Some corn had been taken out of a sack for the horses, and a few grains

lying scattered on the ground, I tried the beautiful metaphor of St.

Paul as an example of a future state. Making a small hole with my finger

in the ground, I placed a grain within it: "That," I said, "represents

you when you die." Covering it with earth, I continued, "That grain will

decay, but from it will rise the plant that will produce a reappearance

of the original form."

Commoro.--"Exactly so; that I understand. But the ORIGINAL grain does

NOT rise again; it rots like the dead man, and is ended; the fruit

produced is not the same grain that we buried, but the PRODUCTION of

that grain: so it is with man--I die, and decay, and am ended; but my

children grow up like the fruit of the grain. Some men have no children,

and some grains perish without fruit; then all are ended."

I was obliged to change the subject of conversation. In this wild naked

savage there was not even a superstition upon which to found a religious

feeling; there was a belief in matter; and to his understanding

everything was MATERIAL. It was extraordinary to find so much clearness

of perception combined with such complete obtuseness to anything ideal.

Giving up the religious argument as a failure, I resolved upon more

practical inquiries.

The Turks had only arrived in the Latooka country in the preceding year.

They had not introduced the cowrie shell; but I observed that every

helmet was ornamented with this species; it therefore occurred to me

that they must find their way into the country from Zanzibar.

In reply to my inquiries, Commoro pointed to the south, from which he

said they arrived in his country, but he had no idea from whence they

came. The direction was sufficient to prove that they must be sent from

the east coast, as Speke and Grant had followed the Zanzibar traders as

far as Karagwe, the 2 degrees S. lat.

Commoro could not possibly understand my object in visiting the Latooka

country; it was in vain that I attempted to explain the intention of my

journey. He said, "Suppose you get to the great lake; what will you do

with it? What will be the good of it? If you find that the large river

does flow from it, what then? What's the good of it?"

I could only assure him, that in England we had an intimate knowledge of

the whole world, except the interior of Africa, and that our object in

exploring was to benefit the hitherto unknown countries by instituting

legitimate trade, and introducing manufactures from England in exchange

for ivory and other productions. He replied that the Turks would never

trade fairly; that they were extremely bad people, and that they would

not purchase ivory in any other way than by bartering cattle, which they

stole from one tribe to sell to another.

Our conversation was suddenly terminated by one of my men running in to

the tent with the bad news that one of the camels had dropped down and

was dying. The report was too true. He was poisoned by a well-known

plant that he had been caught in the act of eating. In a few hours he

died. There is no more stupid animal than the camel. Nature has

implanted in most animals an instinctive knowledge of the plants

suitable for food, and they generally avoid those that are poisonous:

but the camel will eat indiscriminately anything that is green; and if

in a country where the plant exists that is well known by the Arabs as

the "camel poison," watchers must always accompany the animals while

grazing. The most fatal plant is a creeper, very succulent, and so

beautifully green that its dense foliage is most attractive to the

stupid victim. The stomach of the camel is very subject to inflammation,

which is rapidly fatal. I have frequently seen them, after several days

of sharp desert marching, arrive in good pasture, and die, within a few

hours, of inflammation caused by repletion. It is extraordinary how they

can exist upon the driest and apparently most innutritious food. When

other animals are starving, the camel manages to pick up a subsistence,

eating the ends of barren, leafless twigs, the dried sticks of certain

shrubs, and the tough dry paper-like substance of the dome palm, about

as succulent a breakfast as would be a green umbrella and a Times

newspaper. With intense greediness the camel, although a hermit in

simplicity of fare in hard times, feeds voraciously when in abundant

pasture, always seeking the greenest shrubs. The poison-bush becomes a

fatal bait.

The camel is by no means well understood in Europe. Far from being the

docile and patient animal generally described, it is quite the reverse,

and the males are frequently dangerous. They are exceedingly perverse;

and are, as before described, excessively stupid. For the great deserts

they are wonderfully adapted, and without them it would be impossible to

cross certain tracts of country for want of water.

Exaggerated accounts have been written respecting the length of time

that a camel can travel without drinking. The period that the animal can

subsist without suffering from thirst depends entirely upon the season

and the quality of food. Precisely as in Europe sheep require but little

water when fed upon turnips, so does the camel exist almost without

drinking during the rainy season when pastured upon succulent and dewy

herbage. During the hottest season, when green herbage ceases to exist

in the countries inhabited by camels, they are led to water every

alternate day, thus they are supposed to drink once in forty-eight

hours; but when upon the march across deserts, where no water exists,

they are expected to carry a load of from five to six hundred pounds,

and to march twenty-five miles per day, for three days, without

drinking, but to be watered on the fourth day. Thus a camel should drink

the evening before the start, and he will carry his load one hundred

miles without the necessity of drinking; not, however, without suffering

from thirst. On the third day's march, during the hot simoom, the camel

should drink if possible; but he can endure the fourth day.

This peculiarity of constitution enables the camel to overcome obstacles

of nature that would otherwise be insurmountable. Not only can he travel

over the scorching sand of the withering deserts, but he never seeks the

shade. When released from his burden he kneels by his load in the

burning sand, and luxuriates in the glare of a sun that drives all other

beasts to shelter. The peculiar spongy formation of the foot renders the

camel exceedingly sure, although it is usual to believe that it is only

adapted for flat, sandy plains. I have travelled over mountains so

precipitous that no domestic animal but the camel could have

accomplished the task with a load. This capability is not shared

generally by the race, but by a breed belonging to the Hadendowa Arabs,

between the Red Sea and Taka. There is quite as great a variety in the

breeds of camels as of horses. Those most esteemed in the Soudan are the

Bishareen; they are not so large as others, but are exceedingly strong

and enduring.

The average value of a baggage camel among the Soudan Arabs is fifteen

dollars, but a good "hygeen," or riding dromedary, is worth from fifty

to a hundred and fifty dollars, according to his capabilities. A

thoroughly good hygeen is supposed to travel fifty miles a day, and to

continue this pace for five days, carrying only his rider and a small

water-skin or girba. His action should be so easy that his long ambling

trot should produce that peculiar movement adopted by a nurse when

hushing a child to sleep upon her knee. This movement is delightful, and

the quick elastic step of a first-class animal imparts an invigorating

spirit to the rider; and were it not for the intensity of the sun, he

would willingly ride for ever. The difference of action and of comfort

to the rider between a common camel and a high class hygeen is equal to

that between a thoroughbred and a heavy dray-horse.

However, with all the good qualities of a "Bishareen," my best camel was

dead. This was a sad loss. So long as my animals were well I felt

independent, and the death of this camel was equal to minus five cwt. of

luggage. My men were so idle that they paid no attention to the animals,

and the watcher who had been appointed to look after the four camels had

amused himself by going to the Latooka dance. Thus was the loss of my

best animal occasioned.

So well had all my saddles and pads been arranged at Khartoum, that

although we had marched seven days with exceedingly heavy loads, not one

of the animals had a sore back. The donkeys were exceedingly fresh, but

they had acquired a most disgusting habit. The Latookas are remarkably

clean in their towns, and nothing unclean is permitted within the

stockade or fence. Thus the outside, especially the neighbourhood of the

various entrances, was excessively filthy, and my donkeys actually

fattened as scavengers, like pigs. I remembered that my unfortunate

German Johann Schmidt had formerly told me that he was at one time

shooting in the Base country, where the grass had been burnt, and not a

blade of vegetation was procurable. He had abundance of sport, and he

fed his donkey upon the flesh of antelopes, which he ate with avidity,

and throve exceedingly. It is a curious fact that donkeys should under

certain circumstances become omnivorous, while horses remain clean

feeders.

CHAPTER VII.

LATOOKA.

The country in the immediate neighbourhood of Latooka was parched, as

there had been no rain for some time. The latitude was 4 degrees 35',

longitude 32 degrees 55' E.; the rains had commenced in February on the

mountains on the south side of the valley, about eighteen miles distant.

Every day there was an appearance of a storm; the dark clouds gathered

ominously around the peak of the Gebel Lafeet above the town, but they

were invariably attracted by the higher range on the opposite and south

side of the valley, where they daily expended themselves at about 3 P.M.

On that side of the valley the mountains rose to about 6,000 feet, and

formed a beautiful object seen from my camp. It was most interesting to

observe the embryo storms travel from Tarrangolle in a circle, and

ultimately crown the higher range before us, while the thunder roared

and echoed from rock to rock across the plain.

The Latookas assured me that at the foot of those mountains there were

elephants and giraffes in abundance; accordingly, I determined to make a

reconnaissance of the country.

On the following morning I started on horseback, with two of my people

mounted, and a native guide, and rode through the beautiful valley of

Latooka to the foot of the range. The first five or six miles were

entirely de-pastured by the enormous herds of the Latookas who were

driven to that distance from the towns daily, all the country in the

immediate vicinity being dried up. The valley was extremely fertile, but

totally unoccupied and in a state of nature, being a wilderness of open

plains, jungles, patches of forest and gullies, that although dry

evidently formed swamps during the wet season. When about eight miles

from the town we came upon tracks of the smaller antelopes, which,

although the weakest, are the most daring in approaching the habitations

of man. A few miles farther on, we saw buffaloes and hartebeest, and

shortly came upon tracks of giraffes. Just at this moment the inky

clouds that as usual had gathered over Tarrangolle came circling around

us, and presently formed so dense a canopy that the darkness was like a

partial eclipse. The thunder warned us with tremendous explosions just

above us, while the lightning flashed almost at our feet with blinding

vividness. A cold wind suddenly rushed through the hitherto calm air;

this is the certain precursor of rain in hot climates, the heavier cold

air of the rain-cloud falling into the stratum of warmer and lighter

atmosphere below.

It DID rain--in such torrents as only the inhabitants of tropical

countries can understand. "Cover up the gun-locks!"--and the pieces of

mackintosh for that purpose were immediately secured in their places.

Well, let it rain!--it is rather pleasant to be wet through in a country

where the thermometer is seldom below 92 degrees Fahr., especially when

there is no doubt of getting wet through--not like the wretched

drizzling rain of England, that chills you with the fear that perhaps

your great-coat is not waterproof, but a regular douche bath that would

beat in the crown of a cheap hat. How delightful to be really cool in

the centre of Africa! I was charmingly wet--the water was running out of

the heels of my shoes, which were overflowing; the wind howled over the

flood that was pouring through the hitherto dry gullies, and in the

course of ten minutes the whole scene had changed. It was no longer the

tropics; the climate was that of old England restored to me: the chilled

air refreshed me, and I felt at home again. "How delightful!" I

exclaimed, as I turned round to see how my followers were enjoying it.

