Again during the night the roar of the lion was heard. It put Stanley
in a perfect fever; but David persuaded him not to go out and attempt to
shoot the creature, as he was completely knocked up by the exertion of
the previous days. The rest of us employed our time in collecting the
prickly-pear for fortifying our post, as David had proposed. It was no
easy matter, however, to cut the plants down.
"If we were to throw a rope over them, and draw the leaves on one side,
we might do it," said Natty. "A good suggestion," I observed.
We carried it out. While the grown-up members of the party cut down the
armed plants, the boys with ropes dragged them in large bundles up to
the camp, round which we began to form with them a broad belt. It was
hard work; but as there were numerous plants growing about, we had not
far to go. We were encouraged to persevere by the assurance that our
fortress would thus be almost impregnable to the attacks of wild
animals. We yet further secured it by driving in stakes pointed at both
ends outside the belt, which thus answered the purpose of a dry ditch,
only it was more difficult even than a ditch would have been for
unprotected feet to cross over.
At daylight next morning we continued our work, and had made
considerable progress before the heat of the sun compelled us for a time
to knock off. We had three fires lighted in the centre of our yard, and
this probably prevented the lion making another attack, which he might
otherwise have done. I was now so far recovered that I was able to
accompany David and the boys on short shooting excursions. Although I
never took pleasure in slaughtering animals for mere sport, yet it was
necessary to kill them for the sake of supplying ourselves with food.
The hills above the house swarmed with rock-rabbits, with which we could
at all times plentifully supply our table. I had gone out the following
morning with the two boys, keeping, of course, a careful look-out, lest
a lion might still be in the neighbourhood, when Leo cried out, pointing
to a rock above us--
"See, see! what a curious lump of feathers is up there!"
"What you suppose to be a lump of feathers has, I suspect, a head and
wings and claws attached to them," said David. "If I mistake not, that
is a _bacha_, a sort of falcon. Probably he is on the look-out for
rock-rabbits, and he is hiding his head between his shoulders and
crouching down that they may not discover him, but his sharp eyes are
watching every movement of his prey. Before long, if we remain quiet,
we shall see him pounce down on one of them should they venture out of
their holes. The Dutch, I remember, call these rock-rabbits
_klipdachs_. Poor creatures, they have good reason to be on their guard
against the bacha. While he is there we are not likely to get a shot at
one, for, cunning as he is, depend upon it some of the older ones have
found out that he is in the neighbourhood."
We watched for some time. Now and then we saw a klipdach pop out of its
hole, but presently draw back again, having caught sight of its powerful
foe. Now another would come out, but hide away in its cave very
quickly. Still the bacha remained without moving. He knew that in time
the poor silly little klipdachs would grow careless, and, anxious for a
game at play, would get too far from their homes to skip back before he
could be down upon them. Presently what David said took place. First
one klipdach appeared, and then another began running about or nibbling
the grass close to the rocks, but it was clear that they were watching
the bacha all the time. Still he did not move, and they began to run
further and further out into the open ground. Then two or three came
out together, and began leaping and frisking about. Presently the
hitherto immovable bacha leaped off the rock, spreading wide its huge
wings, and like a flash of lightning from a thunder-cloud darted down on
a klipdach on which it had fixed its keen eye. In vain the unfortunate
klipdach attempted to leap away. The bacha had cunningly noted the road
it came. In an instant it was in its claws, the poor little creature
screaming with terror. So rapid was its flight, that even if we had
wished it we could not have killed the bird. Off it went to the
pinnacle of the rock from whence it had descended, and there began
tearing its prey, which, happily, it soon must have put out of pain.
Though we waited some minutes, not another klipdach appeared, and we had
to go on some considerable way before we again caught sight of any of
the little creatures.
"Well," said David, "I do not know that it can matter much to the poor
klipdachs whether they are shot by us or caught by the bacha, but at all
events we will put them out of their suffering as soon as possible. Yet
I do not think we ought to throw stones at him. He follows his nature,
we follow ours."
