I Explained That I Had Many Other Presents, But That It Was
Not Necessary To Unpack Them, As We Were About To Return With Them To
Visit Another King, Who Lived Some Days' Journey Distant.
"Don't go;
don't go away," said the headman and his companions.
"Kamrasi will - ."
Here an unmistakeable pantomimic action explained their meaning better
than words; throwing their heads well back, they sawed across their
throats with their forefingers, making horrible grimaces, indicative of
the cutting of throats. I could not resist laughing at the terror that
my threat of returning with the presents had created, they explained,
that Kamrasi would not only kill them, but would destroy the entire
village of Atada should we return without visiting him, but that he
would perhaps punish them in precisely the same manner should they ferry
us across without special orders. "Please yourselves," I replied; "if my
party is not ferried across by the time the sum reaches that spot on the
heavens (pointing to the position it would occupy at about 3 P.M.), I
shall return." In a state of great excitement they promised to hold a
conference on the other side, and to see what arrangements could be
made. They returned to Atada, leaving the whole party, including
Ibrahim, exceedingly disconcerted - having nothing to eat, an impassable
river before them, and five days' march of uninhabited wilderness in
their rear.
Karuma Falls were about three hundred yards to our left as we faced
Atada; they were very insignificant, not exceeding five feet in height,
but curiously regular, as a ridge of rock over which they fell extended
like a wall across the river.
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