Their wives were sure to bring me, almost every day,
sugar-cane, plantain, or something else. As for Obindji,
he did all in his power to please me. Moreover, Quen-
gueza was always close to me. He said that wherever I
"went he would follow me, and build his shed by the side
of mine. I was now Quengueza's white man and Obind-
ji's white man. They all seemed to take pride in me. I
am sure I also tried my best to be kind to them. Aliove
all things, I wanted them to believe my ^vord implicitly.
Hence, whatever I promised, I kept my word. They no-
ticed this, and therefore no one doubted me. These poor
people, though they had no word to describe " an honest
man," know the difference between lying and truth-tell-
ing ; and they appreciate truthfulness.
One day I saw a trial by ordeal performed. A little
boy, a son of Acpiailai, the doctor who had driven the
aniemba, or witch, from the main street at Gounilii, re-
ported that one of Quengueza's men had damaged a Ea-
kalai's canoe. The OAvner demanded compensation for
the injury. Tlie Goumbi men denied that he had in-
jured the canoe, and asked for trial. An Aslhra doctor
who was in the village was called. He said that the
only Avay to make the truth appear was liy the trial of
the ring boiled in oil. Thei'cupon the Balvalai and the



270 STORIES OF THE GORILLA COUNTRY.
Goumbi men gathered together, and the trial was at once
made.
