52 
GOD'S BLACK DIAMONDS. 
of Oron altogether, at a place called Itak. There 
were two reasons which made me anxious to go. 
The first was : the people had a name for being 
independent to the point of lawlessness, and had 
often given the British Government trouble. Some- 
how 1 felt sure that people of that type were well 
worth capturing, and, once captured, would make 
the finest type of soldiers in the Army of King 
Jesus. And the second was : its nearness to the Nsit 
Country. Mr. Hanney went with me. We started 
early, and walked many miles between 6.30 a.m. and 
II o'clock. Upon arrival we felt tired and hungry, 
and so rested in the palaver-house and had a 
meal before seeking an interview with the chiefs. 
They came to the building where we were, and 
we soon got to business. I wish I had a portrait 
of that fine old head man, his beard plaited in 
front and his hair done up in tiny plaits behind, 
to show you, but unfortunately I have not. When 
we talked to them as we did at Ebukhu, they 
listened without grunt, or sound, or smile, until we 
had finished. Then they talked amongst them- 
selves, and in the end the head chief said they 
w^ere all pleased we had gone to see them. They 
had heard about our Mission, and now they had 
seen and heard us for themselves. They felt our 
word was a good word, and would we please send 
them a teacher soon ? Generally the native acts on 
the advice, Never do to-day what you can put off 
till to-morrow,'' but not so the chiefs of Itak. They 
brought a goat and laid it at our feet to seal the 
bargain there and then, just like deposits are paid 
in this country to fasten a sale. We gave them 
the price of two pieces of cloth, and then started 
