488 
A F1UC A AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
rumble of rapids on the left branch, but the right was 
undisturbed. The island we discovered to be about ten 
miles in length, and soon after passing three small 
islands the roar of the seventh and last cataract of the 
Stanley Falls burst upon our ears with a tremendous 
crash. 
It was soon evident that the vicinity of the last fall 
was as thickly peopled as any of the Stanley series, for 
the sonorous boom of the great war-drums was soon 
heard mustering every stray and loitering fisherman 
from the creeks, and every hunter from the woods that 
clothed the bank, to the war. While I wondered at the 
senseless hate and ferocity which appeared to animate 
these primitive aborigines, we were compelled to adopt 
speedy measures for defence and security ; for these 
people, if confident in numbers, do not require much 
time to snatch up their spears and shields and rush to 
the fight. Accordingly, dropping down as near to the 
first line of broken water as prudence would permit me, 
we seized upon a position in the dense forest, and, post- 
ing the riflemen in a crescent form in our front, busied 
ourselves as usual with axes in heaping up a high and 
dense wall of brushwood for our protection. By the 
time this had been completed, the Wenya were on us 
with a determined impetuosity that would have been 
fatal to us had we been taken unprepared. Again and 
again they tried to break through the concealed mus- 
keteers, but they were utterly unable to pierce within 
view of our camp. The loud notes of their war-horns, 
of which they seemed to possess an unusual number, 
rang through the forest with wailing notes, and the 
great drums at the numerous villages which commanded 
the narrows through which the great river precipitated 
itself, responded with energy to the signals transmitted 
to them. 
At sunset they abandoned the unavailing assault, and, 
to guard against any nocturnal surprise, we piled up 
more brushwood, and drew the boat and canoes out of 
the water on land. I resolved to make a bold stroke 
early next morning, and by appearing in front of their 
