High art in tattooing—Suspicious friendliness—Friends or foes?—A
treacherous attack—The fauna of the Livingstone—Among the
“Houyhynyms”—The “Yaha-ha-has”—Frank’s courage and narrow escape—Our
fight with the Bangala—The mirage on the river—The great tributary
of the Livingstone—Among friends.
_Feb. 9._—While we rested on the jungle-covered islet opposite Rubunga,
we experienced that repose of spirits which only the happy few who know
neither care nor anxiety can enjoy. For the first time for many weeks we
had slept well. There was no simulation in the cheerful morning
greetings which were passed from one man to another. That wide-eyed
suspicious look and the swift searching glance of distrust had toned
down, and an unreserved geniality pervaded the camp.
About 9 A.M. the first canoe arrived, and its occupants received warm
and hearty welcome. Soon others arrived, while the big market-drum
continued to hasten the natives from both banks—from Rubunga and Urangi
on the left, and Gunji and Upoto on the right. In light, swift, elegant
canoes, of the caique pattern, the people brought fresh and dried fish,
snails, oysters, mussels, dried dogs’-meat, live dogs and goats,
bananas, plantains, robes of grass cloth, cassava tubers, flour and
bread of the consistence of sailor’s “duff,” spears, knives, axes,
hatchets, bells, iron bracelets and girdles, in fact everything that is
saleable or purchasable on the shores of the Livingstone. The knives
were singular specimens of the African smith’s art, being principally of
a waving, sickle-shaped pattern, while the principal men carried brass-
handled weapons, 18 inches long, double-edged, and rather wide-pointed,
with two blood channels along the centre of the broad blade, while near
the hilt the blade was pierced by two quarter-circular holes, while the
top of the haft was ornamented with the fur of the otter.
The aborigines dress their hair with an art peculiar to the Warua and
Waguha, which consists in wearing it in tufts on the back of the head,
and fastening it with elegantly shaped iron hairpins—a fashion which
also obtains among many kitchen maids in England. Tattooing is carried
to excess, every portion of the skin bearing punctured marks, from the
roots of the hair down to the knees. Their breasts are like hieroglyphic
parchment charts, marked with _raised_ figures, ledges, squares,
circles, wavy lines, tuberose knots, rosettes, and every conceivable
design. No colouring substance had been introduced into these incisions
and punctures; the cuticle had simply been tortured and irritated by the
injection of some irritants or air. Indeed, some of the glossy
tubercules, which contained air, were as large as hens’ eggs. As many as
six thin ledges marked the foreheads from temple to temple, as many ran
down each cheek, while from lower eyelid to base of septum curved wavy
lines; the chin showed rosettes, the neck seemed goitrous with the large
vesicular protuberances, while the front parts of their bodies afforded
broad fields upon which the native artist had displayed the exuberant
fertility of his genius. To such an extent is this fashion carried that
the people are hideously deformed, many of them having quite unnatural
features and necks.
[Illustration: KNIVES, RUBUNGA.]
To add to the atrocious bad taste of these aborigines, their necklaces
consisted of human, gorilla, and crocodile teeth, in such quantity in
many cases that little or nothing could be seen of the neck. A few
possessed polished boars’ tusks, with the points made to meet from each
side.
Blood-brotherhood was a beastly cannibalistic ceremony with these
people, yet much sought after, whether for the satisfaction of their
thirst for blood, or that it involved an interchange of gifts, of which
they must needs reap the most benefit. After an incision was made in
each arm, both brothers bent their heads, and the aborigine was observed
to suck with the greatest fervour, whether for love of blood or excess
of friendship it would be difficult to say. Having discovered our
liberality, they became arrant beggars, and difficult to satisfy. Copper
was despised, but brass wire was gold—anything became purchasable with
it except canoes.
The most curious objects we discovered at Rubunga were four ancient
Portuguese muskets, at the sight of which the people of the Expedition
raised a glad shout. These appeared to them certain signs that we had
not lost the road, that the great river did really reach the sea, and
that their master was not deluding them when he told them that some day
they would see the sea.
In reply to our questions as to where they had obtained them, they said
from men in canoes from Bankaro, Bangaro, Mangara, or, as the word
finally settled down, from Mangala, who came once a year to buy ivory.
These traders were black men, and they had never heard of white men or
of Arabs. One or two of their people had visited Mangala, and from these
great travellers I obtained the following list of places—which
geographers will do well to study—which they had heard of as being down
river:
Iringi.
Mpakiwana.
Ukataraka.
Marunja.
Ikonogo.
Bubeka.
Imemé.
Ikandawanda.
Mpungu (river entering from left bank).
Mangala.
Ibeko.
Iregweh.
Bateké.
Ikumu.
Irebu.
The nations reported to be below Rubunga were Bakongo, Mberri, Wakomera,
Wyyaka, Baurengeri, Mangala.
_Feb. 10._—On the morning of the 10th of February natives from down
river appeared to escort us, and our friends of Rubunga also despatched
a canoe and five men to introduce us to Urangi. In about two hours we
arrived at the very populous settlement of Urangi, consisting of several
villages almost joining one another.
