A CHIEF OVERREACHES HIMSELF 60 



soon recognized to my annoyance as country we 

 had already hunted over unsuccessfully more than 

 once. 



The history of the little deception which had 

 been practised on me is so typical of Africa that 

 it is worth narrating. 



My guide, who came from the village near the 

 Rumelia stream, apparently had not the authority 

 to let me hunt on the Mala stream ; this privilege 

 rested with the Sova (or village chief), who 

 wished to gain all possible advantage in the way 

 of meat and presents which the white man would 

 bring to him. The guide then, instead of telling 

 me the truth, and that it was useless camping 

 In a country the surroundings of which we had 

 explored unsuccessfully, decided to risk my wrath 

 rather than that of the Sova of Mala. 



When we came back from my hunting that 

 evening, I sent for both the guide and the Sova, 

 and held a lough Court of justice, After listen- 

 ing to the confessions of both the native fhief 

 and the guide, who were forced to admit under 

 cross-examination that they had lied with intent 

 to deceive, I dealt out my sentence and punish- 

 ment, which was that both guide and Sova should 

 accompany me and carry a load of the white 

 man whose time they had wasted. The other 

 men of my caravan, who had sat round in a circle 

 listening to the case, were then asked if what had 

 been said was not true, and what had been done 

 was not just ; they all answered with a shout, that 

 it was true and it was just, and chai'ied both the 

 guide and the Sova unmercifully for having been 



