[Illustration: GORILLA HUNTING.
CHAP. XXXII.]
STORIES
OF THE
GORILLA COUNTRY
NARRATED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
BY
PAUL DU CHAILLU
AUTHOR OF "DISCOVERIES IN EQUATORIAL AFRICA"
ETC., ETC.
NEW AND CHEAPER EDITION
LONDON
SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & COMPANY
_Limited_
St. Dunstan's House
FETTER LANE, FLEET STREET, E.C.
1893
[_All rights reserved_]
LONDON:
PRINTED BY GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, LD.,
ST. JOHN'S HOUSE, CLERKENWELL ROAD, E.C.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
PRELIMINARY CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER II.
Arrival on the coast--A king and his palace--Dancing and
idol-worship 3
CHAPTER III.
A week in the woods--A tornado--The leopards prowling about--I
kill a cobra and a scorpion--Fight with a buffalo--Hunting for
wild boars--A leopard takes a ride on a bull--Sick with the
fever 13
CHAPTER IV.
A village on the seashore--Lying in wait for a leopard 23
CHAPTER V.
The Bay of Corisco--The mangrove trees--The wonderful flocks of
birds--What I found in the pouch of a pelican--How an old king
is buried, and the new king crowned 29
CHAPTER VI.
An old man killed for witchcraft--My journey to the country of
the cannibals--Starting on the route 37
CHAPTER VII.
Our journey through the wilderness continued--A rebellion in
camp--Nothing to eat--I shoot a fish and miss an elephant--I
kill a big snake and the others eat him--My first sight of
gorillas 47
CHAPTER VIII.
I arrive among the cannibals--Their spears, bows, and
battle-axes--They take me for a spirit--Their king shakes when
he sees me--I give him a looking-glass--It astonishes him 59
CHAPTER IX.
An elephant hunt 67
CHAPTER X.
Life among the cannibals--Curious musical instruments--Cooking
utensils--A blacksmith's bellows and anvil--Cannibal diet 75
CHAPTER XI.
Journey to Yoongoolapay--Hunting with nets--The terrible
Bashikonay ants 83
CHAPTER XII.
Returning to the coast--Caverns and waterfalls in the
highlands--Crossing a river on mangrove roots--Stirring up a big
snake--A mutual scare 89
CHAPTER XIII.
Cape Lopez and an open prairie once more--King Bango and his
three hundred wives--His five idols--Slave barracoons--The
corpse and the vultures 97
CHAPTER XIV.
Slave barracoons--A big snake under my bed--A slave-ship off the
coast 103
CHAPTER XV.
Going into the interior--Sleeping with the king's rats--The
chimpanzee--Kill a gazelle--Too cold to sleep--The grey
partridge 109
CHAPTER XVI.
The hippopotamus--A speck of war--Reach Ngola--A Sunday
talk--The black man's God and the white man's God--How King
Njambai punished his wife--We build an olako in the woods 117
CHAPTER XVII.
An unsuccessful hunt for elephants--I take aim at a buffalo--A
leopard in the grass near us--We shoot the leopard and her
kitten--Great rejoicing in camp--Who shall have the tail?--A
quarrel over the brains--The guinea hens--The monkeys 125
CHAPTER XVIII.
Alone in camp--Hunting for elephants--Aboko kills a rogue--I cut
another python in two--We shoot some wild boars--A buffalo
hunt--Return to Sangatanga--King Bango sick 133
CHAPTER XIX.
A jolly excursion party--A race for the fishing banks--The
Oroungou burial-ground 143
CHAPTER XX.
Our camp at Point Fetish--An African watering-place--Fishing,
but not bathing--The sharks--Curing mullets, etc.--Turning
turtles--Bird shooting--A leopard springs upon us 149
CHAPTER XXI.
Bound for the interior--A sea voyage--A tornado--We reach the
Fernand-Vaz--Sangala wishes to detain me--A night
alarm--Prospect of a war--Arrayed for battle--A compromise--My
Commi friends 157
CHAPTER XXII.
I build a village, and call it Washington--I start for the
interior--My speech on leaving--The people applaud me
vociferously, and promise to be honest--We reach Aniambia--The
"big king," Olenga-Yombi--A royal ball in my honour--The
superstitions of the natives--A man tossed by a buffalo 169
CHAPTER XXIII.
Capture of a young gorilla--I call him "Fighting Joe"--His
strength and bad temper--He proves untameable--Joe
escapes--Recaptured--Escapes again--Unpleasant to handle--Death
of "Fighting Joe" 179
CHAPTER XXIV.
The hippopotamus--A duel--Shooting on the river--Nearly
upset--A night-hunt on land--My companion fires and
runs--Appearance and habits of the hippopotamus 189
CHAPTER XXV.