In order that there should be no possible chance of a rupture, we
prepared to camp on a very long wooded island, on a beautiful green
thoroughly shaded by forest patriarchs. Our appearance was the signal
for a great number of the elegant canoes of this region to approach us.
These ranged in length from 15 to 45 feet, and were manned by from one
person to twenty men, according to their size. Beautifully carved and
perfectly shaped, their crews, standing, and armed with powerful paddles
of light wood, propelled them along at the rate of six knots an hour.
They were as different in form and design from those monsters up river
as the natives themselves were. It was very curious to watch this
transition from one tribal peculiarity and custom to another. It was
evident that these tribes never traded with those above. I doubt whether
the people of Urangi and Rubunga are cannibals, though we obtained proof
sufficient that human life is not a subject of concern with them, and
the necklaces of human teeth which they wore were by no means
assuring—they provoked morbid ideas.
We received a noisy and demonstrative welcome. They pressed on us in
great numbers, which, considering our late eventful life, did not tend
to promote that perfect feeling of security which we had briefly tasted
at Rubunga. Still we bore it good-humouredly. If geniality, frankness,
sociability are the best weapons with which to treat savage man, we
showed ourselves adepts and practised professors of the art. I did not
observe the least shadow of a frown, sulkiness, doubt, or suspicion on
the face of any man, woman, or child connected with the Expedition. As
for Frank and myself, our behaviour was characterized by an angelic
benignity worthy of canonization. I sat smiling in the midst of a
tattooed group, remarkable for their filed teeth and ugly gashed bodies,
and bearing in their hands fearfully dangerous-looking naked knives or
swords, with which the crowd might have hacked me to pieces before I
could have even divined their intentions.
But presently murmurs were heard, and finally the camp was in an uproar.
One man complained of his mat being stolen, another of his knife,
another of his cloth, another of his store of beads; three or four
spears were next abstracted; and finally, the thieving culminated in two
guns being stolen. Fortunately, however, the thieves were apprehended
before they had succeeded in effecting their escape. Then a new order of
things was determined upon. We fell back upon the old rule of never
forgetting that an unsophisticated savage was not trustworthy, except
when your eyes were on him. We built a boma, and refused admission to
the camp, but a market was fixed in a special place without, where, the
natives were told, those who possessed articles for sale would find
purchasers. The chiefs agreed to this, and friendship and fraternity
were apparently as much in demand as before the little disturbance,
since no one had been injured, and the losses had been borne without
reprisals.
[Illustration: DOUBLE IRON BELLS OF URANGI.]
At 5 P.M. the great chief of Urangi made his presence known by sounding
his double iron gong. This gong consisted of two long iron bell-shaped
instruments, connected above by an iron handle, which, when beaten with
a short stick with a ball of indiarubber at the end, produced very
agreeable musical sounds. He received a kindly reception; and though he
manifested no desire nor declared any intention of reciprocating our
gift, he did not leave our camp dissatisfied with his present. He loudly
proclaimed to the assembly on the river something to the effect that I
was his brother; that peace and goodwill should prevail, and that
everybody should behave, and “make plenty of trade.” But on his
departure his people became roguish and like wild children. Scores of
canoes flitted here and there, up and down, along the front of the camp,
which gave us opportunities of observing that every person was tattooed
in the most abominable manner; that the coiffeur’s art was carried to
perfection; that human teeth were popular ornaments for the neck; that
their own teeth were filed; that brass wire to an astonishing quantity
had been brought to them by the Bangala; as they had coils of it upon
their arms and legs, and ruffs of it resting on their shoulders; that
while the men wore ample loin-coverings of grass cloth, their women went
naked; that ivory was to be purchased here to any amount, and that palm-
wine had affected the heads of a great many. We also discovered that
Urangi possessed about a dozen muskets.
From a friend of mine, who paid me much attention, I ascertained that
three hours from Urangi inland was a large market-town, called Ngombé,
whither the Barangi frequently went with fish, dried and fresh, to
purchase cassava, bananas, ground nuts, and palm-oil; that palm-trees
were as thick as a forest inland; that on the right bank below Gunji are
three districts, Umangi, Ukeré, and Mpisa; that the river on the right
side is known as Ukeré, while that which rolls by Urangi is called
Iringi.
At sunset our strange friends departed, and paddled across river to
their villages, very amiably disposed, if one might judge from smiles
and pleasant nods of the head. At 8 P.M. a terrific drumming and some
half a dozen musket-shots were heard from the Urangi villages. We
supposed them to be dancing and enjoying their palm-wine, the delicious
and much-esteemed _malofu_. Sometimes we heard, amid a deathly silence,
also the voice of a man, who might be reading a proclamation or
delivering a lecture, for all we understood. The voice was clearly
audible, but the words were not. Finally, about midnight I slept.
_Feb. 11._—An hour before dawn we were alert, preparing our morning
meal, packing up, delivering instructions, and observing other customs
preparatory to starting the Expedition anew on the voyage.
A little after sunrise our guides of Urangi, who had shown us the way
from Rubunga, appeared, according to their promise to escort us to
another tribe below. For their good nature we gave an earnest of our
liberal purpose. We then embarked.
