198 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



him and the knife. But he was not proscribed upon the 

 bill of fare for that day, and by the evening the stock of 

 poultry had been replenished. Still, it was his turn next 

 morning to die, but when the time came, John, conquered, 

 I believe, by the sheer force of Jaggra's personality, passed 

 over him and singled out another victim. Jaggra with 

 splendid pride, accepted this homage to his genius. Hence- 

 forth, he was no craven to be chivvied every morning 

 through the bush by a black scullion, and roughly thrown 

 with tied legs along with all the other fowls into the bottom 

 of the boat where, if they became obstreperous they got 

 " ducked " in the water by the " boys," a process which 

 made even Jaggra's shackles turn pale as he looked on 

 with open beak and dilated eyes. Instead, each morning 

 ever after the day of passover, as soon as the boats were 

 ready to start, disdaining assistance, Jaggra would always 

 hop from the bank on to the gunwale and take up his position 

 with dignity in the bows. Poor Jaggra ! we shuddered, 

 imagining the picture of his end. By now he was safely 

 tucked away in the furry paunch of some bush-cat. 



At twelve o'clock we stopped as usual for our " chop," 

 choosing as the day was hot, an open spot under a shady 

 belt of trees. The " boys " then went off into the wood 

 to get dry sticks for the fires. They had not been gone 

 long, when we heard shouts coming from their direction, 

 '''' Hainya mutum!'" ("People's path!") Then Jose, with 

 several of the others, was soon on the track and, after 

 following it fo^ five hundred yards or so, the roofs of huts 

 appeared in a clearing of the wood. In an open space, 

 under a large shanty with a square top of straw, were a 



