256 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



already under their cultivation was no longer sufficient 

 for proper sustenance, parties of young people set out 

 and made small clearings ; which in turn they divided 

 into property held by individuals, and property held in 

 common by the members of the little community. I 

 inquired whether in any event the common or pasture 

 land was encroached upon by plantations, and received 

 a negative response. If a man's flocks or herds grew 

 so numerous that he was unable properly to pasture 

 them upon the common land of the village in which he 

 lived, he was forced to purchase an interest in that of 

 some other villaa;e, where the common land was more 

 than sufficient for the needs of the inhabitants. In 

 this way, the richer men in the Embe country pos- 

 sessed interest in several holdings, which in some 

 cases were separated by considerable distances. 



At first sight, one would suppose that nothing could 

 prevent a member of the Embe tribe, with shrewd- 

 ness, intelligence, and industry, from becoming rich 

 far above his fellows, and arrogating to himself a pre- 

 ponderating influence in the tribe. In my first deal- 

 ings with the people I had asked, " Who is your 

 king 1 " The reply was, " There is no king." No 

 man dared to claim a greater share of power than his 

 neighbour. When industry and activity coupled with 

 intelligence are found, one is apt to look for and ex- 

 pect ambition for power, but I was struck by the 

 apparent absence of it among these people. An ex- 

 tended acquaintance with them developed the cause 

 of this unity of interest and lack of individuality. 

 There could be no Caesar among the Embe, unless 

 a man should come among them whose body was 



