192 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



with the hundreds of peering natives who hovered 

 about the compound. 



Upon awakening the following morning, the Sou- 

 danese, who had been on watch the night before, 

 brought to us six freshly poisoned arrows, which they 

 said had been discharged at the camp during the 

 night. We sent word to our blood-brothers to come 

 to us, ostensibly for a pleasant conversation, but in 

 reality to question them about the arrows, and to ask 

 why there was no more trade stirring. Towards 

 afternoon they came. After presenting them with a 

 goodly gift, we remonstrated with them on the score 

 of their deficiencies, and when the climax of our com- 

 plaints was reached we produced the arrows. Upon 

 seeing them, our blood-brothers exchanged glances one 

 with the other, and seemed loath to speak. Upon 

 being questioned by Motio, they said that doubtless 

 the arrows had been left in our camp the day before 

 by some careless warrior ; and they absolutely refused 

 to admit the possibility of any of their tribe having 

 discharged them with ill-intent toward their newly 

 made brothers. We told them this explanation was 

 quite satisfactory ; but should we find any more ar- 

 rows in the neighbourhood of our camp, we should 

 be forced to construe the same into an evidence of 

 hostility, and take necessary measures to prevent its 

 recurrence. 



They went away full of promises of an increased 

 market and protestations of warmest friendship. That 

 nio^ht Motio came to us and told us that the blood- 

 brotherhood we had made with such pains and 

 patience was purely local in scope, and established 



