referred to feed on human beings rather
than cattle or goats. But, undaunted, the explorer sailed on, across
the Napoleon Channel, through which flowed the superfluous waters of
the lake rushing northward as the Victoria Nile. "On the western side
of the Channel is Uganda, dominated by an Emperor who is supreme over
about three millions of people. He soon heard of my presence on the
lake and dispatched a flotilla to meet me. His mother had dreamed the
night before that she had seen a boat sailing, sailing like a fish-eagle
over the Nyanza. In the stern of the boat was a white man gazing
wistfully towards Uganda."

On reaching the port a crowd of soldiers, "arrayed in crimson and black
and snowy white," were drawn up to receive him. "As we neared the beach,
volleys of musketry burst out from the long lines. Numerous kettles
and brass drums sounded a noisy welcome, flags and banners waved, and
the people gave a great shout."

[Illustration: STANLEY AND HIS MEN MARCHING THROUGH UNYORO. From a
sketch, by Stanley, in _Through the Dark Continent_.]

Such was Stanley's welcome to M'tesa's wonderful kingdom of Uganda,
described by Speke sixteen years before. The twelve days spent at the
court of this monarch impressed Stanley deeply. Specially was the king
interested in Christianity, and the English explorer told the story
of the Creation and the birth of the Messiah to this intelligent pagan
and his courtiers. "Ten days after we left the genial court, I came
upon the scene of a tragedy. We were coasting the eastern side of a
large island, having been thirty-six hours without food, looking for
a port where we could put in and purchase provisions. Natives followed
our movements, poising their spears, stringing their bows, picking
out the best rocks for their slings. We were thirteen souls, they
between three and four hundred. Seeing the boat advance, they smiled,
entered the water, and held out inviting hands. The crew shot the boat
towards the natives; their hands closed on her firmly, they ran with
her to the shore and dragged her high and dry about twenty yards from
the lake. Then ensued a scene of rampant wildness and hideous ferocity
of action beyond description. The boat was surrounded by a forest of
spears and two hundred demons contended for the first blow. I sprang
up to kill and be killed, a revolver in each hand, but as I rose to
my feet the utter hopelessness of our situation was revealed to me."

To make a long