, 1889-03-02

Tue Catalan people all under control, for
there was not only a personal a~ttachment
between us, but they knew that | was
working III their interest, and the Union
people We're much impressed by the way
in which my shabby little despatch canoe,
with Two OF my KruboyS in it, could mar
shall the imposing Calabar fleet.
AS both sides were longing to have their
quarrel at an en'l, and We're fully prepared
to accept my decision, the conference was
a brief one. decided that it was six Of
one and half.a-dozen of the other | made
the .Calabar people surrender the Union
captivpS, and the Union surrender their
Callahan prisoners. Peace was re establish.
ed, trade WAS resumed, aud | was free to
continue my Journey. We next visited
The important Akuna Kuna country, very
populouS. and inhabited by friendly, in
duStri0us people, whose chiefs very
promptly aud willingly concluded a treaty
with the British Government, and loaded
me with SUCH an Abundance Ut provisions
-hnllockS, goats, sheep, fowls, ducks,
yamS, and Indian corn-that 0nr progress
was seriously lmpeded, our, canoes. nearly
capSlzed, aud my Krumen suffered severe
~ from indigestion. Some distance fur
ther.up the river We had rather a. tickliSl
task 10 perform. Another quarrel, and
that ii bitter. one, had to be settled be.
tween the people Of Akuna- Kuna and the
inhabitants of IkO. MOrut. Here | was
awkwardly situated. Had | been ena-
hled to travel in u Steam-launch, | could
have gone safely up the river, or III amy
direction where there was sufficient water
but travelling simply IN native canoes, the
inla bitautS of these wild countries III the
mfe 10y, who look upon every stranger as
an enemy, had no idea that il white man
WAS visiting them, and often proceeded to
attack US before | could make myself seen.
As soon AZ we came in sight OF the
Stockadcd villages of Iko-MOrut, many
excited chOcOlaie .cOlOurrd natives could
be seen hurrying along the banks of the
stream and posting themselves III ambush
behind the trees. Then first one gun,
then two, three, four guns, w%ent,off; then
there was "a regular hail of Slugs and
stones. whipping up the surface Of the
water, and in one or two cases whlzZllg
over our canoes. In The face of this warm
reception it would have been impossible to
proceed, for, ut amy moment, IA shot night
strike our canoes and send them To the
bottom. AS to returning the fire OF these
poor stupid saVageS, nothing was further
from my thoughts 1t was always open to
IN. to r, treat, while unless | could proceed
peacefully, and with a friendly reputation
preceding me, it WAS futile t. continue my
ascent OF the Cross river. So | had the
canoes Sleered to an un0ccnpied SanGbank
in the centre of the stream, and aS soon
as the natives saw that We stopped they
ceased firing. Then | got into my small
despatch canoe with two Interpreters,
hOisted my white umbrella and assumed
my smile, and quietly landed on the crowd
ed beach, to the silent amd2rment Of the
natives, who were armed to the teeth.
| was conducted to the chief, who, for a
long time could not be prevailed upon to
see me, on account of my presumed pow.
erS to bewltch him bnt a little friendly
conversation through the reed screen; Of
his apartment, aud the hint that | had
brought a pretty present, treasured him,
and We soon made excellent friends.
To make a long story short, the result
Of my stay at Iko-Morut was equally ga
tiSflctOry to that. at Union | made peace
between Akuna.Kun and lk0,Morut, and
the chiefs of the latter place concluded II
treaty with me-. Then on, beyond lkO-
Morut. day after day, we padded up the
beautiful stream, sometimes received by
the natives in a gush of friendlineSS, some
times Sullenly avoided, sometimes bois-
terously attacked. AT length. in the
heart of the cannibal country, on the out
skirts of Atam, where the Gross river at.
talns it's funniest reach to the north, our
Journey came forcedly to an end. |
had several times been captured and