er up for water than is the case."

The chief waited to see if we would accede to his demands; and Donald
replied that as we could do very well without water they would get
nothing, whereas we would have paid them liberally for what we took.
Saying this, we turned round our horses and rode off. We had not got
far when several arrows came whistling after us. Fortunately none
struck us or our horses, for if they had, as they probably were
poisoned, the result would have been serious. As we turned our heads
for an instant, we saw a large number of people collecting from numerous
huts scattered about in all directions. "We hastened back to the
caravan to prepare for defence; for the natives, it seemed, were too
likely to attack us. Stanley at once proposed encamping and erecting a
stockade, within which we might defend ourselves."

"Oh yes!" exclaimed Leo, "we could easily drive them off, as we should
have done the natives of the north."

"But," observed Natty, "suppose they besiege us, what are we to do for
water?"

"You are right, Natty," said Stanley. "It would be better generalship
to pass their village and try to gain another fountain further on."

This, indeed, was our only secure course; for though our own blacks
would certainly have fought well, Donald could not depend on his
followers, who, he said, had shown the white feather on more than one
occasion.

We therefore, instead of camping, as we had proposed, turned somewhat to
the east, so as to leave the inhospitable village on our left hand,
hoping to get a considerable distance to the south of it before
daybreak. The country was tolerably level, and the moon was high enough
to give us sufficient light to find our way. It was the first night we
had attempted to travel without stopping, but it was absolutely
necessary to do so to carry out our object. A battle with the natives
was on every account to be avoided. Stanley and I rode as scouts on
either hand, while Donald kept ahead to explore the way. We hoped thus
to avoid being taken by surprise. We could see numerous animals moving
around us. Once a vast herd of elephants hove in sight, another time
one of buffaloes, while antelopes of various species bounded off as we
came near. We could hear occasionally the muttering sound of lions and
the cry of hyenas. Several, indeed, followed us, but as they did not
approach, we refrained from firing at them, lest the sound of our rifles
might betray o