150 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
and were shortly succeeded by a third party, who came 
and went as the others had. From all this we inferred 
that the news was spreading rapidly through the vil- 
lages about, and we had noticed two canoes passing 
backwards and forwards with rather more haste than 
we deemed usual or necessary. We had good cause to 
be suspicious ; it is not customary for people (at least, 
between Ujiji and Zanzibar) to be about visiting and 
saluting after dark, under any pretence ; it is not per- 
mitted to persons to prowl about camp after dark with- 
out being shot at ; and this going backward and forward, 
this ostentatious exuberance of joy at the arrival of a 
small party of Wangwana, which in many parts of 
Urundi would be regarded as a very common event, 
was altogether very suspicious. While the Doctor and 
I were arriving at the conclusion that these movements 
were preliminary to or significant of hostility, a fourth 
body, very boisterous and loud, came and visited us. 
Our supper had been by this time despatched, and we 
thought it high time to act. The fourth party having 
gone with extravagant manifestations of delight, the 
men were hurried into the canoe, and, when all were 
seated, and the look-outs embarked, we quietly pushed 
off, but not a moment too soon. As the canoe was 
gliding from the darkened light that surrounded us, 1 
called the Doctor s attention to several dark forms ; 
some of whom were crouching behind the rocks on our 
right, and others scrambling over them to obtain good 
or better positions ; at the same time people were 
approaching from the left of our position, in the same 
suspicious way ; and directly a voice hailed us from the 
top of the clay bank overhanging the sandy shelf where 
we had lately been resting. “ Neatly done,” cried the 
Doctor, as we were shooting through the water, leaving 
the discomfited would-be robbers behind us. Here, 
again, my hand was stayed from planting a couple of 
good shots, as a warning to them in future from molest- 
ing strangers, by the mere presence of the Doctor, who, 
as I thought, if it were actually necessary, would not 
hesitate to give the word. 