Dear me! I hardly knew my own people. Of all the miserable individuals I

ever saw, they were superlative--they were not enjoying the change of

climate in the least--with heads tucked down and streams of water

running from their nasal extremities, they endeavoured to avoid the

storm. Perfectly thoughtless of all but self in the extremity of their

misery, they had neglected the precaution of lowering the muzzles of

their guns, and my beautiful No. 10 rifles were full of water. "Charming

day!" I exclaimed to my soaked and shivering followers, who looked like

kittens in a pond. They muttered something that might be interpreted

"What's fun to you is death to us." I comforted them with the assurance

that this was an English climate on a midsummer day. If my clothed Arabs

suffered from cold, where was my naked guide? He was the most pitiable

object I ever saw; with teeth chattering and knees knocking together

with cold, he crouched under the imaginary shelter of a large tamarind

tree; he was no longer the clean black that had started as my guide, but

the cold and wet had turned him grey, and being thin, he looked like an

exaggerated slate-pencil. Not wishing to discourage my men, I

unselfishly turned back just as I was beginning to enjoy myself, and my

people regarded me as we do the Polar bear at the Zoological Gardens,

who begins to feel happy on the worst day in our English winter.

We returned home by a different route, not being able to find the path

in the trackless state of the country during the storm. There were in

some places unmistakeable evidences of the presence of elephants, and I

resolved to visit the spot again. I returned to the tent at 4 P.M.

satisfied that sport was to be had.

On my arrival at camp I found the natives very excited at the appearance

of rain, which they firmly believed had been called specially by their

chief. All were busy preparing their molotes (iron hoes), fitting new

handles, and getting everything ready for the periodical sowing of their

crop.

The handles of the molotes are extremely long, from seven to ten feet,

and the instrument being shaped like a miner's spade (heart-shaped), is

used like a Dutch hoe, and is an effective tool in ground that has been

cleared, but is very unfitted for preparing fresh soil. Iron ore of good

quality exists on the surface throughout this country.

The Latookas, like the Baris, are excellent blacksmiths, producing a

result that would astonish an English workman, considering the rough

nature of their tools, which are confined to a hammer, anvil, and tongs;

the latter formed of a cleft-stick of green wood, while the two former

are stones of various sizes. Their bellows consist of two pots about a

foot deep; from the bottom of each is an earthenware pipe about two feet

long, the points of which are inserted in a charcoal fire. The mouths of

the pots are covered with very pliable leather, loose and well greased;

in the centre of each leather covering is an upright stick about four

feet long, and the bellows-blower works these rapidly with a

perpendicular motion, thus producing a strong blast. The natives are

exceedingly particular in the shape of their molotes, and invariably

prove them by balancing them on their heads and ringing them by a blow

with the finger.

The Latookas being much engaged in preparing for cultivation, I had some

difficulty in arranging a hunting party; my men abhorred the idea of

elephant hunting, or of anything else that required hard work and

included danger. However, I succeeded in engaging Adda, the third chief

of Latooka, and several natives, to act as my guides, and I made my

arrangements for a stated day.

On the 17th of April I started at 5 A.M. with my three horses and two

camels, the latter carrying water and food. After a march of two or

three hours through the beautiful hunting-grounds formed by the valley

of Latooka, with its alternate prairies and jungles, I came upon the

tracks of rhinoceros, giraffes, and elephants, and shortly moved a

rhinoceros, but could get no shot, owing to the thick bush in which he

started and disappeared quicker than I could dismount. After a short

circuit in search of the rhinoceros, we came upon a large herd of

buffaloes, but at the same moment we heard elephants trumpeting at the

foot of the mountains. Not wishing to fire, lest the great game should

be disturbed, I contented myself with riding after the buffaloes,

wonderfully followed on foot by Adda, who ran like a deer, and almost

kept up with my horse, hurling his three lances successively at the

buffaloes, but without success. I had left the camels in an open plain,

and returning from the gallop after the buffaloes, I saw the men on the

camels beckoning to me in great excitement.

Cantering towards them, they explained that a herd of bull elephants had

just crossed an open space, and had passed into the jungle beyond. There

was evidently abundance of game; and calling my men together, I told

them to keep close to me with the spare horses and rifles, while I sent

the Latookas ahead to look out for the elephants: we followed at a short

distance.

In about ten minutes we saw the Latookas hurrying towards us, and almost

immediately after, I saw two enormous bull elephants with splendid tusks

about a hundred yards from us, apparently the leaders of an approaching

herd. The ground was exceedingly favourable, being tolerably open, and

yet with sufficient bush to afford a slight cover. Presently, several

elephants appeared and joined the two leaders--there was evidently a

considerable number in the herd, and I was on the point of dismounting

to take the first shot on foot, when the Latookas, too eager, approached

the herd: their red and blue helmets at once attracted the attention of

the elephants, and a tremendous rush took place, the whole herd closing

together and tearing off at full speed. "Follow me!" I hallooed to my

men, and touching my horse with the spur, I intended to dash into the

midst of the herd. Just at that instant, in his start, my horse slipped

and fell suddenly upon his side, falling upon my right leg and thus

pinning me to the ground. He was not up to my weight, and releasing

myself, I immediately mounted my old Abyssinian hunter, "Tetel," and

followed the tracks of the elephants at full speed, accompanied by two

of the Latookas, who ran like hounds. Galloping through the green but

thornless bush, I soon came in sight of a grand bull elephant, steaming

along like a locomotive engine straight before me.

Digging in the spurs, I was soon within twenty yards of him; but the

ground was so unfavourable, being full of buffalo holes, that I could

not pass him. In about a quarter of an hour, after a careful chase over

deep ruts and gullies concealed in high grass, I arrived at a level

space, and shooting ahead, I gave him a shoulder shot with the Reilly

No. 10 rifle. I saw the wound in a good place, but the bull rushed along

all the quicker, and again we came into bad ground that made it unwise

to close. However, on the first opportunity I made a dash by him, and

fired my left-hand barrel at full gallop. He slackened his speed, but I

could not halt to reload, lest I should lose sight of him in the high

grass and bush.

Not a man was with me to hand a spare rifle. My cowardly fellows,

although light-weights and well mounted, were nowhere; the natives were

outrun, as of course was Richarn, who, not being a good rider, had

preferred to hunt on foot. In vain I shouted for the men; and I followed

the elephant with an empty rifle for about ten minutes, until he

suddenly turned round, and stood facing me in an open spot in grass

about nine or ten feet high. "Tetel" was a grand horse for elephants,

not having the slightest fear, and standing fire like a rock, never even

starting under the discharge of the heaviest charge of powder. I now

commenced reloading, when presently one of my men, Yaseen, came up upon

"Filfil." Taking a spare gun from him, I rode rapidly past the elephant,

and suddenly reining up, I made a good shot exactly behind the

bladebone. With a shrill scream, the elephant charged down upon me like

a steam-engine. In went the spurs. "Tetel" knew his work, and away he

went over the ruts and gullies, the high dry grass whistling in my ears

as we shot along at full speed, closely followed by the enraged bull for

about two hundred yards.

The elephant then halted; and turning the horse's head, I again faced

him and reloaded. I thought he was dying, as he stood with trunk

drooping, and ears closely pressed back upon his neck. Just at this

moment I heard the rush of elephants advancing through the green bush

upon the rising ground above the hollow formed by the open space of high

withered grass in which we were standing facing each other. My man

Yaseen had bolted with his fleet horse at the first charge, and was not

to be seen. Presently, the rushing sound increased, and the heads of a

closely packed herd of about eighteen elephants showed above the low

bushes, and they broke cover, bearing down directly upon me, both I and

my horse being unobserved in the high grass. I never saw a more lovely

sight; they were all bulls with immense tusks. Waiting until they were

within twenty yards of me, I galloped straight at them, giving a yell

that turned them. Away they rushed up the hill, but at so great a pace,

that upon the rutty and broken ground I could not overtake them, and

they completely distanced me. Tetel, although a wonderfully steady

hunter, was an uncommonly slow horse, but upon this day he appeared to

be slower than usual, and I was not at the time aware that he was

seriously ill. By following three elephants separated from the herd I

came up to them by a short cut, and singling out a fellow with enormous

tusks, I rode straight at him. Finding himself overhauled, he charged me

with such quickness and followed me up so far, that it was with the

greatest difficulty that I cleared him. When he turned, I at once

returned to the attack; but he entered a thick thorny jungle through

which no horse could follow, and I failed to obtain a shot.

I was looking for a path through which I could penetrate the bush, when

I suddenly heard natives shouting in the direction where I had left the

wounded bull. Galloping towards the spot, I met a few scattered natives;

among others, Adda. After shouting for some time, at length Yaseen

appeared upon my horse Filfil; he had fled as usual when he saw the

troop of elephants advancing, and no one knows how far he had ridden

before he thought it safe to look behind him. With two mounted gun-

bearers and five others on foot I had been entirely deserted through the

cowardice of my men. The elephant that I had left as dying, was gone.

One of the Latookas had followed upon his tracks, and we heard this

fellow shouting in the distance. I soon overtook him, and he led rapidly

upon the track through thick bushes and high grass. In about a quarter

of an hour we came up with the elephant; he was standing in bush, facing

us at about fifty yards' distance, and immediately perceiving us, he

gave a saucy jerk with his head, and charged most determinedly. It was

exceedingly difficult to escape, owing to the bushes which impeded the

horse, while the elephant crushed them like cobwebs: however, by turning

my horse sharp round a tree, I managed to evade him after a chase of

about a hundred and fifty yards. Disappearing in the jungle after his

charge, I immediately followed him. The ground was hard, and so trodden

by elephants that it was difficult to single out the track. There was no

blood upon the ground, but only on the trees every now and then, where

he had rubbed past them in his retreat. After nearly two hours passed in

slowly following upon his path, we suddenly broke cover and saw him

travelling very quietly through an extensive plain of high grass. The

ground was gently inclining upwards on either side the plain, but the

level was a mass of deep, hardened ruts, over which no horse could

gallop. Knowing my friend's character, I rode up the rising ground to

reconnoitre: I found it tolerably clear of holes, and far superior to

the rutty bottom. My two mounted gun-bearers had now joined me, and far

from enjoying the sport, they were almost green with fright, when I

ordered them to keep close to me and to advance.

I wanted them to attract the elephant's attention, so as to enable me to

obtain a good shoulder shot. Riding along the open plain, I at length

arrived within about fifty yards of the bull, when he slowly turned.

Reining "Tetel" up, I immediately fired a steady shot at the shoulder

with the Reilly No. 10:--for a moment he fell upon his knees, but,

recovering with wonderful quickness, he was in full charge upon me.

Fortunately I had inspected my ground previous to the attack, and away I

went up the inclination to my right, the spurs hard at work, and the

elephant screaming with rage, GAINING on me. My horse felt as though

made of wood, and clumsily rolled along in a sort of cow-gallop;--in

vain I dug the spurs into his flanks, and urged him by rein and voice;

not an extra stride could I get out of him, and he reeled along as

though thoroughly exhausted, plunging in and out of the buffalo holes

instead of jumping them. Hamed was on my horse "Mouse," who went three

to "Tetel's" one, and instead of endeavouring to divert the elephant's

attention, he shot ahead, and thought of nothing but getting out of the

way. Yaseen, on "Filfil," had fled in another direction; thus I had the

pleasure of being hunted down upon a sick and disabled horse. I kept

looking round, thinking that the elephant would give in:--we had been

running for nearly half a mile, and the brute was overhauling me so fast

that he was within ten or twelve yards of the horse's tail, with his

trunk stretched out to catch him. Screaming like the whistle of an

engine, he fortunately so frightened the horse that he went his best,

although badly, and I turned him suddenly down the hill and doubled back

like a hare. The elephant turned up the hill, and entering the jungle he

relinquished the chase, when another hundred yards' run would have

bagged me.