After shooting as many rabbits as we required (by-the-by, their
scientific name, David told me, is _Hyrax capensis_), we made a circuit,
and took our way home along the plain. Leo and Natty were a little in
advance, when they came running back saying they had seen a big snake,
but before they could shoot it it had got away. Whether venomous or
not, of course they could not tell, but Leo declared that, from its
appearance, he was nearly certain it was so. It was a somewhat sandy
open spot, though a few bushes were near, among which we supposed the
snake had hid itself. We of course advanced carefully, when presently
in the distance we saw running over the ground a couple of
curious-looking birds, with long legs and a remarkable crest, which Leo
declared looked like a lawyer's wig. We hid ourselves behind a bush,
and the birds, not seeing us, came boldly on. On a nearer approach
David pointed out some feathers which seemed to stick out behind the
ear.
"They must be secretary birds," he whispered; "known as the
_Serpentarius cristatus_. They are determined enemies of serpents, and
will attack the most venomous without fear. The secretary bird is so
called on account of that crest at the back of his head, which looks
something like a pen stuck behind the ear. One might suppose, on
account of his long legs, that he should be classed among the cranes and
storks, but his curved beak and internal organisation show that he
belongs to the falcon tribe. His feet are incapable of grasping, and
thus he runs along as we see over the sandy ground with a speed which
enables him to overtake the most active reptiles."
Presently we saw the birds dart off, and in another instant a large
snake rose up before them. One stood still, while the other gave battle
to the reptile. The serpent made every attempt to get back to its home,
but the bird each time sprang before it with an active leap, and cut off
its retreat. Whenever the serpent turned, the bird again placed itself
in its front. At length the reptile, as if determined to try what
courage would do, raised up its head, which swelled with rage, and
displayed its menacing throat and inflamed eyes, hissing fiercely. No
human being would have wished at that moment to have encountered it.
For an instant the bird stopped, but it was not for want of courage; and
spreading out its wings, it covered itself with one of them, while with
the other, which was armed with horny protuberances like little clubs,
it struck the serpent a blow which knocked it over. Again and again the
serpent rose to receive the same treatment, till at length it lay quiet
on the grass. The bird instantly flew upon it, and with one stroke of
its powerful bill laid open its skull, and then immediately pressing it
to the ground with its feet, held it fast. We were unable to see
whether it swallowed the head or not, for its companion catching sight
of us, they ran off with their prey to devour it at their leisure.
Curiously enough, we were to make the acquaintance of yet another bird
before we got home; for, proceeding onwards, we caught sight of a zebra
coming towards us. It advanced but slowly, now stopping, now moving on
a little way. When it caught sight of us it turned round and attempted
to go back. We then saw that a shaft was sticking in its side, from
which the life-blood was flowing. It went on a little way, and then
down it sank on the ground. We had no doubt that it was one of the
creatures which had been speared at the hopo hunt when Stanley was
present, and having escaped, had wandered thus far from its usual
haunts. Scarcely had it disappeared, when we saw coming from a distance
a large flight of crows, who with loud croakings descended to the
ground. Presently a number of kites and buzzards approached from far
and near, though an instant before not a bird was to be seen, and
alighted on the same spot. We hurried on, wishing to get a sight of the
spectacle; but before we got up, David pointed out, high above us in the
air, a huge bird, which came wheeling round in a spiral line, seemingly
out of the sky, towards the same spot.
"I know that fellow," he said; "he is an _oricus_. He builds his nest
far up among the mountains, in the fissures of rocks. He equals in size
the famed condor of America, and if we could kill one, we should find
that across the wings when expanded he measures ten feet. No bird is
bolder in flight. At daybreak he left his aerie, and mounting in the
sky far beyond the reach of human vision, watched with telescopic eye
the creatures wandering on the earth's surface. That poor zebra was
seen by him probably long ago, and he knew well that he must shortly
become his prey."
