VI 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



261 



Hohnel and me, and we were instructed to remove 

 each thorn carefully from the stick. This completed, 

 cheers went up from the resounding hills. Then a 

 female sheep was brought and offered up as a sacrifice ; 

 next a small palm branch was given to each of us — 

 one, likewise, being retained in the hands of each of 

 the elders, and each branch having been dipped in the 

 blood of the sheep. Waving them on high, we all 

 declared our everlasting friendship for one another, 

 and called down curses upon the one who should first 

 endeavour to break the bond of amity and peace. 

 Then a small strip of skin was cut from each of the 

 hind legs of the sheep, and, a hole being punched in 

 these, they were placed upon our fingers as rings. 

 This completed the ceremony, and we returned to 

 camp, more than 1000 natives accompanying us, beat- 

 ing their bows and arrows together, and shouting: 

 " The European is now the brother of the Embe ! 

 The European is now the brother of the Embe ! " 



Arrived at our camp, we presented the old men 

 with gifts, which drew from them expressions of satis- 

 faction and pleasure, and they said that henceforth all 

 white men would be welcomed as brothers. I hastened 

 to add that the same treatment must be accorded all 

 Zanzibari traders from the coast. To this, eventually, 

 they unwillingly agreed. They then asked us for 

 " medicine " with which to fight a rival tribe, which 

 inhabited a part of the country three or four days' 

 journey from them. To this request we replied that 

 the time was unsuited for the making of war medicine; 

 for, should we do so, it would probably have a dire 

 effect upon the peace muma we had just celebrated. 