In a life's experience in elephant-hunting, I never was hunted for such

a distance. Great as were Tetel's good qualities for pluck and

steadiness, he had exhibited such distress and want of speed, that I was

sure he failed through some sudden malady. I immediately dismounted, and

the horse laid down, as I thought, to die.

Whistling loudly, I at length recalled Hamed, who had still continued

his rapid flight without once looking back, although the elephant was

out of sight. Yaseen was, of course, nowhere; but after a quarter of an

hour's shouting and whistling, he reappeared, and I mounted Filfil,

ordering Tetel to be led home.

The sun had just sunk, and the two Latookas who now joined me refused to

go farther on the tracks, saying, that the elephant must die during the

night, and that they would find him in the morning. We were at least ten

miles from camp; I therefore fired a shot to collect my scattered men,

and in about half an hour we all joined together, except the camels and

their drivers, that we had left miles behind.

No one had tasted food since the previous day, nor had I drunk water,

although the sun had been burning hot; I now obtained some muddy rain

water from a puddle, and we went towards home, where we arrived at

half-past eight, every one tired with the day's work. The camels came

into camp about an hour later.

My men were all now wonderfully brave; each had some story of a narrow

escape, and several declared that the elephants had run over them, but

fortunately without putting their feet upon them.

The news spread through the town that the elephant was killed; and, long

before daybreak on the following morning, masses of natives had started

for the jungles, where they found him lying dead. Accordingly, they

stole his magnificent tusks, which they carried to the town of Wakkala,

and confessed to taking all the flesh, but laid the blame of the ivory

theft upon the Wakkala tribe.

There was no redress. The questions of a right of game are ever prolific

of bad blood, and it was necessary in this instance to treat the matter

lightly. Accordingly, the natives requested me to go out and shoot them

another elephant: on the condition of obtaining the meat, they were

ready to join in any hunting expedition.

The elephants in Central Africa have very superior tusks to those of

Abyssinia. I had shot a considerable number in the Base country on the

frontier of Abyssinia, and few tusks were above 30 1bs. weight; those in

the neighbourhood of the White Nile average about 50 1bs. for each tusk

of a bull elephant, while those of the females are generally about 10

lbs. I have seen monster tusks of 160 lbs., and one was in the

possession of a trader, Mons. P., that weighed 172 1bs.

It is seldom that a pair of tusks are alike. As a man uses the right

hand in preference to the left, so the elephant works with a particular

tusk, which is termed by the traders "el Hadam" (the servant); this is

naturally, more worn than the other, and is usually about ten pounds

lighter: frequently it is broken, as the elephant uses it as a lever to

uproot trees and to tear up the roots of various bushes upon which he

feeds.

The African elephant is not only entirely different from the Indian

species in his habits, but he also differs in form.

There are three distinguishing peculiarities. The back of the African

elephant is concave, that of the Indian is convex; the ear of the

African is enormous, entirely covering the shoulder when thrown back,

while the ear of the Indian variety is comparatively small. The head of

the African has a convex front, the top of the skull sloping back at a

rapid inclination, while the head of the Indian elephant exposes a flat

surface a little above the trunk.

The average size of the African elephant is larger than those of Ceylon,

although I have occasionally shot monster rogues in the latter country,

equal to anything that I have seen in Africa. The average height of

female elephants in Ceylon is about 7 ft. 10 in. at the shoulder, and

that of the males is about 9 ft.; but the usual height of the African

variety I have found, by actual measurement, of females to be 9 ft.,

while that of the bills is 10 ft. 6 in. Thus the females of the African

are equal to the males of Ceylon.

They also differ materially in their habits. In Ceylon, the elephant

seeks the shade of thick forests at the rising of the sun, in which he

rests until about 5 P.M., when he wanders forth upon the plains. In

Africa, the country being generally more open, the elephant remains

throughout the day either beneath a solitary tree, or exposed to the sun

in the vast prairies, where the thick grass attains a height of from

nine to twelve feet. The general food of the African elephant consists

of the foliage of trees, especially of mimosas. In Ceylon, although

there are many trees that serve as food, the elephant nevertheless is an

extensive grass-feeder. The African variety, being almost exclusively a

tree-feeder, requires his tusks to assist him in procuring food. Many of

the mimosas are flat-headed, about thirty feet high, and the richer

portion of the foliage confined to the crown; thus the elephant, not

being able to reach to so great a height, must overturn the tree to

procure the coveted food. The destruction caused by a herd of African

elephants in a mimosa forest is extraordinary; and I have seen trees

uprooted of so large a size, that I am convinced no single elephant

could have overturned them. I have measured trees four feet six inches

in circumference, and about thirty feet high, uprooted by elephants. The

natives have assured me that they mutually assist each other, and that

several engage together in the work of overturning a large tree. None of

the mimosas have tap-roots; thus the powerful tusks of the elephants,

applied as crowbars at the roots, while others pull at the branches with

their trunks, will effect the destruction of a tree so large as to

appear invulnerable. The Ceylon elephant rarely possessing tusks, cannot

destroy a tree thicker than the thigh of an ordinary man.

In Ceylon, I have seldom met old bulls in parties--they are generally

single or remain in pairs; but, in Africa, large herds are met with,

consisting entirely of bulls. I have frequently seen sixteen or twenty

splendid bulls together, presenting a show of ivory most exciting to a

hunter. The females in Africa congregate in vast herds of many hundreds,

while in Ceylon the herds seldom average more than ten.

The elephant is by far the most formidable of all animals, and the

African variety is more dangerous than the Indian, as it is next to

impossible to kill it by the forehead shot. The head is so peculiarly

formed, that the ball either passes over the brain, or lodges in the

immensely solid bones and cartilages that contain the roots of the

tusks. I have measured certainly a hundred bull tusks, and I have found

them buried in the head a depth of 24 inches. One large tusk, that

measured 7 ft. 8 in. in length, and 22 inches in girth, was imbedded in

the head a depth of 31 inches. This will convey an idea of the enormous

size of the head, and of the strength of bone and cartilage required to

hold in position so great a weight, and to resist the strain when the

tusk is used as a lever to uproot trees.

The brain of an African elephant rests upon a plate of bone exactly

above the roots of the upper grinders; it is thus wonderfully protected

from a front shot, as it lies so low that the ball passes above it when

the elephant raises his head, which he invariably does when in anger,

until close to the object of his attack.

The character of the country naturally influences the habits of the

animals: thus, Africa being more generally open than the forest-clad

Ceylon, the elephant is more accustomed to activity, and is much faster

than the Ceylon variety. Being an old elephant-hunter of the latter

island, I was exceedingly interested in the question of variety of

species, and I had always held the opinion that the African elephant

might be killed with the same facility as that of Ceylon, by the

forehead shot, provided that a sufficient charge of powder were used to

penetrate the extra thickness of the head. I have found, by much

experience, that I was entirely wrong, and that, although by CHANCE an

African elephant may be killed by the front shot, it is the exception to

the rule. The danger of the sport is, accordingly, much increased, as it

is next to impossible to kill the elephant when in full charge, and the

only hope of safety consists in turning him by a continuous fire with

heavy guns: this cannot always be effected.

I had a powerful pair of No. 10 polygroove rifles, made by Reilly of

Oxford Street; they weighed fifteen pounds, and carried seven drachms of

powder without a disagreeable recoil. The bullet was a blunt cone, one

and a half diameter of the bore, and I used a mixture of nine-tenths

lead and one-tenth quicksilver for the hardening of the projectile. This

is superior to all mixtures for that purpose, as it combines hardness

with extra weight; the lead must be melted in a pot by itself to a red

heat, and the proportion of quicksilver must be added a ladle-full at a

time, and stirred quickly with a piece of iron just in sufficient

quantity to make three or four bullets. If the quicksilver is subjected

to a red heat in the large lead-pot, it will evaporate. The only

successful forehead shot that I made at an African elephant was shortly

after my arrival in the Abyssinian territory on the Settite river; this

was in thick thorny jungle, and an elephant from the herd charged with

such good intention, that had she not been stopped, she must have caught

one of the party. When within about five yards of the muzzle, I killed

her dead by a forehead shot with a hardened bullet as described, from a

Reilly No. 10 rifle, and we subsequently recovered the bullet in the

VERTEBRAE OF THE NECK!

This extraordinary penetration led me to suppose that I should always

succeed as I had done in Ceylon, and I have frequently stood the charge

of an African elephant until close upon me, determined to give the

forehead shot a fair trial, but I have ALWAYS failed, except in the

instance now mentioned; it must also be borne in mind that the elephant

was a female, with a head far inferior in size and solidity to that of

the male.

The temple shot, and that behind the ear, are equally fatal in Africa as

in Ceylon, provided the hunter can approach within ten or twelve yards;

but altogether the hunting is far more difficult, as the character of

the country does not admit of an approach sufficiently close to

guarantee a successful shot. In the forests of Ceylon an elephant can be

stalked to within a few paces, and the shot is seldom fired at a greater

distance than ten yards: thus accuracy of aim is insured; but in the

open ground of Africa, an elephant can seldom be approached within fifty

yards, and should he charge the hunter, escape is most difficult. I

never found African elephants in good jungle, except once, and on that

occasion I shot five, quite as quickly as we should kill them in Ceylon.

The character of the sport must vary according to the character of the

country; thus there may be parts of Africa at variance with my

description. I only relate my own experience.

Among other weapons, I had an extraordinary rifle that carried a

half-pound percussion shell--this instrument of torture to the hunter

was not sufficiently heavy for the weight of the projectile; it only

weighed twenty pounds: thus, with a charge of ten drachms of powder,

behind a HALF-POUND shell, the recoil was so terrific, that I was spun

round like a weathercock in a hurricane. I really dreaded my own rifle,

although I had been accustomed to heavy charges of powder and severe

recoil for many years.

None of my men could fire it, and it was looked upon with a species of

awe, and was named "Jenna el Mootfah" (child of a cannon) by the Arabs,

which being far too long a name for practice, I christened it the

"Baby;" and the scream of this "Baby," loaded with a half-pound shell,

was always fatal. It was far too severe, and I very seldom fired it, but

it is a curious fact, that I never fired a shot with that rifle without

bagging: the entire practice, during several years, was confined to

about twenty shots. I was afraid to use it; but now and then it was

absolutely necessary that it should be cleaned, after lying for months

loaded. On such occasions my men had the gratification of firing it, and

the explosion was always accompanied by two men falling on their backs

(one having propped up the shooter), and the "Baby" flying some yards

behind them. This rifle was made by Holland, of Bond Street, and I could

highly recommend it for Goliath of Gath, but not for men of A.D. 1866.

