THE CROCODILES OF THE MALAGARAZI. 433 



river gave him great power as a levier of black-mail from travellers passing 

 through, his country, which he used to the uttermost. After much higgling, 

 Stanley had to give 92 yards of cloth for the privilege of passing through his 

 country. The tribute for passing the river had still to be settled, and after a 

 long and stormy discussion, this was arranged. " Finally," he says, " seven 

 doti (28 yards of cloth) and ten pounds of Sam-Sami beads were agreed upon; 

 after which we marched to the ferry, distant half a mile from the scene of so 

 much contention. The river at this place was not more than thirty yards 

 broad, sluggish, and deep. Yet I would prefer attempting to cross the Missis- 

 sippi by swimming, rather than the Malagarazi. Such another river for croco- 

 diles — crocodiles cruel as death, I cannot conceive. Their long tapering heads 

 dotted the river everywhere, and though I amused myself pelting them with 

 two ounce balls, I made no effect upon their numbers. 



" Two canoes discharged their live cargo on the other side of the river, 

 when the story of Captain Burton's passage across the Malagarazi higher up 

 was brought vividly to my mind by the extortions which now commenced. 

 About twenty or so of the chief's men had collected, and backed by them he 

 became insolent. If it were worth while to commence a struggle for two or 

 three more doti of cloth, the mere firing of one revolver at such close quarters 

 would have settled the day ; but I could not induce myself to believe it was 

 the best way of proceeding, taking in view the object of our expedition. And 

 accordingly, this extra demand was settled at once with as much amiability as 

 I could muster ; but I warned him not to repeat it ; and to prevent him from 

 doing so, ordered a man to each canoe, and to be seated there with a loaded 

 gun in each man's hand. After this little episode we got on very well until 

 the men, excepting two, besides Bombay and myself, were safe on the other 

 side. . . . We then drove a donkey into the river, having first tied a 

 strong halter to his neck ; but he had hardly reached the middle of the river 

 when a crocodile beneath seized him by the neck and dragged him under 

 after several frantic but ineffectual endeavours to draw him ashore. A sadness 

 stole over all, after witnessing this scene ; and as the shades of night had now 

 drawn around us, and had tinged the river to a black, dismal colour, it was 

 with a feeling of relief that the fatal stream was crossed, and we all set foot 

 ashore." 



More and yet more pillage in name of tribute had the party to undergo. 

 After paying tribute to the chief of Kawanga, the party marched forward 

 cheerfully, when they were overtaken by a party, who demanded why they 

 attempted to pass without paying the tribute to the King of Ubha. In their 

 innocence they thought they had settled with him when they satisfied his 

 subordinate Kawanga. Mionvu, another subordinate of the King of Ubha, 

 came up to them to receive his master's tribute. 



" He was," says Mr Stanley, " robed most royally, after the fashion of 

 v 2 



