I was now left with one hundred regulars, four sailors, and four armed
Baris.
CHAPTER XX.
ESTABLISH COMMERCE.
For some time past the natives had commenced a brisk trade with ivory in
exchange for all kinds of trifles, which left a minimum profit for the
government of 1500 per cent. A few beads, together with three or four
gaudy-coloured cotton handkerchiefs, a zinc mirror, and a fourpenny
butcher's knife, would purchase a tusk worth twenty or thirty pounds. I
calculated all the expenses of transport from England, together with
interest on capital. In some cases we purchased ivory at 2,000 per cent.
profit, and both sellers and buyers felt perfectly contented.
I am not sure whether this is considered a decent return for an
investment of capital among the descendants of Israel; but I am
convinced that at the conclusion of a purchase in Unyoro each party to
the bargain thought that he had the best of it. This was the perfection
of business.
Here was free trade thoroughly established: the future was tinged with a
golden hue. Ivory would be almost inexhaustible, as it would flow from
both east and west to the market where such luxuries as twopenny
mirrors, fourpenny knives, handkerchiefs, ear-rings at a penny a pair,
finger signet-rings at a shilling a dozen, could be obtained for such
comparatively useless lumber as elephants' tusks.
