that most of the women of the Daitcho, upon seeing
the first rocket discharged, had clutched their children
to their breasts and fled into the forest. We then
expressed anger at their stupidity, and explained to
them at great length that the magic we had performed
the night before would in no way prove harmful
to the Daitcho.
A t this Bykender seemed much relieved, and talked
eagerly with his companions. Soon after, they left
our camp, and trade resumed much more briskly than
before. The news of our performance soon spread
beyond the regions of the Daitcho. After a few days
several of the leaders of the Embe paid us a visit, ostensibly
for the purpose of craving our aid in a war with
some of the neighbouring tribes, but we discovered that
their real purpose was to secure some charm from us,
bv which each of them could increase his individual
power among his people. We hailed the visit of these
Embe leaders with delight, and retained four of them
as hostages, sending back the other three who composed
the party to inform their people of our intention to
visit them in the near future; when we hoped they
would promptly open up a large trade with us in
donkeys.
On the day following the departure of these emissaries
I sent George with forty-five men to the Embe
country. He took with him Motio as interpreter, and
the few donkeys purchased from the Daitcho which
were still alive. After an absence of a few days,
George sent us word that the trade in donkeys was
getting on much better in the Embe country than at
Daitcho; but that they were still coming but slowly.
After a short period five of the most influential of
the Embe leaders came to ransom their friends, whom
we had detained. As a ransom they brought with them
three donkeys. We greeted them kindly, and bought
the donkeys at reasonable prices, saying that we were
unwilling to receive presents from our friends. We
then brought forward the four hostages held by us,
and after loading them with gifts, told them they were
free to return to their people, and explain how good
and kind we were. They were delighted with their
presents, but seemed eager to depart. Their delight
was somewhat lessened when they found that the newcomers
(who, by the way, we learned were the chief men
of the Embe) were to be retained in their stead. We
explained that we were desirous of entering into close
relationship with the Embe, and could imagine no
means so well adapted to that end as prolonged intercourse
with their wisest and most influential chiefs:
we therefore considered it advisable to extend our
hospitality to the elders who had just come.
Both Lieutenant von Hohnel and I excessively disliked
going through with such affairs; but we knew it
was necessary, for George would have been absolutely
unsafe in the territory of the Embe, had we not held
these influential men as hostages in our camp. During
the days immediately ensuing several messages were
received from George, telling us that his experiences
with the Embe were of the most pleasant character, that
trade in donkeys had been going on as well as could be
wished, and that he had managed during the first two
weeks of his stay to purchase thirty-seven of these
animals; but that at the time of writing, because either