man the 'first…aid' drill。 But living as we do here； so close to
death； we see things more clearly。 Death loses its importance。
It's a bromide；〃 he added。 〃But travel certainly broadens one。
Every day I have been in the Congo； I have been assimilating new
ideas。〃 Upsher nodded vigorously in assent。 An older man could
have told Everett that he was assimilating just as much of the
Congo as the rabbit assimilates of the boa…constrictor； that first
smothers it with saliva and then swallows it。
Everett started up the Congo in a small steamer open on all sides
to the sun and rain； and with a paddle…wheel astern that kicked her
forward at the rate of four miles an hour。 Once every day； the
boat tied up to a tree and took on wood to feed her furnace； and
Everett talked to the white man in charge of the wood post； or； if；
as it generally happened； the white man was on his back with fever；
dosed him with quinine。 On board； except for her captain； and a
Finn who acted as engineer； Everett was the only other white man。
The black crew and 〃wood…boys〃 he soon disliked intensely。 At
first； when Nansen； the Danish captain； and the Finn struck them；
because they were in the way； or because they were not； Everett
winced； and made a note of it。 But later he decided the blacks
were insolent； sullen； ungrateful； that a blow did them no harm。
According to the unprejudiced testimony of those who； before the
war； in his own country； had owned slaves； those of the 〃Southland〃
were always content； always happy。 When not singing close harmony
in the cotton…fields； they danced upon the levee； they twanged the
old banjo。 But these slaves of the Upper Congo were not happy。
They did not dance。 They did not sing。 At times their eyes； dull；
gloomy； despairing； lighted with a sudden sombre fire； and searched
the eyes of the white man。 They seemed to beg of him the answer to
a terrible question。 It was always the same question。 It had been
asked of Pharaoh。 They asked it of Leopold。 For hours； squatting
on the iron deck…plates； humped on their naked haunches； crowding
close together； they muttered apparently interminable criticisms of
Everett。 Their eyes never left him。 He resented this unceasing
scrutiny。 It got upon his nerves。 He was sure they were evolving
some scheme to rob him of his tinned sausages； or； possibly； to
kill him。 It was then he began to dislike them。 In reality； they
were discussing the watch strapped to his wrist。 They believed it
was a powerful juju； to ward off evil spirits。 They were afraid of
it。
One day； to pay the chief wood…boy for a carved paddle； Everett was
measuring a bras of cloth。 As he had been taught； he held the
cloth in his teeth and stretched it to the ends of his finger…tips。
The wood…boy thought the white man was giving him short measure。
White men always HAD given him short measure； and； at a glance； he
could not recognize that this one was an Everett of Boston。
So he opened Everett's fingers。
All the blood in Everett's body leaped to his head。 That he； a
white man； an Everett； who had come so far to set these people
free； should be accused by one of them of petty theft！
He caught up a log of fire wood and laid open the scalp of the
black boy； from the eye to the crown of his head。 The boy dropped；
and Everett； seeing the blood creeping through his kinky wool；
turned ill with nausea。 Drunkenly； through a red cloud of mist； he
heard himself shouting； 〃The BLACK nigger！ The BLACK NIGGER！ He
touched me！ I TELL you； he touched me！〃 Captain Nansen led
Everett to his cot and gave him fizzy salts； but it was not until
sundown that the trembling and nausea ceased。
Then； partly in shame； partly as a bribe； he sought out the injured
boy and gave him the entire roll of cloth。 It had cost Everett ten
francs。 To the wood…boy it meant a year's wages。 The boy hugged
it in his arms； as he might a baby； and crooned over it。 From
under the blood…stained bandage； humbly； without resentment； he
lifted his tired eyes to those of the white man。 Still； dumbly；
they begged the answer to the same question。
During the five months Everett spent up the river he stopped at
many missions； stations； one…man wood posts。 He talked to Jesuit
fathers； to inspecteurs； to collectors for the State of rubber；
taxes； elephant tusks； in time； even in Bangalese； to chiefs of the
native villages。 According to the point of view； he was told tales
of oppression； of avarice； of hideous crimes； of cruelties
committed in the name of trade that were abnormal； unthinkable。
The note never was of hope； never of cheer； never inspiring。 There
was always the grievance； the spirit of unrest； of rebellion that
ranged from dislike to a primitive； hot hate。 Of his own land and
life he heard nothing； not even when his face was again turned
toward the east。 Nor did he think of it。 As now he saw them； the
rules and principles and standards of his former existence were
petty and credulous。 But he assured himself he had not abandoned
those standards。 He had only temporarily laid them aside； as he
