RETURN TO RUBAGA.--FAREWELL TO M'TESA.--VOYAGE DOWN THE VICTORIA
N'YANZA.
[Illustration: VILLAGE AND VILLAGERS.]
Our friends crossed to the other bank of the river and made a short
excursion into the Usoga country. They visited several of the native
villages, but saw nothing remarkable in any of them. Abdul said it would
not be altogether safe to go far from the bank of the Nile, as the
natives had a reputation for treachery; and though they were at peace
with M'tesa they had no great love for him, and might not hesitate to
make trouble for his guests.
A little before nightfall they returned to the falls, and crossed the
river again to the other shore. The camp had been formed on the southern
side of the point, where the boats were brought to land in descending
from the lake. As a matter of precaution the boats were partly drawn on
shore, so that they could not be carried away by stealth during the
night. The boys slept within sound of the falls, and they both agreed in
the morning that the rippling of the waters was the most agreeable music
they had heard for many a day.
Just about daybreak they were roused by Ali, who crept softly to their
side and said there were suspicious movements among the natives on the
opposite bank, and the Doctor had given orders for them to be awakened.
They were up in an instant and seized their rifles, prepared to enter
into a fierce battle and repel an attack of the blood-thirsty natives of
Central Africa.
The alarm proved to be of brief duration. It turned out that the natives
had no hostile intentions--at least, they disclaimed anything of the
kind--but the movements on the bank were caused by their driving their
stock down to be watered. To prove the truth of their declaration, a
large herd of cows and oxen soon made its appearance and crowded into
the water, as if suffering from thirst.
The cattle having drank their fill the herd was driven back, and soon
disappeared altogether. Abdul said it was all very well for the natives
to declare that their intentions were pacific, but he observed they all
carried spears, and many of them were equipped with shields and
battle-lances, as though they expected to do something more than take
care of domestic cattle. Probably the fact that the party from Rubaga
was on the alert, and had their boats drawn up in a secure place,
prevented an attack. The people of Usoga have had sufficient
acquaintance with the weapons of the white man to know they could not
cross the river in face of the rifles of Doctor Bronson and his party
without suffering severely in the minutes required for the transit.
The forenoon was passed in camp. A little past the meridian the baggage
that had been unloaded was again placed in the boats, and the flotilla
headed for Uvima Island, which had been selected as the place for
passing the night. Several canoes were out on the Usoga side of the
river, but they kept at a respectful distance, though two of them
followed the party an hour or more as they held their course along the
channel. The same precautions were observed as on the previous night,
and if the natives had any idea of making an attack and capturing a lot
of valuable property they were sadly disappointed. At all events, they
showed discretion in holding aloof. They would have met a warm
reception, but the warmth would have been of a character they did not
desire.
[Illustration: AN UNPLEASANT ENCOUNTER.]
Just before starting to continue the journey one of the Doctor's boats
paddled away to the eastward a few hundred yards, to let the Usoga
people know they were not afraid of them. Evidently the others had the
same idea, as two of their boats paddled out from the shore, the men
shouting in accents the reverse of friendly. The boats met in the middle
of the channel, and for a few moments oars and spears were brandished,
and there was good promise of a fight. The Doctor told Abdul to shout
with all his might to call back the boat and prevent any bloodshed. For
a little while it looked as though he would be unable to do so, and it
became necessary to fire a few shots in the air. This had the desired
effect, the one party taking it as a signal of recall, and the other as
an intimation that hostilities would provoke a free use of the dreaded
rifles.
The boat came back, and after a sound lecturing from the Doctor, and
promises "not to do so again," its captain was ordered to take his place
in line for the return to Rubaga.
There was no incident of consequence on the return to Usavara. The
flotilla was arranged in a manner varying somewhat from that of the
outward journey. As they were going toward home there was no fear that
anybody would stray from his position, and consequently Ali and Abdul
were placed in the leading boat, while our three friends were in the one
that brought up the rear. They were thus able to talk over their plans
for the future, and utilize the time of the voyage far better than if
they had been in different boats.
Of course the boys were eager to know what plan the Doctor had formed
for their route from Rubaga, and as soon as they were fairly under way
he proceeded to gratify their curiosity on the subject.
