TRADE GOODS A MISTAKE 209 



district they pay the natives in cloth, in another in 

 brass wire, in another in beads or salt, and so on. 

 Very often the native has not the least desire for the 

 piece of cloth or the handful of beads — his wife may 

 have half a dozen flowing robes or head ornaments 

 already — but he must take what he is offered or go 

 without payment altogether. If there were traders 

 settled in the country, the native could go and ex- 

 change his useless cloth for something more to his 

 liking, or, better still, if he were paid in coin, he 

 could go to the trader for what he wanted, and he 

 would be sure of getting better value for his money 

 than he could by exchange of goods. 



The policy seems, at the best, a short-sighted one. 

 The natives of Central Africa, speaking generally, 

 are not always merely lazy beasts ; many of them 

 are greedy and exceedingly covetous, and I cannot 

 help feeling convinced that if they were paid in 

 money, with which they could buy sheep and food 

 and wives and all that they most desire, they would 

 find the incentive to work, which they certainly have 

 not at present, and the State (not to mention the 

 natives themselves) would be very greatly the gainer. 



It stands to reason that this state of things 

 adds immensely to the difficulties of travelling in the 

 Congo State. It is impossible, before you enter the 

 country, to find out what kinds of trade-goods are 

 necessary in the districts through which you propose 

 to travel, and it is equally impossible, when you are 

 in the State, to buy the goods you want, because 



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