Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-11-08
" We Will Eat You :"

Below Kaimbo island and it's neigh
Dor the Livingstone assumes breadth
OF 1900 yards. The banks are very
populous the villages of the left bank
comprise the district of Luavala. We
thought for some time we should be per-
mitted to pass by quietly, but soon the
great wooden drums, followed out of
huge trees, Numbered the signal along
the river that there were strangers. In
order to lessen all chances of a rupture
between us we sheered off to the middle
OF the river and quietly lay on our pad
dies. But from both banks at once in
fierce concert the natives, with their
heads gaily feathered and armed with
broad, black wooden shields and spears,
dashed out towards us.
Tlppo-Iib before our departure had
hired to me two young men of Ukusa
(cannibals) as Interpreters. These were
now instructed to cry out the word
"Sennenneh" C"Peace l'') and to say
that we were friends. But they would
not reply to our greeting, and in bold
peremptory manner told us to return.
" But we are doing no harm, friends.
1t is the river that takes us down, and
the river will not stop or go back"
"This is our river"
GOOD tell it to take us back and we
will"
eff you do not go back, we will fight
YOU"
No, don't ; we are friends"
We don't want you for our friends !;
we will eat yon."
But we persisted in talking to them,
and as their curiosity was so great they
persisted in listening, and the conse-
quence was that the current conveyed
us near to the right bank and in such
near neighborhood to another district
that our discourteous escort had to think
of themselves and began to skurry hasti-
ly up the river, leaving us unattached.
The village on the right bank also main
tanned a tremendous drumming and
blowing of war-horns, and their wild
men hurried up with menace toward us,
urging their sharp-prowed canoes so
swiftly that they seemed to skim over
the water like hying-fsh. Unlike the
Luavala villages they did not wait to be
addressed, but as soon as they came
within fifty or sixty yards they shot out
their spears, crying out:
Meat meat All lah | We shall
have plenty Of meat Bo-bo.bo-oo.
Bo-bo-bo-bo-o-o Undoubtedly these
must be relatives of the terrible "Bo.
bo-bo's " above, we thought, as with
one mind we rose to respond to this
rabid man-eating tribe. Anger we had
none for them. 1t seemed to me so alb.
surd to be angry with people who look
upon one only as an epicure would regard
fat capon. Sometimes, also, faint
suspicion came to my mind that this was
all but part Of hideous dream. Why
was it that / should be haunted with the
idea that there were human beings who
regarded me and my friends only in ths
light of meat? Meat ! WEI Heavens
what an atrocious idea
"Meat All we shall have meat to.
day. Meat meat meat
There was fat-bodied wretch in 6
canoe, whom allowed to crawl within {
spear-throw of me who, while ht
swayed the spear with vigor far from
assuring to one who stood within reach
of it, leered with such a clever hideous
ness of feature that felt, if only within
arms length of him, could have be
slowed upon him hearty thump on the
back and cried out applaudingly
Bravo, old boy You did it CAPT
tallyl"
Yet not being able to reach him, / wal
rapidly being fascinated by him. The
rapid movements of the swaying spear
the steady, wide-mouthed grin, the big
square teeth, the head poised on on'
side with the confident pose of prac
ticed spear-thrower, the short brow ant
square face, hair short and thick. Shal
] ever forget him ? It appeared to mt