DISCOVERY OF THE VICTORIA N'YANZA. 71 



hear, by conjuring up the most ridiculous phantoms ; 

 and the more ridiculous they are, the more firmly do 

 they at last believe in them themselves. The worse 

 their grounds are, the more jealously do they guard 

 against anybody's seeing them ; and woe betide any 

 one who should frequent any particular spot too 

 often : he is at once set down as designing a plot 

 against it, to fortify the place and take it from them ; 

 this idea is their greatest bugbear. Among that tribe 

 blood shed by any means by the stealthy knife or 

 in fair fight is deemed meritorious and an act of 

 heroism. No one is ever sure of his life unless he 

 has force to carry him through, or can rely on the 

 chief of the clan as his pillar of safety. This latter 

 plan is probably the safer one, for, as the old adage 

 goes, " there is honesty amongst thieves " ; so with 

 these savages it is a matter of importance to their 

 honour and dignity, according to their quaint notions 

 of rectitude, to protect their trust to their utmost ; 

 whereas, on the contrary, were that trust not reposed 

 in them, they would feel justified in taking any 

 liberties, or act in opposition to any of those general 

 laws which guide the conduct of civilised men. 



I would not, however, desire the African agricul- 

 tural people to be considered models of perfection. 

 Individually, or in small bodies, the mass of them 

 are very far from being so, for they would commit 

 any excesses without the slightest feelings of com- 

 punction. The fear of retribution alone keeps their 



