Ixviii ITINERARY. 



packs do not seem even to expect relief. On one occasion on leaving 

 camp I had stopped a young cairier whose load seemed excessive, for 

 an extra bunch of bananas had been added to it, probably by one of 

 the older men because he was a new carrier of another tribe. On the 

 approach of two strong men whose packs had visibly been lightened for 

 supplies, I indicated that they should take the bananas. They pro- 

 tested, saying their loads were heavy, as they generally will do, even 

 though they will subsequently add on considerable quantities of sugar- 

 cane (of which they are particularly fond) for their own use, if they 

 happen to pass a field. As they made no attempt to take the bunch, I 

 took it down and slung it over my back, when, seeing my intention to 

 take it myself, they at once unslung it, cut it in two, and sped along 

 the trail, with some laughing remark. They were willing to do for me 

 what they had refused for the stranger ; and probably, if, in the first 

 instance, I had simply cut the bunch into two and handed each his half, 

 they would have taken it at once and gone on in equally good spirit. 

 It was a lesson in management. 



On another occasion, at one of the breakfast-camps on the first 

 journey, I had missed a lad who carried a collecting-box. On enquiry 

 I learnt that some of the men had passed him, lying down with fever, 

 far back on the track. On going back some good distance I came upon 

 him, still lying down under the shade of a rock, and with hot fever ; 

 and very likely he would have remained there till night had I not 

 noticed his absence. It was a case of each man minding his own 

 business, for each had his own load. I tried to convince them that 

 they should at least have told me when they came into camp (for I had 

 been well in front) because I wanted all of them to be looked after, and 

 I did not wish any of them to be left on the trail at night, and perhaps 

 to be killed by a jaguar, if they were lying down ill. And yet later on 

 the same journey, while returning, Lloyd had dropped out through 

 severe pains in the stomach and fever, and had been passed, reclining 

 on the ground, by several men who made no attempt to inform me. 

 His non-appearance at the camp by dusk led to enquiry, and my return 

 along the track with a lantern. Probably they had thought he was 

 merely resting and would come on later, but after the former experience 

 I had expected they would at least have asked him if he were ill or 

 have told me on reaching camp. Their habit of unconcern was too 

 strong. Luckily on this first journey I had been particularly fit all 

 through, and was able to do much that would have been out of the 

 question on the second. 



An instance that betrays a more serious defect may be given of the 

 treatment of a blind girl at one of the large settlements. I had come 

 upon her by chance near a house where I seldom passed, and was 

 struck by her uncertain movements, and her pitiably neglected and 

 dirty condition, which is altogether unusual among these people. I 

 then found she was blind in both eyes. The lower parts of her body 

 and her hands were infested with chigoes and her hair with lice ; and 

 she was alone in the house — a delicate and pathetic figure of wretched- 

 ness. The people gave her food, but that appeared to be all ; and no 

 doubt they were surprised that I should make so much fuss about the 

 girl being looked after and kept clean. However, they readily did all 



