t we must try and return as soon as possible, and let Timbo and Igubo
know what has occurred. If we can ascertain from them to what place Leo
and Mango have been carried, we must lose no time in endeavouring to
release them."

"Oh yes," said Natty, "I am nearly sure they must have been carried away
prisoners, or they would have come up the river and endeavoured to
release us, as I said they would do."

When, however, I explained to the chief that we wished to return to the
part of the country from whence we had come, I found that he had no
intention of letting us go. Still I hoped, of course, that we might
find the means of escaping. At present, indeed, as we had no food, we
were not unwilling to accompany the chief to his village, to which by
signs he invited us. As we walked along I saw him eyeing my gun. I
showed it him, holding it, however, pretty tightly, lest he should think
fit to appropriate it. I saw by the way he looked at the weapon, that
he was unacquainted with its use. First he examined the lock, and then
put the muzzle to his eye and looked down the barrel. I hoped that
before long, by means of my gun, I might be able to gain the respect of
the people. I determined, therefore, not to fire until a favourable
opportunity should occur. I in the meantime took great care that no one
should wrest the weapon out of my hands. The people as we went along
gathered round us, some coming up and touching our clothes, others
putting their hands on our faces, evidently unable to understand the
light colour of our skins. When the people began to press too closely
round, the chief ordered them angrily to keep at a distance; and some
still persevering, he swung his spear round and round, hitting them,
without much ceremony, either on their shins or heads, when they quickly
retreated to a more respectful distance.

I was very glad when at length the village appeared in sight. It was
situated on the borders of a small gulf, I will call it, or the mouth of
a stream near the lake, surrounded by a belt of elegant fan-palms and a
number of gigantic wild fruit trees. Beyond it the lake was seen
extending far as the eye could reach, though in some places the water
was concealed from sight by vast masses of reeds and rushes of every
shade and hue, several beautiful little islands being dotted over it,
adorned with the richest vegetation, its many beauties heightened by the
brilliant rays of a tropical sun, somewhat