CONTENTS

PAGE

Preface vii

PART I

CHAPTER I

EN ROUTE TO CONGO

I am packed in a box--Sent to Congoland--My journey on the ocean steamer--Curious names of the Kroo boys--Landed at Banana--Thrown on the deck of a river steamer 1

CHAPTER II

MY JOURNEY UP THE CONGO

Our captain and tyrant--River scenes--We camp at a trading-station--Native riddles 6

CHAPTER III

MY OVERLAND JOURNEY BEGINS

The white man’s fetish--I am exchanged with others for rubber and ivory--My new companions express freely their opinions about the white men--Why the white men are on the Congo--Native suspicions and prejudices 12

CHAPTER IV

WE REACH THE TOWN OF MY OWNER

Crossing the Mpalabala hills--The head man knocks his toes--It is an evil omen--He visits the “medicine man”--Finds his brother dying--Last hours of the dying chief 19

xiiCHAPTER V

A FUNERAL ORGY

Satu becomes chief--Preparations for the funeral feast--My box is opened--I become a neck ornament--Bakula, my new owner, is smart, but superstitious--The mourners assemble and present their gifts--The toilet before eating--Drunkenness and quarrelling--Corpse is carried to the grave--A white man wants to steal the ivory trumpets--He is shaved and sent about his business 24

CHAPTER VI

OUR TOWN LIFE

Streets are irregular--Houses small and draughty--Their reception, dining, and drawing rooms are in the open air--Their many charms and fetishes--Routine of the day--Bakula tells a story: “How the Sparrow set the Elephant and the Crocodile to pull against each other”--Tumbu, a slave, relates the tale of “The Four Fools”--And Bakula tells: “How the Squirrel won a Verdict for the Gazelle” 34

CHAPTER VII

THE SEARCH FOR THE WITCH

People believe their chief died by witchcraft--They send for the witch-finder--His arrival and antics--The ceremony of discovering the witch--Satu’s brother, Mavakala, is accused--Why was Mavakala accused?--He takes the ordeal--Proves his innocence--Other tests are forced on him--He is done to death 49

CHAPTER VIII

VISITORS ARRIVE

The dulness and pettiness of native life--Arrival of two visitors--Bakula questions them about the white man--They relate the little they know about him--Old Plaited-Beard stirs the people up against the white man--They exchange their views about him--They agree to oppose him--The white man is seen approaching--He is driven from the town and has to sleep in the bush 58

xiiiCHAPTER IX

SOME CUSTOMS, GAMES, AND A JOURNEY

The Luck-giver is called to bring prosperity on the town--His mode of procedure--Satu and some of his people go on a visit to a great chief--Good and bad omens--The game at “Antelope”--Bakula narrates a story: “How the Fox saved the Frog’s Life”--Another lad tells why inquiry should come before anger--The difficult road--Bakula and his friends dress themselves--Their mixed wardrobes 69

CHAPTER X

OUR RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT

The welcome of Tonzeka and his people--A case judged--We find the white man in Tonzeka’s town--Tonzeka defends the white man--He complains of the effect of the white man’s preaching--A drunken bout 89

CHAPTER XI

SATU VISITS THE WHITE MAN

Bakula goes to the white man to have his wound dressed--White man puts in a good word for the traders--Bakula is touched by the white man’s kindness--A native dance--An exhibition of native pride--A long talk with the white man--We gain many new ideas from our conversation--Bakula has another interview with the white man and they become good friends 100

CHAPTER XII

NATIVE GAMES AND PASTIMES

Make-believe games--“Biti” and needle--Game with canna seeds--Hoop game--“Mbele,” or Knife game--The story of “The Four Wonders,” or a puzzle story--Conundrums--“The Adventures of the Twins” 114

xivCHAPTER XIII

BAKULA ACCOMPANIES AN EMBASSY

A title reverts to Satu--He sends Old Plaited-Beard to the King with a present--The embassy arrives at the King’s town--Has an audience in the King’s house--King promises to send a deputy to install Satu--King dines with the white man and sees a magic lantern--Bakula and the white man renew their acquaintance--He sleeps on the Mission Station and hears all about the King’s household 131

