iv KOM-KOM 53 



and their joy knew no bounds when their eye- 

 sight convinced them that Kom-Kom, the source 

 of so many of their troubles, was actually dead. 

 To celebrate the occasion, they brought my men 

 quantities of food, honey, and pombe, or native 

 beer, and runners were hastily despatched to 

 the surrounding villages bearing the glad tidings : 

 'Kom-Kom is dead! Kom-Kom is dead!' 



Alas ! a most vexatious fly was to get into the 

 ointment ! This particular insect appeared during 

 the morning, in the shape of a sinister-faced old 

 medicine-man, whose superior mind at once dis- 

 covered that the opinion of the vulgar herd on the 

 subject of Kom-Kom's death had been hopelessly at 

 fault. He announced that he was greatly displeased 

 that I had killed the Mighty One, and declared 

 that, instead of being a matter for rejoicing, it was a 

 serious misfortune, for although Kom-Kom had 

 killed a few villagers and helped himself to the 

 produce of their gardens, this was an insignificant 

 matter in comparison with the infinite good luck 

 he had showered upon them in the shape of 

 food and happy children, and success on their 

 journeys into the forest in quest of beeswax, honey, 

 and rubber. As for Kom-Kom's peccadilloes, well, 

 a certain amount of moral latitude must always be 

 granted to the spirit of a great chieftain ! Finding 

 that his audience were not going to allow them- 



