io8 In the Heart of Africa 



loud noises going on in the forest, which my people said were 

 being made by the Batwa hunting the monkeys. Yet I am 

 unable to give credence to the tale that these animals can be 

 hunted down from their trees by means of noises, and fall in 

 such a state of exhaustion that they allow themselves to be 

 caught in nets. I am more inclined to think that the loud cries 

 of the hunters are intended to drive the animals into traps and 

 snares previously set up. 



Our stay at Kwidschwi came to an end sooner than we could 

 have wished. We should have had plenty of material to work 

 upon even if we had remained there for many weeks, or even 

 months. But the comprehensive programme which was awaiting 

 us in the volcanic region did not permit of our remaining more 

 than fourteen days amongst the islands of Lake Kiwu. We 

 parted most unwillingly from this paradise. Even though our 

 daily labours were rendered onerous through the toils and 

 hardships encountered in penetrating the dense forest, we were 

 richly compensated by our spoils. And then, too, the agreeable 

 climate was exhilarating to a high degree. Our Celsius thermo- 

 meter registered 20 to 25 degrees at noonday, and the nocturnal 

 cold, from which we had to suffer bitterly at times elsewhere, 

 was lessened by the vicinity of the great stretch of water. At 

 night, after our meal, we used to sit a long time in front of 

 our tents, chatting over the day's events, or lost in thoughts 

 of our distant home. The letter which follows, written by 

 one of our number on his receiving news by the European mail 

 informing him of the approaching wedding of a lady relative, 

 which news, as chance had it, reached Kwidschwi on the very 

 wedding-day, gives some little idea of the beauties of a tropical 

 night and the mood it calls forth. 



" I received your letter just in time to avoid letting Kathe 



B 's wedding-day pass by unwittingly. We will hold a 



banquet this evening in a salon, in contrast with which the 

 ' Kaiserhof ,' or wherever else you may be celebrating the fete, 

 in Berlin would pale. Our salon is tremendously broad. It is 



