oise. The watchman ran in calling out, "Look out,
they are coming," and immediately arrows and javelins rattled against
the stockade, and the savages rushed on, singing their dreadful
war-songs. But their arrows and javelins were little use against powder
and ball, and they soon had to retire. They were reinforced, however,
and returned again and again to the attack, and did not desist till the
fight had lasted two hours and twilight had come on.

After other combats, Stanley and Tippu Tib came to a country on the
western bank densely peopled with hostile natives, where they had to
fight again. The savages were repulsed, and rowed out to a long island,
where they moored their canoes by ropes fastened round posts. They would
certainly renew the attack next day. But this time they were to be
thoroughly checkmated. Rain pelted down on the river, the night was
pitch dark, and there was a fresh breeze. Stanley rowed to the island,
and his boat stole silently and cautiously under the high tree-covered
bank. He cut the ropes of every canoe he got hold of, and in a short
time thirty canoes were sent adrift down the river, many of them being
caught by boatmen posted farther down stream. Before dawn the men were
back at the camp with their looted boats.

The savages, who lay crouching in their grass hovels on the island, must
certainly have felt foolish in the morning when they found that they had
lost their canoes and were left helpless. Then an interpreter rowed out
to them to put before them the conditions exacted by the white man. They
had treacherously attacked his troop, killing four and wounding
thirteen. Now they must furnish provisions, and then they would be paid
for the captured canoes and peace would be established.

It was important that the expedition should have a few days' rest at
this place, for Tippu Tib had had enough, and refused to advance a step
farther down the river with its warlike natives. Accordingly, he was to
turn back with his black retinue, while Stanley was to continue the
journey with a selected party, many of whom had their wives and children
with them. The troop consisted of a hundred and fifty souls. Provisions
were collected for twenty days. The canoes were fastened together in
pairs by poles, that they might not capsize, and the flotilla consisted
of twenty-three boats.

It was one of the last days in December. A thick mist hung over the
river and the nearest palms were scarcely visible, b