As we began to move from our camp we observed scores of canoes
approaching us from Urangi, across the wide branch that separated our
island from the villages. This was so natural that we paid no attention
to it, yet we thought a greater number of men manned them than on the
previous day. But for ten minutes we glided down smoothly and agreeably.
Suddenly I heard a shot and a whistling of slugs in the neighbourhood of
the boat. I turned my head, and observed the smoke of gunpowder drifting
away from a native canoe. Yet we could scarcely realise that our friends
had so soon become enemies, until one of my people cried out, “Master,
one of our men is killed. The people are firing at us.” Simultaneously
with the shot I observed our guides had darted away in their canoe, and
it dawned on my mind that the whole was a preconcerted arrangement.
Anxious for the safety of the Expedition, I permitted my canoes to float
by me, and then formed them in line, the boat in the rear, and thus we
began the fight. The natives advanced on us in gallant style, and after
firing their heavily charged guns withdrew rapidly again to reload, and
in the meantime the wooden assegais were launched with a marvellous
dexterity, and the beautiful canoes skimmed about like flying fish here
and there with bewildering evolutions and wonderful velocity and grace.
Of course the shields were raised like bulwarks around our flotilla, and
the fire from behind them was deadly; while though we in the boat were
conspicuous marks, we could not be touched owing to our rapidity of
fire. But they persistently followed us until the natives of the
district of Mpakiwana heard the firing and rushed to the assault, and
maintained it with a pertinacity that made us almost despair. About noon
we discovered a channel leading among the islands, which we followed,
soon becoming involved once more among the mazy laybrinths of the
winding creeks.
Our course may be ascertained, if I state that a little above Urangi we
were in north latitude 1° 36′ 0″, and at noon of the 11th, about twenty
miles westward of the Urangi, we obtained north latitude 1° 41′ 0″.
The islands are much more numerous below Rubunga, and are marvels of
vegetation, producing greater varieties of the palm species than those
above. Though gigantic trees of the class already mentioned are as
numerous, they are much more shrouded by masses of palm-vegetation,
vines, and creepers, from the observation of the river voyager. As the
banks here rise only from 5 to 10 feet above the surface of the river,
they are subject to inundation when the river is in flood, and in many
parts there are swampy depressions, favourable to dense growths of
rattan and young palms. These low islands are haunted by many pests. As
we glided by them during the day, we were subject to the attacks of
vicious gad-flies and the tsetsé, and at night mosquitoes were so
abundant that we obtained but little sleep. The murmur of the vast
multitude of these insects sounded during the night to our half-waked
senses like the noise of advancing savages, and until the wee hours of
the morning the continual flip-flap of branches of the fig-tree, with
which the worried mortals had armed themselves, annoyed my drowsy ears.
We obtained just a glimpse of Ukatakura, or, as it is sometimes called,
Ukaturaka, as we hastened from one island channel to another. We were
followed by five or six canoes for a distance of five miles, but we
finally escaped them.
_Feb. 12._—The 12th of February was passed without alarm; the islands
were still increasing in number; the river was immensely wide, extending
over seven miles. We obtained once a distant view of a village on the
right bank. Low islands of alluvial sand, which shot forth rich crops of
the _Arundo phragmites_ grass, _Papyrus antiquorum_, and many other
varieties of the Cyperaceæ, became more numerous. These were the haunts
of Marabu storks, Balearic cranes, the short-legged _Balæniceps Rex_,
flamingoes, spur-winged geese, flocks of wild duck, divers, kingfishers,
egrets, black as well as white ibis, and snipe. Any number of birds for
meat might easily have been obtained, were it not that a single shot
would have entailed a combat with musket-armed men. Our only hope of
escape from this region was by avoiding ferocious man.
On one of these islands we saw an elephant with a pair of magnificent
tusks, but he was as safe from us as though we had been unarmed; and on
a reedy island of considerable length we saw a herd of red buffalo,
which are smaller and very different generally from the black buffalo of
the eastern half of the continent. But though we pined for meat, and
were accustomed, in countries where strangers are not hunted for their
lives, to devote much time to hunting, still we dared not fire. The
lives of many men—our own and the natives’—depended on our forbearance.
The higher and more wooded islands swarm with baboons, the _Cynocephalus
porcarius_, the night-waking lemur, and diminutive long-tailed monkeys.
Once a beating of the bushes caused me to look quickly up, and I had
just a glimpse of a large species of monkey of a bearded kind, standing
up; but the current was inexorable, and we were at that time rowing
rapidly, so that it was useless to hope to be able to find him.
The channels swarmed with Amphibia—the hippopotamus, crocodile, and
monitor. Frequently at the lower end of islands, spits of white gleaming
sand were observed, with two or three bloated and monstrous crocodiles
basking on them, while smaller ones, at a respectful distance from the
sires, imitated their lifelessness, until the splash of our oars caused
them, sires and young alike, to hurry waddling to their deep homes.
A remarkable feature of the river was its immunity from snags. A few
gigantic trees, it is true, were seen stranded on a gleaming islet of
sand, but those dangerous obstacles of navigation, so frequent in
American rivers, are very rare on the Livingstone. This may be accounted
for, perhaps, by the fact that its bed is harder and more compact, and
contains a less tenacious alluvium than the river beds of North America.