While David was speaking, numerous other oricus descended like the
first. Their common name is the sociable vulture--_Vultur oricularis_.
By the time we got up to the spot, the poor zebra was half torn to
pieces by their powerful claws. The oricus having satisfied their
hunger, and carried off what they required for their young, the buzzards
approached, followed in a short time by the crows, who quickly denuded
the bones of flesh.
On reaching home, we found that a stranger had arrived from the nearest
village to the north of us, which Stanley had once visited. He came
with a sad story. A young child had strayed out from the village the
previous morning, and had been carried off by a lion, and the father and
another man, going in search of the animal, had not since returned; but
evident signs had been discovered that they also had been killed. A
panic had seized the people, and they had sent to ask our assistance to
destroy their fierce assailant with our guns. They knew well, from the
way the lions attacked them, that they were accustomed to human flesh,
which, when once a lion has tasted, it is said, he will always attempt
again to obtain. The poor people declared that there would be no safety
for them unless the lions were killed, for night after night they would
come, and no one would be able to go beyond their enclosures without the
risk of being seized. The difficulty was to find the lions, for they
were as cunning as ferocious, and the blacks declared that, by eating
men's flesh, they had obtained some of the sense of human beings.
"We will soon put that to the test," said Stanley, jumping up. "Tell
him, Igubo, if he will go with you and I, and show us where we can fall
in with the lion, we will soon give an account of him."
The stranger expressed his gratitude, and Igubo at once consented to
accompany Stanley. I confess I felt somewhat unwilling that he should
go, for he would thus completely put himself in the power of the
strangers, of whose honesty we had had no proof. Igubo, however, fully
believed them faithful, and would, I was sure, not desert him. I
proposed that we should all go out in the day-time, and attempt to fall
in with the lion man-eaters; but the stranger black said that would be
useless, as they were sure to keep out of the way. He knew, however, he
told us, of a spot which they were likely to visit in the early part of
the night. It was a pool in a small stream which ran into the river,
where numerous wild animals came to drink.
"But, dear Stanley, what is the use of you exposing yourself thus at
night," said Kate. "The lions will surely visit the village, and could
you not shoot them when they come? At the spot the stranger speaks of,
you will be surrounded by ferocious creatures, and though you may kill
one or two of them, the others may set upon you, and your life may be
sacrificed."
Stanley laughed at the notion.
"In the first place, dear sister, the lions will not show themselves
till some unfortunate person passes," he said. "Thus I might have to
wait day after day without killing one. Now, our friend here declares
that every night they go down to the water, so that I am sure to meet
them. Let us manage it, and do not be afraid. We shall return in
safety, and probably have been of service to these poor people, by
getting rid of their savage enemies."
"Oh! let us accompany you," cried Leo and Natty. "We will take care of
Stanley," said Leo; "so do not be afraid, Kate."
"Thank you; but the man-eaters might carry one of you off," answered
Stanley; "so I must decline your company. I would rather have my two
black-skinned friends as companions, for depend upon it they know more
about the matter than any one else."
"Massa," said Timbo, "I ever go out shooting wid you. I no take care of
you?"
"Yes, indeed you have," answered Stanley; "but I want you now to stay at
home and look after the camp. If there is any risk, it is better that
one should run it than both."
This answer satisfied Timbo, and Stanley having partaken of the supper
which Kate and Bella insisted on preparing for him, set off with Igubo
and the stranger. They carried the two best rifles, with a supply of
powder and bullets. I found that Jack and Timbo had been busily
employed in manufacturing a sort of infernal machine for the destruction
of wild beasts. They had selected a musket with a large bore, and they
proposed using this as a sort of spring-gun. Jack told me that while we
had been away, a huge hyena had been seen in the neighbourhood, and as
they are cunning animals and not easily overtaken, they thought it would
be the best way of getting rid of so dangerous a neighbour. There was
still sufficient light by the time they had finished preparing the gun
to plant it in the neighbourhood. The boys and I accompanied them out.
