330 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



without roasting, for hours and hours, and the hot decoction 

 drunk. I suppose it must have some invigorating property, 

 but it tastes like dirty water. 



I took particular pains to find out whether slavery is 

 practised, or any slave trade carried on, by the people of 

 Kere and the adjoining districts. But all the information 

 elicited by my inquiries, made in various directions, went to 

 prove that none of the tribes round about the head of the 

 lake have any such customs. I was assured on all hands that 

 they do not enslave even their enemies, and was led to believe 

 that they disapprove of bartering human beings. I think that, 

 were there any such trade carried on, I could not have failed to 

 hear of it, as I have done in other parts of Central Africa — 

 even to being myself asked to buy sometimes. But what 

 seems the strongest proof that not even domestic slavery 

 obtains here is the fact that Hamisi was free and well treated. 

 Having been left in Reshiat some eight years previously, as a 

 small boy, he had wandered on, under pressure of famine, till 

 he found an asylum in Kere. Here he had been adopted by 

 the old man already mentioned, who had not only fed him, but 

 treated him with uniform kindness, as if he had been his own 

 son, from that day until my arrival. 



Labugo sometimes came to see me. He rather bored me 

 when I was ill, as he generally came to beg. Had he been 

 entertaining, I should have been glad of his company, as I 

 was grateful for anything to pass the time ; but he was not 

 communicative and never smiled. However, I always tried 

 to be agreeable to him, as it was important to keep on good 

 terms. He showed a certain amount of interest in my pro- 

 gress, and the first time he saw me after the mishap he 

 strongly advised that I should have a sheep or goat killed and 

 drink the blood as medicine. As I believe blood is a purga- 

 tive, it may be useful in that way, failing any other remedy ; but 

 I thought I could obtain the same results with less disagreeable 

 drugs, so declined to avail myself of his prescription. 



