AN AFRICAN CREEK.—A LEOPARD AMONG THE CHICKENS.—A NIGHT WATCH FOR
LEOPARDS.
Now I had just left the Island of Nengue Ngozo, and if your eyes could
have reached that part of the world, you might have seen me still in the
same little canoe, made of the trunk of a single tree, armed to the
teeth, making for the Ikoi Creek, which was not far distant. (This creek
is also marked on my large map published in my work called “Explorations
in Equatorial Africa.”)
The canoe was going swiftly through the water, the wind was good, and
soon after our departure we entered the creek. I felt anxious, for the
Bakalai and Shekiani villages were at war with each other—a wild and
treacherous set they are—and either tribe might have taken my canoe for
that of their enemy, and so pounced upon us in great numbers and killed
us all before we could let them know that we were strangers belonging to
the Mpongwe tribe, their friends. I was watching continually to see if
there were not some canoes in ambush. After a while the creek became
narrower, the breeze ceased, the sail had to be furled along the mast,
the men took to the paddles, and our canoe glided onward upon the waters
of the Ikoi.
The sight was dismal enough: both banks were flanked with swampy forests
of mangrove; the tide was low, and a prodigious number of oysters were
seen on the roots of the mangrove-trees. As we came near them I took an
axe and cut some of the roots, which were literally covered with
oysters. We lit a fire at the bottom of the canoe and roasted these
oysters, and they were excellent. I assure you it was quite a treat.
Feeling better after our meal, we paddled on again. The mangrove-trees
became more scarce, and at last we came in sight of a village of
Shekianis.
As soon as they saw us they met in great numbers on the top of the hill
where the village stood, and I could hear their wild shouts of war. As
we approached nearer their excitement increased; the war-drums beat, and
I could see them brandishing their spears. My men sang songs in the
Mpongwe language to show that we were not their enemies.
In the mean time I did not feel comfortable at all, and really thought
that we might have a fight. I knew these Shekiani people to be funny
fellows: if we had gone back, a dozen canoes armed with men would have
been after us, for they would have immediately thought we were their
enemies. So we pushed on, and at last came opposite the village. Here we
had to stop to speak to them, and finally they entreated us to pass the
night among them, the chief himself coming to beg us to stay.
As it was nearly night I concluded that it would be better to sleep in a
village than in the woods, for there we might have been attacked
unawares, the people not knowing who we were.
[Illustration: AN AFRICAN WAR DANCE.]
[Sidenote: _SHEKIANI VILLAGE._]
These Shekianis crowded round to see me, and at every move I made they
all sent up wild shouts of astonishment.
They were all armed to the teeth, and had the air of men continually on
the lookout for a fight.
Night soon came, and I went into the hut that had been given to me, but
could not sleep, for all the villagers were awake, and the drums were
beating from one end of the village to the other. Songs of war were sung
by the men, women, and children around their Mbuiti (an enormous wooden
idol, which was in the midst of the village). Besides, I thought the
village might be surprised during the night by the warlike and
treacherous Bakalais. So I need not tell you that all my guns were
loaded and all the guns of my men likewise.
I did not like this kind of travelling at all.
These men were all painted with colored chalk, red and yellow being the
favorite colors; they were covered with fetiches, which they believed
would protect them from the deadly weapons of their enemies; and by the
dim light of their fires and torches they appeared to me more like
devils than men. The village was also strongly fenced with long poles.
At last the morning twilight made its appearance, and after giving a
present to the King, we got ready and by sunrise were on our way.
We soon came to a Bakalai village, and there I made my head-quarters.
The country abounded in birds; wild boars were also said to be abundant,
and leopards were rather common. This was just the country in which I
expected to discover new species of birds and to enjoy some grand
hunting.
The house I lived in was at the extreme end of the village, and the
villagers were very kind to me.
[Illustration: ENCOUNTER WITH A LEOPARD.]
One night I heard a great cackling of my fowls, who perched on a tree
near my hut, and soon after I heard them flying away in every direction.
