A CAxMP AMONG CANNIBALS 



that were not in use at the fires. For two solid hours 

 this huge creature sat there with a piece of damp rag and 

 some sand, working like a trojan, and put such a polish 

 on the copper and aluminium ware that he was eventually 

 loth to surrender them to the cook ; who, however, by 

 coaxing the creature with some stew and potatoes, 

 succeeded in recovering his pots and pans. How the 

 volunteer scullion smacked his lips at the taste of salt ! 

 Two little boys, presumably his offspring, with large 

 rolling eyeballs and huge stomachs, ran towards him as 

 he enjoyed the novel meal of stew and sliced potatoes, 

 and shared in the repast. He shook his head at the 

 taste of Worcester sauce, and declared it to be made of 

 fire! 



Late in the afternoon a heavy storm broke over the 

 camp, and sent all the carriers inside their small grass 

 haycock-like huts built to accommodate three people in 

 a stooping position. There happened to be a large 

 number of villagers in the camp at the time, and as the 

 storm came on with unusual severity and rapidity, many 

 of them took shelter under the nearest trees. Shortly 

 afterwards, when the rain had abated somewhat, we 

 heard a great commotion going on outside the tents 

 and on looking out we espied some of the natives running 

 at top speed towards the nearest group of huts, carrying 

 off several of our long grass-cutting knives and axes. 

 Later in the afternoon the people returned in large 

 numbers and hung round the huts. We informed them 

 that the knives and other stolen goods must be returned ; 

 they all cleared off on hearing this. In a few minutes 

 one of them came to within a few yards of the tents and 

 hurled an old table knife at our feet. It was not part 

 of our missing property, but had belonged apparently 

 to some poor unfortunate who had fallen into the hands 

 of the savages, and himself figured in the menu of a feast 

 in days gone by. As soon as the retreating figure reached 



177 N 



