Septf 29. Soats gave them fresh milk, and their hens produced
Equator a SU p p ly of eggS.
Station. ' « •
lh u s for the first time I saw the realisation of my
fa\ ourite ideal of a Congo station., Here was a well-
governed community of soldier-labourers, impregnable
and unassailable by its discipline, and the mutual dependence
of one upon another; the chiefs cool-headed,
zealous, and prudent, but not too militarily stiff to
chill the advances of the aborigines. Thev possessed
sufficient bonhommie to be appreciated for their cordi-
yet just distant enough to repress vulgar familiarity
and prevent infraction of the social distinctions
that must ever exist between educated intelligence,
governed by Christian morality, and unsophisticated
barbarism, too light-minded even to become the slaves
to savage passion, or the partisans in factious strife
among the natives.
Ikenge, the chief, a young bull-necked savage, had
caused trouble through a determined misapprehension
of the purpose of this station in his neighbourhood.
After my departure he had developed an over-weening
ambition, a desire to be hurriedly rich, by slaughtering
every man to whom he bore ill-will and seizing his
possessions. He had conceived that our friendship
meant an alliance offensive and: defensive, which might
have carried us, by. his vaulting spirit and daring
schemes, to unlimited aggression. He had provoked
two wars, out of which he had emerged weakened in
strength, and well hated by his neighbours for his
growing insolence. He had grown rather dishonest
MY IDEAL STATION. 73
also, for he had repudiated certain purchases of trees
and bananas that were in the little territory ceded to
us by him.
However, through Heliwa his chief slave, who had
visited Leopoldville with us, and had been brought
back enriched by his voyage, and with his memory
weighted with things he had seen, and on which he
could moralise, every question was settled in a few
days. Thus over the populations of Buriki, Iyambo,
Wangata, Molira, Mukuli, Ikengo and Inganda and the
garrison of Equator Station, an Arcadian harmony and
concord held its sway.
On the 11th of October, I indited the following in
my diary:—
“ Equator Station is certainly a happy one, not so
situated with regard to view as it might b e ; but with
that sole exception, many other requisites necessary for
well-being are in perfection. We have abundance of
food, obtained very cheaply, and the prices are now so
established to every one’s content, that there is nothing
left to complain of. We have apparently friendly and
devoted neighbours. Brinjalls, bananas, plantains, sweet
cassava, potatoes, yams, Indian-corn, eggs, poultry, goats,
sheep, the native productions assisted by vegetables of
Europe, flourishing in the gardens, with tea, coffee,
sugar, butter, lard, rice, and wheat-flour from Europe,
afford a sufficient variety for a sumptuous menu. I
have enjoyed puddings every day here, and among
other accomplishments of Lieutenants Vangele and
Coquilhat, not the least useful is that of knowingO1