ADVENTURES AMONG THE SHILLOOK NEGROES.
Morning—Magnificence of the Island Scenery—Birds and
Hippopotami—Flight of the Natives—The Island of Aba—Signs
of Population—A Band of Warriors—The Shekh and the Sultan—A
Treaty of Peace—The Robe of Honor—Suspicions—We walk to the
Village—Appearance of the Shillooks—The Village—The Sultan
gives Audience—Women and Children—Ornaments of the Natives—My
Watch—A Jar of Honey—Suspicion and Alarm—The Shillook and the
Sultan’s Black Wife—Character of the Shillooks—The Land of the
Lotus—Population of the Shillook Kingdom—The Turning Point—A
View from the Mast-Head.
We sailed nearly all night with a steady north-wind, which towards
morning became so strong that the men were obliged to take in sail and
let us scud under bare poles. When I rose, in the gray of early dawn,
they were about hoisting the little stern-sheet, which alone sufficed
to carry us along at the rate of four miles an hour. We had passed the
frontier of Egyptian Soudân soon after sunset, and were then deep in the
negro kingdom of the Shillooks. The scenery had changed considerably
since the evening. The forests were taller and more dense, and the
river more thickly studded with islands, the soil of which was entirely
concealed by the luxuriant girdle of shrubs and water-plants, in which
they lay imbedded. The _ambak_, a species of aquatic shrub, with leaves
resembling the sensitive plant and winged, bean-like blossoms of a
rich yellow hue, grew on the edge of the shore, with its roots in the
water and its long arms floating on the surface. It formed impenetrable
ramparts around the islands and shores, except where the hippopotamus and
crocodile had trodden paths into the forests, or the lion and leopard
had come down to the river’s margin to drink. Behind this floating hem
of foliage and blossoms appeared other and larger shrubs, completely
matted together with climbing vines, which covered them like a mantle
and hung from their branches dangling streamers of white and purple and
yellow blossoms. They even stretched to the boughs of the large mimosa,
or sont trees, which grew in the centre of the islands, thus binding
all together in rounded masses. Some of the smaller islands resembled
floating hills of vegetation, and their slopes and summits of impervious
foliage, rolling in the wind, appeared to keep time with the rocking of
the waves that upheld them. The profusion of vegetable life reminded
me of the Chagres River. If not so rich and gorgeous, it was on a far
grander scale. The river had still a breadth of a mile and a half,
where his current was free, but where island crowded on island in a
vast archipelago of leafy shores, he took a much wider sweep. The waves
danced and glistened in the cool northern wind, as we glided around his
majestic curves, and I stood on deck watching the wonderful panorama
unfold on either side, with a feeling of exultation to which I gave free
vent. In no other river have I seen landscapes of larger or more imposing
character.
All the rich animal world of this region was awake and stirring before
the sun. The wild fowls left their roosts; the _zikzaks_ flew twittering
over the waves, calling up their mates, the sleepy crocodiles; the herons
stretched their wings against the wind; the monkeys leaped and chattered
in the woods, and at last whole herds of hippopotami, sporting near the
shore, came up spouting water from their nostrils, in a manner precisely
similar to the grampus. I counted six together, soon after sunrise, near
the end of an island. They floundered about in the shallows popping up
their heads every few minutes to look at us, and at last walked out
through the reeds and stood upon the shore. Soon afterwards five more
appeared on the other side of the river, and thenceforth we saw them
almost constantly, and sometimes within fifty yards. I noticed one which
must have been four feet in breadth across the ears, and with a head
nearly five feet long. He opened his mouth wide enough to show two round,
blunt tusks, or rather grinders, one on each side. They exhibited a great
deal of curiosity, and frequently turned about after we had passed, and
followed for some time in our wake.
Soon after sunrise the raïs observed some Shillooks in the distance,
who were sinking their canoes in the river, after which they hastily
retreated into the woods. We ran along beside the embowering shores,
till we reached the place. The canoes were carefully concealed and
some pieces of drift wood thrown over the spot, as if left there by
the river. The raïs climbed to the mast-head and called to the people,
assuring them that there was no danger, but, though we peered sharply
into the thickets, we could find no signs of any human being. The river
here turned to the south, disclosing other and richer groups of islands,
stretching beyond one another far into the distance. Directly on our left
was the northern point of the island of Aba, our destination. As the
island is six or eight miles in length, I determined to make the most of
my bargain, and so told the raïs that he must take me to its further end,
and to the villages of the Shillooks, whom I had come to see. Abou-Hammed
was small in body, but had a stout heart. The Consul and fat Abou-Balta
had given him special instructions to keep me out of danger, yet he could
not refuse my demands. We sailed two or three miles along the shore of
Aba, looking into the depths of its ambak forests for traces of the
Shillooks, who, according to the raïs, had a village on the island. On
our right extended a chain of smaller islands—bowery masses of leaves and
blossoms—and beyond them the wild forests of the western bank. Glorious
above description was that world of waves and foliage—of wood, water and
sky.
