CHAPTER FIVE.
At daybreak Jan and I set off, he as usual leading the ox, while Iwalked ahead with my rifle, ready for a shot. Our baggage consisted ofa couple of skins to sleep on, a stock of ammunition, a small portion ofour remnant of flour, tea, sugar, and pepper. We had no fear of notfinding food, as game of all sorts was abundant, provided I kept myhealth, and was able to shoot it.
I asked Jan what he thought of the ox which looked remarkably thin.
"No good!" he answered; "last till get back, but not more--den him die."
I trusted that the poor animal would hold out as long as he supposed.
We rested at noon under an enormous acacia, of the younger branches ofwhich the elephants are apparently very fond. We saw that they wereeverywhere twisted off to the height of about twenty-five feet, which isas far as an elephant can reach.
Here and there, under the trees, were conical hills twenty feet high,built up for residences by the white ants. Frequently they were coveredwith creeping plants which met at the top, hanging back in an umbrellashape, completely shading them. I shot several doves and other birds toserve us for dinner, and while Jan was cooking them I went in search offruit, and discovered an abundance of medlars very similar to those wehave in England, as well as some small purple figs growing on bushes.The most curious fruit I met with was like a lime in appearance, with athick rind, but inside was a large nut. I had to climb a tree to obtainthem, for all those lower down had been carried off by elephants whowere evidently very fond of the fruit.
As our object was to make as much haste as possible, I was resolved notto go out of the way to shoot any large game, though I kept my rifleloaded with ball as a defence against lions, leopards, rhinoceroses, orhyaenas.
The first day's journey we saw several in the distance, though none camenear us. We formed our camp at the foot of a tree, with a large fire infront of us, and on either side of the trunk we erected a fence of stoutstakes in a semi-circular form; so we hoped that we should be able tosleep without being molested by wild beasts. The ox remained outside,and we knew that he would run to the fire, should danger threaten him.
The usual cries proceeding from an African forest prevented us fromsleeping over soundly, and I was awakened by the roar of a lion, whichstood on a mound some little distance from our camp, afraid ofapproaching near our fire, and the palisade which he probably took for atrap.
We had exhausted our stock of wood during the night, and in the morningJan went out to procure a fresh supply for cooking our breakfast. I wasemployed in plucking some birds which I had killed in the evening, whenI heard my companion shouting lustily for help, and at the same time, aloud crashing of boughs reached my ears, while the ox came hurrying upto the camp in evident alarm.
Seizing my rifle, I sprang up, fearing that a lion had pounced down uponJan, while picking up sticks, and I was fully prepared for an encounterwith the savage brute. Instead of a lion, however, I saw an elephant,with trunk uplifted, rush out from among the brushwood. I sprang behinda tree, as the only place of safety, when what was my dismay, to see, ashe passed, Jan clinging to his hind leg. How the black had got therewas the puzzle, and how to rescue him from his awkward position was thenext question to be solved. Should he let go, he might naturally expectto receive a kick from the elephant's hind foot which would effectuallyknock all the breath out of his body; and yet, should he not get free,he might be carried miles away and perish miserably. My only hope wasat once to mortally wound the elephant. Not a moment was to be lost ifI was to save poor Jan. Just then the elephant caught sight of the ox,and stopped as if considering if he should attack it. Whether he wasaware that Jan was clinging to his leg or not, I could not tell, as theblack's weight no more impeded him than a fly would a man when running.
The ox, instead of endeavouring to escape, presented its head to theelephant, though it trembled in every limb.
Jan, who seemed paralysed with fear, did not let go as I thought hewould have done, and his best chance would have been to spring back,even though he had fallen on the ground directly behind the elephant. Idid not like to shout to him for fear of attracting the creature'sattention.
Now or never was my time to save the poor fellow. I stepped from undercover of the tree, and, levelling my rifle, aimed at a spot directlybehind the ear.
The huge monster did not move, then presently it began swaying to andfro. I shouted to Jan to leap off and hurried on to help him. Before Ireached the spot, he had followed my advice, and hardly had he done so,than down came the elephant with a crash, to the ground. Jan raised ashout of triumph.
"De master hab done well!" he cried out. I could not help joining him,and even the ox gave a bellow of satisfaction as he saw his huge foestretched lifeless on the ground.
We at once set to work to extract the tusks with our axes. Rather thanleave them, we agreed to take them with us. We therefore placed them onthe back of our ox, together with some slices of elephant meat whichwould prevent the necessity of shooting game during the day.
