ey had not gone far before they saw in the distance a couple
of canoes upon the water, while directly afterwards they passed a clump
of trees and came upon a fishing-party, three of the number being in a
large dug-out canoe, the other upon a mass of rock surrounded by reeds.

So intent were the fishermen upon their work amongst the great
water-lilies that dotted the quiet surface of the river close in shore,
that they did not see the approach of Dick and Jack, closely followed by
Mr Rogers to protect them from harm. The sight was so novel that the
young Englishmen stood still amongst the reeds watching the blacks, one
of whom managed the canoe by means of a pole, while the others watched
their opportunity, and then darted their long slender fish-spears down
into the transparent water, and several times over brought up a
good-sized fish.

They were strong, well-built savages, whose belief in clothing went as
far as a little apron; and one of them had his hair carefully twisted,
and tied up into an absurd-looking pigtail, which stood straight up from
the back of his head.

The English party stood watching them for some minutes, and then
advanced towards the shore, making signs. But the moment their presence
was discovered the men in the canoe uttered a shout, and their companion
on the shore plunged into the water to join them, the whole party
paddling rapidly off as soon as their companion was hauled in to the
bottom of their canoe, a feat not performed except at great risk of
overturning the heavy clumsily-formed boat.

The General was beckoned up to join them by Mr Rogers, but they paid no
more heed to him than to the Englishman, their sole thought being how
best they could make their escape.

"They'll go and announce our coming as that of enemies, I suppose," said
Mr Rogers, who longed for a better knowledge of the people's tongue.

There was no help for it; and as decidedly the best plan was to journey
through on to the royal city, the waggon was kept going, and that night
they camped at a short distance from the river, hearing no lions. But
as they sat by their watch-fire, there was a peculiar hoarse loud
bellowing noise, evidently coming from the river-side.

As very often happened to be the case when there was anything unusual
heard, Dinny was sitting with Jack keeping the first watch, and a good
blazing fire.

"Hark at that now!" he said. "Hark at that, Masther Jack!"

And he half rose and made as i