184 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



Accordingly, I fixed upon a course through the Keffi and 

 Panda Hills, which form the western end of the mountainous 

 plateau of Northern Nigeria ; partly because I had already 

 worked the Benue region, which might be considered the 

 high road eastwards of the Senegambian fauna ; and partly 

 because a mountain region always appeals to the zoologist 

 for the chances it aSords for the discovery of rare and local 

 forms. Besides it is less likely to have been touched by 

 former travellers owing to the natural difficulties that are 

 placed in the way of exploration. I took with me an escort 

 of two soldiers and thirty-two carriers, whose numbers 

 I purposely made up half of Nupes and half of Hausas ; 

 races who cordially dishke one another, and so exercise 

 a wholesome check on each other with regard to such 

 irregularities of conduct on the march as all carriers are 

 prone to commit when in the service of the white man. 

 A Hausa guide -interpreter also accompanied us. He, like 

 almost all native interpreters, required a lot of looking 

 after. They are, as a race, clever and cunning, and by their 

 gift of tongues and a power of flattery and simulation hold 

 the white man, who does not understand the native languages, 

 in their hands, using their position of spokesman to abuse 

 the authority that it gives them and commit all kinds of extor- 

 tions and blackmail upon the natives. So, an interpreter 

 will go to the chief of a village to arrange for a " dash," and 

 demand in his master's name, perhaps a sheep or goat, or 

 the loan of an even more precious possession, which he secretly 

 appropriates to himself. Of course, this does very grave ' 

 harm to the name of the white man, who consequently comes 

 to be regarded as a cruel tyrant by the natives. Meanwhile, 



