1901.] Through the Heart of Africa from South to North. 537 



chachingi drew my attention to several fresh bullet-marks and 

 twisted arrow-heads in his stockade. It appeared that a few months 

 earlier a man of Kouwewe having possessed himself of an old muzzle- 

 loader sallied forth in pursuit of game, but to his intense chagrin 

 blazed away several rounds without result. 



Living in a village, three days to the north, was a distinguished 

 doctor, so to him our disappointed sportsman repaired, and poured 

 out his trouble into sympathetic ears. The doctor assured his patient 

 that he possessed all the necessary medicines to effect a cure. The 

 fee was arranged, and so confident was the doctor in the efficacy 

 of his medicine that payment was deferred until the cure should 

 have been effected. The jubilant sportsman returned to his village, 

 made a number of incisions in his wrist, and rubbed in the medicine 

 as prescribed. 



In due course, eager and confident, he shouldered his old blunder- 

 buss once more. But his hopes were to be blighted, for — would 

 you believe it ? — not a bullet took effect. Angry and disappointed 

 he vowed he would not pay the bill. A deputy called for the fee, 

 but took back the message — " Your medicine is worthless, so you 

 must do without the payment." A week later the doctor gathered 

 together the warriors from his own and two neighbouring villages 

 for an expedition against Kouwewe. They halted near Chachingi 

 " en route," gazed up at the steep ascent beyond, and felt less and 

 less inclined to toil uphill for a further half day. There is a way 

 out of most difficulties, and these warriors found a way out of theirs — 

 " Why should we toil up this long hill ? — here is Chachingi in front 

 of us, he will do just as well." So they set to without further 

 parley and blazed away for three days. But Chachingi held his 

 own, the doctor went home fee-less, and the patient on the hill 

 suffered no inconvenience. 



In travelling eastwards from the Kwito between the 14th and 

 15th parallels, I saw much of the native rubber industry. 



Rubber, as is well known, is extracted from many plants in various 

 parts of the world. In Africa alone there are three families which 

 are subdivided into many species. 



It is obtained from trees, vines and roots. By root rubber of 

 course I do not refer to the inferior article obtained from the roots 

 of the tree or vine at the expense of the life of the plant. 



In the case of the first two the rubber is easily extracted. An 

 incision is made in the trunk and from the wound thus inflicted, a 

 milky fluid (which must not be confused with sap) exudes, and, falling 

 into a vessel placed beneath to catch it, congeals. 



In the case of the root rubber the process is much more elaborate. 

 The rubber is contained in straight stems, the thickness of the wrist 

 and less, which run horizontally within a few inches of the earth 

 surface. These underground stems, which sometimes attain a length 

 of 15 to 20 feet, are indicated by a modest little plant not more than 

 18 inches high, growing smooth glazed leaves 2 inches long with a 



