THE SLAVE-PATH. 



99 



the temper of these mercenaries, are too wise ever to 

 sanction such a " dragonnade." 



The reader will readily perceive that he is upon the 

 slave-path, so different from travel amongst the free and 

 independent tribes of Southern Africa. The traffic prac- 

 tically annihilates every better feeling of human nature. 

 Yet, though the state of the Wak'hutu appears pitiable, 

 the traveller cannot practise pity : he is ever in the 

 dilemma of maltreating or being maltreated. Were 

 he to deal civilly and liberally with this people he would 

 starve : it is vain to offer a price for even the necessaries 

 of life ; it would certainly be refused because more is 

 wanted, and so on beyond the bounds of possibility. 

 Thus, if the touter did not seize a house, he would never 

 be allowed to take shelter in it from the storm ; if he 

 did not enforce a " corvee," he must labour beyond his 

 strength with his own hands ; and if he did not fire a 

 village and sell the villagers, he might die of hunger in 

 the midst of plenty. Such in this province are the 

 action and reaction of the evil. 