Timbo selected two trees, to which they lashed the gun in an almost
horizontal position, the muzzle only pointing slightly upwards. A piece
of wood about six inches long was fastened to the gun stock so as to
move easily backwards and forwards. A piece of string connected the
lower part of this with the trigger. To the upper end a long piece of
cord was fastened, which was carried through one of the empty ram-rod
tubes, and then tied to a lump of flesh, fastened round the muzzle of
the gun. As can thus easily be understood, an animal seizing the flesh
pulls the lever which draws the trigger, and at the same moment that it
has the meat in its mouth, the probabilities are that its brains will be
blown out. However, that it should not take the meat sideways, or come
behind it and thus escape, Timbo formed a fence round the spot, leaving
only a narrow opening just in front of the muzzle of the gun.
"Now," said Timbo, "here are five bits of meat to tempt de hyena to come
up to de trap. You go dere, you go dere, you go dere;" and we all, as
he pointed out, went in different directions round the spot to some
distance, and then dragged the tainted meat up towards the trap. "Now,
we go home; and to-morrow morning we find hyena dead," he said.
It was indeed time, as darkness was coming on, and it was just possible
that the hyena might prefer one of us to the bait which we had so kindly
left for him. Scarcely, however, had we reached home, when a loud
report was heard.
"If dat hyena, I bery glad we did come away," said Timbo; "but we not go
now. Perhaps other hyenas dere. We kill anoder to-morrow night."
It was quite dark when we got home. Our anxiety for the return of
Stanley prevented any of us from going to bed. Three hours had passed
away since nightfall, and still he did not make his appearance. I saw
that Kate was becoming very anxious--indeed I could not help feeling so
myself. At last I proposed to Timbo that we should go out and try and
find him.
"Dat I will, Massa Andrew," he answered. "Dough he not let me go wid
him, he no say dat I not to come afterwards."
With our rifles in our hands, and our long knives at our belts, we
sallied forth.
"Thank you, Andrew," said Kate, as I was going out. "I cannot help
fearing that some accident may have happened to Stanley, and you will do
your utmost to find him. I am sure you will."
Timbo, who had several times accompanied his master to the village I
have spoken of, was tolerably certain of the direction we should take.
As we walked on, feeling our way in difficult places with the long poles
we carried in our hands, our ears were assailed by the screeching of
night-birds and the occasional roars and mutterings of wild beasts. A
feeling of awe gradually crept over me, produced by the wild sounds and
the peculiar scenery through which we were passing. On one side rose
the hills, with dark rocks cropping out amidst the thick foliage; while,
on the other, the river flowed by with a murmuring sound, reflecting the
bright stars from the dark sky overhead. Far away to the right were
sombre forests, with openings here and there, across which phantom forms
were seen flitting to and fro, though so indistinct were they that we
could not tell what animals they might be.
"I t'ink we get near where de captain come to shoot," said Timbo in a
low voice. "We go slow now, and take care dat no lion or 'noceros see
us."
We moved on, but could hear no sounds. Presently we saw, a little way
below us, the stream of which we were in search.
"Can the captain have left it, and passed us on the way?" I whispered
to Timbo. We were now close down to the stream. "What is that?" I
asked, pointing to a huge mass on the opposite side. "Surely there lies
the body of an elephant; and what are those creatures near us on the
left?"
"Dey leopards," whispered limbo. "De captain hab been here and killed
dem, no doubt about dat."