CHAPTER XIV

BAKULA STAYS WITH THE WHITE MAN

The working of a Mission Station--Buying food--The school--Bakula is afraid to enter the school--Repairing the station--Boys work in the gardens--A quarrel, and how it was settled--An evening’s chat with the white man--Rubbing evil spirits out of a man--Sunday service--Congregation--Sermon--Visit to a near town--Religious talk with the King--Boys pray for their white teacher--Witch-doctor’s trick exposed 148

CHAPTER XV

SATU RECEIVES A TITLE

The King sends for medicine--He is told to apply to St. Catherine--The King’s promise--Bakula bids farewell to his white friend--King’s deputy goes with us to Satu’s town--Ceremony of conferring the title--Killing a leopard--Satu redeems his brother--Releases his niece from a hateful marriage--A story: “Appearances are sometimes Deceptive”--A chief asks for Satu’s niece in marriage--Marriage money is paid--The wedding--Satu gains a new slave 167

CHAPTER XVI

HUNTING AND BUSH-BURNING

xvManner of bush-burning--Witch-doctor makes a hunting charm--Ceremony is carefully performed--Blazing bush and rushing animals--Satu arranges with another chief to burn the bush--Dimbula breaks the law and insults Satu--War is declared--Old Plaited-Beard being unsuccessful accuses Bakula of bewitching him--He tries to restore his luck 194

CHAPTER XVII

SATU AND HIS PEOPLE GO TO WAR

Satu as the insulted party makes the first move--He sends an embassy to Dimbula--He asks for an apology or offers a bullet--The apology is refused, but the bullet is accepted--The witch-doctor makes a war charm--Mode of fighting--The ridge-pole of chief’s house is captured--Dimbula sues for peace with a white goat--Pays homage to Satu--Blood brotherhood is made 212

CHAPTER XVIII

GOVERNING, MARKETING, AND TRADING CUSTOMS

The making and enforcing of laws--Fines imposed--Division of fines--Congo week of four days probably named after their markets--Raids and robberies--Preparing a caravan for the road--Rules of the road--Arriving at a trading-station--Mode of trading--Goods given and received 223

CHAPTER XIX

AN ACCUSATION AND THE ORDEAL

Old Plaited-Beard charges Bakula with stealing--The accusation is denied--Bakula declares his disbelief in charms and witch-doctors--Satu saves him from immediate death--The missing cloth is found in Bakula’s house--Tumbu exposes the accuser’s trickery--He is ridiculed--Bakula submits to the ordeal of the boiling oil--His arm is badly scalded--During the night Bakula escapes to the Mission Station 240

CHAPTER XX

BAKULA AT SCHOOL

xviAfter much nursing Bakula recovers--He becomes a school-boy--He struggles with the alphabet--He learns to understand pictures--Routine life--Bakula itinerates with his white man--He does not relish sleeping in the wet bush--He is convicted of sin--He inquires the way of salvation--The lads play a trick on a witch-doctor--Bakula is received into the Church--He returns to his town 252

CHAPTER XXI

BAKULA’S WORK CHECKED

The conservatism of the Congo people--Bakula and his scholars build a school-house--A missionary visits his town--He encourages Bakula in his work--A “luck fowl” dies--Its death is put to the credit of the missionary’s visit and teaching--The school-house is pulled down--Satu is afraid to interfere--Native way of punishing an unpopular chief 267

CHAPTER XXII

BAKULA FALSELY ACCUSED AND MURDERED

Failure of various remedies--Witch-doctor engaged--Diagnosing a case--Different “medicine men” are called in--Bakula denounces their trickery--Suspicion of witchcraft falls on Bakula--Native attempts to rid themselves of death, sickness, etc.--Preparing a corpse for the grave--Bakula is accused of bewitching his mother to death--He is guarded by Old Plaited-Beard through the night--He is taken to the hill-top--He falls and is done to death--Tumbu buries the mangled body of his friend 274

