Some days after the sorcery trial King Mombo sent for me.
When I arrived I saw that there were a great many people who had come from many different villages. The king was seated, and bade me sit by his side. He had an old silk hat on his head. His coat was split up the back to let the air in. Then ensued a great silence; no one dared to speak.
King Mombo rose. He held a stick in his hand, and said to me: “Oguizi, the stick I hold in my hand is known all over my country as belonging to me, and when I send word anywhere I send it with the messenger. This stick is called ‘Omemba,’ the snake, for it is twisted, and the carved head of a snake is at the top. Whoever carries ‘Omemba’ is my representative, and my people have to listen to him. Take this stick, and wherever you go carry it with you.”
Then he handed me “Omemba,” in the midst of great shouts of approbation from his people and of the beating of the tomtoms.
“When you leave the country, return ‘Omemba’ to me,” added the king.
I thanked Mombo for his important gift, and the people dispersed.
A few days after I had received “Omemba,” I went to King Mombo, and said to him, “I am going to leave you soon. I wish to go all alone in a small canoe, so do not be astonished, if, when you awake some morning, you find that I am gone, but I shall not fail, before I leave your country, to bring back ‘Omemba’ to you, and say good-by.”
Then I prepared my outfit and packed the things I wanted, among them a small round Waterbury clock, a powerful magnet, a music-box, and lots of matches, for these things added much to my power. When the people heard the clock and music-box, they thought they were spirits talking to me, and were full of wonder, and often afraid of them.
I took some ammunition and fish hooks, for I had to depend on fishing and hunting for my food. I had also some brass rods, and quite a number of bright-colored beads to give away to those who were friendly to me, for I should very soon have become a very poor oguizi if I had had nothing to give them. I also took a frying-pan, some quinine, and salt.
Among my weapons I had a double-barrelled breech-loading rifle, which I loved better than all my other rifles, for it was the most powerful weapon I had. I could load it either with steel-pointed bullets, or with explosive shells. I had named this rifle “Bulldog.” The only fault I found with “Bulldog” was that it was too heavy to carry, for it weighed sixteen pounds, on account of the thickness of the barrels and of its large calibre. “Bulldog” was somewhat short. When I carried it I always had a feeling that I was with my best friend, and one I could rely upon in case of great danger. No matter how huge or fierce the animals I encountered might be, I felt that “Bulldog” could kill them, for the steel-pointed bullets were large and powerful, and I had found out that they could pierce through four or five inches, and even more, of the hardest wood. So I knew what “Bulldog” could do. This feeling gave me confidence, and I aimed with greater steadiness, and I knew I had a shot to spare in case of merely wounding an animal.