UGANDA AND WEST SIDE OF VICTORIA NYANZA. 251 
offered us some of the equatorial nectar. The voyage 
had been long on this day, and we were tired, and it 
might be that we sighed for such cordial refreshing 
drink as was now proffered to us. At any rate, we 
accepted their hospitable gift, and sucked heartily, with 
bland approval of the delicacy of the liquid, and cordial 
thanks for their courtesy. An observation for longitude 
was taken, the natives looking on pleased and gratified. 
To all our questions as to the names of the localities 
and islands in view they replied like friends. 
Sunset came. We bade each other good-night. At 
midnight there was a fearful drumming heard, which 
kept us all awake from the sheer violence of the sound. 
“ Is anything wrong ? ” we demanded of Senturn and 
Sentageya. “ Oh, no ! ” they answered. Still the 
drumming sounded hoarsely through the dark night, 
and the desire for sleep fled. 
My men were all up before dawn, impatient for the 
day. Instinct, startled by that ominous drumming, 
warned them that something was wrong. I was still in 
my boat with drawn curtains, though able to commu- 
nicate with my people. At sight of the natives Safeni, 
the coxswain, hailed me. As I was dressed, I arranged 
my guns and soon stepped out, and my astonishment 
was great when I perceived that there were between 
200 and 300 natives, all in war costume and armed with 
spears, and bows and arrows, and long-handled cleaver- 
like weapons, with ample and long cane shields for 
defence, so close to us. For this terrible-looking body 
of men stood only about thirty paces off, regarding us 
steadfastly. It was such a singular position, so unusual 
and so strangely theatrical, that, feeling embarrassed, I 
hastened to break the silence, and advanced towards a 
man whom I recognised as the elder who had given me 
some native wine on the previous evening. 
“ What means this, my friend ? ” I asked. “ Is any- 
thing wrong ? ” 
He replied rapidly, but briefly and sternly, in the 
Kinyambu language, which as I did not understand, I 
called the Mtongoleli Senturn to translate for me. 
