STANLEY’S JOURNEY THROUGH AFRICA 
35 1 
painted faces dashed out at them, shooting their spears and shouting 
“Meat! Meat! Ah! Ha! We shall have plenty of meat!” But they 
were to be defrauded of the expected feast, for the well-aimed rifles of 
the Wangwana soon struck terror into their midst, and compelled 
them to seek the cover of the shore, and their meat in more legitimate 
quarters. 
Again and again, as the expedition floated down the river, some 
twenty or thirty canoes would shoot out from the shore, despite the 
long-drawn cries of “Sennenneh—Sen-nen-neh” (Peace, peace)', 
which the interpreter of the party would raise; the cannibals ignored 
everything but the advent of so much food to their market! “We shall 
eat meat to-day. Oho! We shall eat meat.” 
The 6th of January, 1877, found the little band of daring spirits 
at the first cataract of the Stanley Falls. From this point for about 
sixty miles the great volume of the Livingstone rushes through nar¬ 
rowed and lofty banks, in a series of rapids interspersed with steep 
falls. Nearly the whole of the distance is impracticable for boats, and 
Stanley had to force his way along the bank, through jungle and 
forest and over cliffs and rocks, blazing a path through dense wood, 
and clambering over rugged and precipitous banks. The whole of the 
distance he was exposed to the murderous attacks of cannibal sa /ages 
who, while the boat and canoes were transported, the necessary roads 
cut, and the camps made, never relaxed their efforts to exterminate 
the party. By the 28th of the month the seventh cataract was cleared, 
and once more the expedition was enabled to resume its voyage down 
stream. 
The river, broadening out, now flowed on in a distinct westerly 
course, and this, coupled with the temporary cessation of hostilities, 
raised the wearied spirits and put strength into the weakened bodies 
of the party in a wonderful degree. For not long*, however, were they 
to have peace, and in a few days they were passing through a running 
fire from either bank. Day after day, as they dropped down stream, 
new tribes appeared, but ever in the old garb of enemies. Gradually 
the river widened to about 4,000 yards, islands became more numer¬ 
ous, and the banks rose on either hand high and steep. But an eternal 
forest dwelt on the islands, the banks, and the interior, and the only 
