We had crossed but I was perfectly willing to go through it for the fun.

The Belgians went at it as seriously as children, and worked up a grand succession of events.

First we had gymkana races among the kroo boys.

The most remarkable was their placing franc pieces in tubs of white and red flour, for which the boys dived, they then dug for more money into a big basket fitted with feathers and when they came out they were the most awful sights imaginable.

You can picture their naked black bodies and faces spotted with white and pink and stuck like chickens with feathers.