I SEND TO GONDOKORO FOR REINFORCEMENTS.
On 25th November, 1872, I started Wat-el-Mek to Gondokoro with a force
of irregulars, in addition to a captain and twenty regular troops in
charge of the post. His party consisted of 100 men.
The fleet from Gondokoro had left on the 3rd of November, 1871: thus it
was natural to suppose that reinforcements had arrived from Khartoum,
according to my written instructions on that date. I now wrote to Raouf
Bey at head-quarters, to send up 200 men under the command of
Lieutenant-Colonel Tayib Agha, of the Soudani regiment. I also wrote for
a supply of cattle, as my stock had dwindled to a small herd of milch
cows, and the people at Fabbe had no meat except the flesh of any game
that might be killed.
A short time after the departure of Wat-el-Mek and his party for
Gondokoro, Suleiman the vakeel arrived from Fabbo with the intelligence
that a large body of Abou Saood's slave-hunters, including 3,000
Makkarika cannibals, had arrived on the Nile from the far west, with the
intention of taking the ivory from Fabbo!
It appeared that Abou Saood had gone from Gondokoro to his station at
the Bohr, upon the White Nile; from thence he had sent a party with a
letter to Atroosh, the vakeel of the Makkarika station, about 200 miles
distant, with orders that he should send a powerful force, with
sufficient carriers, to take the ivory by violence from Fabbo.
Abou Saood had not expected that the people whom he had left at that
station would have enlisted under the government standard. Thus he
imagined they would at once fraternize with the invading force.
The natives of the country were thoroughly alarmed, as the cannibals
were eating the children of the Koshi country on the west bank of the
Nile, in about 3 degrees latitude; and should they cross the river, the
Madis and Shoolis expected the same fate.
I ordered Suleiman (who had received a letter from Atroosh) to take a
letter from me to Ali Emmeen, the vakeel of the invading force,
instructing him to present himself before me at Fatiko instantly with an
escort of his own people, limited to twenty-five men. At the same time I
gave instructions to the natives upon no account to furnish boats for a
larger party.
After some days' absence Suleiman returned, but without Ali Emmeen, who
was afraid to appear. This vakeel had received my verbal assurance from
Suleiman that, should any persons attempt the passage of the river
without my permission, they would be instantly shot; at the same time,
if he wished to convey the ivory to Gondokoro by the usual route, he
could do so with an escort of regulars.
This was an awkward position for Ali Emmeen, who had expected to find
allies at Fabbo, but who now found a faithful corps of irregulars with
Suleiman at their head acting under my orders.
He accordingly took 100 men and returned about 180 miles to the camp of
Atroosh for fresh instructions. The 3,000 Makkarika cannibals were left
with the remainder of his company on the west bank of the Nile to feed
upon the natives of Koshi until his return.
Every day people arrived at Fatiko with horrible reports of the
cannibals, who were devouring the children in the Koshi district. Spies
went across the river and brought me every intelligence. It appeared
that the 3,000 Makkarikas had been engaged by Ali Emmeen under the
pretence that they were "to go to Fatiko and fight a chief called 'the
Pacha,' who had enormous flocks and herds, together with thousands of
beautiful women and other alluring spoil;" but they had not heard that
they were to carry 3,000 elephants' tusks to the station of Atroosh.
My spies now told them the truth. "Fight the Pacha!" they exclaimed:
"do you not know who he is? and that he could kill you all like fowls,
as he did the people of Ali Hussein? He has no cows for you to carry
off, but he has guns that are magic, and which load from behind instead
of at the muzzle!"
This was a terrible disappointment to the deluded Makkarikas, which at
once spread dissension among them, when they found that they had been
cajoled in order to transport the heavy loads of ivory.
A providential visitation suddenly fell upon them. The small-pox broke
out and killed upwards of 800 bloodthirsty cannibals who had been
devouring the country.
