"First, we will destroy the mission men, for they are white, and it is not right that they should live and Sandi be dead; then we will go against Bosambo, the chief of the Ochori. When rains came in the time of kidding, he who is a foreigner and of no human origin brought many evil persons with him and destroyed our fishing villages, and Sandi said there should be no killing. Now Sandi is dead, and, I do not doubt, in hell, and there is none to hold our pride." Round the bend of the river, ever so slowly, for she was breasting a strong and treacherous current, came the nose of the _Zaire_. It is worthy of note that the little blue flag at her stern was not at half-mast. The exact significance of this was lost on the Akasava. Gingerly the little craft felt its way to the sandy strip of beach, a plank was thrust forth, and along it came, very dapper and white, his little ebony stick with the silver knob swinging between his fingers, Mr. Commissioner Sanders, very much alive, and there were two bright Maxim-guns on either side of the gangway that covered the beach. A nation, paralysed by fear and apprehension, watched the _debarquement_, the chief of the Akasava being a little in advance of his painted warriors. On Sanders' face was a look of innocent surprise. "Chief," said he, "you do me great honour that you gather your young men to welcome me; nevertheless, I would rather see them working in their gardens." He walked along one row of fighting men, plentifully besmeared with cam-wood, and his was the leisurely step of some great personage inspecting a guard of honour. "I perceive," he went on, talking over his shoulder to the chief who, fascinated by the unexpected vision, followed him, "I perceive that each man has a killing spear, also a fighting shield of wicker work, and many have N'Gombi swords." "Lord, it is true," said the chief, recovering his wits, "for we go hunting elephant in the Great Forest." "Also that some have the little bones of men fastened about their necks--that is not for the elephant." He said this meditatively, musingly, as he continued his inspection, and the chief was frankly embarrassed. "There is a rumour," he stammered, "it is said--there came a spy who told us--that the Ochori were gathering for war, and we were afraid----" "Strange," said Sanders, half to himself, but speaking in the vernacular, "strange indeed is this story, for I have come straight from the Ochori city, and there I saw nothing but men who ground corn and hunted peacefully; also their chief is ill, suffering from a fever." He shook his head in well-simulated bewilderment. "Lord," said the poor chief of the Akasava, "perhaps men have told us lies--such things have happened----" "That is true," said Sanders gravely. "This is a country of lies; some say that I am dead; and, lo! the news has gone around that there is no law in the land, and men may kill and war at their good pleasure."