202 IVORY AND THE ELEPHANT 



proach a settlement of white men they would be either 

 hanged forthwith or else sold into slavery. By these means 

 the sly Asandes were able to buy up all the ivory collected 

 by the Ababuas at a very low figure, and then sell it to the 

 traders at a great advance in price.* 



It is a common practice among the poachers in the Bel- 

 gian Congo to take the spoil to Uganda where they are 

 compelled to pay an import tax of 24 per cent, and also an 

 export tax of 25 per cent. A single poacher has been known 

 to have 3 tons of ivory in his possession. In one instance a 

 poacher was overtaken by the Belgian Congo officials and the 

 ivory taken from him, as well as his money and his guns. 

 By some peculiar means it was only a matter of a few weeks 

 before he returned to Mombasa with 3 more tons of ivory, 

 which must have been stolen from the natives. 



The romantic career of a great elephant poacher has just 

 had a tragic termination in the death of the American, 

 James Ward Rogers, who for years carried on an extensive 

 and exceedingly profitable illicit trade in ivory in the out-of- 

 the way regions on the limits of the Congo State and along 

 the Lado Enclave. He had succeeded in organizing here a 

 species of rude but very effective government, of which he 

 was the uncrowned king. Many ineffectual attempts were 

 made by the Soudanese officials to put an end to his career. 

 Finally, a small expeditionary force was sent out under 

 Captain Fox, who had instructions to take the poacher dead 

 or alive. The almost impassable jungle rendered the task 

 of the pursuers extremely difficult and arduous; frequently 

 they came in sight of Rogers and his party, but were unable 

 to overtake them. At last, after following him into the Bel- 

 gian Congo, the expedition came, almost unexpectedly, 

 upon the camp of the outlaw. One of Rogers's native guards 

 informed Captain Fox that the poacher had taken refuge 



*Burrows, "The Land of the Pygmies," London, 1898, p. 201. 



