"Don't you think we had better go on shore?" said Bella, looking back on the spot where the river-horses had appeared. "Kate, you will want to be there some time before Stanley, to get the breakfast ready." Little Bella's courage had evidently oozed away. However, as I knew it was possible that one of the hippopotami might strike us, we paddled up the stream as fast as we could go. Soon afterwards I caught sight of another creature resting on a sandbank, with a hideous long snout and a scaly tail and short thick legs. It was a monstrous crocodile. "Oh do, Andrew, make haste and get on shore!" exclaimed Bella. "What a horrible creature! I did not expect to meet with such monsters." I tried to comfort her by assuring her that the crocodile would not attack us, and would more likely swim away than follow us. On landing, we hauled up the canoe, and then commenced collecting sticks for a fire. Kate's kettle was soon hissing merrily, suspended by a high tripod over the fire, and by the time the provisions were spread, Stanley and his companions had arrived. While we were so engaged, we saw, approaching among the trees, a black man, with a shield on one arm and a spear held in the other hand. His arms and part of his body were tattooed in curious lines. Round his neck he wore a necklace of alligator's teeth, while his hair was so dressed as to form a long tail behind, and his beard was twisted into two curious horns, which stuck out from his chin. Round his loins was the skin of a wild beast, and at his side a broad short sword in a sheath; a sort of cross-bow hung at his back, with a quiver full of small arrows. Altogether, with the shield and spear I have mentioned, he looked a formidable warrior to those who were not possessed of firearms. The shield, though capable of turning the darts and spears of his equally savage foes, would have availed him little against a modern rifle ball. Bella eyed the warrior with a glance of terror. "Do not be afraid," said Natty, placing himself before her. "Leo and I will fight for you." "Yes, even though there were an hundred such fellows," said Leo. "He looks very different from our friend Igubo. I wonder what he has come for."