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We had brought an iron saucepan, with which Aboh intimated that he would go down to the lake to get some water, making a sign to Harry to accompany him with his gun. "If big ting come out of de water, fire at him head," he said, showing that he was fully alive to the danger of approaching the lake, especially of an evening, when the crocodiles are more active than at other times during the day.
"I think a better plan would be to get Aboh and his brother to ferry Tom across the lake while we march round and find our way to his village." On explaining our proposal to Aboh, he had a long palaver with his brother. The result was not satisfactory. "Bad man dere," he said, pointing to the eastern end of the lake. "What do you advise, then?" asked Charley.
We must have some breakfast and a couple of hours' rest, and then make our way onwards, until we can find another secure place for a camp." We had brought some provisions I should have said, and not far off was a stream of water issuing from the hill. Having despatched our meal, three of us lay down, with all the blacks except Aboh, who undertook to keep watch with me for a portion of the time.
Aboh put his thumbs up above his head, and then with his hands described a fat animal with long hair, and made a bellowing noise. "Ah, he means buffalo, there is no doubt about that," observed Charley. "Tell our friend we shall be happy to accompany him, and if he can show us the buffalo, we will do our best to shoot them." Ombay, on this answer being interpreted to him, appeared well satisfied.
Harry once more endeavoured to explain our object in coming, but all his efforts were vain to make the king comprehend a word he said. Aboh then tried, with the same want of success.
We got our guns ready, and a sufficient amount of ammunition for the day, and placing our knapsacks and other valuables under the charge of Shimbo, who promised that he would allow no one to steal them; we announced that we were ready to set off. Ombay kept Aboh by his side, that he might converse with us whenever he pleased.
Using these as spades, we managed, with considerable trouble, to scrape a space clear of dirt, of sufficient size to enable us all to sit on the ground. We were going to place our backs against the wall, but Aboh warned us that some ill-disposed fellow might thrust his spear through it, and that it would be much safer to take up a position near the centre.
The stranger, by his movements, appeared not to be aware that any one was in the neighbourhood, and came on without hesitation to the shore, close to the spot where we were hid. Aboh had remained behind to assist Tom in gathering sticks and lighting the fire, while Harry had settled to come a short distance with us.
We told Aboh that we should be very glad if he would bring us some big bowls of water in which we could wash our feet, and as he had before seen us perform that operation, he at once understood what we wanted. Hastening out, he quickly returned with a large gourd full of cool water, supplied by a spring which ran from a hill close to the village.
"I'm sorry to keep you back, gentlemen, and if it was a matter of life or death, I'd say go on and leave me behind, but it would be a terrible thing if that were necessary; so I would rather say, let us build a canoe, or, if we cannot, a raft on which we can cross the lake. I don't think it would take as long as Aboh supposes, if we could find a soft tree.
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