ROUND LAKE VICTORIA NYANZA. 209 
small cove in the Uvuma shores, abreast of us, emerged 
quite a fleet of canoes, thirteen in number. The more 
advanced held up a handful of sweet-potatoes to our 
view, and we ceased rowing, but left the sail hoisted, 
which, with the very slight breeze then blowing, drifted 
us westward about half a knot an hour. 
The Wavuma were permitted to range alongside, and 
we saw that they were fully armed with spear and 
shield. We offered several kinds of beads for the 
potatoes they had offered to sell, but with a gesture 
of contempt they refused everything, and from their 
NEW CHURCH ON SITE OF OLD SLAVE-MARKET, ZANZIISAR. 
actions and manner we became soon convinced that 
they had manned their canoes for other purposes than 
barter ; besides, they possessed only about twenty 
potatoes, which, singularly enough, were all in the first 
canoe. Strange to say, also, the men of the first canoe 
were, though disinclined to sell, moderate in their be- 
haviour ; but their temper changed as soon as their 
comrades had arrived, and had taken up their positions 
in front of our boat, blocking her progress through the 
water. The Wavuma, now emboldened by their numbers, 
waxed noisy, then insolent, and finally aggressive. They 
seized one thing after another with a cunning dexterity, 
p 
VOL. II. 
