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.
Before we renewed our journey the natives had done all they could to
gather provisions; but the result was poor enough. By going to distant
villages they had succeeded in getting a few bunches of plantain.
Mcomo, Mbéné's brother, backed out. He said he was not going into the
cannibal country to be eaten up. But I must tell you that Mbéné had
some friends among the cannibals. And he sent with me two of his sons
called Miengai and Makinda, together with twelve good hunters, and six
women who were the wives of some of the men. The women carried the
provisions, etc.
I took seventy pounds of shot and bullets, nineteen pounds of powder,
ten pounds of arsenic for preserving the birds and animals I should
kill, for I knew I should probably succeed in getting some new
specimens.
When all was arranged, when everybody had taken leave of all his
friends, for this was a very great journey, and they came back
half-a-dozen times to take leave over again, or say something they had
forgotten, when all the shouting and quarrelling about who should carry
the smallest load was over, we at last got away.
We had left the camp of Mbéné behind us at a distance of about five
miles when we came to the banks of a little river called the Noonday, a
clear and beautiful stream. I was ahead of the party with Miengai, and
was waiting for the others to come up before crossing. As we stood on
the banks I spied a fish swimming along. Immediately the thought came
into my mind, "How nicely that fish would taste if I could get it and
boil it in a pot over the fire!" I fired a charge of small shot into
it; but no sooner had I pulled the trigger than I heard a tremendous
crash on the opposite bank about six or seven yards off. Small trees
were torn down violently, and then we heard the shrill trumpetings of a
party of frightened elephants. They were probably sleeping or standing
in a dead silence on the opposite bank in the jungle. I was sorry I had
fired, for after crossing the stream we might have killed an elephant.
Poor Miengai was terribly vexed. "I am sure," said he, "they had big
tusks of ivory."
Our party, as soon as they heard the gun, came up in haste, and asked
what was the matter. When they heard the story they began to lament our
not killing an elephant; for then we should have had meat enough for
the whole journey; and they shouted with one accord: "Elephant meat is
so good!"
This exclamation made me wonder how an elephant steak would taste.
On we went, and got fairly into the mountainous country. The hills
became steeper as we advanced. How tired I felt; for the diet at
Mbéné's camp had not strengthened me. These Mbondemos had a great
advantage over me. They used their bare feet almost as deftly as
monkeys, and hence got their foothold more easily than I.
Miengai and I were in advance. All at once he made me a sign to keep
very still. I thought he had discovered a herd of elephants, or seen
the traces of an enormous leopard. He cocked his gun; I cocked mine;
the other men did the same; and there we stood in perfect silence, for
at least five minutes. Suddenly Miengai sent a "hurrah" echoing through
the forest. It was immediately answered by shouts from many voices not
very far off, but whose owners were hidden from us by huge rocks and
trees. Miengai replied with the fierce shout of the Mbondemo warriors,
and was again answered. Thinking we were going to have a general fight,
I looked carefully after my powder flask and my bullets, and found they
were all right. Going a little farther on, we came in sight of the
encampment of a large party, who proved to be some of Mbéné's people
just returning from a trading expedition to the interior. Two men of
this camp offered to go with us. Their names were Ngolai and Yeava. We
consented to take them.
What a journey it was! Nothing but thick woods to struggle through,
hills to climb, rivers to cross, and nearly all the time it rained;
in fact, I was wet from morning to night. How glad I was when, in the
evening, we had made our camp, and built great fires! For my part, I
had three fires lit about my bed of leaves; and in the evening I always
hung up my clothes to dry, so as to have them ready for the next day.
One morning my men came to tell me they were tired, and would not go a
step farther unless I gave them more cloth.
