Identifier: trampsroundmoun00john (find matches)
Title: Tramps round the Mountains of the Moon and through the back gate of the Congo State by T. Broadwood Johnson. With an introd. by T.F. Victor Buxton
Year: 1908 (1900s)
Authors: Johnson, T. Broadwood
Subjects:
Publisher: London T.F. Unwin
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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d-seekers—Sad mortality—Stanley, the Christian African smith—A cannibal contrast—Poisoned arrows—Colonel Harrisons Pygmies—Searchingfor elephant-meat—Humane beasts. THE Sunday at Irumu recs.lls a strange scene.One of the great necessaries of life is firewoodfor the cooking of food, and the soldiers, either beingtoo lazy, or regarding it beneath their dignity to goand seek it, have made- an arrangement with thewomen of the villages around to bring in a stock forsale every Sunday morning. As we strolled out towatch the proceedings, we found a group of soldiersand their wives awaiting the arrival of the supply.Soon there was a stir amongst them as a string ofwomen, wearing simply improvised girdles of leaves tomeet the requirements of official civilisation, were seenadvancing up the road bearing their burdens of fire-wood on their heads. In the open space in front ofthe fort the loads were thrown down, and then began an almost frantic scene of bargaining, such as may be 262
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s: ^ c: i; .13 O O GOLD-SEEKERS AND CANNIBALS 263 seen on a civilised English racecourse as the horsescome down the straight. Food was offered in ex-change for the wood, and in a very few minutes everyparticle had been snatched up and the market wasover. A visit to the Greek trader Karigeorges^ store alsofurnished a strange experience. Needing one or twosmall things for replenishing my stores, I droppedin there to make my purchases. Prices were whatone might truly call a little stiff. A three-pound barof mottled soap cost me 4s. 8d., and one was notencouraged to do more than supply ones bare needs.Whilst I was engaged in making the purchases andchatting, several natives came in, for it was pay-day,and business was at its briskest. One man wantedsome candles, and, picking up a packet, threw downhis pay for the month in the shape of four yards ofdark-blue calico ; the trader nodded assent, and theman went off with his purchase. Another man neededsalt, and brought a small tusk of ivory ;

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