258 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



pastoral countries. In Unyoro cattle arc scarce, and they belong 

 to the king; therefore the girls are purchased for various com- 

 modities such as brass-coil bracelets, bark-cloths, cotton shirts, 

 ivory, etc. 



A LOVING FATHER. 



SLAVERY seems to be a natural institution of Africa. It is 

 found almost everywhere in that miserable country. Baker re- 

 lates that, while detained at Gondokoro, he had a conversation 

 with an intelligent chief of one of the Bari tribes on the subject 

 of the great curse, and the old chief seemed deeply moved as he 

 depicted its horrors and expressed his determination to suppress 

 the traffic in human beings. Many of the chief's women and 

 children had been carried off by a neighboring tribe, and in the 

 most interesting portion of the interview he suddenly proposed, 

 with a burst of enthusiasm, that Baker should join him with his 

 men, and capture all the women and children that belonged to his 

 enemies ! He regarded slavery as wrong only when it affected 

 himself. 



Baker continued the conversation, and the good old man was 

 evidently touched at the allusion to the forcible separation of 

 children from their parents. 



" Have you a son?" he asked. 



" My sons are, unfortunately, dead," replied Baker, 



"Indeed!" exclaimed the chief. "I have a son an only 

 son. He is a nice boy a very good boy ; about so high (show- 

 ing his length upon the handle of his spear). I should like you 

 to see my boy he is very thin now : but if he should remain 

 with you he Would soon get fat. He's a really nice boy, and 

 always hungry. You'll be so fond of him ; he'll eat from morn- 

 ing till night, and still he'll be hungry. You'll like him amaz- 

 ingly ; he'll give you no trouble if you only give him plenty to 

 eat. He'll lie down and go to sleep, and he'll wake up hungry 

 again. He's a good boy, indeed ; and he's my only son. Ttt 

 xell him to you for a molote" (native iron spade). 



Baker was disgusted with the result of his sermon on the evils 

 of slavery. This obtuse old barbarian, after listening with much 