Yet landslips are frequent, and the banks of islands exhibit many
prostrate forest monarchs; but by steering a few feet beyond these our
descent was never interrupted by any obstructing branch or snag.
_Feb. 13._—On the morning of the 13th we passed either the mouth of a
channel 500 yards wide, or a river—the Sankuru (?)—to our left. We
certainly thought it was a mere island channel, until we became
surprised at its great length, and still more surprised when, turning
round a bend, we discovered ourselves in the presence of a large number
of villages. It was too late to return. The great war-drums and horns
thundered through the woods, and startled the wild echoes of many a
forested isle. With an intuitive feeling that we should again “catch
it,” and become soon engaged in all the horrors of savage warfare, we
prepared with all the skill in our power to defend ourselves. The women
and children were told to lie down in the bottom of the canoes, and the
spearmen to “stand by shields” to protect the riflemen. At this time we
possessed only thirty-nine guns—nineteen Sniders and twenty
muskets—besides my own rifles. When within 300 yards of the first
settlement, we sheered off into mid-river and paddled slowly down in
close line, the boat in the advance, with a vague sense that there would
be no rest for us until we either sank into the grave or Providence
should endow us with wings to enable us to vanish from this fearful
savage world.
The first war-cries that rang out as the beautiful but cruel canoes
skimmed towards us reminded me of the “Houyhynyms,” for, to express
correctly the neighing sounds of the warriors of Marunja, their cry
ought to be spelled “Yaha-ha-ha.” But in tone it was marvellously like a
neighing chorus of several full-blooded stallions. Had I not been able
to ascertain the names of these tribes, I should certainly have been
justified in stating that after the “Ooh-hu-hus” we encountered the “Bo-
bo-bos,” and after a dire experience with the fierce “Bo-bo-bos” we met
the terrible “Yaha-ha-has.” Any traveller who should succeed me would be
certain to remark upon the fidelity of the novel classification.
For my part I must confess to having been charmed into a dangerous
inactivity by the novelty of the human cries, so much so that, before I
was on the alert, there were three canoes in front of me, and over the
gunwales I saw nine bright musket barrels aimed at me. As my position
was in the bow of the boat while leading the Expedition down river, I
soon became the target for a few more, as the swift gliding canoes were
propelled in a crescent form in our front. But, as on several other
occasions, I was saved, because my very appearance startled them. Had I
been a black man I should have long before been slain; but even in the
midst of a battle, curiosity, stronger than hate or bloodthirstiness,
arrested the sinewy arm which drew the bow, and delayed the flying
spear. And now, while their thin flint hammers were at full cock, and
the fingers pressing the triggers of the deadly muskets, the savages
became absorbed in contemplating the silent and still form of a kind of
being which to them must have appeared as strange as any unreal being
the traditions of their fathers had attempted to describe. “_White!_”
Of course the slightest movement on my part would have been instantly
followed by my death. Though it was unpleasant to sit and feel oneself
to be a target for so many guns, yet it was the wisest plan. While I was
the object of curiosity to a large party, Frank was no less the centre
of attraction to a number of men that hovered on our left flank, and our
asses shared with us the honour of being wonders to the aborigines.
Katembo attempted to open a conversation with them, and by surprising
them with the question if they were Marunja we obtained a knowledge as
to whom we were indebted for these unpleasant honours. And I believe it
was to Katembo that we owed the rupture of the charm of curiosity, for
five minutes afterwards, when we had descended nearly two miles in
silence below their villages, a vicious black aborigine fired and killed
Rehani, one of our finest men. Instinctively the Wangwana raised their
shields, and, rowing up swiftly to meet them, to defend the people like
a hen her chickens, the boat opened its battery of small arms to avenge
the death of Rehani, and in thirty minutes the seventy musket-armed
canoes of the Marunja were retreating to a more respectful distance.
After following us for five miles they abandoned the pursuit, and we
happily saw no more of them.
At noon we obtained an observation, north latitude 1° 28′ 0″, while at
noon of the 12th we were in north latitude 1° 36′ 0″. Our course among
the islands had ranged from west half north to west-south-west.
After we had escaped the Marunja, we crept from channel to channel and
creek to creek, which wound in and out between island groves, until
night, when we encamped, to undergo the usual nightly tortures of the
light-coloured mosquitoes of the Livingstone.
We had discovered on several islands, since leaving Urangi, small camps,
consisting of, perhaps, a dozen small grass huts or sheds, which had, no
doubt, been the temporary shelter erected by some trading tribe below,
and, as we heard from the aborigines of Rubunga the power of the Mangala
highly extolled, we came to the conclusion that upon arriving in the
Bangala’s country we should be freed from all strife and danger.
_Feb. 14._—During the forenoon of the 14th of February, while anxiously
looking out lest we should be taken by some erratic channels in view of
other villages, we arrived at the end of an island, which, after some
hesitation, we followed along the right. Two islands were to the right
of us, and prevented us from observing the mainland. But after
descending two miles we came in full view of a small settlement on the
right bank. Too late to return, we crept along down river, hugging the
island as closely as possible, in order to arrive at a channel before
the natives should sight us. But, alas! even in the midst of our prayers
for deliverance, sharp quick taps on a native kettledrum sent our blood
bounding to the heart, and we listened in agony for the response.
