486 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



them we saw some of the dwarfs, the queerest little creatures 

 alive, just a yard high, with long beards and large heads. The 

 dwarfs seemed to be plucky little devils, and asked us many 

 questions about where we were going and what we wanted. They 

 told us that in their country there was so much ivory we had not 

 enough men to carry it ; but what do you want with it, do you 

 eat it?' said they. ' No, we make charms of it, and will give you 

 beads to show us the way.' ' Good, come along.' 



" We followed the little devils six days, when we came to their 

 countrv, and they stopped and said we could go no further until 

 they had seen their king. Then they left us, and after three days 

 they came back and took us to their village, and gave us a house 

 to live in. Then the dwarfs came from all parts. Oh ! it is a 

 big country ! and everybody brought ivory, until we had about 

 four hundred tusks, big and little, as much as we could carry. 

 We bought it with copper, beads, and cowries. No cloths, for 

 the dwarfs were all naked, king and all. We did not starve in 

 the dwarf land the first ten days. Bananas as long as my arm, 

 and plantains as long as the dwarfs were tall. One plantain was 

 sufficient for a man for one day. 



"When we had sufficient ivory and wanted to go, the little 

 king said no ; * this is my country, and you shall not go until I 

 say. You must buy all I have got ; I want more cowries ;' and 

 he ground his teeth and looked just like a wild monkey. We 

 laughed at him, for he was very funny, but he would not let us 

 go. Presently we heard a woman scream, and rushing out of our 

 house, we saw a woman running with a dwarf's arrow in her 

 bosom. Some of our men shouted, 'The dwarfs are coming 

 from all the villages in great numbers ; it is war prepare !' We 

 had scarcely got our guns before the little wretches were upon us, 

 shooting their arrows in clouds. They screamed and yelled like 

 monkeys. Their arrows were poisoned, and many of our men 

 who were hit, died. Our captain brandished his two-handed 

 sword, and cleaved them as you would cleave a banana. The 

 arrows passed through his shirt in many places. We had many 

 good fellows, and they fought well ; but it was of no uoe. The 



