CHAPTER XX 



FAREWELL TO THE CONGO 



I must have formed a quaint object as I stood there 

 watching them depart, a few feet in front of the crowd, 

 with the gun thrown over my shoulder, my clothes sodden 

 with blood from Karetese. My left sleeve was almost 

 black, for on the top of the blood that had flowed from 

 the wound there was a thin dark scum which floated like 

 slag from a furnace of molten metal. The arrow had 

 evidently been poisoned, but it must have been a very 

 weak mixture, for as a rule a poisoned arrow proves 

 fatal some twenty minutes after it has pierced the flesh. 

 I cannot overestimate the value of permanganate of 

 potash for cleansing a wound. No doubt Salem's prompt 

 action in sucking the wound immediately after the arrow 

 struck me proved instrumental in saving my life. He 

 had had experience with the natives, pygmies, and others 

 in the Congo for years, and was for some time employed 

 on expeditions of research, boundary commissions, and 

 safaris of both British and Belgian Governments, there- 

 fore he knew what to do and how to do it at the right 

 moment. 



My head was throbbing and my throat was like a 

 piece of leather, but I felt safe now. What a day it had 

 been ! When the sun rose there were six of us, but twelve 

 hours later only four were alive, and we had many days 

 to go through a wild country before reaching civilisation. 



In a few moments water was brought to me by one 

 of the women, and shall I ever forget that drink. Onlv 



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