The Nile was reported to be about six miles in width opposite their
station, in about 3 degrees latitude, which is only a few miles from the
Albert N'yanza. This visitation of small-pox created a panic which
entirely broke up and dispersed the invading force, and defeated their
plans.
We were now in frequent communication with Rionga, who was always
represented in my Fatiko camp by the presence of one of his sheiks and
several men.
Ali Genninar had made a combined attack upon Kabba Rega, together with
Rionga and the Langgo tribe, and had utterly defeated him. His people
were now deserting him in great numbers, and were flocking to the
winning side. Kabba Rega had taken to flight, and was supposed to be
hiding in the neighbourhood of Chibero, on the borders of the Albert
N'yanza.
M'tese, the king of Uganda, had invaded Unyoro from the south, and
having heard of Kabba Rega's treachery towards myself, he had sent an
army of 6,000 men under his general, Congow, to be placed at my
disposal.
This friendship was the result of my diplomacy in having sent him
valuable presents from Masindi, together with a letter warning him
against Kabba Rega, who wished to prevent the goods of the north from
reaching Uganda, in order that he might monopolize the trade in Unyoro.
The subsequent conduct of Kabba Rega had proved this accusation, and
M'tese had heard with rage and dismay that I had been forced to burn all
the numerous goods, which otherwise would have passed to him in Uganda.
On the 25th December the fort of Fatiko was completed. This was
commenced on the 28th August; thus my men had been four months engaged
in the work, owing to the extreme hardness of the subsoil, which was a
compact gravel resembling concrete.
The three faces of the fort measured 455 yards of fosse and earthen
rampart. The fosse was eight feet wide, eight feet deep, and the face of
the rampart was protected by chevaux-de-frise of sharpened stakes. The
west base of the fort was the rock citadel, which commanded the
surrounding country. Upon this solid foundation I had built an excellent
powder-magazine and store, of solid masonry. This fire-proof building
was roofed with a thick cement of clay from the white-ant hills, that
had been tempered for some weeks and mixed with chopped straw.
All my work was completed, and I could do nothing until the
reinforcements should arrive from Gondokoro. The natives paid their
trifling corn-tax with great good humour, and they generally arrived in
crowds of several hundreds, singing and dancing, with large baskets of
tullaboon upon their heads, with which they filled our rows of
granaries.
The grass was fit to burn, and the bunting season had fairly commenced.
All the natives now devoted themselves to this important pursuit. The
chase supplies the great tribe of Shooli with clothing. Although the
women are perfectly naked, every man wears the skin of an antelope slung
across his shoulders, so arranged as to be tolerably decent. The number
of animals that are annually destroyed may be imagined from the amount
of the skin-clad population.
Although the wilderness between Unyoro and Fatiko is uninhabited, in
like manner with extensive tracts between Fabbo and Fatiko, every
portion of that apparently abandoned country is nominally possessed by
individual proprietors, who claim a right of game by inheritance.
This strictly conservative principle has existed from time immemorial,
and may perhaps suggest to those ultra-radicals who would introduce
communistic principles into England, that the supposed original equality
of human beings is a false datum for their problem. There is no such
thing as equality among human beings in their primitive state, any more
than there is equality among the waves of the sea, although they may
start from the same level of the calm.
In a state of savagedom, the same rules of superiority which advance
certain individuals above the general level in civilized societies will
be found to exert a natural influence. Those who become eminent will be
acknowledged by their inferiors. The man who is clever and wise in
council will be listened to: the warrior who leads with courage and
judgment will be followed in the battle; the hunter who excels in
tracking up the game will be sent to the front when the party are on the
blood-track. In this way superiority will be generally admitted.
Superiority of intellect will naturally tend to material advancement.
The man of sense will gather more than the fool. That which he gathers
becomes property, which must be acknowledged by society as an individual
right that must be protected by laws.
In tribes where government is weak, there is a difficulty in enforcing
laws, as the penalty exacted may be resisted; but even amidst those wild
tribes there is a force that exerts a certain moral influence among the
savage as among the civilized: that force is public opinion.
