t
trade and harass his neighbors, but was the owner of a number of
piratical craft, that often descended the river and plundered the coast.

"England," he went on, "has no desire whatever to take under her
protection any who do not earnestly desire it, and who are not willing,
in return, to promote trade, and keep peace with their neighbors;
nor can she make separate arrangements with minor chiefs. It was only
because she understood that Sehi ruled over a considerable extent of
territory, and was all powerful in this part, that his request was
listened to.

"I shall shortly return down the river," he said, "and have no thought
or intention of interfering in any way with matters here. I wish to
leave on good terms with you all, and to explain to you that it is to
your interest to do all in your power to further trade, both by sending
down your products to the coast, and by throwing no hindrance in the way
of the products of the highlands coming down the river, charging, at the
utmost, a very small toll upon each boat that passes up and down. It
is the interest of all of you, of the people of the hills, and of
ourselves, that trade should increase. Now that Sehi is dead and his
people altogether dispersed and all his piratical craft destroyed, with
the exception of the one captured by Hassan, there is no obstruction to
trade, and you are free from the fear that he would one day eat you up.

"Be assured that there is nothing to be feared from us. You all know how
greatly the States protected by us have flourished and how wealthy their
rajahs have become from the increase of cultivation and the cessation
of tribal wars. If in the future all the chiefs of this district should
desire to place themselves under English protection, their request will
be considered; but there is not the slightest desire on the part of the
Governor to assume further responsibility, and he will be well satisfied
indeed to know that there is peace among the river tribes, security for
trade, and a large increase in the cultivation of the country and in its
prosperity."

There was a general expression of satisfaction and relief upon the face
of the chiefs, as, sentence by sentence, the speech was translated to
them; and, one by one, they rose after its conclusion, and expressed
their hearty concurrence with what had been said.

"We know," one of them said, "that these wars do much harm; but if we
quarrel, or if one ill treats another, or encourag