WHITE TRADER AND NATIVE TRADERS AND THEIR PRODUCE.
Every article in the white man’s store had a price on it. It was either equivalent to one piece of cloth, or to two or more pieces, or so many of it equalled the value of one piece. The first kind of cloth taken to Congo was probably of a common quality worth about 2s. for a piece of twelve yards. By and by other qualities were taken, and they were reckoned as equal to one and a half, two, or three pieces of the original quality. Then the natives wanted other things besides cloth, and as they were introduced the traders put a cloth value on them, e. g. six knives were equal to one piece of cloth, eight looking-glasses ditto, four strings of one kind of beads, or twenty strings of another sort, were priced at one piece; and thus through the whole list of goods stocked by the traders.
If a trader priced his goods high it was quickly known, and his store was avoided by the natives. They always went to that store where they received the best prices for their produce, where the articles in the store were cheapest, and where they were treated properly.
We remained ten days at the coast, selling the rubber, peanuts and ivory our caravan had brought from the interior. Some of the native traders were dissatisfied with the prices offered by the white trader, or were suspicious that the interpreter was retaining too much for himself, and for these reasons went to other white men and employed other interpreters; others of our party thought the prices of the store goods were too high, and went to those traders whom they thought sold their barter goods at reasonable rates.
It took us, as I have already stated, ten long, wearisome days of haggling, bargaining and chaffering to dispose of our produce to the best advantage. During this time our food supply was running low, and we often had not half enough to eat. Food at the coast was very dear, and we were all glad when our business was concluded and we could turn our faces homeward.
The return journey was accomplished without any incident more serious than the breaking of a few china ornaments belonging to Old Plaited-Beard, who had seen such things in the King’s house and had instructed his men to buy him similar ones with some of the produce he had sent for sale. The man, however, who carried them slipped on some huge boulders while crossing a river, and down he fell, cutting his own knees and smashing the fragile contents of his load. The old man, when he saw the results of the accident, did not blame his carrier of carelessness, but rather accused some one of bewitching him and thus causing the destruction of the goods. And with a look of hate in his eyes and a curse on his lips he threatened to punish the witch.
All the men and lads of our party were glad to be again among their own families. During the whole journey to and from the coast, and while at the trading centre, they had eaten very sparingly, as food was heavy to carry and very dear on the road; but now that they had returned they made amends for lost time and hungry days. Huge dishes of food quickly disappeared, and those who had become thin during the twenty-five days of short rations began to fill out again, and those who were feeling exhausted by the heavy loads they carried up and down hill and along rugged, narrow tracks began, after some refreshing, restful sleeps, to feel strong and active again and ready for the next trading expedition.
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.