Thus, a breach of the game-laws would be regarded by the public as a
disgrace to the guilty individual, precisely as an act of poaching would
damage the character of a civilized person.
The rights of game are among the first rudiments of property. Man in a
primitive state is a hunter, depending for his clothing upon the skins
of wild animals, and upon their flesh for his subsistence; therefore the
beast that he kills upon the desert must be his property; and in a
public hunt, should he be the first to wound a wild animal, he will have
gained an increased interest or share in the flesh by having reduced the
chance of its escape. Thus public opinion, which we must regard as the
foundation of EQUITY, rewards him with a distinct and special right,
which, becomes LAW.
It is impossible to trace the origin of game-laws in Central Africa, but
it is nevertheless interesting to find that such rights are generally
acknowledged, and that large tracts of uninhabited country are possessed
by individuals which are simply manorial. These rights are inherited,
descending from father to the eldest son.
When the grass is sufficiently dry to burn, the whole thoughts of the
community are centred upon sport; but should a person set fire to the
grass belonging to another proprietor, he would be at once condemned by
public opinion, and he would (if such establishments existed) be
certainly expelled from his club.
There was no more work undone in my charming Fatiko station. The roads
from the three gates were so far completed as to form respectable
approaches. The gardens had produced abundantly, and the troops were all
in excellent health and good discipline. On Mondays and Fridays they
were exercised at light-infantry drill for several hours. Every man had
his post, which he occupied like lightning when the bugle suddenly
sounded the alarm. The "Forty Thieves" held the rock citadel, as they
could fire over the heads of those in the camp without fear of accident.
The night alarm sounded unexpectedly, and as I went the rounds, every
man was at his quarters without a whisper. The cleanliness and general
order of the camp were perfect.
I now associated with the natives as a hunter. It was in this capacity
that I had first won their hearts many years ago. We were so short of
meat that I began to feel the necessity that first turned the hand of
savage man against the beasts of the forest.
The chase throughout the Shooli country was carried on as a profession,
and was conducted by general rules under an admirable organization.
The favourite method of hunting was by means of nets. Every man in the
country was provided with a net of strong cord. This was twelve yards
long, and about eleven feet deep, if stretched to its maximum. The
meshes were about six inches square. There was no promiscuous
net-hunting, but the chief of the district organized the chase in the
following manner:--
The big nogara was sounded, and the news rapidly spread that an assembly
was desired at the village of their headman. At Fatiko the chief was
Wat-el-Ajoos Omare. A few hours after the drum had summoned the headmen,
natives might be seen approaching from all sides to the appointed spot
at which the council was to be held.
After much talking, it was at length decided that the hunt should take
place upon the manors of certain individuals whose property was
contiguous. The day of the hunt was arranged, and the headmen of the
villages retired to make the necessary arrangements.
Should a chief be hospitably disposed, he would frequently give a grand
entertainment prior to the meet. On such occasions upwards of a thousand
natives would arrive from different villages, in their full-dress
costume, consisting of plumes of ostrich feathers, leopard-skin mantles,
and their faces painted a frightful colour with fresh cow-dung. On these
occasions a large quantity of merissa was consumed, and one or two oxen
were slaughtered, according to the wealth of the person who gave the
festivity.
The sorcerer was an important personage at such entertainments, as it
was necessary to assure good luck by a variety of magic ceremonies, that
would not only protect the hunters from accidents, but would also bring
the wild animals direct into their nets.
At length the day of the hunt had arrived, when several thousand people
would collect at a certain rendezvous, about nine miles distant from
Fatiko, on the Fabbo road, which is the best neighbourhood for game.
At a little before 5 A.M. I started on my solitary but powerful horse,
"Jamoos," accompanied by Lieutenant Baker and Colonel Abd-el-Kader, with
a few soldiers of "The Forty". Gimoro and Shooli, who were renowned
hunters, were always with me when shooting. These excellent men had an
extraordinary affection for each other, and they were well known as
inseparables--the one was rarely seen without the other.