They seemed in earnest; and I began to question myself whether they
meant to plunder me or to leave me in these mountains. To be left thus
alone would have been almost certain death. To give them what they
asked was to show them I was afraid of them. If they knew I was afraid
of them I did not know what they might next do. So I determined to put
on a bold front. Taking my two revolvers in my hand, I said: "I will
not give you any more cloth. I will not let you leave me, because your
father Mbéné has given you to me to accompany me to the Fan tribe. You
must therefore go with me, or" (here I motioned with my pistols) "there
will be war between us. But," said I, "this is a very hard road, and at
the end of the journey I will give you something more."
This satisfied them, and we again resumed our journey. Up, and up,
and up we struggled, and now we began to meet with immense boulders.
Not the scream of a bird, or the shrill cry of a monkey, broke the
stillness of the dark solitude. Nothing was heard but the panting
breaths of our party as we ascended the hills.
At last we came to an immense mountain torrent, which rushed down the
hillside with fearful force, and was white with foam. Its course was
full of huge granite boulders, which lay about as though the Titans
had been playing at skittles in that country. Against these the angry
waters dashed as if they would carry all before them, and, breaking,
threw the milky spray up to the very tree-tops. As I looked up the
torrent seemed to pour its foaming waters directly down upon us.
This was the head of the Ntambounay river which I had ascended in a
canoe, and on the banks of which I came near being murdered in the
Shekiani village. What a change had taken place in it! Here a canoe
would be dashed into a hundred pieces against the rocks.
I was so thirsty and tired that I went to the river's bank, and drank a
few handfuls of the pure, clean cold water.
After resting a little while, we continued our course till we reached
the top of a very high mountain, whence I could see all the country
round. How wild and desolate it looked! Nothing but forest and
mountains stretching away as far as the eye could reach.
I was sitting under a very large tree, when, suddenly looking up, I saw
an immense serpent coiled upon the branch of a tree just above me; and
I really could not tell whether he was not about to spring upon me and
entangle me in his huge folds. You may well believe that I very quickly
"stood from under." I rushed out, and taking good aim with my gun, I
shot my black friend in the head. He let go his hold, tumbled down with
great force, and after writhing convulsively for a time, he lay before
me dead. He measured thirteen feet in length, and his ugly fangs proved
that he was venomous.
My men cut off the head of the snake, and divided the body into as many
pieces as there were people. Then they lighted a fire, and roasted and
ate it on the spot. They offered me a piece; but, though very hungry,
I declined. When the snake was eaten I was the only individual of the
company that had an empty stomach; I could not help reflecting on the
disadvantage it is sometimes to have been born and bred in a civilized
country, where snakes are not accounted good eating.
We now began to look about the ruins of the village near which we sat.
A degenerate kind of sugar-cane was growing on the very spot where the
houses had formerly stood. I made haste to pluck some of this, and chew
it for the little sweetness it had. While thus engaged my men perceived
what instantly threw us all into the greatest excitement. Here and
there the cane was beaten down or torn up by the roots; and, lying
about, were fragments which had evidently been chewed. There were also
footprints to be seen, which looked almost like those of human beings.
What could this mean? My men looked at each other in silence, and
muttered, "Nguyla!" (Gorillas!).
It was the first time I had seen the footprints of these wild men
of the woods, and I cannot tell you how I felt. Here was I now, it
seemed, on the point of meeting, face to face, that monster, of whose
ferocity, strength, and cunning the natives had told me so much, and
which no white man before had hunted. My heart beat till I feared its
loud pulsations would alarm the gorilla. I wondered how they looked. I
thought of what Hanno the Carthaginian navigator said about the wild
hairy men he had met on the West Coast of Africa more than two thousand
years ago.
By the tracks it was easy to know that there must have been several
gorillas in company. We prepared at once to follow them.
The women were terrified. They thought their end had come--that the
gorilla would be soon upon them. So, before starting in search of the
monster, we left two or three men to take care of them and reassure
them. Then the rest of us looked once more carefully at our guns;
for the gorilla gives you no time to reload, and woe to him whom he
attacks! We were fortunately armed to the teeth.
