338 HOSTILITY OF 



with muskets and spears, and afraid to show 

 themselves. 



At 2. 30 p. M. we passed a town named Arib- 

 beree, the natives of which were partially con- 

 cealed by the trees and houses. There were 

 about a hundred in number, armed with muskets 

 and spears ; and as we passed, they rushed from 

 their concealment down to the bank. By this 

 time I had crossed over to the other side, and 

 observed them in close conversation, and holding 

 palaver, some with their muskets over their 

 shoulders, and others presenting them in front. 

 Before the town was a large Bonny canoe with 

 a puncheon in it ; — at least I had every reason to 

 think it was so, both from its size, and from a 

 native of Bonny, who was in a smaller canoe 

 containing palm-oil. He wore a Guernsey frock, 

 and on seeing the Alburkah, ran his canoe into 

 the bush, where he left it. 



I did not perfectly recollect the exact situation 

 of Hyammah, but I felt convinced we were fast 

 approaching it; and from the great number of 

 natives who were armed, and their hostile ap- 

 pearance, I thought we should be attacked before 

 long. All the guns, nine in number, were dou- 

 ble-shotted, and the muskets fixed round the 



