DOWN THE LOGONS EIVER 101 



that spoke of human acquiescence ; but a stronger note 

 throbbed through it, that of man's power and ultimate 

 mastery. It was a wake held, we were told, in honour 

 of " one big man." 



Mr Talbot was better, the canoes had come, and 

 next day we continued our journey. Our route now 

 lay through territory that belonged to the Germans. 

 That to the right bank of the Logone has since been 

 ceded to the French, and it was on this side alone that 

 we landed during our passage down the river, until we 

 came to the Kotoko capital of Logone Birrini. In the 

 afternoon we heard sounds of distant chanting, and, 

 determined to see what was going on, ordered the 

 polers to draw into shore. Mr Talbot landed, with 

 the iDJunction to his wife and me to stay where we 

 were, unless he sent to say it was worth our while 

 to come. On this point, however, we considered our- 

 selves better judges ; so when a boy returned for 

 his rifle we added ourselves to the party, aud some 

 fifty yards from the shore became witnesses of a 

 peculiar scene. Five hundred Banana were gathered 

 together, each holding in his hand an enormous wooden 

 club, from which — like the Cyclops — they are never 

 parted. They are a tall, well-formed race, and very 

 black. As a fair complexion is valued in a white person 

 so is a dark one among blacks, nor do they hesitate 

 to bedaub themselves with grease to heighten this 

 effect — and for them perfection of colour is more im- 

 portant than for other races, as they are practically 

 naked. When we arrived they were in a vast circle, 

 executing a war -dance to the sound of a rhythmic 

 chant, but when they saw us panic seized them. 

 Some stole away into the bush, though the vast 