Descending the rocky terrace from the station at Fatiko, we were at once
in the lovely, park-like glades, diversified by bold granite rocks,
among which were scattered the graceful drooping acacias in clumps of
dense foliage.
Crossing the clear, rippling stream, we clambered up the steep bank on
the opposite side, and, after a ride of about a mile and a half, we
gained the water-shed, and commenced a gradual descent towards the west.
We were now joined by numerous people, both men, women and children, all
of whom were bent upon the hunt.
The men carried their nets and spears; the boys were also armed with
lighter weapons, and the very little fellows carried tiny lances, all of
which had been carefully sharpened for the expected game.
The women were in great numbers, and upon that day the villages were
quite deserted. Babies accompanied their mothers, strapped upon their
backs with leathern bands, and protected from the weather by the usual
tortoise-like coverings of gourd-shells. Thus it may be imagined that
the Shooli tribe were born hunters, as they had accompanied the public
hunts from their earliest infancy.
My two boys, Saat and Bellaal, carried spare guns. These fine strong
lads always attended me, and they had become useful gun-bearers. They
were both plucky fellows. Little Amarn had been suffering for more than
twelve months from an ulcerated leg; therefore he was spared from
unnecessary fatigue, and was the pet boy at home.
As we proceeded, the number of natives increased, but there was no noise
or loud talking. Every one appeared thoroughly to understand his duties.
Having crossed the beautiful Un-y-Ame river, we entered the game
country. Extensive prairies, devoid of forest, now stretched before us
in graceful undulations to the base of distant mountains. The country
was watered by numerous clear streams, all of which drained into the
main channel of the Un-y-Ame river, that became a roaring torrent
during the wet season.
We now left the Fabbo path and struck off to our left for several miles,
over ground that had been cleared by burning, which showed in many
directions the crimson fruit of the wild ginger, growing half-exposed
from the earth. This is a leathery, hard pod, about the size of a
goose-egg, filled with a semi-transparent pulp of a subacid flavour,
with a delicious perfume between pine-apple and lemon-peel. It is very
juicy and refreshing, and is decidedly the best wild fruit of Central
Africa.
The natives immediately collected a quantity, and we quickly pushed
forward to the rendezvous, where, upon arrival, we found a great number
of people were collected.
A line of about a mile and a half was quickly protected by netting, and
the natives were already in position.
Each man had lashed his net to that of his neighbour and supported it
with bamboos, which were secured with ropes fastened to twisted grass.
Thus the entire net resembled a fence, that would be invisible to the
game in the high grass, until, when driven, they should burst suddenly
upon it.
The grass was as dry as straw, and several thousand acres would be fired
up to windward, which would compel the animals to run before the flames,
until they reached the netting placed a few paces in front; where the
high grass had been purposely cleared to resist the advance of the fire.
Before each section of net, a man was concealed both within and without,
behind a screen, simply formed of the long, grass tied together at the
top.
The rule of sport decided that the proprietor of each section of netting
of twelve yards length would be entitled to all game that should be
killed within these limits; but that the owners of the manors which
formed the hunt upon that day should receive a hind leg from every
animal captured.
This was fair play; but in such hunts a breach of the peace was of
common occurrence, as a large animal might charge the net and receive a
spear from the owner of the section, after which he might break back,
and eventually be killed in the net of another hunter; which would cause
a hot dispute.
The nets had been arranged with perfect stillness, and the men having
concealed themselves, we were placed in positions on the extreme flanks
with the rifles.
Rifle-shooting was dangerous work, as the country was alive with people,
who were hidden in every direction.
I took my position behind a white-ant hill in front of a stream which
rippled in a hollow about forty yards beneath me.
Molodi had quite recovered from the wound he had received on 2nd August,
and he carried the basket that contained our luncheon. This consisted of
three bottles of milk and a few hard-boiled eggs, with a supply of salt
and pepper.