Presently one drum after another sounded the alarm, until the Titanic
drums of war thundered the call to arms.
In very despair, I sprang to my feet, and, addressing my distressed and
long-suffering followers, said, “It is of no use, my friends, to hope to
escape these bloody pagans. Those drums mean war. Yet it is very
possible these are the Bangala, in which case, being traders, they will
have heard of the men by the sea, and a little present may satisfy the
chiefs. Now, while I take the sun you prepare your guns, your powder and
bullets, see that every shield is ready to lift at once, as soon as you
see or hear one gun-shot. It is only in that way I can save you, for
every pagan now, from here to the sea, is armed with a gun, and they are
black like you, and they have a hundred guns to your one. If we must
die, we will die with guns in our hands like men. While I am speaking,
and trying to make friendship with them, let no one speak or move.”
We drew ashore at the little island, opposite the highest village, and
at noon I obtained my observation north latitude 1° 7′ 0″. Meanwhile
savage madness was being heated by the thunder of drums, canoes were
mustering, guns were being loaded, spears and broadswords were being
sharpened, all against us, merely because we were strangers, and afloat
on their waters. Yet we had the will and the means to purchase amity. We
were ready to submit to any tax, imposition, or insolent demand for the
privilege of a peaceful passage. Except life, or one drop of our blood,
we would sacrifice anything.
Slowly and silently we withdrew from the shelter of the island and began
the descent of the stream. The boat took position in front, Frank’s
canoe, the _Ocean_, on the right, Manwa Sera’s, _London Town_, to the
left. Beyond Manwa Sera’s canoe was the uninhabited island, the great
length of which had ensnared us, and hedged us in to the conflict. From
our right the enemy would appear with muskets and spears, and an
unquenchable ferocity, unless we could mollify him.
We had left Observation Island about half a mile behind us when the
prows of many canoes were seen to emerge out of the creek. I stood up
and edged towards them, holding a long piece of red cloth in one hand,
and a coil of brass wire in another. We rested on our oars, and the men
quietly placed their paddles in their canoes, and sat up, watchful, but
ready for contingencies. As we floated down, numbers of canoes advanced.
I hailed the natives, who were the most brilliantly decorated of any yet
seen. At a distance they all appeared to wear something like English
University caps, though of a white colour. There was a great deal of
glitter and flash of metal, shining brass, copper, and bright steel
among them.
The natives returned no answer to my hail; still I persisted, with the
same artfulness of manner that had been so successful at Rubunga. I
observed three or four canoes approaching Frank’s vessel with a most
suspicious air about them, and several of their canoes menacing him, at
which Frank stood up and menaced them with his weapon. I thought the act
premature, and ordered him to sit down, and to look away from them. I
again raised the crimson cloth and wire, and by pantomime offered to
give it to those in front, whom I was previously addressing; but almost
immediately those natives who had threatened Frank fired into my boat,
wounding three of my young crew—Mambu, Murabo, and Jaffari—and two more
natives fired into Frank’s canoe, wounding two—Hatib and Muftah. The
missiles fired into us were jagged pieces of iron and copper ore
precisely similar to those which the Ashantees employed. After this
murderous outrage there was no effort made to secure peace. The shields
were lifted, and proved capital defences against the hail of slugs.
Boat, shields, and canoes were pitted, but only a few shields were
perforated.
The conflict began in earnest, and lasted so long that ammunition had to
be redistributed. We perceived that, as the conflict continued, every
village sent out its quota. About two o’clock a canoe advanced with a
swaggering air, its crew evidently intoxicated, and fired at us when
within thirty yards. The boat instantly swept down to it and captured
it, but the crew sprang into the river, and, being capital swimmers,
were saved by a timely arrival of their friends. At three o’clock I
counted sixty-three opposed to us. Some of the Bangala—which they
disclosed themselves by their peculiar cries, “Yaha-ha-ha, Ya Bangala!”
“Ya Bangala! Yaha-ha-ha!”—distinguished themselves by an audacity and
courage that, for our own sakes, I was glad to see was not general.
Especially one young chief, distinguished by his head-dress of white
goat-skin, and a short mantle of the same material, and wreaths of thick
brass wire on neck, arms and legs, sufficient, indeed, to have protected
those parts from slugs, and proving him to be a man of consequence. His
canoe mates were ten in number; and his steersman, by his adroitness and
dexterity, managed the canoe so well that after he and his mates had
fired their guns, he instantly presented its prow and only a thin line
of upright figures to our aim. Each time he dashed up to deliver his
fire all the canoes of his countrymen seemed stimulated by his example
to emulate him. And, allowing five guns on an average to each of the
sixty-three canoes, there were 315 muskets opposed to our forty-four.
Their mistake was in supposing their slugs to have the same penetrative
effect and long range as our missiles had. Only a few of the boldest
approached, after they had experienced our fire, within a hundred yards.
