ut a breeze sprang
up and thinned the haze. Then the trumpets and drums sounded the signal
for starting, and Stanley gave the order to get into the boats. The
parting song of the sons of Unyamwezi was answered by Tippu Tib's
returning troop, and the flotilla of canoes glided down the dark river
towards unknown lands and destiny.

Stanley believed that this mighty river, which he named after
Livingstone, was none other than the Congo, the mouth of which had been
known for more than four hundred years; but he did not reject the
possibility that it might also unite with the Nile or be connected with
the Niger far away to the north-west. The journey which was now to solve
this problem will be famous for all time for its boldness and daring,
for the dangers overcome and adventures experienced, and is quite
comparable with the boat journeys of the Spaniards who discovered the
Amazons and Mississippi rivers in America.

Fourteen villages lie buried in the dense bush, and Stanley's flotilla
makes for the bank to encamp for the first time after parting from Tippu
Tib. Here the natives are friendly, but there is trouble a little
farther on, where the woods echo with the noise of war-drums and the
savages are drawn up with shield and spear. The drum signals are
repeated from village to village, from the one bank to the other. Canoes
are manned and put out from both banks and Stanley's flotilla is
surrounded. The interpreters call out "Peace! Peace!" but the savages
answer peremptorily, "Turn back or fight." Consultations and
negotiations are held, while the river sweeps down the whole assemblage
of friends and foes. More villages peep out from the trees where dwell
enemies of the attacking savages, so the latter dip their oars in the
water and row back without coming to blows.

But soon there was a different scene. Javelins were thrown from other
canoes and the dreadful poisoned arrows were discharged, so the
death-dealing European firearms had to be used in self-defence. On this
occasion Stanley's men succeeded in capturing a number of shields, of
which indeed they had need.

Again the war-drum is heard, just as the flotilla is passing a small
island. Stanley orders his boats to keep in the middle of the river
ready for action. Swarms of canoes shoot out from the bank like wild
ducks, and the black warriors beat their spears against their shields.
The interpreter gets up in the bow and shouts out "Peace! Take care or
we stri