Just as he was speaking, emerging from a clump of low wood, there
appeared directly before us a magnificent lion. The creature stopped
and lifted up his head, moving his tail slowly to and fro, as if about
to spring forward. Now he crept on and on. Presently he uttered a loud
roar. I stepped back, instinctively bringing my rifle to my shoulder;
but at that moment there was the flash of a gun, and a loud report came,
apparently out of the ground close in front of us, and the huge lion
sprang high up into the air. Scarcely, however, had the report ceased
echoing in our ears, than from another clump, a little way on our right,
I caught sight of an enormous rhinoceros, who seemed at that moment to
have discovered that he had an enemy close to him. I felt sure it was
Stanley who had fired. I shouted out to him. He answered me, "All
right!" not apparently perceiving the approach of a new assailant. On
dashed the huge rhinoceros, dipping his snout, as he descended into the
water, beneath the surface, his eyes alone remaining above it. He was
making directly for where I supposed Stanley lay hid. There was no time
for him to reload, and I felt sure that the monster would gore him or
trample over his body. I had never prided myself on my shooting, but I
felt now or never was the time to take steady aim, or the life of my
cousin might be sacrificed, while Timbo and I, indeed, were placed in no
little danger. Aiming at the creature's head, near its left eye, I
fired. Instantly it rose up, uttering a loud bellow, but still came
floundering on across the stream. "Up, Stanley, up!" I shouted out.
"Timbo, do you fire, or the captain may be killed!" Timbo drew his
trigger. Again the creature was hit, but still his progress was not
stopped. Wading or swimming, it had just reached the bank, close to
where Stanley lay. Again I shrieked out to him. He was attempting to
reload without getting up, for which, indeed, he had not time. In
another instant I expected to see the sharp horn of the rhinoceros
plunged into his side, when it suddenly stopped and rolled over into the
stream.
"A capital night's sport!" exclaimed Stanley, springing up, his nerves
in no way shaken by the fearful danger he had gone through--for I fully
believe that had he missed the lion, which was on the point of springing
on him, he must have been killed; and had we not been near to defend him
from the rhinoceros, nothing could have saved him. Just as Stanley had
finished loading his gun, a loud roar echoed through the woods, and we
saw, coming out from behind the back of the elephant, another large
lion. We could almost distinguish the grin on his features as he stood
shaking his head, but yet not daring to approach. The ferocious beast,
which we concluded from his size was one of the man-eaters, advanced
boldly towards us. He seemed about to spring, and might have reached us
across the stream with a bound, when Stanley, raising his rifle, fired,
and the lion rolled over, shot through the heart. Igubo and the other
black, uttering shouts of triumph, came running up. They had been
concealed in a pit at a little distance, where it appeared that they
also had shot a lion and a leopard.
"Why you go so far off?" said Timbo, when he saw them. "Is dis de way
to look after de captain? Captain, you kill Miss Kate and Miss Bella
wid fright if you go away like dis." Timbo had evidently scarcely
recovered his alarm at the risk his master had run.
"Well, well, Timbo," answered Stanley; "you see we have done our duty
and performed our promise. Three man-eaters lie dead, and I hope we may
bag the remainder before many days are over."
The blacks were very anxious to get us all to go to their village, that
they might treat us with honour, and thank us for the services we had
rendered, and for the ample supply of meat which our success had
procured. Not being hard-pressed ourselves, we begged them to accept
the whole of it, with the exception of a small quantity of the
rhinoceros meat, which they undertook to bring up the following day. I
urged Stanley, however, to come back, to relieve Kate of her anxiety;
and telling our new friends that we would come and see them another day,
we returned homewards. Having reloaded our guns, we took our way along
the banks of the river. I was a little in advance, when I put my foot
upon what I thought was the log of a tree, when what was my horror to
see stretched out before me the long head and scaly body of a huge
crocodile! I stopped; for though the creature could not instantly turn
round, he might first knock me over with his powerful tail, and then
have time, before I could recover myself, to wear ship, as Jack would
have called it, and seize me in his fearful jaws. The thought that he
might do this flashed across me, but I kept my presence of mind, and
raising my rifle, levelled it at his ear. I fired, and without a
struggle the creature turned on one side, and lay perfectly still.
