-^ The Spell uf the Klelescho 



told me also nuich that was interesting- al)()iit the old trade 

 routes extending far through Africa, and even to the 

 Congo. Hci had friends and relatives who had alrcadx- 

 traversed these routes man}- times, and journeyed from 

 the east coast e\en to the Congo, long before <uiv 

 European traveller. Many of the people of his caravan 

 were able to tell from memory each dav's journey as 

 far as the Congo, and give exact information about the 

 chiefs who held sway in each district, and the i)ossibilitv 

 of getting supplies of various kinds of provisions, 

 such as maize, millet, bananas, or other products of the 

 country. 



I cannot exactly say how long he had talked with 

 me about elephants and elephantduinting, about the ivorv 

 trade, and many other things. I only know one thing — 

 that after some time his talk became more and more 

 difficult for me to understand, that I strove in vain against 

 an ever-increasing weariness, and that at last I saw neither 

 the Arab nor the caravan — in a word, saw nothino- more 

 felt nothing more. 



I fell into a deep sleep in which, in my dreams, I had 

 a lively argument with some Europeans, who would not 

 believe so many elephants, buffaloes, and other wild 

 animals had formerh- been here, and who kept on objecting 

 strongly that it was impossible that all this could have 

 been the case so short a time ago. 



When I woke up again I found myself in mv lounfj-in^y- 

 chair, a primitive piece of furniture of my own construction. 

 My black servant stood before me,- and asked me if 1 

 would not rather a:o to bed. 



79 



