HOW WE CURED THE CHIEF 



On hearing that the chief was desirous of seeing the 

 white men, we decided to go to him as soon as the tents 

 were erected, and see what could be done for him. The 

 people had a large number of cattle, and I noticed that 

 every one was of fine physique. They could not tell us 

 how long it was since the Belgians had been there, for 

 they had no idea of time. We followed the young warrior 

 through the trees along a zig-zag path through the 

 village, where children frolicked under the piles on which 

 their homes were built. Chickens and dogs drew back, 

 as did the men and women, who on our approach ceased 

 to chatter, and hid themselves in all directions. At the 

 far end of the village we came upon a large round hut 

 built on the ground and not raised as most of them were 

 on wooden platforms some three feet high. At the door 

 there sat a grizzled old creature whose very skin had 

 become dull grey and hard with age. Skins of animals 

 hung all round him, little pieces of stick lay on the ground 

 before him, he was surrounded by a huddled-up crowd 

 of natives, and was making weird passes over a pile of 

 rubbish, which consisted of bones, land-shells, stones, 

 and what not, that lay at his feet ; he was the oracle or 

 doctor of the village. 



To our surprise we did not halt here and enter the 

 chief's hut, but passed through the trees until about a 

 couple of hundred yards further on we reached a group 

 of men and women. The chief lay in the full glare of 

 the sun on a rough litter, with the moaning crowd pressing 

 around him ; he had scarcely room to breathe, and was 

 in an advanced state of fever. At the sound of his voice 

 which was scarcely audible the natives fell back, and 

 again we beheld a scene that made our hearts feel sick 

 at their ridiculous superstitions. Around his forehead 

 and neck, wrists, and ankles were tied the entrails of 

 chickens. His son stood by and explained that the 

 doctor had them placed there. " The blood will cool 



209 p 



