AMATEUR SURGEONS 



where we stood dozens of naked forms lay in the waving 

 grass watching us in the hope that we would continue 

 our journey. Placing all the loads in a heap we waited 

 for the people to come out. Gradually faint whistles 

 and peculiar noises made with the mouth by blowing into 

 the hollow of the hands, were heard all round us, but 

 still no one was to be seen. Thinking they were afraid 

 of the guns, we hid them under the loads of cloth, and 

 our patience was at length rewarded by a few forms that 

 peeped at us from behind a clump of bush and stones. 

 Hurried chattering took place between them ; several 

 times they made as if to advance, but hesitated and 

 darted back to the cover of the grass. In spite of the 

 density of the tall grass we could now and again make 

 out the glistening blade of a spear or lance as the metal 

 flashed in the fierce rays of the sun. 



As I knew that it was not far from this place that 

 Bushiri, an elephant hunter, had been killed by the 

 natives a year ago, it was prudent to exercise the greatest 

 care in dealing with these people. 



After we had waited inactive for half an hour they 

 emerged in small groups, and one huge fellow, over six feet 

 high, who carried a long spear, was more daring than the 

 rest. He looked a perfect model of physique, with 

 enormous muscles that stood out in knots on his arms, 

 his chest and face were covered with double rows of 

 cicatrised marks worked in fancy patterns, a gleaming 

 band of ivory encircled his left arm, highly polished 

 glittering metal bangles adorned his wrists, and a heavy 

 iron collar, that weighed certainly not less than nine 

 pounds, hung round his neck. His hair was shaved clean 

 from the back of his great bullet head, leaving a stubbly 

 growth that crossed from ear to ear, in which suspicious 

 looking bones that spoke of something human were 

 fastened ; last, but not least, his teeth were fashioned 

 " a la mode." 



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