" LA BELLE CANNIBALE.'* 409 



his tribe were my wives, and would never let me 

 be hungry ; and that he would go with me, but 

 that I must afterwards return with him to the 

 village, as this was to be a time of great re- 

 joicing." I consented to this arrangement, and 

 amidst the exulting cries of the people we all 

 moved on. 



My handmaiden, whose name -was N'miamba, 

 walked alongside, with both her arms entwined 

 round mine, and stroking my beard, in what I 

 imagined was rather an affectionate manner, she 

 made the Bekelai explain to me that " I was her 

 white man, that she would always take care of the 

 strong fetish I had put round her neck, and that 

 she would never leave me." I smiled ; for what 

 else could I do under the circumstances. I never 

 possessed a "fetish " strong enough to protect and 

 preserve me scathless against a pretty woman's 

 powerful charms. I was ever susceptible to 

 female influence, and any decent-looking girl, if 

 she only went the right way to work, could always 

 set her foot upon my neck; for I had been 

 conquered so often, that, knowing my weakness, 