The natives of Central Africa generally hunt the elephant for the sake

of the flesh, and prior to the commencement of the White Nile trade by

the Arabs, and the discovery of the Upper White Nile to the 5 degrees N.

lat. by the expedition sent by Mehemet Ali Pasha, the tusks were

considered as worthless, and were treated as bones. The death of an

elephant is a grand affair for the natives, as it supplies flesh for an

enormous number of people, also fat, which is the great desire of all

savages for internal and external purposes. There are various methods of

killing them. Pitfalls are the most common, but the wary old bulls are

seldom caught in this manner.

The position chosen for the pit is, almost without exception, in the

vicinity of a drinking place, and the natives exhibit a great amount of

cunning in felling trees across the usual run of the elephants, and

sometimes cutting an open pit across the path, so as to direct the

elephant by such obstacles into the path of snares. The pits are usually

about twelve feet long, and three feet broad, by nine deep; these are

artfully made, decreasing towards the bottom to the breadth of a foot.

The general elephant route to the drinking place being blocked up, the

animals are diverted by a treacherous path towards the water, the route

intersected by numerous pits, all of which are carefully concealed by

sticks and straw, the latter being usually strewn with elephants' dung

to create a natural effect.

Should an elephant, during the night, fall through the deceitful

surface, his foot becomes jammed in the bottom of the narrow grave, and

he labours shoulder deep, with two feet in the pitfall so fixed that

extrication is impossible. Should one animal be thus caught, a sudden

panic seizes the rest of the herd, and in their hasty retreat one or

more are generally victims to the numerous pits in the vicinity. The old

bulls never approach a watering place rapidly, but carefully listen for

danger, and then slowly advance with their warning trunks stretched to

the path before them; the delicate nerves of the proboscis at once

detect the hidden snare, and the victims to pitfalls are the members of

large herds who, eager to push forward incautiously, put their "foot

into it," like shareholders in bubble companies. Once helpless in the

pit, they are easily killed with lances.

The great elephant hunting season is in January, when the high prairies

are parched and reduced to straw. At such a time, should a large herd of

animals be discovered, the natives of the entire district collect

together to the number of perhaps a thousand men; surrounding the

elephants by embracing a considerable tract of country, they fire the

grass at a given signal. In a few minutes the unconscious elephants are

surrounded by a circle of fire, which, however distant, must eventually

close in upon them. The men advance with the fire, which rages to the

height of twenty or thirty feet. At length the elephants, alarmed by the

volumes of smoke and the roaring of the flames, mingled with the shouts

of the hunters, attempt an escape. They are hemmed in on every

side--wherever they rush, they are met by an impassable barrier of

flames and smoke, so stifling, that they are forced to retreat.

Meanwhile the fatal circle is decreasing; buffaloes and antelopes,

likewise doomed to a horrible fate, crowd panic stricken to the centre

of the encircled ring, and the raging fire sweeps over all. Burnt and

blinded by fire and smoke, the animals are now attacked by the savage

crowd of hunters, excited by the helplessness of the unfortunate

elephants thus miserably sacrificed, and they fall under countless

spears. This destructive method of hunting ruins the game of that part

of Africa, and so scarce are the antelopes, that, in a day's journey, a

dozen head are seldom seen in the open prairie.

The next method of hunting is perfectly legitimate. Should many

elephants be in the neighbourhood, the natives post about a hundred men

in as many large trees; these men are armed with heavy lances specially

adapted to the sport, with blades about eighteen inches long and three

inches broad. The elephants are driven by a great number of men towards

the trees in which the spearmen are posted, and those that pass

sufficiently near are speared between the shoulders. The spear being

driven deep into the animal, creates a frightful wound, as the tough

handle, striking against the intervening branches of trees, acts as a

lever, and works the long blade of the spear within the elephant,

cutting to such an extent that he soon drops from exhaustion.

The best and only really great elephant-hunters of the White Nile are

the Bagara Arabs, on about the 13 degree N. lat. These men hunt on

horseback, and kill the elephant in fair fight with their spears.

The lance is about fourteen feet long, of male bamboo; the blade is

about fourteen inches long by nearly three inches broad; this is as

sharp as a razor. Two men, thus armed and mounted, form the hunting

party. Should they discover a herd, they ride up to the finest tusker

and single him from the others. One man now leads the way, and the

elephant, finding himself pressed, immediately charges the horse. There

is much art required in leading the elephant, who follows the horse with

great determination, and the rider adapts his pace so as to keep his

horse so near the elephant that his attention is entirely absorbed with

the hope of catching him. The other hunter should by this tine have

followed close to the elephant's heels, and, dismounting when at full

gallop with wonderful dexterity, he plunges his spear with both hands

into the elephant about two feet below the junction of the tail, and

with all his force he drives the spear about eight feet into his

abdomen, and withdraws it immediately. Should he be successful in his

stab, he remounts his horse and flies, or does his best to escape on

foot, should he not have time to mount, as the elephant generally turns

to pursue him. His comrade immediately turns his horse, and, dashing at

the elephant, in his turn dismounts, and drives his lance deep into his

intestines.

Generally, if the first thrust is scientifically given, the bowels

protrude to such an extent that the elephant is at once disabled. Two

good hunters will frequently kill several out of one herd; but in this

dangerous hand-to-hand fight the hunter is often the victim. Hunting

the elephant on horseback is certainly far less dangerous than on foot,

but although the speed of the horse is undoubtedly superior, the chase

generally takes place upon ground so disadvantageous, that he is liable

to fall, in which case there is little chance for either animal or

rider. So savage are the natural instincts of Africans, that they attend

only to the destruction of the elephant, and never attempt its

domestication.

CHAPTER VIII.

IBRAHIM's RETURN.

Ibrahim returned from Gondokoro, bringing with him a large supply of

ammunition. A wounded man of Chenooda's people also arrived, the sole

relic of the fight with the Latookas; he had been left for dead, but had

recovered, and for days and nights he had wandered about the country, in

thirst and hunger, hiding like a wild beast from the sight of human

beings, his guilty conscience marking every Latooka as an enemy. As a

proof of the superiority of the natives to the Khartoumers, he had at

length been met by some Latookas, and not only was well treated and fed

by their women, but they had guided him to Ibrahim's camp.

The black man is a curious anomaly, the good and bad points of human

nature bursting forth without any arrangement, like the flowers and

thorns of his own wilderness. A creature of impulse, seldom actuated by

reflection, the black man astounds by his complete obtuseness, and as

suddenly confounds you by an unexpected exhibition of sympathy. From a

long experience with African savages, I think it is as absurd to condemn

the negro in toto, as it is preposterous to compare his intellectual

capacity with that of the white man. It is unfortunately the fashion for

one party to uphold the negro as a superior being, while the other

denies him the common powers of reason. So great a difference of opinion

has ever existed upon the intrinsic value of the negro, that the very

perplexity of the question is a proof that he is altogether a distinct

variety. So long as it is generally considered that the negro and the

white man are to be governed by the same laws and guided by the same

management, so long will the former remain a thorn in the side of every

community to which he may unhappily belong. When the horse and the ass

shall be found to match in double harness, the white man and the African

black will pull together under the same regime. It is the grand error of

equalizing that which is unequal, that has lowered the negro character,

and made the black man a reproach.

In his savage home, what is the African? Certainly bad; but not so bad

as white men would (I believe) be under similar circumstances. He is

acted upon by the bad passions inherent in human nature, but there is no

exaggerated vice, such as is found in civilized countries. The strong

takes from the weak, one tribe fights the other--do not perhaps we in

Europe?--these are the legitimate acts of independent tribes, authorized

by their chiefs. They mutually enslave each other--how long is it since

America and WE OURSELVES ceased to be slaveholders? He is callous and

ungrateful--in Europe is there no ingratitude?

He is cunning and a liar by nature--in Europe is all truth and

sincerity? Why should the black man not be equal to the white? He is as

powerful in frame, a why should he not be as exalted in mind?

In childhood I believe the negro to be in advance, in intellectual

quickness, of the white child of a similar age, but the mind does not

expand--it promises fruit, but does not ripen; and the negro man has

grown in body, but not advanced in intellect.

The puppy of three months old is superior in intellect to a child of the

same age, but the mind of the child expands, while that of the dog has

arrived at its limit. The chicken of the common fowl has sufficient

power and instinct to run in search of food the moment that it leaves

the egg, while the young of the eagle lies helpless in its nest; but the

young eagle outstrips the chicken in the course of time. The earth

presents a wonderful example of variety in all classes of the human

race, the animal and vegetable kingdoms. People, beasts, and plants

belonging to distinct classes, exhibit special qualities and

peculiarities. The existence of many hundred varieties of dogs cannot

interfere with the fact that they belong to one genus: the greyhound,

pug, bloodhound, pointer, poodle, mastiff, and toy terrier, are all as

entirely different in their peculiar instincts as are the varieties of

the human race. The different fruits and flowers continue the

example;--the wild grapes of the forest are grapes, but although they

belong to the same class, they are distinct from the luscious

"Muscatel;" and the wild dog-rose of the hedge, although of the same

class, is inferior to the moss-rose of the garden.

From fruits and flowers we may turn to insect life, and, watch the air

teeming with varieties of the same species, the thousands of butterflies

and beetles, the many members of each class varying in instincts and

peculiarities. Fishes, and even shellfish, all exhibit the same

arrangement,--that every group is divided into varieties all differing

from each other, and each distinguished by some peculiar excellence or

defect.

In the great system of creation that divided races and subdivided them

according to mysterious laws, apportioning special qualities to each,

the varieties of the human race exhibit certain characters and

qualifications which adapt them for specific localities. The natural

character of those races will not alter with a change of locality, but

the instincts of each race will be developed in any country where they

may be located. Thus, the English are as English in Australia, India,

and America, as they are in England, and in every locality they exhibit

the industry and energy of their native land; even so the African will

remain negro in all his natural instincts, although transplanted to

other soils; and those natural instincts being a love of idleness and

savagedom, he will assuredly relapse into an idle and savage state,

unless specially governed and forced to industry.

The history of the negro has proved the correctness of this theory. In

no instance has he evinced other than a retrogression, when once freed

from restraint. Like a horse without harness, he runs wild, but, if

harnessed, no animal is more useful. Unfortunately, this is contrary to

public opinion in England, where the vox populi assumes the right of

dictation upon matters and men in which it has had no experience. The

English insist upon their own weights and measures as the scales for

human excellence, and it has been decreed by the multitude,

inexperienced in the negro personally, that he has been a badly-treated

brother; that he is a worthy member of the human family, placed in an

inferior position through the prejudice and ignorance of the white man,

with whom he should be upon equality.

