"Why did you fire a gun, a little while ago ?" they asked.

"We shot a large puff-adder, to prevent it from killing men; you may see it lying dead on the beach." With great courage, our Mokadamo waded to within thirty yards of the bank, and spoke with much earnestness, assuring them that we were a peaceable party, and had not come for war, but to see the river.

We were friends, and our countrymen bought cotton and ivory, and wished to come and trade with them.

All we wanted was to go up quietly to look at the river, and then return to the sea.

While he was talking with those on the shore, the old rogue, who appeared to be the ringleader, stole up the bank, and with a dozen others, waded across to the island, near which the boats lay, and came down behind us.