CAUSE OF THE UNFORTUNATE AFFAIR. 87 



teered to go on shore and visit these men, and 

 endeavour, if possible, to alleviate their suffering. 

 On his landing, however, the natives denied that 

 they were there, perhaps from fear, — or there 

 might have been no truth in the report. 



This unfortunate affair was much to be regret- 

 ted, as it appeared to have arisen entirely from 

 the misconception of the natives. The Alburkah 

 had anchored off the town in the dark, and had 

 fired a gun as a signal to the Quorra that she 

 had done so. The natives imagined that it had 

 been fired at them, and, on the Eboe pilot land- 

 ing in a canoe, they attempted to seize him. He 

 escaped from them, however, and regained his 

 canoe ; and they fired on him as he paddled off to 

 the Alburkah. It did not appear to have been a 

 preconcerted plan, as no canoes had passed us on 

 the river, and there is no communication by land ; 

 so that they could not have been previously in- 

 formed of the time of our arrival. On these 

 grounds I acquitted King Boy in my own mind, 

 although at first I strongly suspected him of 

 having been concerned in the attack. 



Although the natives said that we had killed 

 several, I did not believe it, as the suddenness of 

 our landing would have prevented their carrying 