There is nothing so good as milk for support during a long day's work,
provided it is used with water, in a proportion of one-third milk. A
bottle of rich milk will therefore produce three bottles of wholesome
drink. This is far preferable to the use of spirits, which are merely a
temporary stimulant, and frequently are great enemies to good
rifle-shooting.
Molodi's basket was arranged with a white napkin over the contents. As
such a colour would attract attention, I ordered him to conceal himself
and his basket behind a neighbouring ant-hill.
Mr. Baker was far away on my right; and Abd-el-Kader was upon the
extreme right flank.
Everything was ready, and men had already been stationed at regular
intervals about two miles to windward, where they waited with their
fire-stick for the appointed signal.
A shrill whistle disturbed the silence. This signal was repeated at
intervals to windward.
In a few minutes after the signal, a long line of separate thin pillars
of smoke ascended into the blue sky, forming a band extending over about
two miles of the horizon.
The thin pillars rapidly thickened, and became dense volumes, until at
length they united, and formed a long black cloud of smoke that drifted
before the wind over the bright yellow surface of the high grass.
The natives were so thoroughly concealed, that no one would have
supposed that a human being beside ourselves was in the neighbourhood. I
had stuck a few twigs into the top of the ant-hill to hide my cap; and
having cut out a step in the side for my feet at the required height, I
waited in patience.
The wind was brisk, and the fire travelled at about four miles an hour.
We could soon hear the distant roar, as the great volume of flame shot
high through the centre of the smoke.
The natives had also lighted the grass a few hundred yards in our rear.
Presently I saw a slate-coloured mass trotting along the face of the
opposite slope, about 250 yards distant. I quickly made out a
rhinoceros, and I was in hopes that he was coming towards me. Suddenly
he turned to my right, and continued along the face of the inclination.
Some of the beautiful leucotis antelope now appeared and cantered
towards me, but halted when they approached the stream, and listened.
The game understood the hunting as well as the natives. In the same
manner that the young children went out to hunt with their parents, so
had the wild animals been hunted together with their parents ever since
their birth.
The leucotis now charged across the stream; at the same time a herd of
hartebeest dashed past. I knocked over one, and with the left-hand
barrel I wounded a leucotis. At this moment a lion and lioness, that had
been disturbed by the fire in our rear, came bounding along close to
where Molodi had been concealed with the luncheon. Away went Molodi at a
tremendous pace! and he came rushing past me as though the lions were
chasing him; but they were endeavouring to escape themselves, and had no
idea of attacking.
I was just going to take the inviting shot, when, as my finger was on
the trigger, I saw the head of a native rise out of the grass exactly in
the line of fire; then another head popped up from a native who had been
concealed, and rather than risk an accident I allowed the lion to pass.
In one magnificent bound it cleared the stream, and disappeared in the
high grass.
The fire was advancing rapidly, and the game was coming up fast. A
small herd of leucotis crossed the brook, and I killed another, but the
smoke had become so thick that I was nearly blinded. It was at length
impossible to see; the roar of the fire and the heat were terrific, as
the blast swept before the advancing flames, and filled the air and eyes
with fine black ashes. I literally had to turn and run hard into fresher
atmosphere to get a gasp of cool air, and to wipe my streaming eyes.
Just as I emerged from the smoke, a leucotis came past, and received
both the right and left bullets in a good place, before it fell.
The fire reached the stream and at once expired. The wind swept the
smoke on before, and left in view the velvety black surface, that had
been completely denuded by the flames.
The natives had killed many antelopes, but the rhinoceros had gone
through their nets like a cobweb. Several buffaloes had been seen, but
they had broken out in a different direction. Lieut. Baker had killed
three leucotis, Abd-el-Kader had killed one, and had hit a native in the
leg with a bullet, while aiming at a galloping antelope. I had killed
five.
I doctored the native, and gave him some milk to drink, and his friends
carried him home. This was a very unfortunate accident, and from that
day the natives gave Abd-el-Kader a wide berth.
