there; blows with the fist and sticks did not count. Of
the ten days I spent at Muanza not a single one passed
without two or three poor devils being flogged in this
manner; I have seen as many as eight at a time. Now
I am not a philanthropist, but I have a horror of seeing
either men or beasts ill-treated without cause. Above all,
seeing a vicious non-commissioned officer playing the
grand seigneur is sickening to me. For myself, I own
freely and gratefully that I was always most kindly received
by all the Germans I came across. But unless they change
their system of dealing with the natives I do not think
they can either hope or deserve to succeed in Africa.
One day in particular I was present at a scene which
was simply heartbreaking. Some days previously a few
pounds of beads had been stolen from the room- of one of
the Germans in the station. It was proved, or was said to
have been proved, that two of the women of the station
had stolen them ; it was also said they had bought pombe
(native cider) with the proceeds. As the first step, all
the women were put in irons and received fifteen lashes
apiece “ to make them speak.” That had happened.some
days before. On the day I speak of the female chief of
the wives of the native soldiers had been sent for, from
a station some ten miles away to the south, and also the
representative of Mr. Stokes, who had a station a mile or
two to the north. It was in these two places that the
women were supposed to have bought pombe. Observe
that neither the chief of the soldiers’ wives nor the representative
of Stokes was implicated in the theft. The
proceedings began with the examination of the latter
witness, a black, but rather superior in education. “ You
sold some pombe?” “ No.” Bang, bang; a shower of
blows with the fist rained on the wretched man’s face.
“ You sold some pombe?” “ No, master.” Another
volley of blows without giving the witness a moment to
explain himself. The poor wretch’s mouth was running
with blood, and I was so disgusted that I retired.
380
A few moments afterwards I returned; the second
witness—the head-woman—was being examined.
“ Where are the beads?” “ Master* I believe that this
woman” “ Give the baggage ten lashes.” They
threw the witness on to the ground, and while four
BOY R EC EIV IN G TH E KIBOKO.
soldiers held her down, a corporal administered the
kiboko.
“ Where are the beads?” “ Master, a woman”-----
“ Ten lashes.” The former scene was repeated, and the
wretched woman thus received forty lashes to make her
give false evidence. Besides this, the so-called magistrate
was every minute dealing her blows with his open hand dr
his fist. And this disgusting scene had the most grotesque
setting—the so-called magistrate sitting with a loaded
revolver beside him, when he had no one to do with
381