I jumped from my couch and opened my door, thinking some one was trying
to steal some of them. The moon was in its last quarter, so it was not
dark as I stepped into the yard, when lo! I was struck with terror to
find myself face to face with a tremendous leopard! How big he looked! I
was so astonished that for the space of thirty seconds—which seemed to
me to be minutes—or perhaps more, I did not stir a step. I looked at the
leopard, which certainly was not more than six yards from me, and the
leopard, which probably was quite as much astonished at my sudden
apparition, looked at me. I must have appeared to him like a ghost. I
seemed to be spell-bound. So did the leopard.
[Sidenote: _A NIGHT WATCH FOR LEOPARDS._]
Suddenly I came to my senses, and having no weapon with me I made a rush
for the door, shut myself inside, seized my rifle, then opened the door
in the quietest possible way. Now I felt strong with my gun in hand and
so looked out for Mr. Leopard; but the great beast had gone. I fancy he
was as much frightened as I was.
Such a sudden meeting in the night had never happened to me before, and
has never happened to me since; and I hope never will happen to me
again. In the morning, when I awoke, the enormous foot-prints of the
beast reminded me that it was not a dream.
The next day I bought a goat and tied it by the neck to a tree, just on
the border of the forest clearing. Not far from the tree where the goat
was tied there was another tree, a huge one, so I concluded to lay in
wait there for the leopard, and at night, every preparation having been
made before dark, I brought back the goat to the village.
About ten o’clock, with a torch in one hand and leading the goat with
the other, I tied the animal in the most secure manner, and so that the
leopard would have trouble to carry it off at once. I went and seated
myself on the ground, my back protected by the trunk of the huge tree I
have just spoken to you of, and facing the goat. I am sure I was not
more than six yards from it. I extinguished the torch so that it was
pitch dark. At first I could not see a yard off, but at last my eyes got
accustomed to the darkness, and I could see the goat plainly. The night
was clear and the stars shone most beautifully above my head. But how
strange every thing looked around me! A chill ran through me as I gazed
around: every thing seemed so mournful; I alone in such a place; while
now and then the cry of the solitary owl broke the deadness of the awful
silence.
The goat in the mean time was continually bleating, for the little
creature had an instinctive dread of being alone in such a place. I was
glad he cried, for I knew it would make the leopard come if the animal
could only hear him.
One hour passed away: no leopard! Two hours: no leopard! Three hours:
nothing! I began to feel tired, for I was seated on the bare ground.
Once or twice I thought I heard snakes crawling, but it was no doubt a
fancy.
I do not know, but I think I must have fallen asleep, for on a sudden,
looking for the goat, I saw that it was not there. I rubbed my eyes, for
I really was not sure of them, but I was not mistaken; no goat was to be
seen! I got up, and my wonder was great when at the place where the goat
had been I found blood. I could not believe my senses. I lighted the
torch and looked at my watch: it was four o’clock in the morning: and
then I saw distinctly the foot-prints of the leopard. There was no
mistake about it; the leopard had come, killed and carried away the
goat, and during that time I was fast asleep!
Just think of it! I must have slept almost two hours, and I thanked my
stars that the leopard had taken the goat instead of myself! It would
have been a dreadful feeling if I had been awakened as I was carried
away in the jaws of the leopard, his teeth deep into my body, as the
thing might well have happened. I wondered why it had not, and promised
myself to be more careful in future. Then I remembered how tired I felt
before I went to sleep.
If the goat had not been carried away I should certainly have thought
that I never had fallen asleep.
As I learned more about leopards I found they do not generally leave
their lairs before one o’clock, unless pressed by hunger.
[Sidenote: _A WOMAN KILLED._]
Sorrow soon afterward came in that village—a woman was killed on the
roadside by some unknown enemy: the villagers retaliated and went and
laid in ambush and killed some one belonging to another village; the
whole country had been involved in war for some time, and as it was
unsafe to walk anywhere, I concluded to leave the poor deluded people
who had been very kind to me. So, after packing my collections of
specimens of Natural History, I bade them a friendly farewell.
[Illustration: [Fleuron]]
[Illustration: [Fleuron]]