AN ELEPHANT HUNT.--CROSSING THE VICTORIA NILE.--ARRIVAL AT
FOUEIRA.--KING RIONGA AND HIS PEOPLE.
The camp was made at the edge of a forest, and the guides said that the
next day's march would be through a wooded country. In most places the
jungle was very dense, and Frank found it impossible to make much
headway when he ventured from the path. There was a thick undergrowth of
vines and small bushes, which made an excellent hiding-place for all but
the largest animals, and Frank was not surprised to learn that the woods
were full of game. "Only you can't make game of it," said Abdul,
"because it gets away so easily. A wild beast in this forest will see
you long before you can possibly see him, and if he chooses to do so he
can easily get out of your way."
From the forest to the open country again was a pleasant change, but the
guide lost the way once in crossing a plain, and they were obliged to
retrace their steps for a couple of hours. While they were feeling in
ill-humor at the consequent loss of time one of the scouts reported a
herd of elephants a mile or so to windward, and the captain at once
determined to try his hand among them.
Frank and Abdul were sent to the right of where the herd was feeding,
while Captain Mohammed and his gun-bearer went to the left. The plain
was covered with long grass, and there were many small mounds, with
shrubs on their crests, so that they formed admirable places for
concealment. Frank obtained a good position behind one of the mounds,
and the captain was similarly placed, a quarter of a mile away. We will
let Frank tell the story:
"A couple of men had been sent away to the rear of the herd to drive
them in our direction, and we had just fairly settled into our
positions, when the elephants caught the scent of the drivers and begun
to move. Unfortunately for me, they went in the line of the captain, and
I had to sit still without firing a shot. But what I missed the captain
gained, and perhaps he gained more than he wanted.
[Illustration: A DANGEROUS POSITION.]
"Five or six elephants advanced directly toward him, and when they were
not more than forty yards away he fired at the largest. The shot had the
effect of alarming the herd greatly, but without bringing down anything.
The wounded elephant whirled about and roared, and then stood still
among his companions, to see where the danger came from.
"The smell of the powder revealed that their assailant was at the foot
of the mound in front of them, and immediately the herd gathered in line
and prepared to charge. The captain and his gun-bearer would have been
trampled to death in a moment if the elephants had made their charge,
and he was certainly in an awkward predicament.
"They stood in a sideway position, so that he didn't have a fair shot at
the foreheads of any of them. Unless you hit an African elephant square
in the centre of the forehead there is little hope of killing him. The
captain's only safety was in frightening them, and so he fired at the
sides of their heads, and let off two shots in quick succession. This
had the effect of turning them round, and drove them to where I was
concealed in the tall grass, at the foot of another mound.
"I ran the same risk as the captain, but with the difference that the
elephants were frightened and making a straight course over my position
in order to get away. Abdul sprung to his feet and fired, and so did I;
and then we shouted, and kept the shots going, one after the other, till
we made a greater panic even than the captain had created.
"The herd turned again and went back over the plain, and we were safe
for the time. I wanted to follow them up, and so did the captain; but
time did not permit, and we returned to the column, which had been
resting by the roadside while we were absent on our unsuccessful hunt."
Just before dusk, when the caravan halted to go into camp, a solitary
elephant was seen leisurely feeding in the grass not more than three
hundred yards from the road. Frank wanted to have a shot at him, but his
proposal was vetoed by Captain Mohammed as a dangerous performance.
"Don't go near him," said the captain; "he is a 'rogue' elephant, and
one of the most dangerous of his class."
[Illustration: FRANK'S DISCOVERY: A "ROGUE" ELEPHANT.]
Frank remembered hearing about rogue elephants in Ceylon and India, and
asked if there was any difference between the Asiatic and the African
elephant in this particular.
"Not much," was the reply; "though, perhaps, the African when he becomes
a rogue is a trifle more vicious than his Asiatic brother. He is an
elephant that has become separated from his herd and is obliged to roam
by himself. No other elephant will associate with him, and he is an
outcast, who can never hope for restoration to elephantine society. He
is far bolder than any member of a herd, and is always a male, and one
of the finest of his kind. Where another elephant would run away he will
stand up and fight, and his sagacity is quite equal to his strength and
courage."
