HUNTING AND HUNTED IN BELGIAN CONGO 



human fingers which seemed to have been smoked and 

 dried, for they were of a leaden grey colour. 



On some of the dwelling huts the extreme point, of 

 the conical roof was decorated with eland horns, but 

 in one case I saw a group of human skulls affixed by 

 cords of stripped bark ; they had been smeared with a 

 reddish pigment and had a ghastly appearance as the 

 shadows of the great palm leaves on the trees swaying 

 to and fro in the soft breeze permitted a ray of dazzling 

 sunlight to play on the features. The people themselves 

 were smeared with a horrible concoction that smelt 

 strongly, and added to the feeling of nausea that had 

 already seized me at the horrors I had seen. At length 

 the chief turned and spoke to my boy who interpreted : 

 " Bwana, he says there are elephants close by, but they 

 are small." I was glad to turn my back on the place 

 and retrace my steps to the riverside, apparently un- 

 accompanied, but when we entered the thicket a number 

 of heads and shoulders appeared from their hiding places, 

 and numerous nodding plumes and glistening spears 

 denoted the presence of an attentive escort, who kept, 

 however, at a respectful distance from the path. 



Many grey parrots and other birds of beautiful 

 plumage looked down upon us as the canoe bore us away 

 from the bank, which was lined not only with people, 

 but with grand trees whose trunks were wrapped so 

 tightly in the folds of creepers that it seemed marvellous 

 that their growth had not been arrested by the snake- 

 like bonds of the twining plants. The inquisitiveness 

 of the people was a continual nuisance and the freedom 

 with which they discussed not only my belongings but 

 my personal appearance was appalling. My moustache 

 and beard called forth little comment from the natives 

 of the Mangbettu country, who have decidedly more 

 hair on their faces than either the Niam Niam or the 

 people to the east. The fact of my youthful appearance 



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