8¢#.—My men tried to frighten me into dealing out to them
some extra rations. Coming up to a small reed-covered island,
they all landed, professing to be tired ; and as it is not safe to sit
in their canoes when they stop—the crocodiles having a trick of
coming alongside slily and whisking one into the water with their
tails—I got out with the men, spread my mat, lay down, and read
a book that had interested me. My men stole back to the boat
and suddenly pushed out to mid-stream and feigned to be
paddling off, saying that they would not return unless I promised
them more pay. I lay perfectly still, however, never even looking
at them or letting them know that I heard. The book, I
remember, was very interesting. I had got it from Mr. Westbeech,
and it contained the lives of Scottish Covenanters. After having


1882.] Among the Barotse. 55


pulled down stream for some miles, going quite out of my sight,
they returned in about an hour’s time and entreated me to enter
the boat. I professed to be annoyed at their importunity, shut my
book, and got in; and off we went, the men rowing as they had
not done since we started, in order to make up for lost time.
