438 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
thundered the signal along the river that there were 
strangers. In order to lessen all chances of a rupture 
between us, we sheered off to the middle of the river, 
and quietly lay on our paddles. But from both banks 
at once, in fierce concert, the natives, with their heads 
gaily feathered, and armed with broad black wooden 
shields and long spears, dashed out towards us. 
Tippu-Tib before our departure had hired to me two 
young men of Ukusu — cannibals — as interpreters. These 
were now instructed to cry out the word “ Sennenneh ! ’ 
(“ Peace ! ”), and to say that we were friends. 
But they would not reply to our greeting, and in a 
bold peremptory manner told us to return. 
“ But we are doing no harm, friends. It is the river 
that takes us down, and the river will not stop, or go 
back.” 
:£ This is our river.” 
“ Good. Tell it to take us back, and we will go.” 
“ If you do not go back, we will fight you.” 
“ No, don’t ; we are friends.” 
“ We don’t want you for our friends ; we will eat 
you.” 
But we persisted in talking to them, and as their 
curiosity was so great they persisted in listening, and 
the consequence was that the current conveyed us near 
to the right bank ; and in such near neighbourhood to 
another district, that our discourteous escort had to 
think of themselves, and began to skurry hastily up 
river, leaving us unattacked. 
The villages on the right bank also maintained a 
tremendous drumming and blowing of war-horns, and 
their wild men hurried up with menace towards us, 
urging their sharp-prowed canoes so swiftly that they 
seemed to skim over the water like flying-fish. Unlike 
the Luavala villagers they did not wait to be addressed, 
but as soon as they came within fifty or sixty yards 
they shot out their spears, crying out, “ Meat ! meat ! 
Ah ! ha ! We shall have plenty of meat ! Bo-bo-bo-bo, 
Bo-bo-bo-bo-o-o ! ” 
Undoubtedly these must be relatives of the terrible 
