HEART OF THE CONGO 355 



Here the local sultan paid us a visit, bringing as 

 presents two scrawny fowls and ten aged eggs, for 

 which he expected much salt and whatever else he 

 could talk us out of. Some of the women at this 

 village were wearing elephant-hair bracelets, and both 

 Jones and Austin tried their abihty as traders, the 

 results showing that Jones made the best deals, not 

 only on the bracelets but on other items. He even 

 succeeded in trading the chief an old coat for a pair 

 of elephant tusks I 



During the middle of the night a loud conmaotion 

 awoke the countryside, and above the shouting could 

 be heard the voice of AU, our cook, who always assumed 

 leadership when no white man was present. A swarm- 

 ing army of safari ants had entered the bandas where the 

 boys were sleeping. They were now jumping around 

 in a panic, brusliing ants off one another and shaking 

 them out of their clothes. These savage insects often 

 drive the inhabitants of an entire village from their 

 huts. The dreaded jiggers were also here in abundance, 

 and for many days afterwards our boys were busy 

 picking them out of their toes. These tiny bugs burrow 

 beneath the skin, where they lay their eggs, causing a 

 fester which becomes very painful. Unless this sac is 

 removed before it hatches, a dangerous infection will 

 result. The natives become quite expert at locating 

 and removing these egg sacs. 



The following morning we drove through a veritable 

 garden spot; a country abounding with tropical and 

 semitropical fruits. We found our old friends the 

 pawpaw, banana, and pineapple on every hand, while 

 castor beans, tobacco, cotton, sago, and sweet potatoes 

 were constantly in evidence. Late in the afternoon 



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