they had was due to 

 his generosity, and swearing that if any of them again showed 

 the least symptom of fear'he would roast them over a slow fire. 



On the 18th the battle was renewed again. The Waganda 

 manned their 230 canoes and advanced resolutely toward the 

 island, but in mid-channel they were met by the Wavuma with 

 196 canoes. This time the Waganda carried two howitzers with 

 them, each in a large canoe, and these were used with such extra- 

 ordinary effect that ten canoes were sunk and the Wavuma were 

 driven back in confusion. Instead of following up their advan- 

 tage by charging the panic-stricken Wavuma, the Waganda 

 returned to the shore to receive the congratulations of Mtesa. 



The war was continued in a desultory manner until the 5th of 

 October, when Stanley called upon Mtesa and said : " Send me 

 2,000 men and to-morrow I will begin the construction of such a 

 wonderful war-boat that the mere appearance of it will bring the 

 Wavuma quickly to terms and establish peace in your kingdom." 



This proposition gave Mtesa intense delight, for he had begun 

 to entertain grave doubts of being able to subjugate the brave 

 rebels. The 2,000 men being furnished, Stanley set them to 

 cutting trees and poles, which were peeled and the bark used for 

 ropes. He lashed three canoes, of seventy feet length and six- 

 and-a-half feet breadth, four feet from each other. Around the 

 edge of these he caused a stockade to be made of strong poles, 

 set in upright, ana then intertwined with smaller poles and rope 

 bark. This made the floating stockade seventy feet long and 

 twenty-seven feet wide, and so strong that spears could not 

 penetrate it. This novel craft floated with much grace, and as 

 the men paddled in the spaces between the boats they could not 

 be perceived by the enemy, who thought it must be propelled 

 by some supernatural agency. It was manned by two hundred 

 and fourteen persons, and moved across the channel like a thing 

 of life. 



As this terrible monster of the deep approached the enemy, 

 Stanley caused a proclamation to be made to them, in deep and 