Visit of King Quengueza--I promise to visit him--The kindness of
the Commi--The dry season of the Fernand-Vaz--Plenty of birds
and fishes--The marabouts--The eagles--A bad wound 199
CHAPTER XXVI.
Another expedition to Lake Anengue--Difficult passage up the
river--The crocodiles--King Damagondai and his troubles--I
buy an mbuiti, or idol 207
CHAPTER XXVII.
A visit to King Shimbouvenegani--His royal costume--Hunting
crocodiles--How they seize their prey--The nkago--The ogata 215
CHAPTER XXVIII.
The nshiego mbouvé--Bald-headed apes--Their houses in the
trees--Lying in wait for them--We kill a male--The shrieks of
his mate--Description of the animal--Farewell to Shimbouvenegani 221
CHAPTER XXIX.
War threatened--Oshoria arms his men--We bluff them off, and
fall sick with fever--The _mbola ivoga_, or end of mourning
time--A death and burial--Finding out the sorcerer--The village
deserted--I become Viceroy at Washington 227
CHAPTER XXX.
Hunting in the woods--The mboyo wolf--We catch another young
gorilla--He starves to death 237
CHAPTER XXXI.
Going to unknown regions--Quengueza sends his son as a
hostage--I take him along with me--Reception by the king--Our
speeches--Quengueza afraid of a witch--An incantation scene 241
CHAPTER XXXII.
Gorilla hunting--My companions, Mombon, Etia, and Gambo--Etia
kills a large gorilla---We make up a large party--Camp stories
about gorillas--We capture a young gorilla--Her untimely death 247
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Voyage up the river--We build a village near
Obindji--Quengueza's plan for keeping the Sabbath--Kindness of
the natives--A trial by ordeal 253
CHAPTER XXXIV.
The kooloo-kamba--The gouamba, or meat-hunger--Exploring the
forest--Gorilla hunting--Within eight yards of a large
gorilla--He roars with rage and marches upon us 259
CHAPTER XXXV.
We go up the river to N'calai Boumba--A severe attack of
fever--The tender care of the natives for me--Anguilai accuses
his people of bewitching me--I go out and quiet him--A boy cut
to pieces for witchcraft--A useful idol--The ebony trees 265
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Hunting for food--We kill a female nshiego mbouvé--A young
nshiego with a white face--He becomes my pet Tommy--His
affection for me--His stealing pranks--Tommy gets drunk--His
behaviour at meals--His sudden death--Conclusion 271
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
GORILLA HUNTING FRONTISPIECE
MY RECEPTION BY THE KING 3
ENTICING THE LEOPARD 23
FLOCKS OF BIRDS 29
SCENE WITH THE MBOUSHA 37
KILLING THE SNAKE 47
KING ASTONISHED AT LOOKING-GLASS 59
ENTRAPPING THE ELEPHANT 67
FAN BLACKSMITHS AT WORK 75
THE HANDJA 78
NET-HUNTING 83
MANGROVE SWAMP. TUMBLING AND FALLING 89
SLAVE BARRACOONS. BURIAL GROUND 97
EMBARKING SLAVES 103
THE GAZELLE 109
AFTER DINNER 117
A LEOPARD AND HER YOUNG ONE 125
ABOKO KILLS A ROGUE ELEPHANT 133
FISHING 143
TURNING TURTLES JUST BEFORE SUNRISE 149
OUR SCHOONER CAUGHT IN A TORNADO 157
AFRICAN BALL. KING OLENGA-YOMBI DANCING 169
CAPTURING A YOUNG GORILLA 179
HIPPOPOTAMI AT HOME 189
MARABOUTS, STORKS, AND PELICANS 199
THE KING RECEIVES ME 207
A CROCODILE HUNT 215
THE NSHIEGO MBOUVÉ 221
EXPIRATION OF MOURNING 227
WOLF HUNTING 237
AN INCANTATION SCENE 241
A TRIAL BY ORDEAL 253
THE GORILLA MARCHES UPON US 259
MEETING THE MBUITI 265
A YOUNG NSHIEGO MBOUVÉ WITH A WHITE FACE 272
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Stories of the Gorilla Country.
PRELIMINARY CHAPTER.
I had passed several years on the African Coast before I began the
explorations recorded in my first book. In those years I hunted, traded
with the natives, and made collections in natural history.
In such a wild country as Africa one does not go far without
adventures. The traveller necessarily sees what is strange and
wonderful, for everything is strange.
In this book I have attempted to relate some of the incidents of life
in Africa for the reading of young folks. In doing this I have kept no
chronological order, but have selected incidents and adventures here
and there as they seem to be fitted for my purpose.
I have noticed that most intelligent boys like to read about the habits
of wild animals, and the manners and way of life of savage men; and
of such matters this book is composed. In it I have entered into more
minute details concerning the life of the native inhabitants than I
could in my other books, and have shown how the people build their
houses, what are their amusements, how they hunt, fish, eat, travel,
and live.
