The Eastern Congo 



feet six long, and about four feet wide at the top, tapering 

 down to about a foot at the bottom. It was placed on one 

 side of a fallen tree so that any animal stepping over the 

 tree could not fail to fall headlong — this one was made to 

 catch an okapi. I scrambled out of it with some difficulty, 

 having luckily only sustained a severe shaking. 



On arrival at Katushi we again had a practical example of 

 drum-signalling by these natives, for we were expected and not 

 only had the chief got food, wood and water ready for us and 

 our porters when we arrived, but had sent out natives in 

 several directions to locate a good elephant for me. Now, 

 up to this time I had been doing no elephant hunting and had 

 scarcely even made inquiries about them, as my licence 

 had not arrived from Stanleyville. This had in fact turned 

 up the day before we left Moera's, when I asked that chief if 

 I was Ukely to see any of these animals on my way to Katushi. 

 However, as stated when we arrived the natives appeared 

 to know our movements and even of my wish to hunt 

 elephants. In explanation of this the chief told me he had 

 received news about our coming the previous day by drum- 

 signal. 



Right throughout the central Ituri district this drum- 

 signaUing is in practice, and drums are to be heard beating 

 at all hours of the day and even at night in a thickly popu- 

 lated district. Amongst the Wanandi especially and in a 

 lesser degree with the Wambuba, this drum-signalling has 

 been brought to a decidedly useful art. The Catholic Fathers 

 at Mbeni used it almost daily when having something to 

 communicate to their teachers in certain villages or to their 

 cattle herdsman in charge of the Mission cows, which had to 

 be kept at some distance from Mbeni on account of tsetse 



i68 



