210 
TEAVELS IN CENTEAL AFEICA. 
partaken of^ and the prisoners given up in exchange for elephants^ 
tusks^ brought from the bush_, where they had been allowed to 
remain as so many worthless bones. 
Mussaad now for the first time stated that^ on his return from 
Wanja^ whither he went hoping to meet the Speke expedition^, he 
to his surprise was fallen on in the hush by the natives,, when 
approaching Mundo^ south-west of my station at Wayo. Com- 
pelled to defend himself^ he fired; hut the negroes^ undaunted,, 
returned again and again to the attack^ and not until they had 
lost some half-dozen men did they withdraw. Mussaad then pro- 
ceeded to their village, found to be deserted, where he determined 
to remain until the River Ayi, then greatly swollen, had subsided. 
During his stay there some of the men from the station at Wayo, 
having heard the firing, infiated skins, and, reposing on them, swam 
across to where Mussaad had stationed himself. They informed 
him that shortly after his departure four of their men had, accord- 
ing' to custom, proceeded to Mundo, to purchase the weekly supply 
of grain, and that whilst they were in the hut of the chief, they 
were- unexpectedly fallen upon and murdered, the interpreter, a 
negro boy, being the only one who escaped. Thus the attack on 
Mussaad from people previously friendly was explained : they 
feared that, if he returned, he would avenge himself. Mussaad 
remained in their village five days, when the chief of Mundo 
brought four bullocks as a peace offering, and renewed promises 
of friendship, pledging himself to send weekly supplies of cattle 
and grain to his station, which were to be sold at fixed prices. 
Mussaad said this promise was kept up to the date of his departure 
from Wayo, women chiefiy bringing in the supplies. 
September \2th . — On my return at nine a.m. from a pot-hunting 