CHAPTER XXIII

I FIND MANY CHANGES

Mikula while digging the foundations for a brick house discovers me--The town is changed--There is daily worship--Observance of the sabbath--Sunday service--Collections for support of teachers--Christian funeral--Visit to the Mission Station--Teaching teachers--Martyrs for the cause 294

xviiCHAPTER XXIV

A MARRIAGE AND A HARVEST FESTIVAL

A Christian wedding--Grateful offerings--Christianity a great boon to the women--Reunion--Various meetings--Lady missionaries conduct services--Auction sale of the gifts--Changed lives--Mikula instructs a stranger in the way of Salvation--Rules for candidates and for Church fellowship 307

CHAPTER XXV

MIKULA AT THE CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL

Months glide quickly by while working hard--Deacon’s meeting--Church-meeting--The kind of candidates who were rejected--Baptismal service--The great meeting of the Church--Election of deacons--The balance sheet--A deficit--Native Christians wipe out the debt--Local missionary meeting--The great communion service 326

Notes to Part I 341

PART II

NATIVE STORIES TOLD AROUND THE EVENING FIRES IN CONGOLAND

Introduction 361

I

How the Fowl evaded his Debt 371

II

Why the Small-ant was the Winner 374

III

How the Animals imitated the Gazelle and brought Trouble upon Themselves 376

IV

Why the Fowls never shut their Doors 379

xviiiV

Why the Dog and the Palm-rat hate each other 382

VI

The Leopard boils his Mother’s Teeth 384

VII

How the Ants saved the Partridge’s Eggs 386

VIII

The Leopard sticks to the Nkondi (wooden image) 388

IX

How the Mouse won his Wife 391

X

The Gazelle outwits the Leopard 396

XI

The Gazelle punishes the Palm-rat for breaking his promise 399

XII

How the Crow cheated the Dove and got into Difficulty through it 401

XIII

How the Civet and the Tortoise lost their Friendship for each other 403

XIV

The Water-Fairies save a Child 406

XV

How the Squirrel repaid a Kindness 410

XVI

The King-fisher deceives the Owl 415

xixXVII

How the Tortoise was punished for his Deceit 416

XVIII

How the Frog collected his Debt from the Hawk 419

XIX

How a Child saved his Mother’s Life 422

XX

How the Gazelle won his Wife 425

XXI

The Gazelle is at last punished 429

XXII

The Leopard pays Homage to the Goat 433

XXIII

Why the Owls and the Fowls never speak to each other 436

XXIV

How the Elephant punished the Leopard 439

XXV

How the Leopard tried to deceive the Gazelle 441

XXVI

The Story of two Young Women 443

XXVII

Why the Chameleon cut off his own Head 445

XXVIII

Why the Congo Robin has a Red Breast 447

xxXXIX

The Leopard tries to steal the Gazelle’s Wife 449

XXX

The Gazelle kills the Flies and Mosquitoes, and outwits the Leopard 451

XXXI

The Leopard is badly tricked by the Gazelle, Rat, and Frog 454

XXXII

Why the Small-ants live in the Houses 460

XXXIII

The Son who tried to outwit his Father 462

Index 463

The following Stories will be found in Part I

Chap. VI.— How the Sparrow set the Elephant and the Crocodile to pull against each other (p. 39); The Four Fools: a puzzle story (p. 43); How the Squirrel won a Verdict for the Gazelle (p. 46).

Chap. IX.— How the Fox saved the Frog’s Life (p. 77); Inquiry should come before Anger (p. 81).

Chap. XII.— The Four Wonders: a puzzle story (p. 122); Adventures of the Twins (p. 126).

Chap. XV.— Appearances are sometimes deceptive (p. 182).

xxi