Timbo was instantly up with me.
"Me kill him well, Massa Andrew!" he exclaimed. "You no do dat, him gib
ugly bite."
As we had no wish to have any crocodiles' meat (although the natives
have no objection to eat it), we hurried homewards.
"There they come!--there they come!" we heard Leo and Natty shouting
out; and they brought torches down the hill to give us welcome. My kind
cousin had not gone to bed, but insisted upon sitting up to prepare a
meal for us all, as she declared (which was indeed the case) that we
should be very hungry. Not till then did Stanley give us an account of
his adventures.
"The first thing we did," he said, "was to dig some shallow pits, with
boughs over them, in which we could conceal ourselves from the beasts
which might approach the stream. We saw by the spoors that numerous
animals were accustomed to come there. For some reason, however, none
appeared at first, except hyenas and jackals, which came round staring
and laughing at us in the most impudent manner. We threw stones at
them, but this only tended to increase their mockery. At length I
hurled a lump of wood at the head of one of them, which, hitting him on
the nose, made him cry out, and the whole scampered off as fast as their
logs could carry them. They were, I hoped, the forerunners of more
noble brutes. I was not disappointed, for in a short time the ground
shook with the heavy tramp of elephants hurrying down to the water.
Nearer and nearer they came. At length I could set their dark
phantom-like forms moving amid the trees. Next their shapes were
distinguishable, and then an enormous elephant stood out in bold relief
against the sky. Another and another followed, till the bank of the
river was lined with them. They could easily have crossed the stream,
had they been so disposed, when few people would have given much for my
life or that of my companions. I felt a little nervous, I confess, but
soon recovered my presence of mind. I raised my gun to take aim at
their leader, who stood conspicuously forth from among his fellows. Of
course, Kate, you will say I was very wrong to think of shooting him,
but I could not help it. I allowed them to go on drinking, which they
did, dipping their trunks into the water, and pouring it down their
throats. I hesitated even now, however, about firing, lest I might warn
the lions, whom I most particularly wished to destroy. Suddenly they
all began to move off, and I was afraid that I should miss the chance of
hitting one. I therefore gave a low whistle, which immediately
attracted their attention. Once more turning round, they slightly
raised their huge ears, and moved their trunks in eccentric circles
through the air, as if they wished to ascertain the cause of the strange
noise they had heard. I could resist no longer, but pulling my trigger,
the loud thud of the bullet as it struck the animal's head showed me I
had hit him fairly. He turned round, and staggered back a few paces. I
was afraid that I might not have mortally wounded him. I fired my other
barrel behind his ear, and without a struggle he sank down dead, the
other elephants going off into the forest at a great rate, uttering
notes of terror. I was about to rush forward across the stream to
examine him, when my companions urged me to remain quiet; and in a short
time I saw a leopard stealing over the ground. Then another came. I
shot one with one barrel, and one with the other; but still the object
of our hunt, if so it could be called, was not accomplished. Some time
passed away, when I saw a creature moving towards me; and soon, as it
came out of the darkness of the forest, I distinguished a fine lion. I
let it get quite close before I fired. I drew my trigger. The brute
turned round and bounded off, and I thought that it had escaped me,
though the loud and peculiar roar it uttered made me hope that it was
mortally wounded. Still Igubo urged me to remain quiet, and after some
time another lion came. It seemed as if he was about to spring across
the stream towards me. It was the one I shot just as Andrew arrived.
The rest he has told you."
"Oh, brother, I wish you would not undertake such dangerous
expeditions!" exclaimed Kate, when Stanley had finished.
"But surely, my dear sister, in this case I was fighting in a good
cause," said Stanley, laughing. "If we have rid the country of these
man-eaters, we shall have rendered an essential service to our
neighbours, and the blacks, I hope, will show their gratitude."
