During the two following days we passed through a country that was more
thickly covered with the indiarubber vine than any place we had before
met with in our African travels. I could not help feeling regret that
such a splendid region should be almost, if not altogether, unknown and
useless to civilised man. There seemed to be an unlimited supply of
caoutchouc; but the natives practised a method of gathering it which had
the effect of destroying the vine.
One day, some weeks after this, we came upon the habitation of a most
remarkable species of monkey, named the Nshiego Mbouve, which we had
often heard of, but had not up to that time been so fortunate as to see.
Being exceedingly anxious to observe how this remarkable creature made
use of its singular house, Peterkin and I lay down near the place, and
secreting ourselves in the bushes, patiently awaited the arrival of the
monkey, while Jack went off in another direction to procure something
for supper.
"I don't believe he'll come home to-night," said Peterkin, after we had
lain down. "People never do come in when any one chances to be waiting
for them. The human race seems to be born to disappointment. Did you
never notice, Ralph, how obstinately contrary and cross-grained things
go when you want them to go otherwise?"
"I don't quite understand you," said I.
"Of course you don't. Yours seems to be a mind that can never take
anything in unless it is hammered in by repetition."
"Come now, Peterkin, don't become, yourself, an illustration of your own
remark in reference to cross-grained things."
"Well, I won't. But seriously, Ralph, have you not observed, in the
course of your observant life, that when you have particular business
with a man, and go to his house or office, you are _certain_ to find him
out, to use the common phrase? It would be more correct, however, to
say `you are certain not to find him in.'"
"You are uncommonly particular, Peterkin."
"Truly I had need to be so, with such an uncommonly stupid audience."
"Thank you. Well?"
"Well, have you never observed that if you have occasion to call at a
house where you have never been before, the number of that particular
house is not in its usual place, and you find it after a search quite
away from where it ought to be? Has it never struck you that when you
take out your umbrella, the day is certain to become hot and sunny;
while, if you omit to carry it with you, it is sure to rain?"
"From all of which you conclude," said I, "that the Nshiego will not
come home to-night?"
"Exactly so; that is my meaning precisely."
After Peterkin said this, we relapsed into silence; and it was well that
we did so, for had we continued our conversation even in the whispering
tones in which it had up to that time been conducted, we should have
frightened away the ape which now came, as it were, to rebuke Peterkin
for his unbelief.
Coming quickly forward, the Nshiego Mbouve chambered quickly up the tree
where its nest was built. This nest was not a structure _into_ which it
clambered, but a shelter or canopy formed of boughs with their leaves,
somewhat in shape like an umbrella, under which it sat. The
construction of this shelter exhibited a good deal of intelligent
ingenuity on the part of the ape; for it was tied to the tree by means
of wild vines and creepers, and formed a neat, comfortable roof, that
was quite capable of shedding the night dews or heavy rains, and thus
protecting its occupant.
We were greatly amused by the manner in which the creature proceeded to
make itself comfortable. Just below the canopy was a small branch which
jutted out horizontally from the stem of the tree. On this branch the
ape seated itself, its feet and haunches resting thereon. Then it threw
one arm round the tree, and hugging that lovingly to its side, gave what
appeared to me to be a small sigh of satisfaction, and prepared to go to
sleep.
At this Peterkin chuckled audibly. The Nshiego's eyes opened at once.
I cocked my gun and took aim. The desire to procure a specimen was very
strong within me, but an unconquerable aversion to kill an animal in
such cozy circumstances restrained me. The Nshiego got up in alarm. I
pointed the gun, but could not fire. It began to descend. I pulled the
trigger, and, I am happy to add, missed my aim altogether, to the
intense delight of Peterkin, who filled the woods with laughter, while
the Nshiego Mbouve, dropping to the ground, ran shrieking from the spot.
My forbearance at this time was afterwards repaid by my obtaining two
much finer specimens of this shelter-building ape, both of which were
killed by Peterkin.
On quitting this place we had a narrow escape, the recollection of which
still fills me with horror. We were walking rapidly back towards our
encampment, chatting as we went, when Peterkin suddenly put his foot on
what appeared to be the dead branch of a tree. No sooner had he done so
than the curling folds of a black snake fully ten feet long scattered
the dry leaves into the air, and caused us both to dart aside with a
yell of terror.
I have thought that in the complicated and wonderful mechanism of man
there lies a species of almost involuntary muscular power which enables
him to act in all cases of sudden danger with a degree of prompt
celerity that he could not possibly call forth by a direct act of
volition. At all events, on the present emergency, without in the least
degree knowing what I was about, I brought my gun from my shoulder into
a horizontal position, and blew the snake's head off almost in an
instant.
