DISAGREEABLE SITUATION 
169 
against us. The impulse of a native is, at the first meeting, to 
fear, and consequently to respect the newcomer; then, as he be¬ 
comes better acquainted, to be familiar; and gradually this feel¬ 
ing grows into contempt, unless one is backed by a following 
sufficiently large to enforce respect. Coming as we did without 
messengers from the king, and going by their reckoning no¬ 
where, we were simply waifs who had opportunely fallen into 
their clutches to be handled as they pleased, without much 
possible chance of inquiry or consequences in case the worst 
happened to us. We were nothing more than an irresponsible 
set of tramps in their eyes—not even elephant-hunters—with 
whom they could do as they pleased, as we were without a 
sufficient force to protect ourselves. Under these circum¬ 
stances, it is not in the wild native’s character to make a dis¬ 
play of anything approaching humanity: rather did their 
instincts lead them to covet our goods, which they meant to 
have, if the cost was not too great. 
A traveller should always avoid delaying near villages in the 
interior, and push on, before the natives have a chance of estima¬ 
ting the value of the goods he carries, without allowing them 
time to get together to form any evil designs. Once a good 
day’s march beyond their homes, he enters another district 
where it is beyond the power and inclinations of those behind 
to follow up the traveller. Such an act would lead to complica¬ 
tions with the next chief, who of course wishes to make his 
own arrangements; and as it always takes the native mind 
several days to formulate a plan of action, the traveller, well 
supplied with his own bearers, can with a bold front push on 
through inhabited parts, only stopping to buy corn, and to 
make occasional presents to the chiefs. At convenient stop¬ 
ping-places distant from natives—where he will usually also find 
plenty of game to feed his boys on—he can rest. The question of 
how many packs he should take must be judged to a nicety; 
and he should have sufficient bearers and some to spare for 
emergencies, so as to be quite independent of local natives for 
any further assistance than that of corn for food. With an 
