326 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT chap, vii 



contact are able to take care of themselves, but at the 

 same time are willing to make fair bargains. It has 

 been the experience of almost all African travellers, that 

 commercial intercourse between the European and the 

 savage is impossible, until, by force of arms, the former 

 has convinced the natives of his superiority. 



At the very inception of our enterprise, while in 

 Europe, Lieutenant von Hohnel and I had laid our 

 plans, and counted upon meeting the Rendile, from 

 whom we had convinced ourselves that we should be 

 able to procure animals sufficient for the porterage of 

 our goods. From the coast up to the point of meeting 

 with the Rendile, notwithstanding most untiring efforts, 

 we had been unable to provide ourselves with enough 

 donkeys. The donkeys we took from the coast were 

 all dead, and we were on the frontier of a new country, 

 with a caravan amply equipped, as far as supplies 

 went, for a journey of eighteen months, and yet unable 

 to move a step for the lack of beasts of burden. 



On Lieutenant von Hohnel's former journey he had 

 seen, while passing through the country of the Turcana, 

 thousands of donkeys and several hundred camels. 

 The Turcana inhabited the country to the southwest 

 of Lake Rudolph, at a considerable distance from the 

 point at which we then were. Not only distance inter- 

 vened, but we knew from our experience in this land 

 that we should meet with great difficulty in our search 

 for water. Notwithstanding this, we decided to turn 

 our steps in that direction. By the young Rendile 

 who gave us the information concerning the customs 

 of his people, we sent word to the chiefs that on the 

 following day we should take our departure. 



