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58 WILD LIFE UNDER THE EQUATOR. 
did not interfere; hence I said that if they were going 
to fight I would join in; and taking the butt-end of my 
gun, I said I would smash the heads of the three while 
they were fighting with each other. 
This saying of mine at once made them laugh and 
they became quiet. They knew that I meant what I 
said, and they did not fancy getting a thrashing. 
The subject of the quarrel was about the brain of the 
gorilla. Muiengai said he would have the whole of it, 
for he was the oldest. "What would they have known 
about the spirit pointing out to me if it had not been for 
him?’ He said this with such complacency and self-sat- 
isfaction that I could not help smiling; but this argument 
of Miengai did not seem to satisfy Makinda and Yeava. 
So I said I would give part of the brain to each of 
them, and when they had it they wrapped it most care- 
fully in leaves, and I was told that monda (charms) 
were to be made of this—charms of two kinds. Prepared 
in one way, and mixed with bone, claws, feathers, ashes 
_ of certain beasts, birds, and trees, the charm would give 
the wearer a strong hand for the hunt, after he had rub- 
bed his hands and arms with the mixture. Prepared 
another way it gave the wearer success with women; 
he became irresistible, and all the pretty girls were will- 
ing to become his wives. I could not help thinking that 
if that latter charm was real, how much bachelors and 
widowers would like to possess it at home where pretty 
girls are so difficult to please. 
My men in the evening fed on the gorilla meat, and 
I fed on the meat of a small and beautiful little gazelle. 
which Makinda had killed. 
x 
The blazing fires shed their light through the beauti- 
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