At last, on rounding one of the coves of Aba, we came upon a flock of
sheep, feeding along the shore. A light thread of smoke arose from among
some dead, fallen trees, a few paces in the forest, but no person was
to be seen. The boat was run to the shore, and we landed and examined
the spot. The natives had evidently just left, for the brands were
burning, and we saw the prints of their long feet in the ashes. The raïs
and sailors walked on tiptoe through the woods, looking for the hidden
inhabitants. The mimosas, which here grow to the height of fifty feet,
met above our heads and made a roof, against the sun. Some large gray
apes, startled by our visit, leaped with wonderful dexterity from tree to
tree. I found several abandoned fire-places during my walk, and near the
shore saw many footprints in the soft soil. The forest was quite clear
of underwood, but the ground was cumbered with the trunks of dead trees.
There were but few flowering plants, and I was too much interested in
the search for the Shillooks to examine them.
The raïs finally descried the huts of the village at a distance, near
the extremity of the island. We returned to the vessel, and were about
putting off in order to proceed thither, when a large body of men, armed
with spears, appeared in the forest, coming towards us at a quick pace.
The raïs, who had already had some intercourse with these people and knew
something of their habits, advanced alone to meet them. I could see,
through the trees, that a consultation was held, and shortly, though
with some signs of doubt and hesitation, about a dozen of the savages
advanced to within a short distance of the vessel, while the others sat
down on the ground, still holding the spears in their hands. The raïs
now returned to the water’s edge, and said that the Shillooks had come
with the intention of fighting, but he had informed them that this was
a visit from the Sultan’s son, who came to see them as a friend, and
would then return to his father’s country. Thereupon they consented
to speak with me, and I might venture to go on shore. I landed again,
with Achmet, and walked up with the raïs to the spot where the men were
seated. The shekh of the island, a tall, handsome man, rose to greet me,
by touching the palm of his right hand to mine and then raising it to his
forehead. I made a like salutation, after which he sat down. The vizier
(as he called himself), an old man excessively black in complexion, then
advanced, and the other warriors in succession, till all had saluted
me. The conversation was carried on in the Arabic jargon of Soudân,
which the shekh and some of his men spoke tolerably well, so that I
could understand the most of what was said. “Why don’t you bring the
Sultan’s carpet that he may rest?” said the shekh to one of my sailors.
The carpet and pillows were immediately brought, and I stretched myself
out in front of the shekh and vizier, who sat upon a fallen tree, while
the others squatted upon the ground. The shekh at first took no part in
the conversation, but sat looking at me steadily, from under his heavy
eyebrows. Our negotiations were conducted in genuine diplomatic style.
Whenever His Majesty of the Shillooks had any thing to say, he mentioned
it to his vizier, who addressed Achmet, my vizier, who communicated it to
me, the Sultan. The spectators observed the most profound silence, and
nothing could surpass the gravity and solemnity of the scene.
In the mean time the other warriors had come up and taken their
seats around us, each one greeting me before he sat down, with
“_ow-wow-wobba!_” (probably a corruption of the Arabic “_mar-habba?_”
“how d’ye do?”) The vizier, addressing me through Achmet, said: “Tell us
what you want; if you come to fight, we are ready for you.” I assured
the shekh through him that I came as a friend, and had no intention of
molesting them, but he was not satisfied, and repeated three or four
times, drawing a mark between us on the ground: “if you are really
friends, we will be friends with you; but if you are not, we are ready
to fight you.” Achmet at last swore by the Prophet Mohammed, and by the
wisdom of Allah, that we had come in peace; that the Sultan wished to
pay him a visit, and would then return home. At the request of the raïs
we had come on shore unarmed, but it had not the anticipated effect.
