Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-25

world. 1t is the center Of African witch
craft. It's ju-ju men are the most noted
in the whole continent. Their fetish Is
deadly and Irresistible. They can COM
pass the ruin Of tribal leaders who are
UNNECESSARILY more wealthy and powerful
than any of their own men. do not
pretend to explain the reason-1 can only
state the fact-but there can be no gain
saying the simple truth that If men OF
Oku place their ban on any tribe or indi-
vidual. that tribe or that man is doomed.
Can you give instances"
Yes. AS far away as the River Aklni.
in the Yoruba district'-and this time
Warden did not point to the map, though
his words bridged six hundred miles
there was a quarrel between the up
country traders and the shippers at La
gos The merchants in the interior tried
to close the trade routes. but the local
chiefs refused to help them. By some
means the traders secured the Oku ban
on their side. The Yoruba natives re-
sisted 1t.
by Jove. both they and the factors at
Lagos were glad enough to come to heei
when every ounce of stun was diverted
into French Dahomey. There was no
overt act or threat. Oku methods are
too clever for that. The authorities were
powerless. Hunger coerced the natives.
and financial loss brought the people on
the coast to terms. And this took place
where we were paramount! Heaven only
knows what excuses the Oku fetish has
caused in intertribal wars. Why. when l
attacked them, I had to break with my
own hands every ju-ju token on the ROAD.
Not even our Hausa troops would pas
them otherwise.
''They had no i'll effect on you, then :"
said the other. smiling little.
''None-at present.
Warden himself was surprised Wnen Ills
lips framed the qualification. For no as
sienable cause his mind travelled to the
fha
in his portmanteau at Waterloo station.
and he remembe the curled scrap of
tattooed skin in his pocket. He had not
mentioned the calabash to the offlclal
Though it bore curiously on the visit OF
the men of Ol,u TO the Isle of Wight. he
be ieved that such a far-fetched incident
would weaken his statements Since he
was inclined at first to err SO greatly In
his estimate of the under secretary
knowledge of West African politics. he
was now more resolved than ever not to
bring an extravagant toy into serious
discussion. Any reference to 1t would
be ludicrously out of place. He was be
ginning to entertain deep and ablding
respect for the foreign office and Its
deniZens.
The under secretary asked few addi-
tional questions before he rose to fold
up the map. Warden took the hint. and
was about to depart when he received an
unlooked-for piece of news.
that Count Won Rippenbach accompanied
the emperor in the visit paid to the Sans
Souci?" said the official.
II assume his identity solely from para
graphs in the newspapers.
1T will interest you to learn that the
count has just returned from an eXplor-
ing and hunting trip In the Tuburi
region
Now Tuburi lies in the no-man's land
that separates Lake Tchad from German
West Africa. and Warden met the under
secretary's bored glance a second time
with quick comprehension.
Il think, went on the quiet voice, Il
think it would be we'll If you kept the
colonial office posted as to your move
ments during the remainder of your fur
lough Personally. l expect no imme-
diate developments. The emperor is a
busy man. He can only devote half an
hour eac! year to affairs that affect the
Niger But keep in touch. You may be
wanted l am exceedingly obliged to
you. One learns so much from the men
who have passed their active lives in
lands which one has never seen except in
dreams | dream here sometimes. in
front of that map-and it's companions.