My men were remarkably silent, for they were going on an expedition
of more than usual risk; for the male gorilla is literally the king
of the forest--the king of the equatorial regions. He and the crested
lion of Mount Atlas are the two fiercest and strongest beasts of that
continent. The lion of South Africa cannot be compared with either for
strength or courage.
As we left the camp, the men and women left behind crowded together,
with fear written on their faces. Miengai, Ngolai, and Makinda set
out for the hunt in one party; myself and Yeava formed another. We
determined to keep near each other; so that in case of trouble, or in a
great emergency, we might be at hand to help one another. For the rest,
silence and a sure aim were the only cautions to be given.
As we followed the footprints, we could easily see that there were
four or five of them, though none appeared very large. We saw where
the gorillas had run along on all fours, which is their usual mode of
progression. We could perceive also where, from time to time, they had
seated themselves to chew the canes they had borne off. The chase began
to be very exciting.
We had agreed to return to the women and their guards and consult about
what was to be done, after we had discovered the probable course of
the gorilla; and this was now done. To make sure of not alarming our
prey, we moved the whole party forward a little way, to some leafy
huts, built by passing traders, and which served us for shelter and
concealment. Here we bestowed the women, whose lively fear of the
terrible gorilla arises from various stories current among the tribes,
of women having been carried off into the woods by the fierce animal.
Then we prepared once more to set out on our chase, this time hopeful
to get a shot.
Looking once more to our guns, we started off. I confess that I was
never more excited in my life. For years I had heard of the terrible
roar of the gorilla, of its vast strength, of its fierce courage when
only wounded. I knew that we were about to pit ourselves against an
animal which even the enormously large leopards of the mountains fear,
which the elephants let alone, and which perhaps has driven away the
lion out of this territory; for the "king of beasts," so numerous
elsewhere in Africa, is not met with in the land of the gorilla.
We descended a hill, crossed a stream on a fallen log, crept under the
trees, and presently approached some huge boulders of granite. In the
stream we had crossed we could see plainly signs that the animals had
just crossed it, for the water was still disturbed. Our eyes wandered
everywhere to get a glimpse of our prey. Alongside of the granite
blocks lay an immense dead tree, and about this the gorillas were
likely to be.
Our approach was very cautious; I wish you could have seen us. We were
divided into two parties. Makinda led one, and I the other. We were to
surround the granite block, behind which Makinda supposed the gorillas
to be hiding. With guns cocked and ready we advanced through the dense
wood, which cast a gloom, even in midday, over the whole scene. I
looked at my men, and saw that they were even more excited than myself.
Slowly we pressed on through the dense bush, dreading almost to
breathe, for fear of alarming the beasts. Makinda was to go to the
right of the rock, while I took the left. Unfortunately he and his
party circled it at too great a distance. The watchful animals saw
him. Suddenly I was startled by a strange, discordant, half human,
devilish cry, and beheld four young and half-grown gorillas running
towards the deep forest. I was not ready. We fired, but hit nothing.
Then we rushed on in pursuit; but they knew the woods better than we.
Once I caught a glimpse of one of the animals again; but an intervening
tree spoiled my mark, and I did not fire. We pursued them till we were
exhausted, but in vain. The alert beasts made good their escape. When
we could pursue no more we returned slowly to our camp, where the women
were anxiously expecting us.
I protest I felt almost like a murderer when I saw the gorilla this
first time. As they ran on their hind legs, with their heads down,
their bodies inclined forward, their whole appearance was that of hairy
men running for their lives. Add to all this their cry, so awful, yet
with something human in its discordance, and you will cease to wonder
that the natives have the wildest superstitions about these "wild men
of the woods."
In our absence the women had made large fires, and prepared the camp. I
changed my clothes, which had become drenched by the frequent torrents
and puddles we ran through in our eager pursuit. Then we sat down to
our supper, which had been cooked in the meantime. I noticed that all
my plantains were gone--eaten up. What was to become of us in the great
forest? I had only two or three biscuits, which I kept in case of
actual starvation or sickness.
