A Uganda Rubber Estate.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 4 September 1914, Page 2

A Uganda Rubber Estate.

I am on a coffee and rubber estate in Uganda. The other morning when 1 went to send the natives so their various duties for the day, I saw that there was something the matter, as the men did not get hold of their tools and go off to their allotted place on the plantation. At last one of them (who had been chosen as spokesman) cam© forward, and said that they all refused to work unless a certaiti Hsi»n, who had only, been set to work tbe day before, was pent away. I learned that the man in question had somehow been credited with having the power to make a person ill or even of killing him, by simply willing it. It so happened that a native employed by us had died the night previously, and, of course, this person with the evil reputation was blamed. We argued with the men, hut they were firm. Either he must i,o or they all would go. The situation was ridiculous, but the .york had to be done, and the strikers eventually had their way. Fortunately we were, able to find the nan work elsewhere. The King- of Uganda came to pay us a friendly visit one day. He stayed for some time, and had a stroll round the estate, chatting with the manager. Next day there were over a hundred natives missing when the muster roll was called. Of course, we could not understand It until we managed to get the explanation from a head man. They had come to the conclusion that the King had come to choose a number of natives to present to his white friends. These natives were to be eaten. Though the natives are quickly becoming civilised, their old superstitions and curious beliefs die hard. Passing a group of natives one day 1 saw two young fellows tying fibre from a banana tree round an elderly man's arm, and, pulling tight, I could see that the old man was in awful pain, so I interfered. The old fellow said, "It's all right; they are killing the little devil that is in my arm." He had a pain in his arm, and thought that a devil had got into it. On asking him if it did not hurt him, he answered, "Yes, verymuch ; but it hurts this devil, and will kill him." I found that the "little devil" was rheumatism, and was able to ease the pain for him in a more pleasant way. The natives have a peculiar way of .showing friendship. When you enter their hut, if they immediately bring out a basket of cooked col Tee beans you are assured that they wish to be called your friend, and you are expected to squat down on the floor-with them and chew the beans in' the most serious manner possible.