They insisted that I should not go to Ranpano. I should put up a factory in their place. They belonged to Elindé, a town just at the mouth of the Fernand-Vaz, whose king is named Sangala. They praised the power and greatness of Sangala, and decried poor Ranpano, until I had to order all hands ashore for the night, being anxious to get a good quiet sleep to prepare for the morrow.
During the night, the men on watch said they heard the paddling of a canoe coming towards us. What could it be? Let us be ready. These men might be coming to board us and make war. At length the canoe came within hailing distance; we shouted to them. (I may say that the Commi speak the same language as the Oroungou people—the inhabitants of Cape Lopez.) They came, they said, with a message from King Sangala. I recognised the voice of the head man in the canoe to be that of Nchouga. He was brother of King Bango of Cape Lopez. Bango had accused Nchouga of bewitching him, whereupon the latter, to save his life, fled from the country; and having married one of the daughters of Sangala, he came to his father-in-law for protection.
Nchouga was a very cunning fellow; fortunately I knew him well, and he could not fool me so easily as he thought. He came to tell me that Sangala was the master of all the river; that he was a very great king; that he would not let me go to Ranpano, who was only a vassal of the great Sangala; therefore, he advised me as a friend—an old friend—to go ashore at Elindé.
I could read the cunning rogue. He had been one of the greatest rascals of Cape Lopez, and his slave dealings had not improved him. So I sent Nchouga off; I wanted to go to sleep. He had come out to test me; they thought I was a green hand at slave-trading.
Early next morning Sangala sent off a boat for me. On my arrival at Elindé, which village was about two miles from the river's mouth, I was conducted to the best house. Hither presently came King Sangala, who, in order to nerve himself for the occasion, had got drunk, and came attended by a great crowd of eager subjects. He grew very angry when I stated my intention of passing up the river, and going to Ranpano, and also into the interior. He declared that I should not go; he was the big king there and everywhere all over the world, and I must settle in his town.
I declared that I should go on. Sometimes I wonder that they did not at once make me a prisoner.
We had some sharp words, and I explained to his majesty that I was an old African traveller, and saw through all his lies; that he was not the big king of the country, as he said. Then he said I might go wherever I liked, provided I would have a factory built in his village.
I said that I had no factory to build in his village; but I offered to "dash" him (give him some presents).
He refused this offer; and now Ranpano, having just come, assured me that I should be backed up. I told Sangala I should force my way up. Sangala and all his people shouted with all their might that there should be war; Sangala, as he got up to say so, reared and tumbled down, he was so drunk.