In Afric’s Forest and Jungle 
sion while I was in Ejahyay, a young man had 
been condemned to die for treason. When the 
executioner advanced to strike off the head of 
the criminal, his mother prostrated herself at the 
feet of Areh and pleaded that he would kill her 
and spare her boy. The tyrant was so much 
moved that he lifted her up and said with real 
feeling, “ The son of such a mother will certainly 
make a true man. I will not only pardon him 
but he shall be, from this time, one of my most 
trusted servants.” This young man was then 
assigned to some position in Areh’s household, 
and remained loyal as long as his master lived. 
Areh had a summary way of dealing with 
everybody. Possibly because he thought it 
would promote trade, he greatly desired that 
white men would live in his town. The mis¬ 
sionary who preceded the one with whom 1 was 
staying, had been halted (as were all caravans on 
their way to Ebaddan) and compelled to come to 
Ejahyay instead of going on farther into the in¬ 
terior as he had intended; but while acting in 
this arbitrary manner Areh had guaranteed per¬ 
sonal protection to the missionary and to any 
white men who might follow him. He would 
not, however, guarantee protection from perse¬ 
cution to native converts to the Christian faith. 
58 
