At noon he reappeared with three large canoes, containing twenty men each, from Ihangiro, under the command of Antari’s chief elder. They were permitted to land, though they were numerically superior to the garrison on the island. But before I had given them permission to that effect, Frank was requested to hold thirty men under arms to prevent treachery and surprise. Our greeting was friendly, though there was a certain proud reserve in their manner. “What says the king Antari?” I asked through Lukanjah. “Antari asks, ‘Why have you come to his waters and camped on his island?’” “We have come because we must pass through to Uganda, and have rested on Mahyiga to wait for our people. As I have not sufficient canoes to carry my people and property in one passage, I must leave some here, while I proceed to Uganda with the first half of the party. I wish to be assured by Antari that in my passage by Bumbireh we shall not be attacked, nor the party which must be left in my absence on this island be molested. What say you?” “Antari says he is a great and strong king. All the mainland which you see from Rumondo to Kytawa’s is his, so are all these islands and waters. He has never seen strangers before travelling by sea; they always went by land. He says, ‘You must go back.’” “We cannot go back, tell him,” I replied. “This water belongs to every stranger, as much as the wind. The island may be his, but no one dwells on Mahyiga, and we will not injure the rocks.” “Antari says he will make peace only if you go back. He sends these three bunches of bananas to you, and this woman and child.” “We do not deal in slaves, and three bunches of bananas are of no use to us. We want permission to pass quietly and peacefully through to Uganda, and if Antari will send many bananas to us, we will buy them, as we have many mouths with us.” “Then Antari says he will make war on you, and kill you all.” “Ah, does he say those words?” “Yes, Antari says those words.” I whispered to Frank to bring Shekka, who was immediately brought to their presence. When they saw him, they all rose to a man with threatening actions. We all rose also, in a prepared attitude, which convinced them that violence was useless. I said to the elders—