Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters - The Search For Mecca

THE CEUISE OP THE " CASTOR." 15
and their exclamations of astonisliment were so
great that we could not understand the
cause,
until
told by a French merchant resident there
that the river was so full of alhgators at that
part that no one ever ventured into it, and that
only a few days previously a child had been
taken off the bank by one of these reptiles.
Another instance was when subsequently
there in the " Castor."
The boats were stationed
off the beach, as a guard over a party from the
ship which was employed filling casks with
water, to protect the men against any attempt to
attack them on the part of the natives.
A negro
in a canoe came alongside the boat I was in, and
offered some fruit
and calavancies for sale in a
smaU grass or reed basket :
these, together with
the basket, were purchased by some one in the
boat, who received it out of the canoe. He
then shoved off, but returned soon after and
demanded the basket back, saying it was not
part of the bargain ;
when, on its being refused
him, he shoved the canoe off a few yards,
exclaiming, " Then me fight for it!" at the same
time lifting his spear, which, had it been thrown.