Chap. XXI. BLOODTHIRSTY SLAVERS. 437 



the bend above to look at the boat, as we supposed ; 

 but, the moment she was abreast of them, they gave us 

 a volley of musket-balls and poisoned arrows, without a 

 word of warning. Fortunately we were so near, that all 

 the arrows passed clear over us, but four musket-balls went 

 through the sail just above our heads. All our assailants 

 bolted into the bushes and long grass, the instant after 

 firing, save two, one of whom was about to discharge a 

 musket and the other an arrow, when arrested by the 

 fire of the second boat. Not one of them showed their 

 faces again, till we were a thousand yards away. A 

 few shots were then fired over then heads, to give them 

 an idea of the range of our rifles, and they all fled into 

 the woods. Those on the sandbank rushed off too, 

 with the utmost speed ; but, as they had not shot at us, 

 we did not molest them, and they went off safely with 

 their cloth. They probably expected to kill one of our 

 number, and in the confusion rob the boats. It is only 

 where the people are slavers, that the natives of this part 

 of Africa are bloodthirsty. 



These people have a bad name in the country in front, 

 even among their own tribe. A slave-trading Arab we met 

 above, thinking we were then on our way down the river, 

 advised us not to land at the villages, but to stay in the 

 boats, as the inhabitants were treacherous, and attacked 

 at once, without any warning or provocation. Our experi- 

 ence of their conduct fully confirmed the truth of what 

 he said. There was no trade on the river where they 

 lived, but beyond that part there was a brisk canoe- 

 trade in rice and salt; those further in the interior culti- 

 vating rice, and sending it down the river to be exchanged 

 for salt, which is extracted from the earth in certain places 

 on the banks. Our assailants hardly anticipated resist- 



