one's hands and knees. Decency demands that the women should always
enter the houses backward, and this occasions funny sights, as they
look out of their huts like so many dogs from their kennels.

As a rule, the first event on my entering a village was that the women
and children ran away shrieking and howling; those not quite so near me
stared suspiciously, then retired slowly or began to giggle. Then a few
men would appear, quite accidentally, of course, and some curious boys
followed. My servants gave information as to my person and purpose,
and huge laughter was the result: they always thought me perfectly
mad. However, they admired me from all sides, and asked all sorts
of questions of my boys: what was my name, where did I live, was I
kind, was I rich, what did I have to eat, did I smoke or drink, how
many shirts and trousers did I have, how many guns and what kinds,
etc. The end of it was, that they either took me for a dangerous
sorcerer, and withdrew in fear, or for a fool to be got the better
of. In the latter case, they would run eagerly to their houses and
bring out some old broken article to offer for sale. A few sarcastic
remarks proved useful; but it was always some time before they realized
what I wanted. The fine old possessions from which they did not like
to part would suddenly turn out to be the property of someone else,
which was a polite way of saying, "we have that, but you won't get it."

In this way collecting was a very tiresome and often disappointing
process of bargaining, encouraging, begging and flattering; often, just
as I was going away, some man or other would call me aside to say that
he had decided to sell after all, and was ready to accept any price.

Horror and silent consternation were aroused when I asked for
skulls. "Lots over there," they said, pointing to an enclosed thicket,
their burying-ground. Only very rarely a man would bring me a skull,
at the end of a long stick. Once I started on the quest myself,
armed with a shovel and spade; as my servants were too much afraid
of the dead to help, I had to dig for myself. A man loafed near by,
attracted by the excited chatter of some old women. He told me sadly
that I was digging up his papa, although it was a woman; then he
began to help with some show of interest, assuring me that his papa
had two legs, whereas at first I could find but one. A stranger had
given me permission to dig, so as to play a trick on the son; but
the la