"We will leave the boats at Usavara," said he, "and go at once to Rubaga
to thank the king for his kindness, and ask him to put us under farther
obligations. Have you ever heard a definition of 'gratitude' that is not
to be found in any authorized dictionary?"
"I think I have," answered Frank. "It says, 'Gratitude is a lively
anticipation of favors to come.'"
"That is exactly our case," replied Doctor Bronson. "M'tesa has been so
kind to lend us his boats for visiting the falls, that I intend asking
permission to retain them for a voyage down the lake."
"After all," said Fred, "it won't cost him anything to do so, as we pay
all the expenses of the voyage. Besides, he knows he will receive
additional presents if he grants your request, and instead of being out
of pocket he will gain by the transaction."
"I have considered all that," was the response to the youth's remark,
"and see no difficulty, except that he may fear trouble with some of the
rulers beyond his territory. They might regard the arrival of a fleet of
M'tesa's boats as an act of war, and consequently both he and ourselves
might get into trouble. However, we can lay the matter before him, and
he will probably give us an answer the next morning."
"What will we do if he refuses?" Fred asked.
"In that case," replied the Doctor, "we will continue our journey
southward by land. It will be longer and more difficult than if we went
by water, but it will not interfere seriously with our plans if he
declines my request.
"I intend going from here to Ujiji, on Lake Tanganyika," the Doctor
continued; "and if you look at the map you can see that it will save
considerable land-travel, if we can follow the lake to its southern
extremity, in the country of Usukuma."
Saying this, he opened the map and pointed out the route followed by
Stanley, and also that of Speke and other travellers. The boys studied
it attentively for several minutes, and in the mean while the Doctor was
busy with several memoranda in his note-book.
We will leave their plans for the present and wait for their development
after the visit to M'tesa.
[Illustration: ANTELOPES AMONG THE MARSHES NEAR USAVARA.]
The boats arrived safely at Usavara, and the Doctor, accompanied by
Frank, started at once for Rubaga to see the king. Fred was left in
charge of the property of the expedition, and it was understood that a
messenger would be despatched immediately in case anything went wrong.
Doctor Bronson was to notify Fred in the same way as soon as the king
made his decision, and it was hoped that the detention, in any event,
would not be more than a week at farthest.
There was bad news about the horses. One had died during the absence of
the party, and the others were suffering from the effects of the
climate, and so feeble that they gave no promise of future usefulness.
The Doctor decided to leave them, and his decision was eminently
sensible, in view of the difficulties of moving them. The donkeys were
all right, and manifested their condition by kicking spitefully whenever
anybody came within range of their heels.
The Doctor sent a messenger to the king announcing his arrival, and was
immediately summoned to an audience with his majesty. It was late in the
afternoon when the audience was held, and it lasted nearly an hour. The
king desired to know all that his visitors had seen and done during
their absence, and the Doctor gave him a full account of everything
that had happened. When he came to the incident of the encounter of the
boats the king was specially pleased to know that hostilities had been
avoided under circumstances that gave such fine promise of a fight. He
said it was all owing to the firmness of Doctor Bronson in recalling the
boat at the critical moment, but he should have expected nothing more,
as the white man was able to do anything.
This was a good time to make the request for the use of the boats to go
to the southern end of the lake. The Doctor was not slow to see his
opportunity, and at once propounded the question.
As had been expected, M'tesa was not prepared to give an answer, but he
promised to do so on the following morning. Then he rose from his seat,
and the audience was over.
The next morning there was a great assemblage in front of the palace,
and an unusual tooting of horns and pounding of drums. It was evident
that the reception at court would be of no ordinary character. In due
time a messenger came to announce that the king was ready for the visit
of his American friends, and they went at once to court.
As they entered the audience-hall they saw a group of men whose dress
showed that they were not people of Ugunda. Abdul whispered that they
were from the south; but there was no time for farther explanation, as
the business of the visit was opened at once by the king.
"You want boats to go to the end of the N'yanza?" said his majesty.
The Doctor answered that such was his wish.
"How many boats do you want?" was the next royal interrogatory.