Frank wished to know why the elephant became a rogue, or solitary
wanderer, and he also asked from what the designation came.
"He is called a 'rogue' in English," was the reply, "because that is the
literal translation of his Indian, Cingalese, and African name. He is a
rogue because of his viciousness and his destructive ways: he comes into
the plantations of the natives and destroys wantonly all that he cannot
eat. Ordinary herd elephants will go away when they have satisfied their
appetites, but a rogue will break down fruit-trees and trample whole
acres of rice or other growing things solely for the pleasure of
destroying them. It is a common remark that one rogue will do more
damage than a dozen herd elephants.
"India is a country, as you know, where caste prevails among the people,
and when a man does certain things, many of them trivial in our eyes, he
loses his rank, or caste. For some things he may be reinstated on
payment of a fine, which is proportioned to the extent of his offence;
but for others there is no restoration, and he remains a pariah, or
outcast, till his death.
"The people of India say that a rogue elephant has done something that
drives him from his caste, and something for which there is no
restoration. He may graze in the neighborhood of a herd, but under no
circumstances will he be admitted to their company; even if he happens
to be driven into a corral and entrapped with them he remains an
outcast. While they are trembling with fear and clasping their trunks in
expressions of grief, charging at the fence of the corral and making
every effort to escape, they will have nothing to do with the rogue.
They drive him away and refuse to permit him to enter their circle, and
when he is bound and dragged off helpless they will assail him unless he
is kept at a respectful distance.
"So don't venture near that rogue elephant," the captain continued, "as
he would turn upon you if your shot was not instantly fatal, and you
could not hope to get off as easily as we did from the whole herd of
honest ones."
As they approached the Somerset River, or Victoria Nile, the ground
became low and marshy, with long stretches of jungle and high grass that
made it impossible to see more than a few yards in any direction, except
upward at the sky. Even then there was not always a clear view, as the
papyrus plants bent over the path and enclosed the travellers in a sort
of natural arch. The opposite or south bank was higher, and consisted of
a series of bluffs, which promised a firm footing. The swamp or marsh
was exceedingly difficult for the horses; they sunk into the mud at
every step, and two or three times Frank was obliged to dismount to
allow his steed to extricate itself from a mud-hole. One of the
dismountings was much more sudden than agreeable, as the youth was
pitched over the animal's head without the least warning.
On the opposite bank was the military post of Foueira, the last station
of the Egyptian troops in Central Africa, and on the borders of the
territory of the King of Unyoro. It was the destination of Captain
Mohammed and his company of soldiers, and for the present the
destination of Frank Bassett. As Frank looked across the river--about a
thousand feet in width--he saw a group of conical huts, surrounded by a
stockade, and displaying the Egyptian flag from the summit of the
central hut. A little to the left was another group of huts; and as a
couple of elephants were standing near it Frank concluded that the
second enclosure must be the stable for the huge beasts.
Several boats were at hand for ferrying the party over the river, but a
difficulty arose concerning the transit of the horses.
The Nile was full of hippopotami and crocodiles, both of them dangerous
enough, and the latter particularly so. To attempt to swim the horses
over would have been certain death to them, as the crocodiles would
have welcomed the animals as rare material for a feast. There was no
raft provided for carrying them, and the only boats were 'dug-outs,'
hollowed from the trunks of trees. They were simply canoes, not over
three or at most four feet in width, and they shook from end to end when
a man stepped into them. But unless the horses could be taken into them,
there was no chance of crossing.
[Illustration: NAVIGATION UNDER DIFFICULTIES.]
Captain Mohammed ordered one of the boats to be brought close to the
bank and held there as firmly as possible. Then weeds and grass were
piled so as to conceal any interval between boat and shore; the
captain's horse was blindfolded with a handkerchief, and, all trembling
with fear, was led into the frail canoe. A man stood by his head to
prevent his jumping overboard with fright, the boatman pushed away, and
a soldier stood in the bow of the boat, shooting at the river-horses, to
keep them at a respectful distance.
