V 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



195 



dealing. What little intelligence my men seemed to 

 possess, and what skill they had acquired from contact 

 with Arabs and Europeans, had not in any way re- 

 moved them from the mental condition of the most 

 primitive native. They were equally superstitious. At 

 the same time it occurred to me, that if my men 

 really possessed these superstitious ideas, and were 

 convinced of the power worked by the medicine-man 

 of these people, if we should treat the matter lightly, 

 and permit these elders to do as they wished, our 

 men might actually lose courage; so we politely but 



Porters on the March 



firmly refused to entertain the request of the savages. 

 But in order to conceal from them our plans, we as- 

 sured them that we were in every way delighted with 

 the Embe, and that it was our intention to remain 

 with them for many days, in the hope of convincing 

 them of our friendliness, and of profiting not only by 

 their wise counsels, but also in the way of trade. 



Upon learning our professed determination to spend 

 some days in their country, the faces of the old men 

 took on a most pleased expression. This satisfied us 

 that, whatever their purpose, they were not prepared 

 at that time to carry it to execution. 



