82 THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



natural " plumpers," a black skin cut and carved in 

 various patterns, thick straight, stumpy, legs, and huge 

 splay feet; his low narrow brow was ever knotted into a 

 peevish frown, his apology for a nose much resembled 

 the pug with which the ancients provided Silenus, and a 

 villanous expression lurked about the depressed corners 

 of his thick-lipped, sensual, liquorish mouth. On this 

 occasion he behaved with remarkable civility, and he 

 introduced, as the envoys commissioned by the great Rus- 

 imba to receive his blackmail, two gentlemen a quarter- 

 clad in the greasiest and scantiest bark-aprons, and armed 

 with dwarfish battle-axes. The present was finally 

 settled at ten coil-bracelets and two fundi of coral-beads. 

 I had no salt — the first article in demand — to spare, or 

 much valuable merchandise might have been saved. The 

 return was six small bundles of grain, worth, probably, 

 one-tenth of what had been received. Then Kannena 

 opened trade by sending us a nominal gift, a fine ivory, 

 weighing at least seventy pounds, and worth, perhaps, one 

 hundred pounds, or nearly two mens' loads of the white 

 or blue-porcelain beads used in this traffic. After keep- 

 , ing it for a day or two, I returned it, excusing myself 

 by saying that, having visited the Tanganyika as a 

 " Sarkal," I could have no dealings in ivory and slaves. 



This was right and proper in the character of a 

 " Sarkal." But future adventurers are strongly advised 

 always to assume the character of traders. In the 

 first place, it explains the traveller's motives to the 

 people, who otherwise lose themselves in a waste of wild 

 conjecture. Secondly, under this plea, the explorer can 

 push forward into unknown countries ; he will be 

 civilly received, and lightly fined, because the hosts 

 expect to see him or his semblables again ; whereas, 

 appearing without ostensible motive amongst them, h*e 