“Why have you no arms?” said the shekh; “are you afraid of us?” I told
him that it was in order to show that I had no hostile intentions, but
the people seemed to consider it as mark of either treachery or fear. I
brought some tobacco with me; which I gave to the shekh, but he received
it coldly, and said: “Where is the dress which the Sultan has brought for
me?” This reminded me that I had entirely neglected to provide myself in
Khartoum with muslin and calico, for presents. I remedied the deficiency,
however, by going on board and taking one of my shirts and a silk
handkerchief, as well as some beads and ear-rings for the wives of the
two dignitaries. Achmet added a shirt and a pair of Turkish drawers, and
brought a fresh supply of tobacco for the warriors. The shekh took the
presents with evident gratification, and then came the work of clothing
him. He was entirely at a loss how to put on the garments, but Achmet and
the raïs unwound the cotton cloth from his loins, stuck his legs into
the drawers, his arms into the shirt-sleeves, and tied the handkerchief
about his head. Once clothed, he gave no more attention to his garments,
but wore them with as much nonchalance as if he had never possessed a
scantier costume. The vizier, who had shown manifest ill-humor at being
passed by, was quieted by the present of a shirt, which was put upon his
shoulders in like manner. He gave me his name as _Adjeb-Seedoo_ (“He
pleases his Master”), a most appropriate name for a vizier. The shekh’s
name, _Abd-en-noor_ (“the Slave of Light”), was hardly so befitting, for
he was remarkably dark. I was much amused at my servant Ali, who had
shown great terror on the first appearance of the savages. He had already
become so familiar, that when the shekh did not seem to understand the
use of the beads and ear-rings, Ali pinched his ears very significantly,
and took hold of his neck to show how they must be worn.
By this time coffee had been prepared and was brought to them. But
they had been so accustomed to inhumanity and deception on the part of
the Turks, that they still mistrusted us and no one would drink, for
fear that it contained poison. To quiet them, therefore, I drank a cup
first, after which they took it readily, but many of them, who then
tasted coffee for the first time, did not seem to relish it. A drove
of sheep happening to pass by, the shekh ordered one of the rams to be
caught and put on board the vessel, for the Sultan’s dinner. The men soon
began to demand tobacco, clothes, and various other things, and grew so
importunate that Achmet became alarmed, and even the raïs, who was a
man of some courage, seemed a little uneasy. I thought it time to give
a change to affairs, and therefore rose and told the shekh I was ready
to visit his village. We had intended returning on board and sailing to
the place, which was at the southern extremity of the island, about a
mile distant, but reflecting that this might occasion mistrust, and that
the best way of avoiding danger is to appear unconscious of it, I called
Achmet and the raïs to accompany me on foot. While these things were
transpiring, a number of other Shillooks had arrived, so that there were
now upwards of fifty. All were armed—the most of them with iron-pointed
spears, some with clubs, and some with long poles, having knobs of hard
wood on the end. They were all tall, strong, stately people, not more
than two or three under six feet in height, while the most of them were
three or four inches over that standard. Some had a piece of rough cotton
cloth tied around the waist or thrown over the shoulders, but the most
of them were entirely naked. Their figures were large and muscular,
but not symmetrical, nor was there the least grace in their movements.
Their faces resembled a cross between the Negro of Guinea and the North
American Indian, having the high cheek-bones, the narrow forehead and
pointed head of the latter, with the flat nose and projecting lips of the
former. Their teeth were so long as to appear like tusks, and in most
of them one or two front teeth were wanting, which gave their faces a
wolfish expression. Their eyes were small and had an inflamed look, which
might have been occasioned by the damp exhalations of the soil on which
they slept. Every one wore an armlet above the elbow, either a segment
of an elephant’s tusk, or a thick ring of plaited hippopotamus hide. The
most of them had a string of glass beads around the neck, and the shekh
wore a necklace of the large white variety, called “pigeon eggs” by the
traders on the White Nile. They had no beards, and their hair was seared
or plucked out on the forehead and temples, leaving only a circular crown
of crisp wool on the top of the head. Some had rubbed their faces and
heads with red ashes, which imparted a livid, ghastly effect to their
black skins.
The shekh marched ahead, in his white garments and fluttering head-dress,
followed by the warriors, each carrying his long spear erect in his
hand. We walked in the midst of them, and I was so careful to avoid all
appearance of fear that I never once looked behind, to see whether the
vessel was following us. A violent dispute arose among some of the men in
front, and from their frequent glances towards us, it was evident that we
were in some way connected with the conversation. I did not feel quite
at ease till the matter was referred to the shekh, who decided it in a
way that silenced the men, if it did not satisfy them. As we approached
the village, good-humor was restored, and their demeanor towards us was
thenceforth more friendly. They looked at me with curiosity, but without
ill-will, and I could see that my dress interested them much more than
my person. Finally we reached the village, which contained about one
hundred tokuls of straw, built in a circular form, with conical roofs.