The Doctor thought that two or three boats, in addition to the ten which
carried him to Ripon Falls, would be quite sufficient.
"Well," answered the king, "we have decided. You shall have the boats;
but you must know it is the first time this request was ever granted."
Frank thought it was probably the first time the request had ever been
made, and therefore the king's assertion was not likely to be at
variance with the truth.
"There is much danger in going the way you wish," continued M'tesa, "as
the people on some of the islands are hostile, and may attack you. If I
should lose my boats and men it would be very serious to me and to you."
There was no denying the correctness of this proposition, and the Doctor
waited for the king to proceed.
[Illustration: NATIVE OF UNYAMWEZI.]
"But I am friendly with the King of Unyamwezi, at the other end of the
N'yanza, and these strange people you see here are a delegation from
him. They arrived here four days ago, and are now ready to go back to
their country. They came by the N'yanza, and their boats will accompany
those that I shall send to carry you and your friends and property."
It naturally occurred to Doctor Bronson that there could not be any
great danger in going by the lake route, if this delegation from
Unyamwezi had just traversed it. But he kept his thoughts to himself,
and continued to do so while the king enlarged upon the perils of the
journey.
It was very evident that M'tesa was bent on driving a sharp bargain. We
must remember that he was a negro and in Africa, and therefore he was
expected to make the most of his opportunities. If he had been a white
man, and in America--a New York hackman, for instance, or the owner of a
baggage-wagon on "moving-day"--he would have been a model of generosity,
and offered the use of his boats for nothing.
During the absence of the party in the excursion to Ripon Falls he had a
chance to think over the situation and make up his mind what he wanted.
He had overcome his fear of the telephone, and from entertaining a
superstitious dread of the "magic talker" he had developed a great
desire for it.
In return for the use of his boats he wanted the telephone instruments,
and desired them arranged so as to connect his audience-hall with his
harem. Then he wanted a certain amount of cloth, brass wire, beads, and
other African trinkets, but more than all else he wanted fire-arms and
ammunition.
As he had already received a shot-gun and a rifle, the latter with a
supply of explosive bullets, Doctor Bronson thought his demand was a
trifle exorbitant. However, a rifle was added to the list of presents,
and also a case of ammunition, and the Doctor promised to send another
rifle by the boats in case he was carried through to Unyamwezi without
accident or delay.
The bargain was concluded by turning the king's attention to the magic
talker and asking him where it should be set up. He designated a place
close to his throne for one end, and his private apartment for the
other; and then the audience ended with an agreement that porters should
be ready to carry the baggage to Usavara the next day, when our friends
would come for their final leave-taking.
Frank and Abdul were occupied for a couple of hours in the afternoon,
aided by several natives, in setting up the telephone-wire and attaching
the instruments to the wall. When it was all arranged the king came into
the audience-hall and talked for some time with his wives at the other
end of the line. Frank cautioned him not to use it too often, lest the
magic should get tired. His great fear was that the apparatus might be
deranged by careless and ignorant handling before its novelty was gone,
and especially before they were out of M'tesa's country.
The final audience was held at eight o'clock the next morning. There
were expressions of good-will on both sides, and the king shook hands
with his departing guests in true European fashion. The porters were all
ready at the Doctor's zeriba, and in less time than our friends had
expected the loads were on the backs of the men and on the road to
Usavara.
It was nearly dusk when they arrived at the lake, and found Fred waiting
to receive them. The loads were piled in front of the huts and placed
under guard for the night. Dinner was served in Fred's tent, and the
orders were given for loading the boats at daylight. Everybody retired
early, so as to be up in good season and get the flotilla under way
before the sun reached the meridian. By eleven o'clock the last load was
in place, the crews were on board, and the signal for departure was
given. They received the same noisy "send-off" as on the day they
started for Ripon Falls, with the exception that there were more drums,
and consequently more of what the drummers were pleased to call music.
The men rowed hard, under the promise of an extra ration of fish if they
would reach Sessé Island before sunset. Doctor Bronson desired to camp
on Sessé for the night, and of course the earlier he could arrive there
the better it would be for the whole party. The captains of the boats
thought it would be a long journey, and proposed stopping at a smaller
island ten miles north of Sessé; but the matter was quickly settled by
Doctor Bronson's proposition of extra rations to the men and a present
for each of the captains. The plan worked so well that it was continued
during the journey, and was always successful.
