33 ° 
ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA 
CHAP. 
without roasting, for hours and hours, and the hot decoction 
drunk. I suppose it must have some invigorating property, 
but it tastes like dirty water. 
I took particular pains to find out whether slavery is 
practised, or any slave trade carried on, by the people of 
Kere and the adjoining districts. But all the information 
elicited by my inquiries, made in various directions, went to 
prove that none of the tribes round about the head of the 
lake have any such customs. I was assured on all hands that 
they do not enslave even their enemies, and was led to believe 
that they disapprove of bartering human beings. I think that, 
were there any such trade carried on, I could not have failed to 
hear of it, as I have done in other parts of Central Africa— 
even to being myself asked to buy sometimes. But what 
seems the strongest proof that not even domestic slavery 
obtains here is the fact that Hamisi was free and well treated. 
Having been left in Reshiat some eight years previously, as a 
small boy, he had wandered on, under pressure of famine, till 
he found an asylum in Kere. Here he had been adopted by 
the old man already mentioned, who had not only fed him, but 
treated him with uniform kindness, as if he had been his own 
son, from that day until my arrival. 
Labugo sometimes came to see me. He rather bored me 
when I was ill, as he generally came to beg. Had he been 
entertaining, I should have been glad of his company, as I 
was grateful for anything to pass the time ; but he was not 
communicative and never smiled. However, I always tried 
to be agreeable to him, as it was important to keep on good 
terms. He showed a certain amount of interest in my pro¬ 
gress, and the first time he saw me after the mishap he 
strongly advised that I should have a sheep or goat killed and 
drink the blood as medicine. As I believe blood is a purga¬ 
tive, it may be useful in that way, failing any other remedy ; but 
I thought I could obtain the same results with less disagreeable 
drugs, so declined to avail myself of his prescription. 