The negro has been, and still is, thoroughly misunderstood. However

severely we may condemn the horrible system of slavery, the results of

emancipation have proved that the negro does not appreciate the

blessings of freedom, nor does he show the slightest feeling of

gratitude to the hand that broke the rivets of his fetters. His narrow

mind cannot embrace that feeling of pure philanthropy that first

prompted England to declare herself against slavery, and he only regards

the antislavery movement as a proof of his own importance. In his

limited horizon he is himself the important object, and, as a sequence

to his self-conceit, he imagines that the whole world is at issue

concerning the black man. The negro, therefore, being the important

question, must be an important person, and he conducts himself

accordingly--he is far too great a man to work. Upon this point his

natural character exhibits itself most determinedly. Accordingly, he

resists any attempt at coercion; being free, his first impulse is to

claim an equality with those whom he lately served, and to usurp a

dignity with absurd pretensions, that must inevitably insure the disgust

of the white community. Ill-will thus engendered, a hatred and jealousy

is established between the two races, combined with the errors that in

such conditions must arise upon both sides. The final question remains,

Why was the negro first introduced into our colonies--and to America?

The SUN is the great arbitrator between the white and the black man.

There are productions necessary to civilized countries, that can alone

be cultivated in tropical climates, where the white man cannot live if

exposed to labour in the sun. Thus, such fertile countries as the West

Indies and portions of America being without a native population, the

negro was originally imported as a slave to fulfil the conditions of a

labourer. In his own country he was a wild savage, and enslaved his

brother man; he thus became a victim to his own system; to the

institution of slavery that is indigenous to the soil of Africa, and

that has NOT BEEN TAUGHT TO THE AFRICAN BY THE WHITE MAN, as is

currently reported, but that has ever been the peculiar characteristic

of African tribes.

In his state of slavery the negro was compelled to work, and, through

his labour, every country prospered where he had been introduced. He was

suddenly freed; and from that moment he refused to work, and instead of

being a useful member of society, he not only became a useless burden to

the community, but a plotter and intriguer, imbued with a deadly hatred

to the white man who had generously declared him free.

Now, as the negro was originally imported as a labourer, but now refuses

to labour, it is self-evident that he is a lamentable failure. Either he

must be compelled to work, by some stringent law against vagrancy, or

those beautiful countries that prospered under the conditions of negro

forced industry must yield to ruin, under negro freedom and idle

independence. For an example of the results look to St. Domingo!

Under peculiar guidance, and subject to a certain restraint, the negro

may be an important and most useful being; but if treated as an

Englishman, he will affect the vices but none of the virtues of

civilization, and his natural good qualities will be lost in his

attempts to become a "white man."

Revenons a nos moutons noirs. It was amusing to watch the change that

took place in a slave that had been civilized (?) by the slave-traders.

Among their parties there were many blacks who had been captured, and

who enjoyed the life of slave-hunting--nothing appeared so easy as to

become professional in cattle razzias and kidnapping human beings, and

the first act of the slave was to procure a slave for himself! All the

best slave-hunters, and the boldest and most energetic scoundrels, were

the negroes who had at one time themselves been kidnapped. These fellows

aped a great and ridiculous importance. On the march they would seldom

condescend to carry their own guns; a little slave boy invariably

attended to his master, keeping close to his heels, and trotting along

on foot during a long march, carrying a musket much longer than himself:

a woman generally carried a basket with a cooking-pot, and a gourd of

water and provisions, while a hired native carried the soldier's change

of clothes and oxhide upon which he slept. Thus the man who had been

kidnapped became the kidnapper, and the slave became the master, the

only difference between him and the Arab being an absurd notion of his

own dignity. It was in vain that I attempted to reason with them against

the principles of slavery: they thought it wrong when they were

themselves the sufferers, but were always ready to indulge in it when

the preponderance of power lay upon their side.

Among Ibrahim's people, there was a black named Ibrahimawa. This fellow

was a native of Bornu, and had been taken when a boy of twelve years old

and sold at Constantinople; he formerly belonged to Mehemet Ali Pasha;

he had been to London and Paris, and during the Crimean war he was at

Kertch. Altogether he was a great traveller, and he had a natural taste

for geography and botany, that marked him as a wonderful exception to

the average of the party. He had run away from his master in Egypt, and

had been vagabondizing about in Khartoum in handsome clothes,

negro-like, persuading himself that the public admired him, and thought

that he was a Bey. Having soon run through his money, he had engaged

himself to Koorshid Aga to serve in his White Nile expedition.

He was an excellent example of the natural instincts of the negro

remaining intact under all circumstances. Although remarkably superior

to his associates, his small stock of knowledge was combined with such

an exaggerated conceit, that he was to me a perpetual source of

amusement, while he was positively hated by his comrades, both by Arabs

and blacks, for his overbearing behaviour. Having seen many countries,

he was excessively fond of recounting his adventures, all of which had

so strong a colouring of the "Arabian Nights," that he might have been

the original "Sinbad the Sailor." His natural talent for geography was

really extraordinary; he would frequently pay me a visit, and spend

hours in drawing maps with a stick upon the sand, of the countries he

had visited, and especially of the Mediterranean, and the course from

Egypt and Constantinople to England. Unfortunately, some long story was

attached to every principal point of the voyage. The descriptions most

interesting to me were those connected with the west bank of the White

Nile, as he had served some years with the trading party, and had

penetrated through the Makkarika, a cannibal tribe, to about two hundred

miles west of Gondokoro. Both he and many of Ibrahim's party had been

frequent witnesses to acts of cannibalism, during their residence among

the Makkarikas. They described these cannibals as remarkably good

people, but possessing a peculiar taste for dogs and human flesh. They

accompanied the trading party in their razzias, and invariably ate the

bodies of the slain. The traders complained that they were bad

associates, as they insisted upon killing and eating the children which

the party wished to secure as slaves: their custom was to catch a child

by its ankles, and to dash its head against the ground; thus killed,

they opened the abdomen, extracted the stomach and intestines, and tying

the two ankles to the neck they carried the body by slinging it over the

shoulder, and thus returned to camp, where they divided it by

quartering, and boiled it in a large pot. Another man in my own service

had been a witness to a horrible act of cannibalism at Gondokoro.

The traders had arrived with their ivory from the West, together with a

great number of slaves; the porters who carried the ivory being

Makkarikas. One of the slave girls attempted to escape, and her

proprietor immediately fired at her with his musket, and she fell

wounded; the ball had struck her in the side. The girl was remarkably

fat, and from the wound, a large lump of yellow fat exuded. No sooner

had she fallen, than the Makkarikas rushed upon her in a crowd, and

seizing the fat, they tore it from the wound in handfuls, the girl being

still alive, while the crowd were quarrelling for the disgusting prize.

Others killed her with a lance, and at once divided her by cutting off

the head, and splitting the body with their lances, used as knives,

cutting longitudinally from between the legs along the spine to the

neck.

Many slave women and their children who witnessed this scene, rushed

panic-stricken from the spot and took refuge in the trees. The

Makkarikas seeing them in flight, were excited to give chase, and

pulling the children from their refuge among the branches, they killed

several, and in a short time a great feast was prepared for the whole

party. My man, Mahommed, who was an eyewitness, declared that he could

not eat his dinner for three days, so great was his disgust at this

horrible feast.

Although my camp was entirely separate from that of Ibrahim, I was

dreadfully pestered by his people, who, knowing that I was well supplied

with many articles of which they were in need, came begging to my tent

from morning till evening daily. To refuse was to insult them; and as my

chance of success in the exploration unfortunately depended upon my not

offending the traders I was obliged to be coldly civil, and nothing was

refused them. Hardly a day passed without broken guns being brought to

me for repair; and having earned an unenviable celebrity as a gunsmith,

added to my possession of the requisite tools, I really had no rest, and

I was kept almost constantly at work.

One day Ibrahim was seized with a dangerous fever, and was supposed to

be dying. Again I was in request: and seeing that he was in a state of

partial collapse, attended with the distressing symptoms of want of

action of the heart, so frequently fatal at this stage of the disease, I

restored him by a very powerful stimulant, and thereby gained renown as

a physician, which, although useful was extremely annoying, as my tent

was daily thronged with patients, all of whom expected miraculous cures

for the most incurable diseases.

In this manner I gained a certain influence over the people, but I was

constantly subjected to excessive annoyances and disgust, occasioned by

the conduct of their party towards the Latookas. The latter were

extremely unwise, being very independent and ready to take offence on

the slightest pretext, and the Turks, being now 140 strong, had no fear,

and there appeared every probability of hostilities. I was engaged in

erecting huts, and in securing my camp; and although I offered high

payment, I could not prevail on the natives to work regularly. They

invariably stipulated that they were to receive their beads before they

commenced work, in which case they, with few exceptions, absconded with

their advanced payment.

One day a native behaved in a similar manner to the Turks; he was,

accordingly, caught, and unmercifully beaten. Half an hour after, the

nogara beat, and was answered by distant drums from the adjacent

villages. In about an hour, several thousand armed men, with shields,

were collected within half a mile of the Turks' camp, to avenge the

insult that had been offered to one of their tribe. However, the Turks'

drum beat, and their whole force drew up to their flag under arms

outside their zareeba, and offered a determined front. I extract the

following entry from my journal. "These Turks are delightful neighbours;

they will create a row, and I shall be dragged into it in self-defence,

as the natives will distinguish no difference in a scrimmage, although

they draw favourable comparisons between me and the Turks in times of

peace. Not a native came to work at the huts today; I therefore sent for

the two chiefs, Commoro and Moy, and had a long talk with them. They

said that 'no Latooka should be beaten by common fellows like the

traders' men; that I was a great chief, and that if I chose to beat them

they would be content.' I gave them advice to keep quiet, and not to

quarrel about trifles, as the Turks would assuredly destroy the country

should a fight commence.

"At the same time, I told them that they did not treat me properly: they

came to me in times of difficulty as a mediator, but although they knew

I had always paid well for everything, they gave me no supplies, and I

was obliged to shoot game for my daily food, although they possessed

such enormous herds of cattle; neither could I procure materials or

workpeople to complete my camp. The parley terminated with an

understanding that they were to supply me with everything, and that they

would put a stop to the intended fight. In the evening a goat was

brought, and a number of men appeared with grass and wood for sale for

hut-building."

The following day, some of my people went to a neighbouring village to

purchase corn, but the natives insulted them, refusing to sell, saying

that "we should die of hunger, as no one should either give or sell us

anything." This conduct must induce hostilities, as the Turks are too

powerful to be insulted. I am rather anxious lest some expedition may

entail the departure of the entire Turkish party, when the Latookas may

seize the opportunity of attacking my innocents. The latter are now so

thoroughly broken to my severe laws, "thou shalt not take slaves;

neither cattle; nor fire a shot unless in self-defence," that they are

resigned to the ignoble lot of minding the donkeys, and guarding the

camp.

Latooka was in a very disturbed state, and the excitement of the people

was increasing daily. Two of my men went into the town to buy grass,

and, without any provocation, they were surrounded by the natives, and

the gun of one man was wrested from him; the other, after a tussle, in

which he lost his ramrod, beat a hasty retreat. A number of the soldiers

immediately collected, and I sent to the chief to demand the restoration

of the gun, which was returned that evening. I could literally procure

nothing without the greatest annoyance and trouble.