We soon retired to rest, and slept more soundly than we had done for
many nights, though we kept a guard as usual, as our fortification was
not entirely completed. The next morning we set to work to finish it,
and by noon had entirely surrounded it with an impenetrable hedge. It
took us some time longer to fasten the prickly branches to the top of
our fence. While we were at work, a party of blacks arrived from the
village, bringing with them a large quantity of elephant and rhinoceros
flesh. They came to thank our chief, they said, for the service he had
done them, though they feared that there were still other lions in the
neighbourhood. Stanley promised to do his best to look out for them,
should any again appear.
The young koodoo was by this time completely tamed, and even the little
zebra had lost all fear, and would come up when called by Kate or Bella
to be fed, and allow itself to be stroked and petted by them; but when
any blacks came near it, it would scamper off and kick out with its
heels, or, if they pursued it, would turn round and try to bite them.
"I am sure it would let me ride it," said Bella, "if we could make a
saddle to fit its back."
"I think I could do that for you, Miss Bella," said Jack; "but it might
be a hard job to put it on."
"If you will make the saddle and bridle, I will try to put them on,"
repeated Bella.
We had no lack of skins, which I should have said Timbo and Jack
employed themselves in dressing. Out of these, the former, who was very
ingenious, in a short time contrived to make a very respectable-looking
side-saddle. We had some iron wire, with which he formed a bit, as also
a stirrup. Bella was highly delighted when he produced it completed.
She, meantime, had allowed no one but herself to feed the little
creature, and every day when she did so she threw a piece of hide over
its back. In a little time she placed a still larger hide on the
animal, till it was thoroughly accustomed to the weight, and seemed in
no way to mind it. To introduce the bit into its mouth was a more
difficult task. However, it allowed her one day to slip it in, after it
had been eating; and she kept it there for some time, leading it by the
bridle about the yard.
"Now bring me the saddle, Jack," she cried out. "I am sure it will let
me put it on its back."
Jack brought it, and the zebra stood perfectly still while he tightened
the girths. Next to Kate and Bella, Jack was evidently the zebra's
favourite, and it never seemed to object to his playing with it.
"Now lift me up, Jack," said Bella; "and I am sure it will let you lead
it about."
In a short time the little creature seemed perfectly contented with its
new employment, and Bella was able to ride it round and round the yard,
without its showing any wish to throw her off. The koodoo ran by her
side, every now and then looking round into the zebra's face, as much as
to ask how he liked it. She, however, did not try it too far; and after
riding about for half an hour or so, she jumped off its back, and
relieved it of its saddle, patting its head and talking to it all the
time. She then, leading it back to its pen, took off its bridle and
gave it some more food. The following day she tried it in the same way;
and though at first it seemed rather disinclined to allow the bit to be
put into its mouth, after she had coaxed it, and talked to it for some
time, it allowed her to put it in; and Jack again bringing out the
saddle, it went through the duty of the previous day.
"I think now," said Bella, "if we have to make a journey, that I shall
have a steed ready to carry me. I wish, Kate, we could find an animal
for you."
"No fear about dat, Miss Bella," said Timbo. "If we no get horses we
get oxen, and dey do better dan any other animal in dis country."
Timbo had been making inquiries, it appeared, about the natives further
to the south, and had been told that at some distance there were herds
of oxen, which the people were accustomed to ride. This gave us hopes
that we might be able to procure some, and that we might proceed on our
journey without waiting for Senhor Silva and Chickango. As yet no news
had been received from them, though we were now in daily expectation of
the arrival of a messenger whom they had promised if possible to send
back to us, with an account of their progress. Our days were beginning
to grow somewhat monotonous, from the fact that we had no great
difficulty in supplying ourselves with food, and were unwilling to go
out and kill creatures merely for the sake of amusement. Stanley made a
second excursion to assist our friends in the northern village, and
succeeded in killing two more lions, which the people declared were
man-eaters.