FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140  
141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   >>   >|  
to understand what was said, learned from him that the stranger was one of a band of Pangwes who were advancing towards the territory of the Bakeles. He had come, apparently unaware that there were inhabitants so near. He had first begun to threaten us with the vengeance of his people should we oppose their progress; but on Chickango telling him that a large number of Bakeles were in the neighbourhood, and that, should his people venture to come that way, they would speedily be driven back and destroyed, he had become alarmed, and so, in spite of his boasting, afraid of being captured, had taken to flight. Still the account which Chickango gave of these Pangwes made us very anxious. The people of his tribe, he said, had for long been at war with them, and had frequently been defeated. They had come from a long way off in the interior, and year after year had been advancing towards the coast. They were not only fierce and cruel warriors, but cannibals, and capable of committing every atrocity. "What do you think about it all?" said Stanley to Timbo, who had been interpreting Chickango's account. "Dog dat bark not always bite, massa," answered the black. "Me t'ink dat dey see our rifles and run away." "I am of Timbo's opinion," I could not help observing. "However, we must send and let our friends at the village know of the approach of their enemies; but unless we are attacked, we must on every account avoid fighting. The sooner we can embark and proceed on our voyage the better." "I believe you are right, Andrew," observed Stanley; "but still I do not like the thought of running away; besides, we cannot leave those two black boys to the mercy of the savages, though if we carry them with us, their father will not know what has become of them." "I tell you what I do, massa," answered Timbo; "I go and tell Igubo that he come and fetch dem, and den we send out scout to know what de Pangwes are doing." Our further boating for the day was, of course, put an end to; and having concealed the canoes in the thick brushwood which grew down to the river's bank, we proceeded homewards, with the exception of Timbo, who hastened off to the Bakeles village. Senhor Silva looked very grave when he heard what had occurred. "Those Pangwes are fierce fellows," he said, "from what I know of them; and though they may not venture to come within range of our firearms, yet they may surround us and starve us out. We shal
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140  
141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Pangwes

 
account
 

people

 

Chickango

 

Bakeles

 

village

 
fierce
 
answered
 

Stanley

 

venture


advancing

 

savages

 

firearms

 

running

 

fellows

 
thought
 

sooner

 
starve
 

surround

 

fighting


attacked

 

embark

 

proceed

 
Andrew
 

observed

 

voyage

 

boating

 

proceeded

 
exception
 

homewards


brushwood

 

canoes

 
concealed
 

understand

 

father

 

hastened

 
Senhor
 
looked
 

occurred

 

boasting


afraid
 

alarmed

 

driven

 

destroyed

 

captured

 

anxious

 

stranger

 
flight
 

speedily

 
inhabitants