Whenever I am at a friend's house the children ask me to tell them
something about Africa. I like children, and in this book have written
especially for them. I hope to interest many who are yet too young to
read my larger works.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: MY RECEPTION BEFORE THE KING.]
CHAPTER II.
ARRIVAL ON THE COAST--A KING AND HIS PALACE--DANCING AND
IDOL-WORSHIP.
Some years ago a three-masted vessel took me to a wild country on the
West Coast of Africa near the Equator.
It was a very wild country indeed.
As we came in sight of the land, which was covered with forest, canoes
began to start from the shore towards us; and, as we neared the land,
we could see the people crowding down on the beach to look at the
strange sight of a vessel.
The canoes approached the vessel in great numbers. Some of them were
so small that they looked like mere nutshells. Indeed, some of the men
paddled with their feet; and one man carried his canoe ashore on his
shoulder.
At last, the natives came on board, and what funny people they were! I
could not discern one from another; they seemed to me all alike.
What a queer way of dressing they had too! You would have laughed to
see them. Some had only an old coat on. Others had an old pair of
trousers which probably had belonged to some sailor; these wore no
shirt or coat. Some had only an old ragged shirt, and some again had
nothing on except an old hat. Of course none of them had shoes.
How they shouted and hallooed as they came about the vessel! They
seemed to speak such a strange language. No one on board appeared to
understand them. They made so great a noise that I thought I should
become deaf.
One of them had a fowl to sell; another brought an egg or two; and
another a few bunches of plantains.
Our captain knew the coast; for he had long been an African trader,
though he had never been at this place before.
The ship cast anchor. It was not far from a river called Benito.
I left the vessel and went ashore with some others. As I landed I was
surrounded immediately by crowds of natives, who looked so wild and so
savage that I thought they would kill me at once.
I was led to the village, which stood not far from the sea, and was
hidden from view by the very large trees and the great forest that
surrounded it. On one side of the village was a prairie.
I shall always remember this village. It was the first African village
I had ever seen; and it was unlike those built in Southern Africa.
Don't think for a moment that I am going to speak to you of stone or
wooden houses. No! These wild people lived in queer little huts, the
walls of which were made of the bark of trees, and were not more than
four or five feet high. The top of the roof was only about seven or
eight feet from the ground. The length of these huts was about ten or
twelve feet, and they were seven or eight feet wide. There were no
windows, and the door was very small. They immediately took me to one
of these houses, and said they gave it to me. They meant that it was
mine as long as I would stay with them. It belonged to the son of the
king.
So I went in. But where was I to sit down?
There was no chair to be seen.
Patience, thought I. These people had probably never seen a chair in
their lives. It was so dark I could not see at first. By and by I saw
how the hut was furnished. There were some calabashes to hold water,
and two or three cooking pots. There were some ugly-looking spears, an
axe, and two or three large and queer-looking knives, which could sever
the head of a man at one blow. Of course I looked for a bed: I need not
tell you there was none; but, instead, there were some sticks to lie
upon. The very look of this sleeping-place made me shudder; I thought
of snakes, scorpions, and centipedes. The dark hut seemed the very
place for them. Shortly after the king's son came. If I remember well,
his name was _Andèké_. He told me that his father, the king, was ready
to receive me.
The king ready to receive me!
This was a great announcement. I must dress.
But how?
There was no washing-basin to wash myself in; besides, I had forgotten
my soap.
I was glad I had no beard at that time; for I do not know how I could
have shaved.
In short, I resolved to go and see his majesty as I was.
The sun being very warm, I took my umbrella with me. The people
conducted me to the royal palace.
What do you suppose a palace to be in the Benito country? The king's
palace was made of the same material (bark of trees) as the houses I
have just described to you; and it was only about twice as big.
As I entered I went towards the king, who was seated on a stool.
Another empty stool was by his side.
I may say that Apourou--such was the king's name--did not come up to my
ideas of a king. In fact, I should have laughed at him had I dared.
His costume was composed of a red soldier's coat, and he wore a little
bit of calico round his waist. That was all. You must understand he had
no shirt.
He was a tall, slim negro, with grey hair, and had large scars on
his face, and his whole body was covered with tattoos. He wore large
earrings. He was smoking a big ugly pipe.
He looked at me, and I looked at him.
The room was full of people, and the king had several of his wives
around him. The queen was there. Would you believe it? in that country
a man marries as many wives as he chooses!
The king looked at me for a long time without saying a word. Finally
he opened his mouth, clapped his hands, and said I was a funny-looking
_fellow_.
He next said he was very glad to see me, and would take care of me.
Then he touched my hair, and said I must give him some. He would like
to have me remain with him always. At this the people shouted, "We want
the _ntangani_ to stay with us!"
