316 AFRICA SPEAKS 



We were traveKng through a poor game country, 

 although we encountered a few antelope, some kon- 

 goni, and wild pigs. According to our guide, there were 

 large herds of elephants along the river £uid plenty of 

 leopards and numerous Hons in the highlands. The 

 Alulu catch both Hons and leopards in wooden traps; 

 they also spear any of these cats that attack their 

 stock. As we pushed farther toward the Congo, the 

 contour of the country changed, small green hills, 

 covered with short trees, taking the place of the flat 

 tropical country adjacent to the river. Large groves 

 of banana plants lined the streams, these proving to 

 be the proper plantains which form one of the principal 

 food suppUes of these ancient people. 



As we passed through the villages of Paida, Neapea, 

 Zeio, Warr, Kango, and Logiri, the entire population 

 turned out and cheered as the strange wagons roared 

 by. This is Africa at its darkest — the Africa that the 

 early explorers knew, unspoiled by the semicivihzation 

 that has arisen in so many parts, without, so far as my 

 personal observations go, doing any tiling of real value 

 for the black man. 



At Arua I went to see the British official in charge 

 of the district and his first question was as to the route 

 we had come. When I repHed "from Pakwach," he 

 was more than surprised, and asked how many bridges 

 we had wrecked I It seems that we were the first ever 

 to land at Paliwach and motor to Arua, the road and 

 bridges being only for foot safaris. 



The government of Uganda and those who administer 

 the affairs of the West Nile Province are not very keen 

 to have anyone enter the district where the rare white 

 rhino has its sanctuary. When they do give permission. 



