io8 
In the Heart of Africa 
loud noises going on in the forest, which my people said were 
being made by the Batwa hunting the monkeys. Yet I am 
unable to give credence to the tale that these animals can be 
hunted down from their trees by means of noises, and fall in 
such a state of exhaustion that they allow themselves to be 
caught in nets. I am more inclined to think that the loud cries 
of the hunters are intended to drive the animals into traps and 
snares previously set up. 
Our stay at Kwidschwi came to an end sooner than we could 
have wished. We should have had plenty of material to work 
upon even if we had remained there for many weeks, or even 
months. But the comprehensive programme which was awaiting 
us in the volcanic region did not permit of our remaining more 
than fourteen days amongst the islands of Lake Kiwu. We 
parted most unwillingly from this paradise. Even though our 
daily labours were rendered onerous through the toils and 
hardships encountered in penetrating the dense forest, we were 
richly compensated by our spoils. And then, too, the agreeable 
climate was exhilarating to a high degree. Our Celsius thermo¬ 
meter registered 20 to 25 degrees at noonday, and the nocturnal 
cold, from which we had to suffer bitterly at times elsewhere, 
was lessened by the vicinity of the great stretch of water. At 
night, after our meal, we used to sit a long time in front of 
our tents, chatting over the day’s events, or lost in thoughts 
of our distant home. The letter which follows, written by 
one of our number on his receiving news by the European mail 
informing him of the approaching wedding of a lady relative, 
which news, as chance had it, reached Kwidschwi on the very 
wedding-day, gives some little idea of the beauties of a tropical 
night and the mood it calls forth. 
“I received your letter just in time to avoid letting Kathe 
B-’s wedding-day pass by unwittingly. We will hold a 
banquet this evening in a salon, in contrast with which the 
‘ Kaiserhof,’ or wherever else you may be celebrating the fete, 
in Berlin would pale. Our salon is tremendously broad. It is 
