A few days afterwards Rotembo came to me and said: "Oguizi, I want you to give me some of your hair. I shall consider this the greatest gift that I have ever received."
My hair had become very long and hung over my shoulders. I had let it grow, for it excited great wonder among the natives. It was very black and silky. So I pulled out half a dozen hairs and presented them to Rotembo. As soon as he received the gift, he muttered words I could not understand, then took his little idol from the bag that always hung by his side, and wound two of the hairs round and round its neck. The four others he carefully put aside in a little wooden box. After this he looked perfectly happy, and said to me, "Oguizi, the six long hairs you have given me are more valuable in my eyes than many tusks of elephants, brass kettles, wives, or slaves."
I often wished I had had flaxen hair and blue eyes instead of black hair and hazel eyes, for I should then have appeared still more wonderful in the eyes of these wild and savage men.
CHAPTER III
PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE—OFF FOR FOREST AND JUNGLE—A HERD OF ELEPHANTS—WE CAMP FOR THE NIGHT—NDOVA CALLS MONKEYS OF HIS TRIBE WITHIN RANGE—WE KILL TWO OF THEM—FEEDING ON ROAST MONKEY—A DESERTED HOUSE—A STORY OF WITCHCRAFT
A short time after I received these gifts from Rotembo, I made preparations to enter the great forest, to live with Rogala, Shinshooko, and Alapai, and Andekko the dog, and Ndova the monkey.
I put all my things together,—the precious tin box containing my sextant, etc., matches, and a bottle containing my quicksilver, a little iron pot, a frying-pan, a small coffee-pot, three pairs of laced boots, some fire steel with flints, files, two axes, one machete, and some medicines. I took also a shot-gun, my rifle "Bulldog," and a lighter rifle, powder, and ammunition.
When everything was ready, I called Rogala, and showing him the "precious box," I said to him: "Of all the things I possess, I think most of this box. You alone shall carry it on your back,, and no one must ever open it, for if he does, great misfortune will happen to him."