DIFFICULTY WITH BASIIINJE CHIEF. 



231 



anxious to cross to the western side, we tried to induce 

 some of the Bashinje to lend us canoes for the purpose. 

 This brought out the chief of these parts, who informed us 

 that all the canoe-men were his children, and nothing 

 could be done without his authority. He then made the 

 usual demand for a man, an ox, or a gun, adding that 

 otherwise we must return to the countiy from which we 

 had come. As I did not believe that this man had any 

 power over the canoes of the other side, and suspected that 



BASHINJE CHIEF'S MODE OF WEARING THE HAIR. 



if I gave him my blanket — the only thing I now had in 

 reserve — he might leave us in the lurch after all, I tried to 

 persuade my men to go at once to the bank, about two 

 miles off, and obtain possession of the canoes before we 

 gave up the blanket; but they thought that this chiei 

 might attack us in the act of crossing, should we do so. 

 The chief came himself to our encampment and made his 

 demand again. My men stripped off the last of their cop- 

 per rings and gave them ; but he was still intent on a man. 



