122 A NATURALIST IN MID-AFRICA. 



about £400 a year. It would be absolutely neces- 

 sary for him not to employ Suahilis if he wishes to 

 get the confidence of the natives. He would pro- 

 bably require a Maxim gun and a small body of 

 Soudanese, and such labour as is required for 

 station purposes could easily be obtained from the 

 Watoru and Wakondja. 



Probably the total cost of such a station might 

 be £1,000 a year. With a currency and export 

 trade this amount could very easily be raised, but 

 until there is a cheap means of communication, 

 there cannot, of course, be either plantation or 

 export of any kind. 



Of course the most obvious policy is simply to 

 depose the paramount chief and put an European 

 in his place. Such a Resident ought to use the 

 labour-strength and produce of the district. He 

 could do this without one-tenth part of the oppres- 

 sion now exercised, and at the same time afford 

 real protection to the natives and recoup much of 

 his expenditure. 