The young chief already mentioned frequently charged to within fifty
yards, and delivered a smashing charge of missiles, almost all of which
were either too low or too high. Finally Manwa Sera wounded him with a
Snider bullet in the thigh. The brave fellow coolly, and in presence of
us all, took a piece of cloth and deliberately bandaged it, and then
calmly retreated towards shore. The action was so noble and graceful
that orders were given to let him withdraw unmolested. After his
departure the firing became desultory, and at 5.30 P.M. our antagonists
retired, leaving us to attend to our wounded, and to give three hearty
cheers at our success. This was our thirty-first fight on the terrible
river—the last but one—and certainly the most determined conflict that
we had endured.
My gossipy friend at Urangi had stated to me that the Bangala, when they
visited his country, were in the habit of carrying things with a high
hand, that they frequently indulged in shooting in the most
indiscriminate manner at everything if angered, that they were very
“hot”. But I never expected they would have indulged their “hot-
headedness” at the expense of people who might be called relations of
those who had supplied them with guns and powder. It is evident,
however, to me that, enterprising as the Bangala are, they have never
ascended the Livingstone higher than Upoto, otherwise they must
certainly have been compelled to measure their strength against the
cannibals of the Aruwimi.
The Bangala may be said to be the Ashantees of the Livingstone River,
though their country has comparatively but a small populated river
front. Their villages cover at intervals—of a mile or half a mile—a line
of ten miles. They trade with Ikengo and Irebu down the river all the
ivory they have purchased from Upoto, Gunji, Mpisa, Ukeré, Rubunga,
Urangi, Mpakiwana, and Marunja. I observed soon after the fight began
that many canoes emerged out of a river coming from a northerly
direction. For a long period the river of Bangala has appeared on West
African maps as the Bancaro river. The word Bangala, which may be
pronounced Bangara, Bankara, or Bankaro, signifies the people of Mangala
or Mangara, Mankara or Mankaro. I have simply adopted the more popular
term.
Unquestionably the Bangala are a very superior tribe. I regret very much
the singular antipathy they entertain towards strangers, which no doubt
they will continue to show until, like the Ashantees, they have been
taught by two or three sharp fights to lessen their pretensions to make
targets of aborigines and strangers. While the Bangala are permitted to
pass Ikengo to Irebu, the people of Ikengo and Irebu are not privileged
to ascend the river beyond Bangala.
We continued our journey on this eventful day until an hour after
sunset, when we proceeded to establish a camp at the head of a narrow
tortuous channel, which lost itself amid the clusters of small islets.
_Feb. 15._—On the 15th, at noon, we reached north latitude 0° 58′ 0″.
The strong winds which at this season blow daily up river impeded our
journey greatly. They generally began at 8 A.M. and lasted until 3 P.M.
When narrow channels were open to us we were enabled to proceed without
interruption, but when exposed to broad open streams the waves rose as
high as 2 feet, and were a source of considerable danger. Indeed, from
the regularity and increased force of the winds, I half suspected at the
time that the Livingstone emptied into some vast lake such as the
Victoria Nyanza. The mean temperature in the shade seldom exceeds 74°
Fahr., and the climate, though not dry, was far more agreeable than the
clammy humidity characteristic of the east coast. The difference between
the heat in this elevated region and that of the east coast was such
that, while it was dangerous to travel in the sun without a sun-umbrella
near the sea on the east coast, a light double-cotton cloth cap saved me
from feeling any inconvenience when standing up in the boat under a
bright glaring sun and cloudless sky. While sitting down in the boat, a
few minutes was sufficient to convince me it was dangerous without an
umbrella, even here. While at work at the Stanley Falls the umbrella was
not used. The nights were uncomfortable without a blanket, and sometimes
even two were desirable.
The winds which prevail at this season of the year are from the south-
west, or south, which means from the temperate latitude of the South
Atlantic, and slightly chilled in their passage over the western ranges.
In the early morning the thermometer was often as low as 64°. From 10
A.M. to 4 P.M. it ranged from 75° to 85° Fahr. in the shade; from 4 P.M.
to sunset it ranged from 72° to 80°. From the 12th January until the 5th
March we experienced no rain.
One remarkable fact connected with our life in this region is, that
though we endured more anxiety of mind and more strain on the body, were
subject to constant peril, and fared harder (being compelled for weeks
to subsist on green bananas, cassava, and sugarless tea, and those
frequently in scanty quantities), we—Frank and I—enjoyed better health
on the Livingstone than at any other period of the journey; but whether
this unusual health might not be attributed to having become more
acclimatized is a question.
The mirage on the Livingstone was often ludicrously deceptive, playing
on our fears at a most trying period, in a manner which plunged us from
a temporary enjoyment of our immunity from attack into a state of
suspicion and alarm, which probably, in nine cases out of ten, arose out
of the exaggerated proportions given to a flock of pelicans or wild
geese, which to our nerves, then in a high state of tension, appeared to
be a very host of tall warriors. A young crocodile basking on a sandy
spit appeared to be as large as a canoe, and an ancient and bleached
tree a ship.
_Feb. 17._—At noon of the 17th we had reached north latitude 0° 18′ 41″,
our course during the 16th and 17th having been south-west, but a little
before sunset the immense river was gradually deflecting to south.