had left behind him in London his frock…coat and silk hat。 Not
because he would not use them again； but because in the Congo they
were ridiculous。
For weeks； with a missionary as a guide； he walked through forests
into which the sun never penetrated； or； on the river； moved
between banks where no white man had placed his foot； where； at
night； the elephants came trooping to the water； and； seeing the
lights of the boat； fled crashing through the jungle； where the
great hippos； puffing and blowing； rose so close to his elbow that
he could have tossed his cigarette and hit them。 The vastness of
the Congo； toward which he had so jauntily set forth； now weighed
upon his soul。 The immeasurable distances； the slumbering
disregard of time； the brooding； interminable silences； the efforts
to conquer the land that were so futile； so puny； and so cruel； at
first appalled and； later； left him unnerved； rebellious；
childishly defiant。
What health was there； he demanded hotly； in holding in a dripping
jungle to morals； to etiquette； to fashions of conduct？ Was he；
the white man； intelligent； trained； disciplined in mind and body；
to be judged by naked cannibals； by chattering monkeys； by mammoth
primeval beasts？ His code of conduct was his own。 He was a law
unto himself。
He came down the river on one of the larger steamers of the State；
and； on this voyage； with many fellow…passengers。 He was now on
his way home； but in the fact he felt no elation。 Each day the
fever ran tingling through his veins； and left him listless；
frightened； or choleric。 One night at dinner； in one of these
moods of irritation； he took offence at the act of a lieutenant
who； in lack of vegetables； drank from the vinegar bottle。 Everett
protested that such table manners were unbecoming an officer； even
an officer of the Congo； and on the lieutenant resenting his
criticism； Everett drew his revolver。 The others at the table took
it from him； and locked him in his cabin。 In the morning； when he
tried to recall what had occurred； he could remember only that； for
some excellent reason； he had hated some one with a hatred that
could be served only with death。 He knew it could not have been
drink； as each day the State allowed him but one half…bottle of
claret。 That but for the interference of strangers he might have
shot a man； did not interest him。 In the outcome of what he
regarded merely as an incident； he saw cause neither for
congratulation or self…reproach。 For his conduct he laid the blame
upon the sun； and doubled his dose of fruit salts。
Everett was again at Matadi； waiting for the Nigeria to take on
cargo before returning to Liverpool。 During the few days that must
intervene before she sailed； he lived on board。 Although now
actually bound north； the thought afforded him no satisfaction。
His spirits were depressed； his mind gloomy； a feeling of
rebellion； of outlawry； filled him with unrest。
While the ship lay at the wharf； Hardy； her English captain；
Cuthbert； the purser； and Everett ate on deck under the awning；
assailed by electric fans。 Each was clad in nothing more intricate
than pajamas。
〃To…night；〃 announced Hardy； with a sigh； 〃we got to dress ship。
Mr。 Ducret and his wife are coming on board。 We carry his trade
goods； and I got to stand him a dinner and champagne。 You boys；〃
he commanded； 〃must wear 'whites；' and talk French。〃
〃I'll dine on shore；〃 growled Everett。
〃Better meet them；〃 advised Cuthbert。 The purser was a pink…
cheeked； clear…eyed young man； who spoke the many languages of the
coast glibly； and his own in the soft； detached voice of a well…
bred Englishman。 He was in training to enter the consular service。
Something in his poise； in the assured manner in which he handled
his white stewards and the black Kroo boys； seemed to Everett a
constant reproach； and he resented him。
〃They're a picturesque couple；〃 explained Cuthbert。 〃Ducret was
originally a wrestler。 Used to challenge all comers from the front
of a booth。 He served his time in the army in Senegal； and when he
was mustered out moved to the French Congo and began to trade； in a
small way； in ivory。 Now he's the biggest merchant； physically and
every other way； from Stanley Pool to Lake Chad。 He has a house at
Brazzaville built of mahogany； and a grand piano； and his own ice…
plant。 His wife was a supper…girl at Maxim's。 He brought her down
here and married her。 Every rainy season they go back to Paris and
run race…horses； and they say the best table in every all…night
restaurant is reserved for him。 In Paris they call her the Ivory
Queen。 She's killed seventeen elephants with her own rifle。〃
In the Upper Congo； Everett had seen four white women。 They were
pallid； washed…out； bloodless； even the youngest looked past
middle…age。 For him women of any other type had ceased to exist。
He had come to think of every white woman as past middle…age； with
a face wrinkled by the sun； with hair bleached white by the sun；
with eyes from which； through gazing at the sun； all light and
lustre had depart