I do not know.

It is impossible to be sure as to the mysterious motives that actuate many of these remote African tribes.
At any rate the result was that it gave us a great start and a chance of life, who must otherwise have died upon the spot.

Outside the bay the breeze blew merrily, taking us across the lake at a spanking pace, until about midday when it began to fall.

Fortunately, however, it did not altogether drop till three o'clock by which time the coast of Mazitu-land was comparatively near; we could even distinguish a speck against the skyline which we knew was the Union Jack that Stephen had set upon the crest of a little hill.
During those hours of peace we ate the food that remained to us, washed ourselves as thoroughly as we could and rested.

Well was it, in view of what followed, that we had this time of repose.