If this is true, it may account for all the villages we saw being situated far from its banks.

We were advised not to sleep near it; but, as we were anxious to cross to the western side, we tried to induce some of the Bashinje to lend us canoes for the purpose.

This brought out the chief of these parts, who informed us that all the canoe-men were his children, and nothing could be done without his authority.

He then made the usual demand for a man, an ox, or a gun, adding that otherwise we must return to the country from which we had come.

As I did not believe that this man had any power over the canoes of the other side, and suspected that if I gave him my blanket--the only thing I now had in reserve--he might leave us in the lurch after all, I tried to persuade my men to go at once to the bank, about two miles off, and obtain possession of the canoes before we gave up the blanket; but they thought that this chief might attack us in the act of crossing, should we do so.
The chief came himself to our encampment and made his demand again.