The
travelers were led to the hut of the chief, where they were surrounded
by a mob of the cannibals. The Houssas had been strictly enjoined
to leave their guns in the bottom of the canoe, as Mr. Goodenough
desired to avoid all appearance of armed force. The chief demanded
of Ostik what these two white men wanted here, and whether they
had come to trade. Ostik replied that the white men were going up
the river into the country beyond to shoot elephants and buy ivory,
that they did not want to trade for logwood or oil, but that they
would give presents to the chiefs of the Fan villages. A score
of cheap Birmingham muskets had been brought from England by Mr.
Goodenough for this purpose. One of these was now bestowed upon
the chief, together with some powder and ball, three bright cotton
handkerchiefs, some gaudy glass beads, and two looking glasses for
his wives. This was considered perfectly satisfactory.
The crowd was very great, and at Mr. Goodenough's dictation Ostik
informed the chief that if the white men were left quiet until
the evening they would show his people many strange things. On the
receipt of this information the crowd dispersed. But when at sunset
the two travelers took a turn through the village, the excitement
was again very great.
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