XXVII 
CAST AMONG ROBBERS 
One bright morning in November, after an af¬ 
fecting parting with the converts and children, 
we came to the bank of the Ogun on our way to 
America. It was now the end of the rainy sea¬ 
son and the river was wide, deep and swift, and 
presented an appalling scene. In addition to the 
two canoemen and my wife, I had in our dugout 
a young native convert to act as interpreter and 
messenger and the two native children previously 
mentioned. Besides the necessary provisions, I 
took some presents for the marauders including a 
large box of brown sugar. This, I placed by my 
side in the prow of the canoe, and under the 
blanket on which I sat, I placed my gun. I had 
found that a very good way to prevent violence 
among these people is to show that we are ready 
for it. Peace is promoted among them, as it is 
among nations more civilized, by an exhibition 
of superior or at least equal strength. 
During the first forenoon, I do not remember 
seeing anything of special interest. I was sur¬ 
prised to hear that a dead manatee was lying on 
265 