As we lay by the fire in the evening before going to sleep, the
adventure of the day was talked over to those who had not gone with us;
and, of course, there followed some curious stories of the gorillas. I
listened in silence.
One of the men told a story of two Mbondemo women who were walking
together through the woods, when suddenly an immense gorilla stepped
into the path, and, clutching one of the women, bore her off in spite
of the screams and struggles of both. The other woman returned to the
village much frightened, and told the story. Of course her companion
was given up for lost. Great was the surprise when, a few days
afterwards, she returned to her home.
"Yes," said one of the men, "that was a gorilla inhabited by a spirit."
This explanation was received by a general grunt of approval.
One of the men told how, some years ago, a party of gorillas were found
in a cane-field tying up the sugar-cane in regular bundles, preparatory
to carrying it away. The natives attacked them, but were routed,
and several killed, while others were carried off prisoners by the
gorillas; but in a few days they returned home, not uninjured indeed,
for the nails of their fingers and toes had been torn off by their
captors.
Then several people spoke up, and mentioned names of dead men whose
spirits were known to be dwelling in gorillas.
Finally came the story that is current among all the tribes who are
acquainted with the habits of the gorilla, that this animal will
hide himself in the lower branches of a tree, and there lie in wait
for people who go to and fro. When one passes sufficiently near, the
gorilla grasps the luckless fellow with his powerful feet, which he
uses like giants' hands, and, drawing the man up in to the tree, he
quietly chokes him there.
Hunger and starvation began to tell upon us severely. When we started
I did not calculate on meeting with gorillas. I had eaten all my sea
bread. There was not a particle of food among us, and no settlement
near us. I began to feel anxious for fear that we should die. Berries
were scarce; and nuts were hardly to be found. The forest seemed
deserted. There was not even a bird to kill. To make matters worse, we
had been misled. We were lost--lost in the great forest!--and we failed
to reach a certain settlement where we had expected to arrive.
Travelling on an empty stomach is too exhausting to be very long
endured. The third day I awoke feeble, but found that one of the men
had killed a monkey. This animal, roughly roasted on the coals, tasted
delicious. How I wished we had ten monkeys to eat! but how glad and
grateful we were for that single one.
Presently, Makinda, looking up, discovered a beehive. He smoked the
bees out, and I divided the honey. There might have been a fight over
this sweet booty had I not interposed and distributed it in equal
shares. Serving myself with a portion not bigger than I gave the rest,
I at once sat down, and devoured honey, wax, dead bees, worms, dirt,
and all; I was so hungry. I was only sorry we had not more.
I had really a hard time getting through the old elephant tracks, which
were the best roads through the jungle. The men seemed to have lost
their way. We saw no animals, but found several gorillas' tracks.
At last my men began to talk more cheerfully; they knew where they
were: and, soon after, I saw the broad leaves of the plantain, the
forerunner of an African town. But, alas! as we approached, we saw no
one coming to meet us; and when we reached the place we found only a
deserted village. But even for this how thankful I was! Since I left
Dayoko I had experienced nothing but hunger and starvation; and these
were the first human habitations we had met.
Presently, however, some Mbicho people made their appearance. They were
relatives of Mbéné, and their village was close by. They gave us some
plantains, but no fowls. I wished very much to get a fowl. I felt
gouamba (which means hunger) for meat, and knew that a good warm fowl
broth would have done me a great deal of good. We spent the evening in
the houses, drying and warming ourselves. It was much better than the
forest, even if it was only a deserted town.
I asked if we should ever reach the cannibal country, and found that,
with the exception of the Mbicho village near at hand, we were already
surrounded on three sides by Fan villages.
I was too tired to rest. Besides, I was getting deep into the interior
of Africa, and was in the neighbourhood of the Fans, the most warlike
tribe that inhabited the country. So I barricaded my hut, got my
ammunition ready, saw that my guns were all right, and then lay awake
for a long time, before I could go to sleep.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: KING ASTONISHED AT LOOKING-GLASS.]