Another boat received Frank's horse, and one after another the steeds
were taken over the Victoria Nile in safety. One of them struggled a
little during the transit, and came near upsetting the boat, to the
imminent peril of all concerned. The poor beast was soon quieted, and
seemed to understand that his safety lay in his docility. As for the
others, they hardly moved a muscle, except in the involuntary trembling
caused by fear.
Abdul said that this part of the river was one of the most dangerous, as
it was only at the peril of a man's life that he could venture near the
water. Hardly a day passed that some unfortunate native was not eaten by
the crocodiles, having paid with his life the penalty of carelessness.
Since the post was established at Foueira the crocodiles and hippopotami
have been cleared out to some extent, but the places of those that are
killed are generally taken without much delay.
[Illustration: AN UNPLEASANT ACQUAINTANCE.]
The day of his arrival Frank was strolling by the river not far from the
camp, when he came suddenly upon a "hippo" engaged at his breakfast. The
creature was munching away at the grass as though entirely at home; when
he saw the intruder he gave a loud grunt, followed by a roar, and he
paused in his eating, as if uncertain what to do.
Frank was not uncertain about his duty. He remembered that he wanted to
speak to Captain Mohammed about the prospects of steam navigation on the
Victoria N'yanza; and as there is no time like the present for doing
anything, he made the best of his way to the fort. It is intimated that
he ran, and ran very fast, for the first fifty yards, but we will not be
too particular in our inquiries about his movements. It is probable that
the cause of his alarm retreated to the water as soon as his roar was
over. The river-horse is not brave when on land, and is most to be
feared in the water, as he can move therein quickly, in spite of his
enormous bulk and short limbs.
[Illustration: THE VICTORIA NILE AT RIONGA'S ISLAND.]
Foueira, or Foweera, is a station established by Sir Samuel Baker, a
little more than two degrees north of the equator, and was intended for
the control of the portion of the annexed provinces south of the
Victoria Nile. It is a short distance above Kuruma Falls, and fifteen
miles below a large island known as King Rionga's. At the time the post
was established there was a war in progress between Rionga and the King
of Unyoro, the territory to the south. Rionga was heir to the throne,
but had been set aside by the intrigues of Kabba Rega; he consequently
retired to the island, where he could easily defend himself, and wait
the opportunity for the proper recognition of his rights.
The Egyptians endeavored to establish amicable relations with Kabba
Rega, but were unable to do so. While professing friendship, he
attempted to poison them, and very nearly succeeded; and his troops made
an attack upon Baker's camp at night, and came very near annihilating
the whole party. Baker thereupon returned to Foueira, strengthened the
place, and proceeded to make friends with Rionga. The latter was
recognized as the rightful king of the country, and, in return for the
recognition, he promised to do all in his power to support the Egyptian
authority.
Abdul described to Frank the visit of Baker to Rionga's Island, and the
ceremonies of declaring that he was the real ruler of the country.
Five large boats, hollowed from the trunks of trees, ascended the river
to the foot of the island, while the soldiers of the expedition marched
along the banks. A camp was formed close to the river and opposite the
lower end of the island. The latter appeared to be well cultivated, and
covered with fields of plantains, bananas, and other products of the
country, and there was everything to indicate that the people of the
throneless king were not likely to suffer for want of food.
The river in this region is bordered by forests of tropical trees, and
close to the banks on either side there are dense growths of papyrus,
some of the plants being fifteen or twenty feet high. It is full of the
same sort of animal life as at Foueira, and therefore a bath in its
waters is not to be recommended to any one who is prejudiced against
occupying the stomach of a crocodile. There are several varieties of
fish in the stream, but the work of taking them is not the safest in the
world, on account of the abundance of the saurian monsters;
consequently, the natives are not famous for their piscatorial pursuits.
It was dark before the party was all on shore, and it was not to be
expected that the king could be seen that evening. The next morning a
messenger went for him, carrying a present in the shape of a robe of
embroidered cloth, with a tarboosh and turban. It is not customary, when
calling on a king in any other country, to send him clothes to put on,
but they do these things differently in Africa.
Early in the forenoon a flotilla of boats was seen on the river, and in
a short time it pulled up in front of the camp. Drums were beating and
horns blowing in all directions, as a signal that the great Rionga was
going to see the white man, and the din was kept up till the monarch was
safe on shore.