* * * * *
What do you think he did next?
He quietly proposed to me that I should get married to some of his
countrywomen; and added that whomsoever I should choose would become my
wife.
The suggestion was received by all the people with a tremendous grunt
of approval, to show that they thought just as their king. Then they
shouted, "The girl he likes he shall marry!"
I said, "I don't want to get married, I am too young." I did not want
to tell him that I would not, for all the world, marry one of his
people.
It was getting very warm in the hut, and there was a strong odour.
The people were packed so closely together that they reminded one of
herrings in a barrel, and you must remember I said the house had no
windows.
Then the king presented me with one fowl, two eggs, and one bunch of
plantain; and as I went away he said I had better give him my umbrella.
But I went off as if I had not heard what he said. I thought it was
rather too much for a king to ask a stranger to give up his umbrella. I
had just begun to learn what African kings were.
The people followed me everywhere; I wish I could have understood their
language. One man could talk English, and I am going now to give you a
specimen of his English.
When he thought I must be hungry, he said, "Want chop? Want chop?" When
he saw that I could not understand what he meant, he made signs with
his hands and mouth, which at once explained to me that he had asked
me if I wanted to eat. I said, "Yes;" and after a while, some cooked
plantains, with some fish, were brought to me. I did not care for the
plantains; it was the first time I had ever tasted them.
After my meal, I walked through the street of the village and came to
a house, in the recess of which I saw an enormous idol. I had never in
all my life seen such an ugly thing. It was a rude representation of
some human being, of the size of life, and was made of wood. It had
large copper eyes, and a tongue of iron, which shot out from its mouth
to show that it could sting. The lips were painted red. It wore large
iron earrings. Its head was ornamented with a feather cap. Most of the
feathers were red, and came from the tails of grey parrots, while the
body and face were painted red, white, and yellow. It was dressed in
the skins of wild animals. Around it were scattered skins of tigers
and serpents, and the bones and skulls of animals. Some food also was
placed near, so that it might eat if it chose.
It was now sunset; and night soon set in over the village. For the
first time in my life I stood alone in this dark world, surrounded by
savages, without any white people near me. There was no light in the
street, and only the reflection of the fires could be seen now and
then. How dismal it was!
I looked at my pistols and my guns, and was glad to find that they were
in good order.
By-and-by the people began to come out of their huts; and I saw some
torches lighted, and taken towards the large _mbuiti_ as they call
the idol, and there placed on the ground. The large drums or tom-toms
were also carried there; and the women and men of the village gathered
around. The tom-toms beat; and, soon after, I heard the people singing.
I went to see what was the matter.
What a sight met my eyes!
The men had their bodies painted in different colours. Some had one
cheek red and the other white or yellow. A broad white or yellow stripe
was painted across the middle of the chest and along both the arms.
Others had their bodies spotted. Most ugly they looked! The women wore
several iron or brass rings around their wrists and ankles.
Then the singing began, and the dancing! I had never seen such dancing
before. It was very ungraceful. The drummers beat on the tom-toms with
all their might. As they became warm with exertion their bodies shone
like seals, so oily were they.
I looked and looked, with my eyes wide open; I was nearly stunned with
the noise. As the women danced and sung, the brass and iron rings which
they wore struck against each other, and kept time with the music and
the beating of the tom-toms.
But why were they all there dancing and screeching around the idol?
I will tell you.
They were about to start on a hunting expedition, and they were asking
the idol to give them good luck in their sport.
When I found it was to be a hunting expedition, I wanted to go at once
with these savages, though I was only a lad under twenty years old.
I retired to my hut with a valiant heart; I was going to do great
things.
If you had been in my place, boys, would you not have felt the same?
Would you have left the gorillas alone? I am sure you all shout at
once, "No! no!" Would you have let the elephants go unmolested in the
forest? "Certainly not," will be your answer.
And what about the chimpanzee, and the big leopards who carry away
so many people and eat them, the huge buffaloes, the wild boars, the
antelopes, and the gazelles?
Would you have left the snakes alone?
Perhaps you are all going to say "Yes" to that; and I think you are
right, for many of these snakes are very poisonous, and they are
numerous in these great forests; for the country I am telling you
about is nothing but an immense jungle. When a man is bitten by one of
these snakes he often dies in a few minutes. There is also to be found
in these woods an immense python, or boa, that swallows antelopes,
gazelles, and many other animals. I shall have a good deal to tell you
about them by-and-by.
So I resolved that I would try to see all these native tribes; that I
would have a peep at the cannibals; that I would have a good look also
at the dwarfs.
I am sure, that if any one of you had been with me on that coast, you
would have said to me, "Du Chaillu, let us go together and see all
these things, and then come back home and tell the good folks all we
have seen."
Yes, I am certain that every one of you would have felt as I did.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]