We now pushed forward for the cave where we had left our goods, and metwith no adventures worth noticing. We saw numerous herds of antelopes,giraffes, and a few ostriches. The latter I would have killed if Icould, for the sake of their valuable feathers. The cave had beenuntouched, and it was with no small satisfaction that I loaded up the oxwith its contents, as we prepared to set off the next morning on ourreturn, intending, on our way back, to obtain the elephant's tusks wehad deposited in the tree, which had afforded me such seasonable shelterwhen attacked by their owner.
We met as before buffaloes, elands, koodoos, and various antelopes. AsI was walking along ahead, suddenly I found my face enveloped as if by athick veil; and as I was tearing off the web--for such it was--I caughtsight of a large yellow spider, hauling himself up to the tree above.In the neighbourhood were many other webs, the fibres radiating from acentre point where the greedy insect was waiting for its prey.
Each web was about a yard in diameter, and the lines on which they werehung, suspended from one tree to another, were as thick as coarsethread. We occasionally met with serpents, but they generally kept outof our way.
One day, during a halt, while seated under a tree, I caught sight ofanother enormous spider of a reddish tinge. Never did I see a creatureso active. It suddenly made its appearance from a hole in the bark, andgiving a tremendous bound, caught a large moth which it quicklydevoured. With wonderful rapidity it ran about the tree, now dartingforward, now springing back. With a feeling of horror lest it shouldspring upon me, I removed to a distance. On looking down on the ground,I saw what I at first thought was a coin the size of a shilling; but onlooking closer I discovered that it was of a pure white silky substancelike paper, and that it formed the door to a hole. On trying to lift itup I discovered that it was fastened by a hinge on one side, and onturning it over upon the hole it fitted exactly--the upper side beingcovered with earth and grass, so that, had it not been for thecircumstance that the inmate had been out, I could not possibly havedetected it. Jan said it was the hole of a spider, probably thecreature I had seen engaged in seeking its prey.
While encamped that night, I heard the crashing of heads and horns. Jantold me it was caused by a troop of buffaloes who were fighting.Presently a loud snorting and puffing reached our ears. The uproarincreased, and he declared that the noise was produced by rhinocerosesand buffaloes quarrelling. My fear was that in their heady fight theanimals might come our way and trample over us, or perhaps therhinoceroses would attack our poor ox, who was but ill able to defendhimself.
While I was looking out beyond our camp-fire I caught sight of a herd ofelephants, the huge males going first, followed by the females, on theirway down to a large pool where they were going to drink. I followedthem cautiously until they entered the water.
Having satisfied their thirst, they began throwing it over themselvesand disporting in the cool element, gambolling and rolling about like aparty of schoolboys
bathing. As I could not have carried away theirtusks, I did not attempt to shoot one but left them unmolested. After awhile I saw them returning by the way they had come, appearing in theuncertain light like huge phantoms so noiselessly did they stalk overthe ground.
It is strange that, huge as the elephant is, from the soft padding ofits feet, the sound of its steps is not heard even on hard ground. Itsapproach is only to be discovered by the snapping of boughs and twigs asit makes its way among the brushwood.
We were but a short distance from the spot where we had left theelephant's tusks, one of the objects of our expedition. I felt verysure of the place, as the adventure we had there met with had marked itin my memory.
I was going up to the tree followed by Jan, when I saw an object movingamong the branches. This made me approach cautiously, and fortunately Idid so, for on looking up, I caught sight of an enormous leopard, whichprobably had been attracted by the smell of the flesh still adhering tothe roots of the tusks. As the creature had got possession of the tree,I had first to dislodge him before I could obtain our tusks; that theywere still there I discovered by seeing their points sticking out beyondthe forks of the boughs where we had deposited them. I knew theleopard's habit of leaping down on passing animals, and thought it mightattempt to catch me in the same manner. I therefore stood at adistance, but though I shouted at the top of my voice, and threw piecesof wood at it, it held its post, snarling and growling savagely.
"Better shoot him, or he come down when no tinkee," cried Jan, who hadremained with the ox at a safe distance.
As we were in a hurry to move on, I saw that the sooner I did this thebetter, but it was important to shoot it dead, for should I miss or onlywound it, it might make its leap before I had reloaded, and attack meand Jan.
I advanced, and taking good aim, pulled the trigger, but what was mydismay to find my gun miss fire, while at the same moment the leopardmade a spring from a high bough on which it was perched. I expected thenext instant to feel its fangs in my neck, and be struck to the groundby its sharp claws; but happily its feet caught in some of the creepingvines which were entwined round the tree, and it very nearly cametoppling to the ground on its head. Recovering itself, however, itpitched on a lower bough.
I, in the meantime, endeavouring to be calm, cleaned out the nipple ofmy gun, and put a fresh cap on; then retiring a few paces while thecreature gazed down upon me, about to make another spring, I fired atits head, into which the bullet buried itself, and down it crashed tothe ground.
