w far
off the shore we were, we allowed the canoe to drift down, while we took
in our paddles and got out our provisions. We invited Iguma to take
some breakfast; she, pointing to some plantains and roast yams,
signified that they would satisfy her hunger.

"Come, I think we ought to take to our paddles again," said Charley,
when we had finished our meal. "How do your arms feel, Dick?"

"Ready for work, though I should be glad to give them a few hours'
rest," I answered--"but softly, where are we?"

As I spoke, I found that the canoe had drifted in among some tall reeds,
which showed that we were nearer the shore than we expected. While we
were attempting to paddle out from among them, a breeze blew the mist
away, and what was our astonishment, not to say dismay, to see a number
of blacks standing on the banks and regarding us attentively. They had
probably heard us talking and making a splashing while endeavouring to
extricate the canoe from the reeds into which it had drifted. No sooner
did they discover us than a dozen of them, or more, armed with spears
and lances, plunged into the water and began swimming towards us.

"Put down your paddle and take your gun," cried Charley, "these fellows
mean mischief."

All this time Iguma had not moved. The blacks, seeing only two white
men in the canoe, thought that they would easily master us, and swam
boldly forward.

"I suppose that there are no crocodiles hereabouts, or those fellows
will be picked up to a certainty by one of the beasts; we must not trust
to that, however, but when the men come near enough, shoot them without
ceremony," exclaimed Charley.

Standing up in the canoe we warned the blacks to go back, but they took
no notice of what we said.

"Their blood be on their own heads--fire, Dick."

We both pulled our triggers, one black threw up his arms and floated
down the stream wounded, another dived, still I felt sure that I had hit
him. The rest, undaunted, came on while we were reloading. Three were
close upon us, and several others were not far behind them; one had
actually got hold of the gunwale of the canoe, while Charley was aiming
at another a short distance off. He fired, the black letting go his
spear, threw up his arms. The first, however, might in another instant
have climbed into the canoe, when Iguma, springing up with an axe in her
hand, dealt him a blow on the head; without a cry he dropped back and
sank immediately. I fired,