HUNTING AND HUNTED IN BELGIAN CONGO 



afraid that I was in a hornet's nest, for occasionally 

 figures could be seen darting from rock to rock in front 

 of the huts below us, and every now and then I caught 

 the gleam of a spear head glistening in the sun ; moreover, 

 the people I had camped near the day before had warned 

 me of this village. In a short time swarms of excited 

 savages were darting here and there waving bows and 

 spears aloft, some even had guns, and I could see the 

 polished barrels glistening in the sun. For a time I was 

 afraid to let any one go out of the camp either for wood 

 or water, but the hostile behaviour of the people soon 

 gave way to curiosity, as I had sat down and smoked, pay- 

 ing little heed to their cries and shouts of defiance. An 

 air of complete indifference has more often than not a 

 greater impression on the native mind than the exhibition 

 of a row of guns, or other attempt to play a high hand. 

 At length they came stealthily towards us in twos and 

 threes and surveyed the camp at a respectful distance. 

 Pishi shouted out to them that we wanted food, and held 

 out a string of beads for them to see. In ten minutes 

 about a dozen people returned with chickens of all ages 

 and sizes ; potatoes, eggs, and matamma were soon being 

 handed over in exchange for cloth and beads, and 

 before long we were on fairly good terms with the 

 villagers. 



I had some tins of Irish stew, which, on being pierced 

 in a certain spot would become self-heated, the necessary 

 warmth being generated by a chemical. Placing one of 

 the tins on the table I told the cook that in a few minutes 

 the food therein would become hot. The natives standing 

 near got to hear of this and watched intently. When I 

 opened the lid and poured out the steaming contents 

 loud cries of wonderment went up from the people. I 

 tried to exchange the empty tin for another chicken, but 

 no one would touch it, and the village headman forbade 

 them to go near it. I threw the tin away, but every one 



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