[Illustration: NATIVES OF THE ISLANDS.]
Sessé is described by Stanley as an island about forty miles long by
twenty in width. The principal canoe-builders and the greater number of
sailors of M'tesa's kingdom live at Sessé. They are blacker than the
people of the main-land, less intelligent, and not at all brave. They
are good sailors, and capable of much endurance, but have so many
superstitions concerning the demons which are supposed to inhabit the
lake that they are easily frightened when there is the least indication
of a storm.
Doctor Bronson was true to his promise, and bought a liberal supply of
fish for distribution among the crews of the boats. They had a grand
festival in the evening, and continued it so late that the Doctor feared
they would be of little use on the next day. But an African has great
digestive and recuperative powers, and the men proved all right in the
morning and ready for fresh work, much to the relief of their employers.
Several broken oars were replaced at Sessé, and, as some of the crews
were a man or two short of their complement, a dozen sailors were
engaged for the voyage to the end of the lake. The Doctor embraced the
opportunity, too, of purchasing an extra supply of bananas, which were
promised to the men on condition of reaching Dumo an hour before sunset,
which they did. Dumo is a small village on the main-land opposite the
southern extremity of Sessé. It belongs to M'tesa's province of Uddu,
and its inhabitants are chiefly engaged in fishing.
[Illustration: BOATS FOR LAKE NAVIGATION.]
During the hour that remained Frank and Fred climbed a rocky hill just
back of the village, having been impelled to do so by a paragraph in
Stanley's book. To the east they had a fine survey of the lake, but
could not make out the opposite shore, so that the view reminded them of
the ocean. On the west they saw a range of hills and a rolling country,
which Frank thought would make an excellent pasture for a large herd of
cattle.
The people of Dumo were civil enough to the visitors, and readily sold
whatever they desired to purchase. Early in the morning the population
was increased by the arrival of a good many natives from the villages a
short distance in the interior. They brought goats, chickens, eggs,
bananas, tobacco, spear-heads, baskets, and other things, to exchange
for fish, either fresh or dried. It turned out, on inquiry, that it was
a _soko_, or market-day; and Frank and Fred considered themselves
fortunate in happening on a market-day in an African village.
[Illustration: AN AFRICAN SOKO.]
Some of the dealers sat on the ground in front of the baskets containing
their wares, while others walked about with their burdens on their heads
or supported in their arms. There was a great deal of chattering and
loud talk, but the utmost good-nature prevailed; and every few moments a
loud laugh was evoked by the witticisms of the natives in conversation,
or by a practical joke played by some of the would-be venders or
purchasers.
Beads were the principal currency, but they were not universal, and
sometimes it happened that a seller would only accept a certain article
that he wanted. Frank was reminded of a story told by Cameron while
trying to hire a boat somewhere on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, and
which is thus related by the explorer:
"The owner of the boat wished to be paid in ivory, of which I had
none; but I found that Mohammed ibn Salib had ivory, and wanted
cloth. Still, as I had no cloth, this did not assist me greatly
until I heard that Mohammed ibn Garib had cloth, and wanted wire,
which I, fortunately, possessed. So I gave Mohammed ibn Garib the
requisite amount in wire, upon which he handed over cloth to
Mohammed ibn Salib, who in his turn gave the owner of the boat the
wished-for ivory, and the craft was turned over to me."
"In this little transaction," said Frank, "you can see the use of money.
There was no circulating medium where Captain Cameron was trying to hire
the boat, and consequently a great deal of time was lost in making the
various negotiations."
"You will find," said the Doctor, "that the most of the people of Africa
have some sort of circulating medium; we have already seen how the tusk
of the elephant is a standard of value, and how shells, beads, cloth,
and other African goods have a more or less fixed rate. There are few
places on the continent where it is necessary to traffic in the manner
described by Cameron, and the number is steadily diminishing."
[Illustration: ARMS AND ORNAMENTS.]