Most of the women were heavily laden with meat: the nets were quickly
gathered up, and, with whistles blowing as a rejoicing, the natives
returned homewards.
The women were very industrious, and never went home empty-handed; but
if some were unfortunate in their supply of meat, they gathered immense
bundles of firewood, which they carried many miles upon their heads to
their respective villages . . . .
The time passed very happily at Fatiko, and the fact of my joining with
the natives in their sports added to the confidence already established.
I frequently went into their villages to smoke a pipe, and to chat with
the people: this always pleased them, and the children generally crowded
round me, as I never went empty-handed, but a few beads or other
trifles were always forthcoming as presents.
Gimoro had been very unfortunate in losing his children when young, and
I understood that the mortality was very great among all infants from
two years old to five.
I attribute this to the absurd custom of public night nurseries.
According to the population of the village, there are certain houses
built upon pedestals or stone supports about three feet from the ground.
In the clay wall of the circular building is a round hole about a foot
in diameter; this is the only aperture.
At sunset, when the children have been fed, they are put to bed in the
simplest manner, by being thrust headforemost through the hole in the
wall, assisted, if refractory, by a smack behind, until the night
nursery shall have received the limited number. The aperture is then
stopped up with a bundle of grass if the nights are cool.
The children lie together on the clay floor like a litter of young
puppies, and breathe the foulest air until morning, at which time they
are released from the suffocating oven, to be suddenly exposed to the
chilly daybreak. Their naked little bodies shiver round a fire until the
sun warms them, but the seeds of diarrhoea and dysentery have already
been sown.
It may be readily imagined that accidents frequently occur in the great
hunts already described, as it is quite impossible to speculate upon the
species of animal that may be driven into the net. A fine little lad of
about eleven years was killed by a leopard within a mile of my Fatiko
station. The grass had been fired, and the animals instinctively knew
that they were pursued.
The boy went to drink at a stream close to some high reeds, when a
leopard pounced upon him without the slightest warning. A native who was
close to the spot rushed up to the rescue, and threw his spear with such
dexterity that he struck the leopard through the neck while it had the
boy in its mouth, killing it upon the spot. The boy was immediately
brought to me, but the lungs were lacerated, and he died during the
night.
On another occasion five men were wounded (two fatally) by a lioness,
which fought so gallantly that she at length escaped from her assailants
with two spears in her body.
I was not present on that occasion, but I have frequently admired the
pluck of the Shooli natives, who attack every animal with the simple
hunting-spear, which of course necessitates a close approach.
On 30th December I went out with a few natives on the Fabbo road, simply
to shoot in order to procure meat for the camp. We were about ten miles
from the station, and the game was so wild on the open prairies that we
found it impossible to approach within shot. We had seen great numbers
of the beautiful leucotis antelope (rather larger than a fine fallow
buck), also hartebeest (Antelope bubalis), all of which had quitted the
clean ground which had recently been burnt, and had retired to the high
grass upon a long sloping undulation.
Among our natives were two men who were the owners of the manor; they
therefore proposed that we should place the guns in position, while they
should march up to windward, and fire the grass in the usual manner.
Lieutenant Baker was placed about 300 yards to my left, and Colonel
Abd-el-Kader about 150 paces to my right. As we faced the high grass we
had the ground clear at our backs, as the young herbage was just
sprouting after the recent burning.
As usual, I was concealed by a large ant-hill, behind which, my two boys
Saat and Bellaal squatted with my spare guns. About 100 yards before me,
in a slight hollow, the grass was quite green, as the depression had
until lately held water. This rank herbage would of course stop the fire
upon its arrival from the sloping hill-face. About forty yards from me
the grass was high and dry.
About half an hour after the guns were posted we heard the whistles, and
shortly after, the smoke rose in various places until at last a crescent
of fire spread over the hill. The wind was very light, therefore the
fire travelled slowly, and the game advanced at an easy pace. I now
heard shots upon my left at the extreme flank, where I had posted a few
of the best shots of the "Forty Thieves," including Ferritch Ajoke.