The soldiers were drawn up in line to receive him, and as he came
forward, accompanied by his ministers and other great men, he was met by
Baker and one of his officers. They shook hands after the European
fashion; and as the king spoke Arabic the conversation was conducted
without the aid of an interpreter. Of course each was very glad to see
the other, and vows of friendship were interchanged; then a cow, a
sheep, and a load of corn were delivered as presents from Rionga, and
the king thanked Baker for the suit of clothes which had enabled him to
make a decent appearance at the reception.
[Illustration: INTERVIEW BETWEEN BAKER PACHA AND RIONGA.]
The interview lasted an hour or more, as there was a good deal to be
said on both sides, and it resulted in an alliance between the king on
the one hand, and the government on the other. The afternoon and evening
were devoted to a feast, for which the king furnished the materials, and
the next morning he and Baker went through the ceremony of exchanging
blood, and thereby becoming the firmest of friends. Two or three days
were occupied in receiving the allegiance of several chiefs who lived in
the neighborhood; and before the expedition returned to Foueira it was
agreed that war should be declared against the usurper, Kabba Rega; and
as soon as the dry season had set in the combined forces would move upon
M'rooli, the stronghold of Rionga's enemy.
Abdul farther said that Rionga was a handsome man, of unusually good
manners, and more intelligent than the majority of his race. He was
copper-colored rather than black, and the same was the case with the
most of his followers, who seemed warmly devoted to him. He had
abandoned all the barbarous practices of the African kings, never
ordering the punishment of death except for the very highest crimes, and
never offering human sacrifices or shedding the blood of subjects or
prisoners. His people lived chiefly on vegetable food, with the addition
of fish caught in the river. They had extensive plantations of bananas
and sweet potatoes; and though they had large flocks of sheep and goats,
they did not eat their flesh, but were contented with the milk. The
poorer classes sometimes live on ants, but do not display any particular
fondness for them; they preferred the products of their gardens; and if
they had plenty of bananas and plantains the ants were not disturbed.
[Illustration: WATER-BOTTLE.]
Frank asked if they had any manufactures. Abdul said they confined their
skill to a few articles of pottery, and some of them were very pretty,
as Frank had opportunity of learning when he looked at several specimens
in possession of the commander of the post. They consisted of water-jars
and pots for cooking purposes, and some of them were ornamented in a
way that would have done credit to a French or English worker in
pottery. Frank admired the water-bottles made from a gourd that grows in
this part of Africa: it has a long and slender neck, and the outside is
very tough and hard, so that it can resist a heavy blow, and is not
readily devoured by the almost omnivorous ants. These gourds are found
everywhere in the Unyoro and Uganda countries, and are useful for all
purposes where liquids are to be carried or kept.
[Illustration: GOURDS OF DIFFERENT SHAPES.]
Abdul said these gourds are trained to take a variety of shapes. Most of
them are unornamented, others decorated with black or red paints, and
the necks are twisted while the gourds are green and soft. They can be
softened in hot water. If broken while receiving the finishing touches
the seams can be closed with thread in a style to be envied by an
accomplished glove-sewer.
The pottery is made from a clay found in river-beds or at the base of
the highest hills. The implements for working it are of the rudest
description, and the natives are not even in possession of the potter's
wheel, which has been known in Egypt and China for thousands of years.
The clay is pulverized by being pounded between stones, and is then
worked into a thick paste to make it sufficiently plastic. The potter
shapes the mouth of a bottle, and then places it to dry in the sun. The
next day he adds an inch or so, and the next day another inch, and in
this way he continues the work till the article is completed.
When ready to be baked seven or eight of the bottles are placed together
and covered with a pile of dry grass, which is set on fire. Only a
gentle heat is needed, and wood-fires are not used, as the high
temperature would crack the bottles. Captain Speke says a good workman
will make four large pots in a day. Their picturesqueness and perfect
shape often surprise the stranger. In some regions the pottery turns
black when baked, while in others it becomes red, on account of the iron
in the soil.
We will leave Frank engaged in the inspection of specimens of African
workmanship, and return to Doctor Bronson and his nephew, whom we left
at the head of the White Nile, beginning the exploration of the Albert
N'yanza.