166 EXPERIENCES OF AFRICAN TRAVEL. [chap. \^. 



my small party were, as usual, highly civil to my large 

 one ; had it been much greater they would have given 

 me presents. I saw clearly the truth of what a 

 Portuguese traveller, whom I have quoted before, told 

 me, that it was not safe to beg but better to force the 

 natives to be hospitable, and that if Africa is ever to 

 be thoroughly explored, the only way to do it is in 

 company with a well armed force of men (natives of 

 course). 



In a despotic country travelling is easy enough if 

 the good-will of the reigning savage be once obtained, 

 but in a place like Damara-land, where every chief is 

 independent, and has to be persuaded or coerced, the 

 case is very different, and when tribes are changed it 

 will take years to persuade the new tribe that the 

 traveller is not a spy. A large body of men forces 

 its way, and the man who commands it can say to a 

 chief — " I wish to be friends, and here are j)resents 

 for you to show that I am friendly, and also here are 

 things of exchange to buy what I want. Bring me 

 these or I take them." Many Portuguese traders 

 travel after this way, but stronger measures have to be 

 resorted to in enforcing the discipline of the travelUng 

 party, and in compelling civiHty from the natives, than 

 Englishmen generally would like to adopt. It would 

 be a tedious journey indeed for a man, however well 

 qualified, to attempt to travel as a native would, and to 

 go far into Africa. He would be stopped for months or 

 years at each frontier. We can see this from the case 

 of the missionaries, who have every opportunity of 

 winning respect and regard from the natives they are 



