74 START FOR THE INTERIOR. Chap. IV. 



mpolo (the long road). Igala consoled her by saying, 

 " Do not cry, my child, I am coming back ; we shall 

 reach the other side, and bring plenty of beads for 

 you from the white man's country." It was the 

 universal belief of the Commi people that we were 

 going across the land to England, and I was obliged 

 to encourage them in this idea, which was the only 

 way of rendering the journey comprehensible to 

 them. My old friend. Captain Yardon, who had 

 lately returned to the Fernand Yaz with the intention 

 of establishing a factory, lent the villagers guns to 

 fire off salvos on our departure, and was not behind 

 hand in wishing me God speed. 



On the second of October we left " Plateau :" 

 on the 3rd we reached an ebando, or palaver shed, on 

 the banks of the river where King Olenga-Yombi, 

 together with the other chiefs and people, had to 

 settle some outstanding disputes of the neighbourhood, 

 and to mpanga nche, or " make the land straight," in 

 general. To my great mortification, this council of 

 wise-heads hindered us a whole week. I could not 

 leave at once, as I had to receive from Olenga-Yombi 

 the slaves that he had promised to give me to carry 

 my goods, the payment for whose services he had 

 already received in the shape of presents having 

 that end in view. The palavers were numerous and 

 difficult to settle. They related either to run-away 

 wives (a fertile source of ill-will and bloodshed) or 

 to homicides. When a man is killed here, if only 

 by accident, satisfaction must be given. Deaths by 

 accident are not more excusable than wilful murder. 

 " An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth " is the 



