Page:The slave trade in the congo basin 1890.djvu/5

 They said,

"No, we have not seen him, but we have heard about him."

Stanley then said,

"What have you heard about him?"

They replied:

"He is half a lion, and half a buffalo; has one eye in the middle of his forehead, and is armed with sharp, jagged teeth; and is continually slaughtering and devouring human beings. Is this so?"

Stanley answered them,

"I did not know that he was such a terrible creature; but I will call him, and let you judge for yourselves."

Upon my appearing this illusion was immediately dispelled, as, after suffering several days from an acute sickness, I really did not look very formidable or bloodthirsty.

Here I lived for twenty months, the only white man, so that I had every opportunity of studying native character and customs.



NATIVE LIFE

In order to place before the reader a picture of savage life untouched by civilization, I could hardly do better than lightly sketch a typical 