re, waving the
branch violently and pointing it toward the savages. This demonstration
had the effect of quelling the tumult, the blacks subsiding into
quietude almost instantly, at the command of Matadi; but it was evident
that they had no intention of permitting us to land, for at a second
command from the chief they advanced, as steadily as a band of civilised
troops, across the short intervening space of greensward between
themselves and the water's edge, at which they halted, forming up three
deep in a long, compact line along the river margin.

We continued to pull shoreward until we were within easy speaking
distance; when the boat's bows were turned up-stream, and while the men
continued to paddle gently ahead, using just sufficient strength to
enable the boat to stem the current and maintain her position abreast
the centre of the line of savages, Lobo opened the palaver by informing
Matadi that we were there by command of the Great White Queen to procure
the release of the white men held by him as prisoners, and that we were
fully prepared to pay a handsome ransom for them; it was only for Matadi
to name his price, and it should be cheerfully paid.

To this the chief replied by inquiring what white men we referred to; he
knew nothing about white men, and indeed had never seen any except
ourselves. And he strongly advised us to lose no time in making our way
back down the river again, as his soldiers were very angry at our
presumption in invading his territory, and he could not answer for it
that he would be able to restrain them should they take into their heads
to actively resent our intrusion by attacking the ship.

I knew from this reply, which Lobo duly translated to me, that our
friend Matadi was an adept in the art--so peculiarly characteristic of
the African savage--of lying, and must be dealt with accordingly. So I
said to Lobo--

"Tell him that he is mistaken. Say that the circumstance was doubtless
of so trivial a character as to escape the recollection of a great chief
like Matadi; but that, nevertheless, we _know_ it to be a fact that
about six moons ago some thirty or forty white men were sold to him by
one Mendouca, a slave-buyer; and that it is those men we are seeking,
our instructions being that we are not to return without them, even
should we be obliged to destroy Matadi's town with our thunder and
lightning in the process of securing them."

My scarcely-veiled threat to destroy his