I leaped back, and reloading, stood ready to give it another shot, butthis was unnecessary; after a few convulsive struggles, it lay helplesson the ground. On drawing near I found that it was dead. The skinbeing a handsome one, I determined to secure it. With Jan's assistance,I soon had it off and placed on the back of the ox. I now ascended thetree, and found that though the ends of the tusks were gnawed, they werenot otherwise injured.
With the aid of Jan I lowered them down, and secured them to the back ofthe ox. The poor brute was now overloaded, but as we had not far to go,I hoped that it would be able to carry its burden that short distance.
Had I been strong I would have endeavoured to carry some of the load,but I found my gun and ammunition, with the birds I occasionally shot,quite enough for me. At length, greatly to my satisfaction, we drewnear the spot where I had left my uncle on some high ground overlookingthe river. Every moment I thought that our poor ox would give in.
We might, I suspect, have been indicted by the Society for thePrevention of Cruelty to Animals, had we been seen urging on the ox, butwe had no choice, for had we abandoned our goods, the natives would havetaken possession of them. At last, as evening was approaching, wecaught sight of my uncle's camp-fire. We shouted, as he did in return,when he came hurrying down the hill to meet us.
"What poor brute have you got there?" he exclaimed, after welcoming us.
When I told him it was our old ox, he would scarcely believe it to bethe same animal. Hardly was the burden off its back, and Jan was aboutto lead it down to the water, than the poor creature, giving aconvulsive shudder, fell to the ground, and in a few minutes was dead,having faithfully performed its duty to the last. I felt more sad thanI could have supposed it possible, as I assisted my uncle and Jan indrawing away the carcase from the camp. We had not dragged it far,before some natives arrived, who relieved us of all further trouble,saying that they would take it to their camp, and eat it in spite of itshaving died from the effects of the tsetse poison, which we warned themwas the case.
My uncle told me that he had prepared a raft, which would convey us andour goods down the river to where Mr Welbourn's camp was situated, andthat he had engaged a couple of canoes and a party of natives toaccompany us. Instead of the howling of wild beasts, we were serenadedduring the night by the shouts of laughter and songs of the blacksfeasting on the carcase of the poor ox. It was quite as well, however,that it should be eaten by them, as by jackals, which would have beenits fate had it died in the wilderness.
Next morning, assisted by the blacks, we carried our goods down to theriver, where we found a curious raft constructed of reeds. It appearedto me loosely thrown together, somewhat like the top of a floatinghaystack. My uncle said that the natives had formed it by throwing onthe calm water a number of reeds, which were interlaced together. Thenothers were added, until the lower sank by the weight of those pressedupon them, it being built up until it rose to a sufficient height abovethe surface to bear as many men and as much cargo as it was required tocarry. In the centre was stuck a mast to which a sail made of skins,was twisted, while a long oar projecting astern served to guide it.Notwithstanding the assurances of the natives that it was fit to performa long voyage, I was glad of the attendance of the canoes.
All things being ready, amid the shouts of the people on shore, weshoved off, and, being towed cut into the stream by the canoes, setsail. Considering the clumsy nature of our raft, we glided on withgreat rapidity, the canoemen having to paddle pretty hard to keep upwith us.
It was pleasant to be reclining at our ease, and to be borne alongwithout having to exert ourselves. The voyage, however, was not withoutits dangers. Now and then a huge hippopotamus would show its ugly headalongside, threatening to overturn our frail craft, which it mighteasily have done with one heave of its back. Occasionally, too,crocodiles would swim by, looking up at us with their savage eyes,showing us how we should be treated should we by any chance be sentsplashing into the water. About mid-day we steered for the shore whereour black crew intimated that they intended to dine.
The raft was secured by a rope round the mast and carried to the trunkof a tree. We, however, were unwilling to leave our goods on boardwithout a guard, and therefore determined to remain where we were and toeat a cold meal; the materials for which we had brought with us. Thewater appearing bright and tempting, I was about to plunge overboard,when I felt the raft give a heave. Directly afterwards, a hugecrocodile poked his ugly snout above the surface, warning me that I hadbetter remain where I was. Two or three others made their appearancesoon afterwards in the neighbourhood. My uncle and I agreed that thesooner we were away from the spot the better, as any of the savagebrutes coming under the raft might upset it, and we should be committedto their tender mercies.
We were very glad, therefore, when the blacks, having finished theirmeal, returned on board, and we once more began to float down thestream.
We were in hopes that at the rate we were proceeding we should meet ourfriends before the close of the day, but darkness approached, and theblacks gave us to understand that we must go on shore and spend thenight at a village of their tribe, where we should be hospitablyentertained. To this we could offer no objection, though it involvedthe necessity of landing our goods, as we had no fancy to spend the timeon the raft, with the prospect of finding it melting away below ourfeet, and we ourselves left to be devoured by the crocodiles, orperhaps, to have it capsized by the heave of an hippopotamus ben
eath it.
