A DOUBTFUL ENCOUNTER. 
changed into a wild song ; and now in the midst 
of them^ they danced around us^ brandishing wildly 
their lances and clubs. We pulled up to listen^ 
smiling our approbation_, and thanking Atchwack 
for this agreeable surprise^ though I felt con- 
vinced that an attack upon us had been intended^ 
and was frustrated only by the confidence we had 
displayed. Retracing our way back to the path^ 
we were joined by the head of our party^ who^ 
proceeding in single file^ had but just reached this 
spot_, and accompanied as we were by the negroes 
in numbers,, all armed to the teeth with lances of 
various kinds,, clubs,, and bows and arrows,, they 
manifested great surprise at the warlike aspect of 
the situation. 
The march was resumed,, led by Atchwack. He 
was a well built man, slight and under ordinary 
height ; his nose was peculiar, and seemed, in 
direct opposition to his colour, to deny his negro 
extraction, this being of a type decidedly Roman, 
nostrils fine, and the bridge a marked outward 
bend. He wore round his loins an exceedingly 
neatly made belt of blue beads, about one foot in 
breadth, which closely fitted the hips. His cap 
was the shape of the head, made of black sheep- 
skin, two rows of cowrie-shells round the brim, 
and a black ostrich feather in the centre ; a lance 
his only weapon, although in battle the bow and 
arrow is universal, being considered of greater 
utility than club or lance. The negroes from 