I have pondered this subject, and from the fact that while at one time a
man may be prompt and courageous in case of sudden danger, at another
time the same man may become panic-stricken and helpless, I have come to
the conclusion that the all-wise Creator would teach us--even the
bravest among us--the lesson of our dependence upon each other, as well
as our dependence upon Himself, and would have us know that while at one
time we may prove a tower of strength and protection to our friends, at
another time our friends may have to afford succour and protection to
us.
I have often wondered, in reference to this, that many men seem to take
pride in bold independence, when it is an obvious fact that _every_ man
is dependent on his fellow, and that this mutual dependence is one of
the chief sources of human happiness.
The black snake which I had killed turned out to be one of a very
venomous kind, whose bite is said to be fatal, so that we had good cause
to be thankful, and to congratulate ourselves on our escape.
In this region of Africa we were particularly fortunate in what we saw
and encountered, as the narrative of our experiences on the day
following the above incidents will show.
We had scarcely advanced a few miles on our journey on the morning of
that day, when we came upon a part of the country where the natives had
constructed a curious sort of trap for catching wild animals; and it
happened that a large band of natives were on the point of setting out
for a grand hunt at that time.
We were greeted with immense delight on our arrival, for those natives,
we soon discovered, had already heard of our exploits in the lands of
the gorilla, and regarded us as the greatest hunters that had ever been
born. After a short conversation with the chief, through the medium of
Makarooroo, we arranged to rest there a day, and accompany them on their
hunting expedition; and the better to secure their good will, we
presented some of the head men with a few of the beads which we still
possessed. Then hauling our canoe out of the water, we prepared
ourselves for the chase.
After a long and tedious march through somewhat dense jungle, we came
upon the ground, which was partly open, partly clothed with trees and
shrubs. Here the natives, who numbered several hundreds, spread
themselves out in a long semicircular line, in order to drive the game
into the trap.
As we followed them, or rather formed part of the line, I overheard the
following conversation between Peterkin and Makarooroo, who chanced to
be together.
"Now, Mak," said the former, examining the caps of his rifle, "explain
to me what sort of trap this is that we're coming to, and what sort of
brutes we may expect to find in it."
"De trap, massa," replied our faithful follower, drawing the back of his
hand across his mouth--"de trap am be call _hopo_--"
"Called what-o?" inquired Peterkin.
"_Hopo_."
"Oh! go on."
"An' hims be made ob great number oh sticks tumble down--an' hole at de
end ob dat; an' de beasties dat goes in be zebros, elosphants, eelands,
buff'los, gaffs, nocrices, noos, an' great more noders ob which me
forgit de names."
"Oh! you forgit de names, do you?"
"Yis, massa."
"Ah! it wouldn't be a great loss, Mak, if you were to forget the names
of those you remember."
The conversation was interrupted at this point by the appearance of a
buffalo, which showed that we were drawing near to the scene of action.
But as Makarooroo's description is not remarkable for lucidity, I may
explain here that the hopo, or trap, consists of two parts; one part may
be termed the conducting hedges, the other the pit at their termination,
and into which the game is driven. The conducting hedges are formed in
the shape of the letter V. At the narrow extremity there is a narrow
lane, at the end of which is the terminating pit. This pit is about
eight feet deep and fifteen feet broad, and its edges are made to
overlap in such a way that once the animals are in it, they have no
chance whatever of getting out again. The surface of the pit is
concealed by a thin crust of green rushes, and the hedges are sometimes
a mile long, and nearly the same width apart at the outer extremities.
We were still a considerable distance from the outer ends of the hedges,
when the natives spread out as above described, and I am convinced that
our line extended over at least four miles of ground. The circle, of
course, narrowed as they advanced, shouting wildly, in order to drive
the game into the enclosure.
That the country was teeming with game soon became apparent, for ever
and anon as we advanced a herd of gnus or buffaloes or hartbeests would
dart affrighted from their cover, and sweep over the open ground into
another place of shelter, out of which they were again driven as the
line advanced. In the course of half an hour we drove out hartbeests,
zebras, gnus, buffaloes, giraffes, rhinoceroses, and many other kinds of
smaller game, either singly or in herds.
"Now, lads," said Jack, approaching Peterkin and me as we walked
together, "it is quite evident that if we wish to see this sport in
perfection we must get outside the hedge, and run along towards the pit;
for there, in the natural course of things, we may expect the grand
climax. What say you? Shall we go?"
"Agreed," said I.
"Ditto," cried Peterkin.
So without more words we turned aside, followed by Makarooroo, leaped
the hedge, and running down along it soon reached the edge of the pit.