As we glided on, we saw a collection of bee-hive looking huts on the topof the south bank. The raft was directed towards them. The natives,leaping on shore, secured it as before by a rope to a tree growing onthe beach. They then assisted in carrying our property to the shore.Having piled it up in a heap and covered it over with a roof of leaves,they assured us that it would be as safe as if guarded by a hundred men.As they had hitherto shown themselves to be scrupulously honest, we hadno reason to doubt them on this occasion; and we, therefore, willinglyaccompanied them to the village, whence a number of people issued forthto greet us. They then conducted us to a newly built hut, the inside ofwhich was as clean as we could desire, the floor covered with freshlymade mats. There we could more securely rest than we had been able todo for a long time. We were, however, not yet allowed to enter it; afeast was preparing at which it was expected we should be present, afterwhich there was to be a dance for our entertainment. For the feast afat ox had been killed, part being roasted and part stewed. Some ofboth was placed before us, together with huge bowls of porridge, whichour entertainers mixed with their fingers, and transferred by the samemeans to their mouths in large quantities. They looked somewhatsurprised when we hesitated to follow their example, but consideringthat it would show mistrust, we at last overcame our repugnance. Theporridge itself was certainly not bad, and our hosts laughed heartily asthey saw how we burnt our fingers and made wry faces. The whole waswashed down with huge draughts of pombe, a sort of beer, with slightlyintoxicating properties. We did not inquire too minutely as to how itwas made. The feast over, we heard an extraordinary uproar proceedingfrom another part of the village, a sound between the barking of dogsand people endeavouring to clear their throats. On going in thedirection whence the strange sounds came, we found several men withspears in their hands and anklets of shells fastened round their legs,bending over a small fire, and producing the melancholy noises which hadattracted our attention. Others danced round them rattling theiranklets, while a party of women forming an outer semicircle sang amonotonous chant and clapped their hands. The old men and women, thesenior inhabitants of the village, whom we were invited to join, sat onthe opposite side, spectators of the performance. In the meantime theyoung men and boys were prancing about, now advancing to the girlsbeating the ground, rattling their anklets, and creating an enormousquantity of dust.
These proceedings had gone on for some time, when a gay youth, evidentlythe leader among them, snatching a brand from the fire after dancing upto the girls, stuck it in the ground, when he began to leap round andover it, for a considerable time, taking care not to touch it.
After these various scenes had been enacted, a number of young men,representing a war party returning victorious from battle, made theirappearance, and brandishing their broad-headed spears, ornamented withflowing ox-tails. Now they rushed off, as if to pursue an enemy; nowreturned, and were welcomed by a chorus from the women.
The scene was highly effective; the glare of the fire being reflected onthe red helmet-like gear and glittering ornaments of the girls, on theflashing blades and waving ox-tails on the warriors, and the figures ofthe spectators, with the huts and groups of cattle in the distance,while the howling, chanting, shrieking, and barking sounds were kept upwithout intermission. We, at last, making signs to the chief that wewere very weary, placing our heads on our hands and closing our eyes,were led ceremoniously to our hut, into which we were thankful to enter.Having closed the entrance we lay down and tried to go to sleep. Thenoises which reached our ears showed us, however, that the dance wasbeing kept up with unabated spirit, and I suspect that our hosts formedbut a mean opinion of our tastes in consequence of our disappearing fromthe festive scene.
Next morning, having bestowed a few remaining trinkets to delight thehearts of the black damsels, we wished our hospitable entertainersfarewell and continued our voyage, not an article of our property havingbeen purloined.
Our raft clung together far better than I should have supposed, but Isuspect, had it struck a rocky bottom, the case would have been verydifferent. We passed by herds of hippopotami, some with young ones ontheir backs, and although they sank as we approached, they soon came tothe surface to breathe. On the trees overhead were numbers of iguanas,which, on seeing us, splashed into the water. The chief canoemancarried a light javelin, with which he speared a couple, the fleshproving to be tender and gelatinous.
Numerous large crocodiles, as we appeared, plunged heavily into thestream, indeed there was everywhere an abundance of animal life. Had wenot been anxious to join our friends, we should have been contented tocontinue the voyage for several days longer.
Another evening was approaching when we espied beneath a huge tree whatlooked like a tent and a couple of waggons near it. We fired off ourguns as a signal, and in a short time we saw two white men comingtowards us. We quickly landed in one of the canoes, and were soonshaking hands with Mr Welbourn and his son Harry.