HUNTING AND HUNTED IN BELGIAN CONGO 



the river we could discern a number of huts built on one 

 of the islands, some sixty yards from the east shore. 

 These people were very keen fishermen, and some of 

 them brought a very welcome supply to our camp. 

 There seems to be some difficulty at present in obtaining 

 food for the porters on the road to Nimule. These 

 people are a well set up race, but completely spoil them- 

 selves in appearance by unnecessary " ornamentation," 

 such as grass projecting from the upper or lower lip, or 

 stuck through slits in the nose and ears. Here again we 

 found that some one had camped quite recently. The 

 little heap of grey ashes lying at the foot of the tree was 

 not even damp, so our predecessors must have been 

 there within forty-eight hours previous to our arrival, 

 as no rain had fallen for that time. 



Here we gave eut the half-monthly rations or " posho." 

 Rupees and cents would be useless on this side of the 

 river, so for purposes of barter with the natives of the 

 district in exchange for food, it was necessary to supply 

 each boy with americani and salt to the value of one 

 rupee, with which he would have to purchase the neces- 

 sities of life for two weeks, so this " posho " business 

 took place every fortnight. It is necessary to get an 

 idea from the local native as to the nature of barter 

 required in the country wherein you are about to travel. 

 Some districts will take salt and beads, others want 

 brass and copper wire, hoes, needles, old tins, bottles, 

 empty match-boxes, and so forth. Everywhere, how- 

 ever, " americani " (trade cloth), takes like " hot cakes." 

 For the boys, americani, beads, or salt is generally given 

 out. 



Next day we set off down the slope and passed 

 through several rippling streams, plunged into great 

 tracts of elephant grass that reached far over our heads. 

 Emerging from beautiful glades we came upon stretches 

 of fine grassy country with a fair sprinkling of tall bushes, 



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