148 TRICKS UPON THE NATIVES. 



some of the natives, and check their thieving 

 propensities, a number of our men were told 

 to dress themselves up in a peculiar manner, and 

 take masks of different sorts and patterns. They 

 made their appearance in their strange habili- 

 ments, the masks making them appear doubly 

 hideous by lamp-light. As soon as Adizetta saw 

 these horrid figures, she nearly fainted ; the 

 pullaboys leaped overboard ; the traders ran to 

 their canoes, or concealed themselves in different 

 parts of the vessel. They were told that these 

 were Ju-ju's men ; and that if the natives wished 

 to injure us, our Ju-jus would most certainly 

 kill them. They were also told, that when not 

 required, our Ju-jus went up to the moon ; but 

 that when we wanted them, we despatched a 

 messenger (sky-rocket) to them, and they would 

 instantly be at hand. This mode of imposing 

 on the credulity of these simple people could 

 only be justified as a means of security to our- 

 selves, as thus impressing them with an exag- 

 gerated notion of our power rendered an attack 

 on us less likely. 



At 5 the following morning, having rid our- 

 selves of Adizetta and the king's chief warrior, 

 we got under weigh. Passed the largest branch 