They were arranged so as to inclose a space in the centre, which was
evidently intended as a fold for their sheep, as it was further protected
by a fence of thorns. Guards were stationed at intervals of about twenty
yards, along the side fronting the river, each leaning back against his
spear, with one of his legs drawn up, so that the foot rested against the
opposite knee. At the principal entrance of the village, opposite which
I counted twenty-seven canoes drawn up against the shore, we made halt,
and the shekh ordered a seat to be brought. An _angareb_, the frame of
which was covered with a net-work of hippopotamus thongs, was placed in
the shade of a majestic mimosa tree, and the shekh and I took our seats.
Another angareb was brought and placed behind us, for our respective
viziers. The warriors all laid aside their spears and sat on the ground,
forming a semicircle in front of us. A swarm of naked boys, from eight
to twelve years of age, crept dodging behind the trees till they reached
a convenient place in the rear, where they watched me curiously, but
drew back in alarm whenever I turned my head. The village was entirely
deserted of its inhabitants, every one having come to behold the strange
Sultan. The females kept at a distance at first, but gradually a few
were so far overcome by their curiosity that they approached near enough
for me to observe them closely. They were nude, except a small piece of
sheepskin around the loins, and in their forms were not very easy to
distinguish from the men, having flat, masculine breasts and narrow
hips. They were from five feet eight inches to six feet in height. The
raïs informed me that the Shillooks frequently sell their women and
children, and that a boy or girl can be bought for about twenty measures
of dourra.
After undergoing their inspection half an hour, I began to get tired
of sitting in state, and had my pipe brought from the boat. I saw by
an occasional sidelong glance that the shekh watched me, but I smoked
carelessly until the tobacco was finished. Some of the men were already
regaling themselves with that which I had given them. They had pipes
with immense globular bowls of clay, short, thick stems of reed, and
mouth-pieces made of a variety of wild gourd, with a long, pointed neck.
A handful of tobacco was placed in the bowl and two or three coals laid
upon it, after which the orifice was closed with clay. The vizier,
Adjeb-Seedoo, who had something of the Yankee in his angular features and
the shrewd wrinkles about the corners of the eyes, chewed the tobacco and
squirted out the saliva between his teeth in the true Down-East style. I
bargained for his pipe at two piastres, and one of the ivory arm-rings
at five, but as I had no small silver money (the only coin current
among them), did not succeed in getting the former article. I obtained,
however, two of the arm-rings of hippopotamus hide. While these things
were going on, the shekh who had been observing me closely, saw the chain
of my watch, which he seized. I took out the watch and held it to his
ear. He started back in surprise, and told the men what he had heard,
imitating its sound in a most amusing manner. They all crowded around to
listen, and from their looks and signs seemed to think the case contained
some bird or insect. I therefore opened it, and showed them the motion
of the balance-wheel and of the hand on the smaller dial of the face.
Their astonishment was now changed to awe and they looked at it silently,
without daring to touch it.
I profited by this impression to make a move for starting, before their
greed for presents should grow into a resolve to rob us by force. I had
asked the shekh two or three times to have a cup of water brought for
me, but he seemed to pay no attention to the request. Soon, however, one
of the men brought a large earthen jar, stopped with clay, and placed it
at my feet. Thereupon the shekh turned to me, saying: “There is plenty
of water in the river, and here I give you honey to mix with it.” The
jar was taken on board, and contained, in fact, nearly a gallon of wild
honey, which had a rich, aromatic taste, like the odor of the mimosa
flowers. The trading-vessels on the White Nile purchase this honey, but
as the natives, in their hatred of the Turks, frequently mix with it the
juice of poisonous plants, they are obliged to taste it themselves before
they can sell it. I did not require this proof at their hands, preferring
to trust them unreservedly, at least in my demeanor. Trust always begets
a kindred trust, and I am quite sure that my safety among those savages
was owing to my having adopted this course of conduct.
I went on board to get the money for the arm-rings, and after Achmet
had paid the men, directed him and the raïs to return. Several of the
Shillooks followed, offering articles for sale, and the vizier, who had
waded out, holding up his new shirt so that it might not be wet, climbed
upon the gunwale of the boat and peered into the cabin. I changed my
position so as to stand between him and the door, gave him two onions
which he saw on deck and had an appetite for, and hurried him away.
The shekh and all the warriors had come down to the shore, but without
their spears, and were seated on the ground, holding a consultation. By
this time, however, the raïs was at the helm, and the sailors had begun
to shove the bow of my boat into the stream. I called out: “O Shekh
Abd-en-noor!” in a familiar way, and waved my hand as a token of parting.
