urselves against either human foes or any
savage creatures which might be on the look-out for prey.

We had remained at rest a couple of hours, when as Harry and I were
sitting up while the remainder of the party were sleeping, we heard
voices approaching, and looking out we saw a number of black forms
gliding through the forest. From the way they approached, however, the
savages could not have expected to surprise us, we therefore concluded
that they were entirely ignorant of our whereabouts. Presently they
came to a halt about a couple of hundred yards from where our canoes
lay. We saw a light struck and they soon had a fire kindled, around
which they seated themselves. In a short time other blacks arrived, and
they all began to cook the provisions they had brought with them. It
was very evident they had not forgotten a supply of palm-wine, which
they must have quaffed pretty freely, as ere long several of them got up
and began dancing away furiously. Others joined them, until the greater
number were dancing round and round the fire, snapping their fingers,
kicking out their legs, and giving vent to the most hideous yells and
shrieks of laughter, the sounds echoing through the forest being
answered by the jabberings of monkeys and the cries of night birds.
Whether these were our pursuers or some other tribe indulging in a night
orgy we could not tell. Kendo touched Charley's rifle as a sign for him
to fire. My brother shook his head and answered--

"We none of us wish to injure any of the poor fellows unless compelled
to do so in self-defence. The sooner we get away from this the better.
We shall not be discovered while all this uproar is going on, and may be
far down the river before the blacks recover their senses."

Kendo rather unwillingly took his paddle, and Charley setting the
example, we cautiously cast off from the branch to which we were moored
and got up to the other canoe. Telling Tom that we were going to
continue our course down the river, we paddled on.

"Let us have a shot at the niggers," I heard Jansen say to his
companions; "we might knock over a dozen before they could get near us."

"Pull on, mate," said Tom; "what would be the use of injuring the
people? they can do us no harm."

Aboh seeing us going ahead, took his paddle, Tom doing the same,
compelled the others to do so likewise. As I looked round I saw them
following us. We continued our way during the greater part of the
ni