I saw the game breaking covert in herds of several hundreds in that
direction. Presently Abd-el-Kader had a shot upon my right, and I
observed several antelopes bounding along upon the clear space in our
rear.
I was not in luck, but I now saw a splendid buck leucotis walking
quietly through the grass, and slowly descending the slope to the green
hollow, which would bring him straight towards me should he keep this
direction.
Just at that moment I saw a long yellow tail rise suddenly from the
green hollow, and an instant later I saw a fine lion, with tail erect,
that had evidently been disturbed by the advancing fire.
The lion was down wind of the buck leucotis, which was now close to the
unseen enemy, and was just descending the bank which dipped into the
green hollow: this would bring the antelope almost upon the lion's back.
The two animals suddenly appeared to touch each other as the leucotis
jumped down the bank, and the lion sprang to one side, apparently as
much startled as the antelope, which bounded off in another direction,.
The lion now disappeared in the high grass, with the head towards my
position.
I whispered to my boys not to be afraid should it appear close to us,
and at the same time I took the spare gun from; Bellal, and laid it
against the ant-hill to be in readiness. This was a breechloader, with
buckshot cartridges for small antelopes.
In a few minutes I heard a distinct rustling in the high grass before
me. The two boys were squatting on the ground to my right.
Presently a louder rustling in the grass, within forty yards in my
front, was followed by the head and shoulders of a large lioness, who
apparently saw the two boys, and with her brilliant eyes fixed, she
advanced slowly towards them.
Not wishing to allow a closer acquaintance, I aimed at her chest, and
fired the "Dutchman."
The lioness rolled completely over, backwards, and three times she
turned convulsive somersaults, at the same time roaring tremendously;
but to my astonishment she appeared to recover, and I immediately fired
my left-hand barrel. At this she charged in high bounds straight towards
my two boys.
I had just time to snatch up my spare gun and show myself from behind
the ant-hill, when the lioness, startled by my sudden appearance,
turned, and I fired a charge of buck-shot into her hind-quarters as she
disappeared in the high grass upon my right.
I now heard her groaning in a succession of deep guttural sounds, within
fifty yards of me.
In a few minutes I heard a shot from Abd-el-Kader, and he shortly came
to tell me that the wounded lioness, with her chest and shoulder covered
with blood, had come close to his hiding-place; he had fired, and had
broken her ankle joint, but she was still concealed in the grass.
Shooli and Gimoro now came up with some of the natives, as they had
heard the lioness roar, and feared some accident might have happened.
These were very plucky fellows, and they at once proposed to go close up
and spear her in the grass, if I would back them up with the rifles.
We arrived at the supposed spot, and after a search we distinguished a
yellowish mass within some withered reeds.
Shooli now proposed that he should throw his spear, upon which the
lioness would certainly charge from her covert and afford us a good
shot, if the guns were properly arranged.
I would not allow this, but I determined to fire a shot at the yellow
mass to bring her out, if every one would be ready to receive her.
Lieutenant Baker was on my right, with a double-barrelled express rifle
that carried a No. 70 bullet. This minute projectile was of little use
against the charge of a lion.
I fired into the mass at about twenty yards' distance.
The immediate reply was a determined charge, and the enraged animal came
bounding towards us with tremendous roars. The natives threw their
spears but missed her. Mr. Baker fired, but neither he nor a left-hand
barrel from the "Dutchman" could check her. Everybody had to run, and I
luckily snatched a breechloading No. 12 smooth-bore loaded with ball
from a panic-stricken lad, and rolled her over with a shot in the chest
when she was nearly in the midst of us.
She retreated with two or three bounds to her original covert.
I had now reloaded the "Dutchman," and having given orders that every
one should keep out of the way, and be ready, I went close up to the
grass with Shooli, and quickly discovered her. She was sitting up like a
dog, but was looking in the opposite direction, as though expecting an
enemy in that quarter.