My men, by their mutiny and desertion at Gondokoro, had reduced a

well-armed expedition to a mere remnant, dependent upon the company of a

band of robbers for the means of advancing through the country. Instead

of travelling as I had arranged, at the head of forty-five well-armed

men, I had a miserable fifteen cowardly curs, who were employed in

driving the baggage animals; thus they would be helpless in the event of

an attack upon the road. I accordingly proposed to make a depot at

Latooka, and to travel with only twelve donkeys and the lightest

baggage. It was a continual trial of temper and wounded pride. To give

up the expedition was easy, but to succeed at that period appeared

hopeless; and success could only be accomplished by the greatest

patience, perseverance, and most careful tact and management of all

parties. It was most galling to be a hanger-on to this company of

traders, who tolerated me for the sake of presents, but who hated me in

their hearts.

One afternoon some natives suddenly arrived from a country named Obbo

with presents from their chief for the Turks, and also for me. Ibrahim

received several tusks while I received an iron hoe (molote), as the

news had already extended to that country, "that a white man was in

Latooka, who wanted neither slaves nor ivory." The natives reported,

that a quantity of ivory existed in their country, and Ibrahim

determined to take a few men and pay it a visit, as the people were said

to be extremely friendly. I requested the leader to point out the exact

position of Obbo, which I found to be S.W. That was precisely the

direction that I had wished to take; thus an unexpected opportunity

presented itself, and I determined to start without delay. On the 2d of

May, 1863, at 9 A.M. we left Latooka, delighted to change the scene of

inaction. I left five men in charge of my camp and effects, begging

Commoro the chief to look after their safety, and telling him that I had

no fear of trusting all to his care. Savages will seldom deceive you if

thus placed upon their honour, this happy fact being one of the bright

rays in their darkness, and an instance of the anomalous character of

the African.

The route lay across the park-like valley of Latooka for about eighteen

miles, by which time we reached the base of the mountain chain. There

was no other path than the native track, which led over a low range of

granite rocks, forming a ridge about four hundred feet high. It was with

the greatest difficulty that the loaded donkeys could be hoisted over

the numerous blocks of granite that formed an irregular flight of steps,

like the ascent of the great pyramid; however, by pulling at their ears,

and pushing behind, all except one succeeded in gaining the summit; he

was abandoned on the pass.

We were now in the heart of the mountains, and a beautiful valley, well

wooded and about six miles in width, lay before us, forming the basin of

the Kanieti river that we had formerly crossed at Wakkala, between

Ellyria and Latooka.

Fording this stream in a rapid current, we crossed with difficulty, the

donkeys wetting all their loads. This was of no great consequence, as a

violent storm suddenly overtook us and soaked everyone as thoroughly as

the donkeys' packs. A few wild plantains afforded leaves which we

endeavoured to use as screens, but the rain-drops were far too heavy for

such feeble protection. Within a mile of the river we determined to

bivouac, as the evening had arrived, and in such weather an advance was

out of the question. The tent having been left at Latooka, there was no

help for it, and we were obliged to rest contented with our position

upon about an acre of clean rock plateau upon which we lighted an

enormous fire, and crouched shivering round the blaze. No grass was cut

for the animals, as the men had been too busy in collecting firewood

sufficient to last throughout the night. Some fowls that we had brought

from Latooka had been drowned by the rain; thus my Mahommedan followers

refused to eat them, as their throats had not been cut. Not being so

scrupulous, and wonderfully hungry in the cold rain, Mrs. Baker and I

converted them into a stew, and then took refuge, wet and miserable,

under our untanned ox-hides until the following morning. Although an

ox-hide is not waterproof, it will keep out a considerable amount of

wet; but when thoroughly saturated, it is about as comfortable as any

other wet leather, with the additional charm of an exceedingly

disagreeable raw smell, very attractive to hyenas. The night being dark,

several men thus lost their leather bags that they had left upon the

rock.

At 6 A.M., having passed a most uncomfortable night, we started, and

after a march of about two miles I was made extremely anxious for the

donkeys, by being assured that it was necessary to ascend a most

precipitous granite hill, at least seven hundred feet high, that rose

exactly before us, and upon the very summit of which was perched a large

village. There was no help by means of porters; we led our horses with

difficulty up the steep face of the rock--fortunately they had never

been shod, thus their firm hoofs obtained a hold where an iron shoe

would have slipped; and after extreme difficulty and a most tedious

struggle, we found our party all assembled on the flat summit. From this

elevated point we had a superb view of the surrounding country, and I

took the compass bearing of the Latooka mountain Gebel Lafeet, N. 45

degrees east. The natives of the village that we had now reached had

nothing to sell but a few beans, therefore without further delay we

commenced the descent upon the opposite side, and at 2.40 P.M. we

reached the base, the horses and donkeys having scrambled over the large

blocks of stone with the greatest labour. At the foot of the hill the

country was park-like and well wooded, although there was no very large

timber. Here the grass was two feet high and growing rapidly, while at

Latooka all was barren. Halted at 5.20 P.M. on the banks of a small

running stream, a tributary to the Kanieti. The night being fine we

slept well; and the next morning at 6 A.M. we commenced the most lovely

march that I have ever made in Africa. Winding through the very bosom of

the mountains, well covered with forest until the bare granite peaks

towered above all vegetation to the height of about 5,000 feet, we

continued through narrow valleys bordered by abrupt spurs of the

mountains from 1,700 to 2,000 feet high. On the peak of each was a

village; evidently these impregnable positions were chosen for security.

At length the great ascent was to be made, and for two hours we toiled

up a steep zigzag pass. The air was most invigorating; beautiful wild

flowers, some of which were highly scented, ornamented the route, and

innumerable wild grape-vines hung in festoons from tree to tree. We were

now in an elevated country on the range of mountains dividing the lower

lands of Latooka from the high lands of Obbo. We arrived at the summit

of the pass about 2,500 feet above the Latooka valley. In addition to

the wild flowers were numerous fruits, all good; especially a variety of

custard apple, and a full-flavoured yellow plum. The grapes were in most

promising bunches, but unripe. The scenery was very fine; to the east

and southeast, masses of high mountains, while to the west and south

were vast tracts of park-like country of intense green. In this elevated

region the season was much farther advanced than in Latooka;-this was

the mountain range upon which I had formerly observed that the storms

had concentrated; here the rainy season had been in full play for

months, while in Latooka everything was parched. The grass on the west

side of the pass was full six feet high. Although the ascent had

occupied about two hours, the descent on the west side was a mere

trifle, and was effected in about fifteen minutes--we were on an

elevated plateau that formed the watershed between the east and west.

After a march of about twelve miles from the top of the pass, we arrived

at the chief village of Obbo. The rain fell in torrents, and, soaked to

the skin, we crawled into a dirty hut. This village was forty miles S.W.

of Tarrangolle, my head-quarters in Latooka.

The natives of Obbo are entirely different to the Latookas, both in

language and appearance. They are not quite naked, except when going to

war, on which occasion they are painted in stripes of red and yellow;

but their usual covering is the skin of an antelope or goat, slung like

a mantle across the shoulders. Their faces are well formed, with

peculiarly fine-shaped noses. The headdress of the Obbo is remarkably

neat, the woolly hair being matted and worked with thread into a flat

form like a beaver's tail, and bound with a fine edge of raw hide to

keep it in shape. This, like the head-dress of Latooka, requires many

years to complete.

From Obbo to the Southeast all is mountainous, the highest points of the

chain rising to an elevation of four or five thousand feet above the

general level of the country; to the south, although there are no actual

mountains, but merely a few isolated hills, the country distinctly

rises.

The entire drainage is to the west and north-west, in which direction

there is a very perceptible inclination. The vegetation of Obbo, and the

whole of the west side of the mountain range, is different from that

upon the east side; the soil is exceedingly rich, producing an abundance

of Guinea grass, with which the plains are covered. This country

produces nine varieties of yams, many of which grow wild in the forests.

There is one most peculiar species, called by the natives "Collolollo,"

that I had not met with in other countries. This variety produces

several tubers at the root, and also upon the stalk; it does not spread

upon the ground, like most of the vines that characterise the yams, but

it climbs upon trees or upon any object that may tempt its tendrils.

From every bud upon the stalk of this vine springs a bulb, somewhat

kidney-shaped; this increases until, when ripe, it attains the average

size of a potato.

So prolific is this plant, that one vine will produce about 150 yams:

they are covered with a fine skin of a greenish brown, and are in

flavour nearly equal to a potato, but rather waxy.

There are many good wild fruits, including one very similar to a walnut

in its green shell; the flesh of this has a remarkably fine flavour, and

the nut within exactly resembles a horse-chestnut in size and fine

mahogany colour. This nut is roasted, and, when ground and boiled, a

species of fat or butter is skimmed from the surface of the water: this

is much prized by the natives, and is used for rubbing their bodies,

being considered as the best of all fats for the skin; it is also eaten.

Among the best of the wild fruits is one resembling raisins; this grows

in clusters upon a large tree. Also a bright yellow fruit, as large as a

Muscat grape, and several varieties of plums. None of these are produced

in Latooka. Ground-nuts are also in abundance in the forests; these are

not like the well-known African ground-nut of the west coast, but are

contained in an excessively hard shell. A fine quality of flax grows

wild, but the twine generally used by the natives is made from the fibre

of a species of aloe. Tobacco grows to an extraordinary size, and is

prepared similarly to that of the Ellyria tribe.

When ripe, the leaves are pounded in a mortar and reduced to a pulp; the

mass is then placed in a conical mould of wood, and pressed. It remains

in this until dry, when it presents the shape of a loaf of sugar, and is

perfectly hard. The tobacco of the Ellyria tribe is shaped into cheeses,

and frequently adulterated with cowdung. I had never smoked until my

arrival in Obbo, but having suffered much from fever, and the country

being excessively damp, I commenced with Obbo pipes and tobacco.

Every tribe has a distinct pattern of pipe; those of the Bari have wide

trumpet-shaped mouths; the Latooka are long and narrow; and the Obbo

smaller and the neatest. All their pottery is badly burned, and

excessively fragile if wet. The water jars are well formed, although the

potter's wheel is quite unknown, and the circular form is obtained

entirely by the hand. Throughout the tribes of the White Nile, the

articles of pottery are limited to the tobacco-pipe and the water-jar:

all other utensils are formed either of wood, or of gourd shells.

By observation, 1 determined the latitude of my camp at Obbo to be 4

degrees 02' N., 32 degrees 31' long. E., and the general elevation of

the country 3,674 feet above the sea, the temperature about 76 degrees

F. The altitude of Latooka was 2,236 feet above the sea level: thus we

were, at Obbo, upon an elevated plateau, 1,438 feet above the general

level of the country on the east of the mountain range. The climate

would be healthy were the country sufficiently populated to war

successfully against nature; but the rainfall continuing during ten

months of the year, from February to the end of November, and the soil

being extremely fertile, the increase of vegetation is too rapid, and

the scanty population are hemmed in and overpowered by superabundant

herbage. This mass of foliage, and grasses of ten feet in height

interwoven with creeping plants and wild grape-vines, is perfectly

impenetrable to man, and forms a vast jungle, inhabited by elephants,

rhinoceros, and buffaloes, whose ponderous strength alone can overcome

it. There are few antelopes, as those animals dislike the grass jungles,

in which they have no protection against the lion or the leopard, as

such beasts of prey can approach them unseen. In the month of January

the grass is sufficiently dry to burn, but even at that period there is

a quantity of fresh green grass growing between the withered stems; thus

the firing of the prairies does not absolutely clear the country, but

merely consumes the dry matter, and leaves a ruin of charred herbage,

rendered so tough by the burning, that it is quite impossible to ride

without cutting the skin from the horse's shins and shoulders.