Since the 10th we had been unable to purchase food. The natives had
appeared to be so unapproachable, that again the questions naturally
arose in each mind, “Where shall we obtain food?” “What shall we do?”
“What will be the end of all this?” “Whither, oh whither are we going?”
My poor people had been elevated to a high pitch of exultation when they
had first seen the four muskets at Rubunga. They regarded them as the
beginning of the end. But now? “Ah, whither are we going on this cruel,
cruel river?”
Yet they bore the dire period with Spartan stoicism. They were convinced
that, had it been in my power, they should never have suffered from
scarcity. They had become trained to rely on my judgment and discretion,
and with a child-like faith they trusted me. Knowing this but too well,
my anxiety to show myself worthy of their love and duty was increased. I
might delay procuring food for their safety, but human beings cannot
live on air. But where should I get it, when the mere sight of us put
the natives into a rage for murder? How was food to be obtained if the
sound of our voices was followed instantly with deadly missiles?
I quote the following from my note-book:—
“_Feb. 18, 1877._—For three days we have been permitted, through the
mercy of God, to descend this great river uninterrupted by savage
clamour or ferocity. Winds during two days seriously impeded us, and
were a cause for anxiety, but yesterday was fine and calm, and the
river like a sheet of burnished glass; we therefore made good
progress. In the afternoon we encountered a native trading expedition
from Ikengo in three canoes, one of which was manned by fifteen
paddlers, clothed in robes of crimson blanket cloth. We hailed them,
but they refused to answer us. This sight makes me believe the river
must be pretty free of cataracts, and it may be that there are no more
than the Sundi cataract, and the Falls of Yellalla, reported by Tuckey
in 1816, otherwise I cannot account for the ascent of three trading
vessels, and such extensive possession of cloth and guns, so far up
the river.
“Since the 10th February we have been unable to purchase food, or
indeed approach a settlement for any amicable purpose. The aborigines
have been so hostile, that even fishing-canoes have fired at us as
though we were harmless game. God alone knows how we shall prosper
below. But let come what may, I have purposed to attempt communicating
with the natives to-morrow. A violent death will be preferable to
death by starvation.
“At 7 A.M. we were on the Equator again, and at noon I obtained an
observation which showed we were 0° 17′ 59″ south latitude, as our
course has been nearly straight south since yesterday 5 P.M.
“_Feb. 19, 1877._—This morning we regarded each other as fated victims
of protracted famine, or the rage of savages, like those of Mangala.
But as we feared famine most, we resolved to confront the natives
again. At 10 A.M., while we were descending the Livingstone along the
left bank, we discovered an enormous river, considerably over a
thousand yards wide, with a strong current, and deep, of the colour of
black tea. This is the largest influent yet discovered, and after
joining the Livingstone it appeared to command the left half to
itself—it strangely refuses to amalgamate with the Livingstone, and
the divisional line between them is plainly marked by a zigzag ripple,
as though the two great streams contended with one another for the
mastery. Even the Aruwimi and the Lowwa united would not greatly
exceed this giant influent. Its strong current and black water
contrast very strongly with the whitey-brown Livingstone. On the upper
side of the confluence is situate Ibonga, but the natives, though not
openly hostile, replied to us with the peculiar war-cries ‘Yaha-ha-
ha!’
“We continued our journey, though grievously hungry, past Bwena and
Inguba, doing our utmost to induce the staring fishermen to
communicate with us, without any success. They became at once
officiously busy with guns, and dangerously active. We arrived at
Ikengo, and as we were almost despairing, we proceeded to a small
island opposite this settlement and prepared to encamp. Soon a canoe
with seven men came dashing across, and we prepared our moneys for
exhibition. They unhesitatingly advanced, and ran their canoe
alongside us. We were rapturously joyful, and returned them a most
cordial welcome, as the act was a most auspicious sign of confidence.
We were liberal, and the natives fearlessly accepted our presents, and
from this giving of gifts we proceeded to seal this incipient
friendship with our blood with all due ceremony.
“After an hour’s stay with us they returned to communicate with their
countrymen, leaving one young fellow with us, which was another act of
grace. Soon from a village below Ikengo two more canoes came up with
two chiefs, who were extremely insolent and provoking, though after
nearly two and a half years’ experience of African manners we were not
to be put out of temper because two drunken savages chose to be
overbearing.
“It is strange, if we consider of what small things pride is born. The
European is proud of his pale colour, and almost all native Africans
appear to be proud because they are black. Pride arises most naturally
from a full stomach. Esau, while hungry, forgot his birthright and
heritage, because of weakened vitals. I forgot mine because my stomach
had collapsed through emptiness. The arrogance of the two chiefs of
Ikengo was nourished by a sense of fulness. I presume, were the
contents of their stomachs analysed, we should find them consist of
undigested manioc, banana, with a copious quantity of fluid. What
virtues lie in these that they should be proud? Their bodies were
shrouded with a grass cloth, greasy and black from wear. Their weapons
were flintlocks loaded with three inches of powder and three of slugs.
Yet they were insufferably rude!