I was within twelve yards of her, and I immediately put a bullet in the
back of her neck, which dropped her dead.
In her inside we discovered a freshly-eaten leucotis calf, which had
been simply divided by her teeth in lumps of about two pounds each. This
was quite fresh, and my soldiers and the natives divided it among them
as a bonne-bouche. Nasty fellows!
The day's sport had been:--One lioness killed by myself; one leucotis
buck by Mr. Baker; one leucotis buck by Abd-el-Kader; two does of the
same species by Ferritch Ajoke; and the natives had speared three
calves. Total, one lioness and seven antelopes, ALL of which were to be
eaten.
We reached home at 5.40 p.m., not having had time to eat anything since
the preceding evening. The lioness measured nine feet six inches from
nose to tail extremity.
As this work is simply an account of the principal events connected with
the Khedive's expedition, I cannot afford space for many sporting
incidents. Game was very abundant, and we generally kept the station
well supplied; at the same time I gave large quantities of flesh to the
natives.
I sometimes sent a party of my "Forty" to hunt, in which sport they took
a great interest, and the practice with the rifle improved their
shooting.
The natives throughout the country were perfectly happy and contented,
but the women had been somewhat disturbed by the accounts they had
received of our encounter with the lioness. They held a meeting in
Gimoro's village.
On the following day both Gimoro and Shooli arrived at my public divan
looking rather dejected.
They informed me that the women, having held a meeting, had arrived at
the conclusion, "that the Pacha must not be allowed to go out hunting,
as he might possibly be killed by a lion or a buffalo." "What would
happen to us?" continued the women, "if any accident should befall our
father? Would not the slave-hunters immediately return to the country
and destroy us, simply because he had protected us? Do we not now sleep
in peace? and were we not always awake at night before he came among
us?"
The women decided that I was to be kept in the camp as a cojoor or
talisman, and that the natives were not to lead me into danger of wild
animals.
This declaration of the ladies of Fatiko could hardly be called
PETTICOAT government, as their total independence of attire precluded
any reference to such a garment; but it was a distinct assertion of
women's right to protect the person who had protected them. They were
excellent people, and were always well cared for and kindly treated by
the men.
My fort at Fatiko was within call of two large villages--those of Gimoro
and the sheik of the country: during my sojourn of seven months, I never
heard a woman scream, neither was there any domestic or civil
disturbance.
There were no police required in that country; there was no pickpockets,
as there were no pockets to pick--which was one advantage in favour of
nudity. A London police magistrate would have died of ennui; the
constables could not even have sworn to a case of intoxication, merely
as a matter of form to afford employment. There were no immoral females
to disgrace the public streets; neither were there any beggars,
vagrants, organ-grinders, or perambulators to worry, deafen, or upset
you. My country was a picture of true harmony. We had no complex
machinery of law; there was no such difficulty as an estate in Chancery;
no Divorce Court, or cases of crim. con. that necessitated an appeal.
Adultery would be settled by flogging respondent and co-respondent, with
a judicial separation after the punishment.
I had no ecclesiastical difficulties; no High Church, Ritualists, Low
Church, Broad Churchmen, Philosophers, Wesleyans, Baptists,
Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, Independents, nor even a
Jesuit or a descendant of Israel to bring discord into my harmonious
tabernacle.
My troops were Mohammedans, without an opposing sect, therefore, for
lack of opposition, they were lukewarm believers.
The natives believed in nothing.
The curious fact remained, that without the slightest principle of
worship, or even a natural religious instinct, these people should be
free from many vices that disgrace a civilized community. I endeavoured
to persuade the most intelligent of the existence of a Deity who could
reward or punish; but beyond this I dared not venture, as they would
have asked practical questions, which I could not have explained to
their material understanding.
I extract verbatim from my journal the short entry of 31st December,
1872 :--
"The close of the year finds us, thank God, at peace in this country,
with every prospect of prosperity."