Altogether, it is a most uninteresting country, as there is no

possibility of traversing it except by the narrow footpaths made by the

natives.

The chief of Obbo came to meet us with several of his head men. He was

an extraordinary-looking man, about fifty-eight or sixty years of age;

but, far from possessing the dignity usually belonging to a grey head,

he acted the buffoon for our amusement, and might have been a clown in a

pantomime.

The heavy storm having cleared, the nogaras beat, and our entertaining

friend determined upon a grand dance; pipes and flutes were soon heard

gathering from all quarters, horns brayed, and numbers of men and women

began to collect in crowds, while old Katchiba, the chief, in a state of

great excitement, gave orders for the entertainment.

About a hundred men formed a circle; each man held in his left hand a

small cup-shaped drum, formed of hollowed wood, one end only being

perforated, and this was covered with the skin of the elephant's ear,

tightly stretched. In the centre of the circle was the chief dancer, who

wore, suspended from his shoulders, an immense drum, also covered with

the elephant's ear. The dance commenced by all singing remarkably well a

wild but agreeable tune in chorus, the big drum directing the time, and

the whole of the little drums striking at certain periods with such

admirable precision, that the effect was that of a single instrument.

The dancing was most vigorous, and far superior to anything that I had

seen among either, Arabs or savages, the figures varying continually,

and ending with a "grand galop" in double circles, at a tremendous pace,

the inner ring revolving in a contrary direction to the outer; the

effect of this was excellent.

Although the men of Obbo wear a skin slung across their shoulders and

loins, the women are almost naked, and, instead of wearing the leather

apron and tail of the Latookas, they are contented with a slight fringe

of leather shreds, about four inches long by two broad, suspended from a

belt. The unmarried girls are entirely naked; or, if they are

sufficiently rich in finery, they wear three or four strings of small

white beads, about three inches in length, as a covering. The old ladies

are antiquated Eves, whose dress consists of a string round the waist,

in which is stuck a bunch of green leaves, the stalk uppermost. I have

seen a few of the young girls that were prudes indulge in such garments;

but they did not appear to be fashionable, and were adopted faute de

mieux. One great advantage was possessed by this costume,--it was always

clean and fresh, and the nearest bush (if not thorny) provided a clean

petticoat. When in the society of these very simple and in demeanour

ALWAYS MODEST Eves, I could not help reflecting upon the Mosaical

description of our first parents, "and they sewed fig-leaves together."

Some of the Obbo women were very pretty. The caste of feature was

entirely different to that of the Latookas, and a striking peculiarity

was displayed in the finely arched noses of many of the natives, which

strongly reminded one of the Somauli tribes. It was impossible to

conjecture their origin, as they had neither traditions nor ideas of

their past history.

The language is that of the Madi. There are three distinct

languages--the Bari, the Latooka, and the Madi, the latter country

extending south of Obbo. A few of the words, most commonly in use, will

exemplify them :--

Obbo. Latooka. Bari.

Water. Fee. Cari. Feeum.

Fire. Mite. Nyeme. Keemang.

The Sun. T'sean. Narlong. Karlong.

A Cow. Decang. Nyeten. Kittan.

A Goat. Decan. Nyene. Eddeen.

Milk. T'sarck. Nalle. Le.

A Fowl. Gweno. Nakome. Chokkore.

The Obbo natives were a great and agreeable change after the Latookas,

as they never asked for presents. Although the old chief, Katchiba,

behaved more like a clown than a king, he was much respected by his

people. He holds his authority over his subjects as general rain maker

and sorcerer. Should a subject displease him, or refuse him a gift, he

curses his goats and fowls, or threatens to wither his crops, and the

fear of these inflictions reduces the discontented. There are no

specific taxes, but he occasionally makes a call upon the country for a

certain number of goats and supplies. These are generally given, as

Katchiba is a knowing old diplomatist, and he tunes his demands with

great judgment. Thus, should there be a lack of rain, or too much, at

the season for sowing the crops, he takes the opportunity of calling his

subjects together and explaining to them how much he regrets that their

conduct has compelled him to afflict them with unfavourable weather, but

that it is their own fault. If they are so greedy and so stingy that

they will not supply him properly, how can they expect him to think of

their interests? He must have goats and corn. "No goats, no rain; that's

our contract, my friends," says Katchiba. "Do as you like. I can wait; I

hope you can." Should his people complain of too much rain, he threatens

to pour storms and lightning upon them for ever, unless they bring him

so many hundred baskets of corn, &c. &c. Thus he holds his sway.

No man would think of starting upon a journey without the blessing of

the old chief; and a peculiar "hocus pocus" is considered as necessary

from the magic hands of Katchiba that shall charm the traveller, and

preserve him from all danger of wild animals upon the road. In case of

sickness he is called in, not as M.D. in our acceptation, but as "doctor

of magic," and he charms both the hut and the patient against death,

with the fluctuating results that must attend professionals even in

sorcery. His subjects have the most thorough confidence in his power;

and so great is his reputation that distant tribes frequently consult

him, and beg his assistance as a magician. In this manner does old

Katchiba hold his sway over his savage, but credulous people; and so

long has he imposed upon the public that I believe he has at length

imposed upon himself, and that he really believes he has the power of

sorcery, notwithstanding repeated failures. In order to propitiate him,

his people frequently present him with the prettiest of their daughters;

and so constantly is he receiving additions to his domestic circle that

he has been obliged to extend his establishment to prevent domestic

fracas among the ladies. He has accordingly hit upon the practical

expedient of keeping a certain number of wives in each of his villages:

thus, when he makes a journey through his territory, he is always at

home. This multiplicity of wives has been so successful that Katchiba

has one hundred and sixteen children living--another proof of sorcery

in the eyes of his people. One of his wives had no children, and she

came to me to apply for medicine to correct some evil influence that had

lowered her in her husband's estimation. The poor woman was in great

distress, and complained that Katchiba was very cruel to her because she

had been unable to make an addition to his family, but that she was sure

I possessed some charm that would raise her to the standard of his other

wives. I could not bet rid of her until I gave her the first pill that

came to hand from my medicine chest, and with this she went away

contented.

Katchiba was so completely established in his country, not only as a

magician, but as "pere de famille," that every one of his villages was

governed by one of his sons; thus the entire government was a family

affair. The sons of course believed in their father's power of sorcery,

and their influence as head men of their villages increased the prestige

of the parent. Although without an idea of a Supreme Being, the whole

country bowed down to sorcery. It is a curious distinction between faith

and credulity;--these savages, utterly devoid of belief in a Deity,

and without a vestige of superstition, believed most devotedly that the

general affairs of life and the control of the elements were in the

hands of their old chief, and therefore they served him--not with a

feeling of love, neither with a trace of religion, but with that

material instinct that always influences the savage; they propitiated

him for the sake of what they could obtain. It is thus almost

unconquerable feeling, ever present in the savage mind, that renders his

conversion difficult; he will believe in nothing, unless he can obtain

some specific benefit from the object of his belief.

Savages can be ruled by two powers--"force," and "humbug;" accordingly,

these are the instruments made use of by those in authority: where the

"force" is wanting, "humbug" is the weapon as a "pis aller." Katchiba

having no physical force, adopted cunning, and the black art controlled

the savage minds of his subjects. Strange does it appear, that these

uncivilized inhabitants of Central Africa should, although devoid of

religion, believe implicitly in sorcery; giving a power to man

superhuman, although acknowledging nothing more than human. Practical

and useful magic is all that is esteemed by the savage, the higher

branches would be unappreciated; and spirit-rapping and mediums are

reserved for the civilized (?) of England, who would convert the black

savages of Africa.

Notwithstanding his magic, Katchiba was not a bad man: he was remarkably

civil, and very proud at my having paid him a visit. He gave me much

information regarding the country, but assured me that I should not be

able to travel south for many months, as it would be quite impossible to

cross the Asua river during the rainy season; he therefore proposed that

I should form a camp at Obbo, and reside there until the rains should

cease. It was now May, thus I was invited to postpone my advance south

until December.

I determined to make a reconnaissance south towards the dreaded Asua,

or, as the Obbo people pronounced it, the Achua river, and to return to

my fixed camp. Accordingly I arranged to leave Mrs. Baker at Obbo with a

guard of eight men, while I should proceed south without baggage,

excepting a change of clothes and a cooking pot. Katchiba promised to

take the greatest care of her, and to supply her with all she might

require; offering to become personally responsible for her safety; he

agreed to place a spell upon the door of our hut, that nothing evil

should enter it during my absence. It was a snug little dwelling, about

nine feet in diameter, and perfectly round; the floor well cemented with

cow-dung and clay, and the walls about four feet six inches in height,

formed of mud and sticks, likewise polished off with cow-dung. The door

had enlarged, and it was now a very imposing entrance of about four feet

high, and a great contrast to the surrounding hut or dog-kennel with two

feet height of doorway.

On the 7th of May I started with three men, and taking a course south, I

rode through a most lovely country, within five miles of the base, and

parallel with the chain of the Madi mountains. There was abundance of

beautiful flowers, especially of orchidaceous plants; the country was

exceedingly park-like and well wooded, but generally overgrown with

grass then about six feet high. After riding for about fourteen miles,

one of the guides ran back, and reported elephants to be on the road a

little in advance. One of my mounted men offered to accompany me should

I wish to hunt them. I had no faith in my man, but I rode forward, and

shortly observed a herd of ten bull elephants standing together about

sixty yards from the path. The grass was high, but I rode through it to

within about forty yards before I was observed; they immediately dashed

away, and I followed for about a mile at a trot, the ground being so

full of holes and covered with fallen trees concealed in the high grass,

that I did not like to close until I should arrive in a more favourable

spot. At length I shot at full gallop past an immense fellow, with tusks

about five feet projecting from his jaws, and reining up, I fired with a

Reilly No. 10 at the shoulder. He charged straight into me at the sound

of the shot. My horse, Filfil, was utterly unfit for a hunter, as he

went perfectly mad at the report of a gun fired from his back, and at

the moment of the discharge he reared perpendicularly; the weight, and

the recoil of the rifle, added to the sudden rearing of the horse,

unseated me, and I fell, rifle in hand, backwards over his hind-quarters

at the moment the elephant rushed in full charge upon the horse. Away

went "Filfil," leaving me upon the ground in a most inglorious position;

and, fortunately, the grass being high, the elephant lost sight of me

and followed the horse instead of giving me his attention.