He rose, returned the salute, made a gesture to his men, and they all
went slowly back to the village. As we were leaving, the sailors informed
me that one of the Shillooks, who had come down to the boat while I was
seated with the shekh on shore, took a fancy to the fat black slave who
cooks for them, and expressed his determination to take her. They told
him she was one of the Sultan’s wives, and that as His Majesty was now
the shekh’s friend, he dare not touch her. “Oh,” said the Shillook, “if
she is the Sultan’s wife, that is enough;” and he immediately returned
to the shore. I forgave the impertinence of the sailors in passing
off such a hideous creature as _one_ of my wives, in consideration of
the adroitness with which they avoided what might have been a serious
difficulty.
The Shillooks have not the appearance of men who are naturally malicious.
The selfish impudence with which they demand presents, is common to all
savage tribes. But the Turks and even the European merchants who take
part in the annual trading expeditions up the river, have dealt with
them in such a shameful manner that they are now mistrustful of all
strangers, and hence it is unsafe to venture among them. I attribute the
friendly character of my interview with them as much to good luck as
to good management. The raïs afterwards informed me that if the shekh
had not been satisfied with the dress I gave him, he would certainly
have attempted to plunder the vessel. He stated that the Shillooks
are in the habit of going down the river as far as the country of the
Hassaniyehs, sinking their boats and concealing themselves in the woods
in the day-time, while by night they venture into the villages and rob
the people of their dourra, for which they have a great fondness. They
cultivate nothing themselves, and their only employment is the chase of
the elephant, hippopotamus and other wild beasts. All the region east of
the river abounds with herds of elephants and giraffes, but I was not
fortunate enough to get sight of them.
Here is the true land of the lotus, and the Shillooks, if not the
_lotophagoi_ of the Greeks, are, with the exception of the Chinese, the
only modern eaters of the plant. I was too late to see it in blossom,
and there were but few specimens of it among these islands; but not far
beyond Aba it appears in great profusion, and both the seeds and roots
are eaten by the natives. Dr. Knoblecher, who ate it frequently during
his voyage, informed me that the root resembles the potato in consistence
and taste, with a strong flavor of celery. These islands are inhabited
only by the hunters and fishers of the tribe, who abandon them in summer,
when they are completely covered by the inundation. At lat. 12°, or
about thirty miles south of Aba, both banks of the river are cultivated,
and thence, for upwards of two hundred miles, the villages are crowded
so close to each other all along the shores, that they almost form two
continuous towns, fronting each other. This part of the White Nile is the
most thickly populated region in Africa, and perhaps in the world, China
alone excepted. The number of the Shillooks is estimated at between two
and three millions, or equal to the population of all Egypt.
As we weighed anchor, I found that the men had taken down both sails and
shipped the oars for our return to Khartoum. We had reached the southern
point of the island, in about lat. 12° 30′ north, and the north-wind
was still blowing strongly. The rounded tops of the mimosa forests bent
southward as they tossed; the flowery arms of the ambak-trees waved to
the south, trailing against the current, and my heart sank within me at
the thought of retracing my steps. We had sailed two hundred and fifty
miles in forty-eight hours; the gateway to the unknown South was open,
and it seemed a treason against Fortune to turn my face towards the
Mediterranean. “Achmet!” said I, “tell the men to set the _trinkeet_
again. We will sail to the Bahr el-Ghazàl.” The Theban’s face became
ghastly at the bare idea. “O Master!” he exclaimed, “are you not
satisfied with your good fortune? We are now nearly at the end of the
earth, and if we go further, it will be impossible to return.” Raïs
Abou-Hammed declared that he had kept his word, and that he should now
return, as it had been agreed, before we left Khartoum. I knew there was
certain danger in going further, and that I had no right to violate my
agreement and peril others as well as myself; but there lay the great
river, holding in his lap, to tempt me on, isles of brighter bloom and
spreading out shores of yet richer foliage. I was in the centre of the
Continent. Beyond me all was strange and unknown, and the Gulf of Guinea
was less distant than the Mediterranean, which I left not three months
before. Why not push on and attempt to grasp the Central African secret?
The fact that stronger, braver and bolder men had failed, was one lure
the more. Happily for me, perhaps, my object on commencing the voyage
had been rest and recreation, not exploration. Had I been provided with
the necessary means and scientific appliances for making such an attempt
useful, it would have been impossible to turn back at that point.
I climbed to the mast-head and looked to the south, where the forest
archipelago, divided by glittering reaches of water, wove its labyrinth
in the distance. I thought I saw—but it may have been fancy—beyond the
leafy crown of the farthest isles, the faint blue horizon of that sea of
water and grass, where the palm again appears and the lotus fringes the
shores. A few hours of the strong north-wind, now blowing in our faces,
would have taken me there, but I gave myself up to Fate and a pipe, which
latter immediately suggested to me that though I was leaving the gorgeous
heart of Africa, I was going back to Civilization and Home.