“By-and-by they cooled down. We got them to sit and talk, and we
laughed together, and were apparently the best of friends. Of all the
things which struck their fancy, my note-book, which they called
‘tara-tara,’ or looking-glass, appeared to them to be the most
wonderful. They believed it possessed manifold virtues, and that it
came from above. Would I, could I, sell it to them? It would have
found a ready sale. But as it contains records of disaster by flood
and fire, charts of rivers and creeks and islands, sketches of men and
manners, notes upon a thousand objects, I could not part with it even
for a tusk of ivory.
“They got angry and sulky again. It was like playing with and coaxing
spoiled children. We amused them in various ways, and they finally
became composed, and were conquered by good nature. With a generous
scorn of return gifts, they presented me with a gourdful of palm-wine.
But I begged so earnestly for food that they sent their canoes back,
and, while they sat down by my side, it devolved upon me until their
return to fascinate and charm them with benignant gestures and broken
talk. About 3 P.M. provisions came in basketfuls of cassava tubers,
bananas, and long plantains, and the two chiefs made me rich by their
liberality, while the people began also to thaw from that stupor into
which impending famine had plunged them. At sunset our two friends,
with whom I had laboured with a zealot’s enthusiasm, retired, each
leaving a spear as a pledge with me that they would return to-morrow,
and renew our friendly intercourse, with canoe-loads of provisions.
“_Feb. 20, 1877._—My two friends, drunk no longer, brought most
liberal supplies with them of cassava tubers, cassava loaves, flour,
maize, plantains, and bananas, and two small goats, besides two large
gourdfuls of palm-wine, and, what was better, they had induced their
countrymen to respond to the demand for food. We held a market on
Mwangangala Island, at which there was no scarcity of supplies; black
pigs, goats, sheep, bananas, plantains, cassava bread, flour, maize,
sweet potatoes, yams, and fish being the principal things brought for
sale.
“The tall chief of Bwena and the chief of Inguba, influenced by the
two chiefs of Ikengo, also thawed, and announced their coming by
sounding those curious double bell-gongs, and blowing long horns of
ivory, the notes of which distance made quite harmonious. During the
whole of this day life was most enjoyable, intercourse unreservedly
friendly, and though most of the people were armed with guns there was
no manifestation of the least desire to be uncivil, rude, or hostile,
which inspired us once more with a feeling of security to which we had
been strangers since leaving Urangi.
“From my friends I learned that the name of the great river above
Bwena is called Ikelemba. When I asked them which was the largest
river, that which flowed by Mangala, or that which came from the
south-east, they replied that though Ikelemba river was very large it
was not equal to the ‘big river.’
“They also gave me the following bit of geography, which, though a
little inaccurate, is interesting:—
_Left Bank._ _Right Bank._
From Ikengo, in Nkonda, to Ubangi 7 hours.
Ubangi to Irebu 1 day.
Float down by Irebu 3 days.
Thence to Ukweré 1 day.
” ” Nkoko Ngombé 1 ”
” ” Butunu 1 ”
” ” Usini 1 ”
” ” Mpumba 7 hours.
” ” Nkunda 3 days.
” ” Bolobo 4 ”
From Bolobo to
Mompurengi 7 hours.
Thence to Isangu 7 ”
Isangu to Mankonno 4 hours.
” ” Chumbiri 4 ”
” ” Misongo 4 ”
” ” Nkunda 10 days.
” ” First Cataract
(Livingstone
Falls) 1 day.
“The Barumbé are a powerful tribe south-east of Ikengo, left bank.
They are probably a sub-tribe of Barua. Bunga is on the right bank.
Ubangi is a country which commences opposite Ikengo on the right bank
and faces Irebu. Not a single name, except Bankaro, can I recognize of
all that is published on Stanford’s library map of Africa which I
possess. It is clear, then, that above the cataract, which is said to
be about thirty days from Ikengo, nothing was ever known by Europeans.
I wonder whether this cataract is the Sundi cataract reported by
Tuckey? The distance, which the natives give as 30 days, may be but 15
days according to our rate of travel.
“Every weapon these natives possess is decorated with fine brass wire
and brass tacks. Their knives are beautiful weapons, of a bill-hook
pattern, the handles of which are also profusely decorated with an
amount of brass-work and skill that places them very high among the
clever tribes. These knives are carried in broad sheaths of red
buffalo-hide, and are suspended by a belt of the same material.
Besides an antique flintlock musket, each warrior is armed with from
four to five light and long assegais, with staves being of the
_Curtisia faginea_, and a bill-hook sword. They are a finely-formed
people, of a chocolate brown, very partial to camwood powder and palm
oil. Snuff is very freely taken, and their tobacco is most pungent.
“_Feb. 21._—This afternoon at 2 P.M. we continued our journey. Eight
canoes accompanied us some distance, and then parted from us, with
many demonstrations of friendship. The river flows from Ikengo south-
westerly, the flood of the Ikelemba retaining its dark colour, and
spreading over a breadth of 3000 yards; the Livingstone’s pure whitey-
grey waters flow over a breadth of about 5000 yards, in many broad
channels.”
[Illustration: THE ATTACK OF THE SIXTY-THREE CANOES OF THE PIRATICAL
BANGALA.]