My horse was lost; my man had never even accompanied me, having lagged

behind at the very commencement of the hunt. I had lost my rifle in the

high grass, as I had been forced to make a short run from the spot

before I knew that the elephant had followed the horse; thus I was

nearly an hour before I found it, and also my azimuth compass that had

fallen from my belt pouch. After much shouting and whistling, my mounted

man arrived, and making him dismount, I rode my little horse Mouse, and

returned to the path. My horse Filfil was lost. As a rule, hunting

during the march should be avoided, and I had now paid dearly for the

indiscretion.

I reached the Atabbi river about eighteen miles from Obbo. This is a

fine perennial stream flowing from the Madi mountains towards the west,

forming an affluent of the Asua river. There was a good ford, with a

hard gravel and rocky bottom, over which the horse partly waded and

occasionally swam. There were fresh tracks of immense herds of elephants

with which the country abounded, and I heard them trumpeting in the

distance.

Ascending rising ground in perfectly open prairie on the opposite side

of Atabbi, I saw a dense herd of about two hundred elephants--they were

about a mile distant, and were moving slowly through the high grass.

Just as I was riding along the path watching the immense herd, a Tetel

(hartebeest) sprang from the grass in which he had been concealed, and

fortunately he galloped across a small open space, where the high grass

had been destroyed by the elephants. A quick shot from the little

Fletcher 24 rifle doubled him up; but, recovering himself almost

immediately, he was just disappearing when a shot from the left-hand

barrel broke his back, to the intense delight of my people. We

accordingly bivouacked for the night, and the fires were soon blazing

upon a dry plateau of granite rock about seventy feet square that I had

chosen for a resting-place. In the saucer-shaped hollows of the rock was

good clear water from the rain of the preceding day; thus we had all the

luxuries that could be desired--fire, food, and water. I seldom used a

bedstead unless in camp; thus my couch was quickly and simply made upon

the hard rock, softened by the addition of an armful of green boughs,

upon which I laid an untanned ox-hide, and spread my Scotch plaid. My

cap formed my pillow, and my handy little Fletcher rifle lay by my side

beneath the plaid, together with my hunting knife; these faithful

friends were never out of reach either by night or day.

The cap was a solid piece of architecture, as may be supposed from its

strength to resist the weight of the head when used as a pillow. It was

made by an Arab woman in Khartoum, according to my own plan; the

substance was about half an inch thick of dome palm leaves very neatly

twisted and sewn together. Having a flat top, and a peak both before and

behind, the whole affair was covered with tanned leather, while a

curtain of the same material protected the back of the neck from the

sun. A strong chin strap secured the cap upon the head, and the "tout

ensemble" formed a very effective roof, completely sun-proof. Many

people might have objected to the weight, but I found it no

disadvantage, and the cap being tolerably waterproof, I packed my

cartouche pouch and belt within it when inverted at night to form a

pillow; this was an exceedingly practical arrangement, as in case of an

alarm I rose from my couch armed, capped and belted, at a moment's

notice.

On the following morning I started at daybreak, and after a march of

about thirteen miles through the same park-like and uninhabited country

as that of the preceding day, I reached the country of Farajoke, and

arrived at the foot of a rocky hill, upon the summit of which was a

large village. I was met by the chief and several of his people leading

a goat, which was presented to me, and killed immediately as an

offering, close to the feet of my horse. The chief carried a fowl,

holding it by the legs, with its head downwards; he approached my horse,

and stroked his fore-feet with the fowl, and then made a circle around

him by dragging it upon the ground; my feet were then stroked with the

fowl in the same manner as those of the horse, and I was requested to

stoop, so as to enable him to wave the bird around my head; this

completed, it was also waved round my horse's head, who showed his

appreciation of the ceremony by rearing and lashing out behind, to the

great discomfiture of the natives. The fowl did not appear to have

enjoyed itself during the operation; but a knife put an end to its

troubles, as, the ceremony of welcome being completed, the bird was

sacrificed and handed to my headman. I was now conducted to the village.

It was defended by a high bamboo fence, and was miserably dirty, forming

a great contrast to the clean dwellings of the Bari and Latooka tribes.

The hill upon which the village was built was about eighty feet above

the general level of the country, and afforded a fine view of the

surrounding landscape. On the east was the chain of Madi mountains, the

base well wooded, while to the south all was fine open pasturage of

sweet herbage, about a foot high, a totally different grass to the rank

vegetation we had passed through. The country was undulating, and every

rise was crowned by a village. Although the name of the district is

Farajoke, it is comprised in the extensive country of Sooli, together

with the Shoggo and Madi tribes, all towns being under the command of

petty chiefs. The general elevation of the country was 3,966 feet above

the sea-level, 292 feet higher than Obbo.

The chief of Farajoke, observing me engaged in taking bearings with the

compass, was anxious to know my object, which being explained, he

volunteered all information respecting the country, and assured me that

it would be quite impossible to cross the Asua during the rainy season,

as it was a violent torrent, rushing over a rocky bed with such

impetuosity, that no one would venture to swim it. There was nothing to

be done at this season, and however trying to the patience, there was no

alternative. Farajoke was within three days' hard marching of Faloro,

the station of Debono, that had always been my projected head-quarters;

thus I was well advanced upon my intended route, and had the season been

propitious, I could have proceeded with my baggage animals without

difficulty.

The loss of my horse "Filfil" was a severe blow in this wild region,

where beasts of burthen were unknown, and I had slight hopes of his

recovery, as lions were plentiful in the country between Obbo and

Farajoke; however, I offered a reward of beads and bracelets, and a

number of natives were sent by the chief to scour the jungles. There was

little use in remaining at Farajoke, therefore I returned to Obbo with

my men and donkeys, accomplishing the whole distance (thirty miles) in

one day. I was very anxious about Mrs. Baker, who had been the

representative of the expedition at Obbo during my absence. Upon my

approach through the forest, my well-known whistle was immediately

answered by the appearance of the boy Saat, who, without any greeting,

immediately rushed to the hut to give the intelligence that "Master was

arrived."

I found my wife looking remarkably well, and regularly installed "at

home." Several fat sheep were tied by the legs to pegs in front of the

hut; a number of fowls were pecking around the entrance, and my wife

awaited me on the threshold with a large pumpkin shell containing about

a gallon of native beer. "Dulce domum," although but a mud hut, the

loving welcome made it happier than a palace; and that draught of beer,

or fermented mud, or whatever trash it might be compared with in

England, how delicious it seemed after a journey of thirty miles in the

broiling sun! and the fat sheep and the fowls all looked so luxurious.

Alas!--for destiny--my arrival cut short the existence of one being;

what was joy to some was death to a sheep, and in a few moments the

fattest was slain in honour of master's return, and my men were busily

employed in preparing it for a general feast.

Numbers of people gathered round me: foremost among them was the old

chief Katchiba, whose self-satisfied countenance exhibited an extreme

purity of conscience in having adhered to his promise to act as guardian

during my absence. Mrs. Baker gave him an excellent character; he had

taken the greatest care of her, and had supplied all the luxuries that

had so much excited my appetite on the first coup d'oeil of my home. He

had been so mindful of his responsibility, that he had placed some of

his own sons as sentries over the hut both by day and night.

I accordingly made him a present of many beads and bracelets, and a few

odds and ends, that threw him into ecstacies: he had weak eyes, and the

most valued present was a pair of sun-goggles, which I fitted on his

head, to his intense delight, and exhibited in a looking-glass--this

being likewise added to his gifts. I noticed that he was very stiff in

the back, and he told me that he had had a bad fall during my absence.

My wife explained the affair. He had come to her to declare his

intention of procuring fowls for her from some distant village; but,

said he, "My people are not very good, and perhaps they will say that

they have none; but if you will lend me a horse, I will ride there, and

the effect will impose upon them so much, that they will not dare to

refuse me." Now, Katchiba was not a good walker, and his usual way of

travelling was upon the back of a very strong subject, precisely as

children are wont to ride "pic-a-back." He generally had two or three

spare men, who alternately acted as guides and ponies, while one of his

wives invariably accompanied him, bearing a large jar of beer, with

which it was said that the old chief refreshed himself so copiously

during the journey, that it sometimes became necessary for two men to

carry him instead of one. This may have been merely a scandalous report

in Obbo; however, it appeared that Katchiba was ready for a start, as

usual accompanied by a Hebe with a jar of beer. Confident in his powers

as a rider across country on a man, he considered that he could easily

ride a horse. It was in vain that my wife had protested, and had

prophesied a broken neck should he attempt to bestride the hitherto

unknown animal: to ride he was determined.

Accordingly my horse Tetel was brought, and Katchiba was assisted upon

his back. The horse recognising an awkward hand, did not move a step.

"Now then," said Katchiba, "go on!" but Tetel, not understanding the

Obbo language, was perfectly ignorant of his rider's wishes. "Why won't

he go?" inquired Katchiba. "Touch him with your stick," cried one of my

men; and acting upon the suggestion, the old sorcerer gave him a

tremendous whack with his staff. This was immediately responded to by

Tetel, who, quite unused to such eccentricities, gave a vigorous kick,

the effect of which was to convert the sorcerer into a spread eagle,

flying over his head, and landing very heavily upon the ground, amidst a

roar of laughter from my men, in which I am afraid Mrs. Baker was rude

enough to join. The crest-fallen Katchiba was assisted upon his legs,

and feeling rather stunned, he surveyed the horse with great

astonishment; but his natural instincts soon prompted him to call for

the jar of beer, and after a long draught from the mighty cup, he

regained his courage, and expressed an opinion that the horse was "too

high, as it was a long way to tumble down;" he therefore requested one

of the "little horses;" these were the donkeys. Accordingly he was

mounted on a donkey, and held on by two men, one on either side. Thus he

started most satisfactorily and exceedingly proud. On his return the

following day, he said that the villagers had given him the fowls

immediately, as he had told them that he had thirty Turks staying with

him on a visit, and that they would burn and plunder the country unless

they were immediately supplied. He considered this trifling deviation

from fact as a great stroke of diplomacy in procuring the fowls.

Six days after the loss of my horse, I was delighted to see him brought

back by the natives safe and well. They had hunted through an immense

tract of country, and had found him grazing. He was naturally a most

vicious horse, and the natives were afraid to touch him; they had

accordingly driven him before them until they gained the path, which he

then gladly followed. The saddle was in its place, but my sword was

gone.

The rains were terrific; the mornings were invariably fine, but the

clouds gathered upon the mountains soon after noon and ended daily in a

perfect deluge. Not being able to proceed south, I determined to return

to my head-quarters at Latooka, and to wait for the dry season. I had

made the reconnaissance to Farajoke, in latitude 3 degrees 32', and I

saw my way clear for the future, provided my animals should remain in

good condition. Accordingly, on the 21st of May, we started for Latooka

in company with Ibrahim and his men, who were thoroughly sick of the

Obbo climate.

Before parting, a ceremony had to be performed by Katchiba. His brother

was to be our guide, and he was to receive power to control the elements

as deputy-magician during the journey, lest we should be wetted by the

storms, and the torrents should be so swollen as to be impassable.