In the Heart of Africa 
166 
Congo State are certainly treated with an extremely firm hand, 
but they are not overworked. Even in the great rubber dis¬ 
tricts where the inhabitants are hostile, the reason is not to be 
sought for in oppressive conditions of labour. The daily work 
of an artisan in Germany far exceeds that which is turned out 
by the negro. The true reason of the antagonistic attitude must 
be looked for in the inborn dread of any compulsory, steady 
bodily exertion, which is a cause of resentment with most negro 
races, as well as with the dwellers in the virgin forest. 
I should like to record here that we met with many exemplary 
institutions in the Congo State in comparison with which the 
excesses of one or two individual officials are of no importance 
whatever. The treatment of the natives might in many cases 
be termed too humane, so that it often heavily handicaps the 
administrative officers. An officer of a safariy for instance, may 
only punish with castigation the people who are in his permanent 
pay (Askari, “ boys,” etc.) ; he is powerless as regards the carriers. 
He is even bound to report any offence committed by a carrier 
in the first instance to the proper Chef de zonCy or chief of the 
station, who again must employ a European and not a coloured 
man to bring in the offender. If a native is to be arrested at a 
European outpost and he happens to be on the spot, he may not 
be detained there. The punishment usually consists of deten¬ 
tion in irons or imprisonment; the flogging of non-employees is 
prohibited. 
Now it is sufficiently well known that travelling in Africa is 
impossible without the maintenance of the strictest discipline and 
the use of flogging as a punishment for disobedience. This is 
the experience of all those who have travelled with a large safari 
for any length of time. Where severity is not combined with 
justice and fairness, where the European after full inquiry is 
not empowered to punish the offender as he merits, there the 
discipline which is absolutely imperative in any caravan, as well 
as the authority of the white man, speedily disappear. The 
negro respects only the man who proves stronger than himself. 
Power impresses him, not mildness or clemency; the latter only 
