gravel of small rivers west of Lake Albert, and near the small towns
of Kilo and Moto. Four mines are now worked in this vicinity, two by the
Government and two by a private company. At the outbreak of the war this
area was on the verge of considerable development which has just been
resumed. At the time of my visit all these mines were placers and the
operation was rather primitive. With modern machinery and enlarged white
staffs will come a pretentious exploitation. The Government mines alone
yield more than $2,000,000 worth of gold every year. Shortly before my
arrival in the Congo what was heralded as the largest gold nugget ever
discovered was found in the Kilo State Mine. It weighed twelve pounds.

Stanleyville has a significance for me less romantic but infinitely more
practical than the first contact with the Congo River. After long weeks
of suffering from inefficient service I sacked Gerome and annexed a boy
named Nelson. The way of it was this: In the Katanga I engaged a young
Belgian who was on his way home, to act as secretary. He knew the native
languages and could always convince the most stubborn black to part with
an egg. Nelson was his servant. He was born on the Rhodesian border and
spoke English. I could therefore upbraid him to my heart's content,
which was not the case with Gerome. Besides, he was not handicapped with
a wife. In Africa the servants adopt the names of their masters. Nelson
had worked for an Englishman at Elizabethville and acquired his
cognomen. I have not the slightest doubt that he now masquerades under
mine. Be that as it may, Nelson was a model servant and he remained with
me until that September day when I boarded the Belgium-bound boat at
Matadi.

Nelson reminded me more of the Georgia Negro than any other one that I
saw in the Congo. He was almost coal black, he smiled continuously, and
his teeth were wonderful to look at. He had an unusual capacity for
work and also for food. I think he was the champion consumer of
_chikwanga_ in the Congo. The _chikwanga_ is a glutinous dough made from
the pounded root of the manioc plant and is the principal food of the
native. It is rolled and cut up in pieces and then wrapped in green
leaves. The favorite way of preparing it for consumption is to heat it
in palm oil, although it is often eaten raw. Nelson bought these
_chikwangas_ by the dozen. He was never without one. He even ate as he
washed my clothes.

The Congo native is in a con