CHAP. XI. BLOODTHIRSTY SLAVES. 307 



away. A few shots were then fired over their heads, to 

 give thera 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 at- 

 tacked at once, without any warning or provocation. Our 

 experience 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- 

 ance, and told a neighbouring chief that, if they had 

 known who we were, they would not have attacked Eng- 

 lish, who can " bite hard." They offered no molestations 

 on our way down, though we were an hour in passing their 

 village. Our canoe-men plucked up courage on finding 

 that we had come off unhurt. One of them, named Chiku, 

 acknowledging that he had been terribly frightened, said, 

 " His fear was not the kind which makes a man jump 

 overboard and run away ; but that which brings the heart 

 up to the mouth, and renders the man powerless, and no 

 more able to fight than a woman." 



In the country of Chonga Michi, about 80 or 90 miles 

 up the river, we found decent people, though of the same 



