smallest punishment that could be awarded him for 

 the serious offence of striking the headman. He 

 decided on the "dozen"; and so soon as the whole 

 of the porters had been assembled to view the 

 ceremony, the big Mwembe applied the rod with 

 great gusto. 



The man took his punishment so well that 



A let him off with half-a-dozen, and then made 



a speech to the company, in which he explained 

 that the person of the headman was sacred, that 

 he was merely the instrument for carrying out the 

 white man's orders, and that he must be treated 

 with proper respect and with implicit obedience 

 accordingly. I need hardly say that I retired to the 

 tent during the execution, but the sound of the rod 

 was not entirely inaudible. The speech was very 

 well received : the whole incident had a most 

 beneficial effect on the discipline of the caravan, and 

 the culprit himself was in no way resentful, and gave 

 no further trouble of any sort or kind. 



A traveller should never personally strike a native 

 except in self-defence. It is an unwise thing to do, 

 as it at once lowers his prestige. 



A white man marching along with a number of 

 natives, in sparsely settled districts many miles from 

 any constituted authority, is placed in a somewhat 

 invidious position when travelling in English 

 territories. His judicial right over his caravan is 

 not officially recognized as it is in German territory, 

 where beyond two days' march from a boma he has 

 full authority. English officials are for the most 

 part tactful and experienced men, and should any 



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