Here we found a number of the natives assembled with spears, looking
eagerly through the interstices of the hedges in expectation of the
advancing herds. We took up our stand on a convenient spot, and
prepared to wait patiently. But our patience was not severely tried.
We had not been more than five minutes stationed when the noise of the
closing line was heard, and a herd of buffaloes dashed wildly out from a
small piece of jungle in which they had sought shelter, and galloped
over the plain towards us. Suddenly they halted, and stood for a moment
snuffing the air, as if uncertain what to do; while we could see, even
at that distance, that every muscle of their bodies trembled with
mingled rage and terror. Before they could decide, a herd of gnus burst
from the same place; and presently a dozen zebras galloped out, tossing
up their heels and heads in magnificent indignation. These last
scattered, and approached the hedges; which caused several natives to
dart into the enclosure, who from beneath the shelter of oval shields as
large as themselves, threw their spears with unerring certainty into the
sides of the terrified creatures.
At this moment there was a general rush from the scattered groups of
trees and clumps of jungle, for the animals were now maddened with
terror, not only at the shouts of their human persecutors, but at their
own wild cries and the increasing thunder of their tread.
The shouting and tumult now became excessive. It was almost
bewildering. I looked round upon the faces of the negroes nearest to
me. They seemed to be almost insane with suppressed excitement, and
their dark faces worked in a manner that was quite awful to witness.
Presently there was a general and indiscriminate rush of all kinds of
wild animals towards the narrow end of the hopo. The natives pressed in
upon them with wild cries. Spears flew in all directions. Ere long the
plain was covered with wounded animals struggling and bellowing in their
death-agonies. As the rushing multitude drew nearer to the fatal pit,
they became crowded together, and now the men near us began to play
their part.
"Look out, Jack!" I cried, as a buffalo bull with glaring eyes and
foaming jaws made a desperate effort to leap over the barrier in our
very faces.
Jack raised his rifle and fired; at the same instant a spear was sent
into the buffalo's breast, and it fell back to form a stumbling-block in
the way of the rushing mass.
The report of the rifle caused the whole herd to swerve from our side so
violently that they bore down the other side, until I began to fear the
hedge would give way altogether; but they were met by the spears and the
furious yells of the natives there, and again swept on towards the
narrow lane.
And now the head of the bellowing mass came to the edge of the pit.
Those in front seemed to suspect danger, for they halted suddenly; but
the rush of those behind forced them on. In another moment the thin
covering gave way, and a literal cataract of huge living creatures went
surging down into the abyss.
The scene that followed was terrible to witness; and I could not regard
it with other than feelings of intense horror, despite my knowledge of
the fact that a large tribe of natives depended on the game then slain
for their necessary food. The maddened animals attempted to leap out of
the pit, but the overlapping edges already referred to effectually
prevented this until the falling torrent filled it up; then some of them
succeeded in leaping out from off the backs of their smothered comrades.
These, however, were quickly met and speared by the natives, while ever
and anon the great mass was upheaved by the frantic struggles of some
gigantic creature that was being smothered at the bottom.
While this scene of wholesale destruction was going on, Makarooroo came
up to me and begged me, with mysterious looks, to follow him out of the
crowd.
I obeyed, and when we had got away from the immediate neighbourhood of
the turmoil, I said,--"Well, Mak, what's wrong?"
"De chief, massa, hims tell me few moments ago dat canoe wid Mbango and
oomans hab pass dis way to-morrow."
"To-morrow!" I exclaimed.
"No, me forgit; hab pass yistumday."
"Indeed!"
"Yis, an' de chief hims say hims want us to stop wid him and go hunt for
week or two. P'raps he no let us go 'way."
"That's just possible, Mak. Have you told Jack?"
"No, massa."
"Then go bring him and Peterkin hither at once."
In a few minutes my companions were with me, and we held a brief earnest
consultation as to what we should do.
"I think we should tell the chief we are anxious to be off at once, and
leave him on good terms," said I.
Peterkin objected to this. "No," said he; "we cannot easily explain why
we are anxious to be off so hastily. I counsel flight. They won't find
out that we are gone until it is too late to follow."
Jack agreed with this view, so of course I gave in, though I could not
in my heart approve of such a method of sneaking away. But our guide
seemed also to be exceedingly anxious to be off, so we decided; and
slipping quietly away under the shelter of the hedge, while the natives
were still busy with their bloody work, we soon gained the forest. Here
we had no difficulty in retracing our steps to the village, where,
having picked up our little companion, Njamie's son, who had been left
to play with the little boys of the place, we embarked, swept down the
stream, and were soon far beyond the chance of pursuit.