The Head on the Rock--A strange People--We are made Welcome--King
Quibibio.
It was early one morning that we suddenly came to a Rock on which we
both caught sight, at the same time, of a rude carving of a man’s head.
Much startled, for it was the first sign of human occupation we had seen
for some time, we examined it carefully; and we both were struck by
observing that this head was not a copy of the natives of the country we
had passed through. For these Indians are all most ugly, having blubber
lips, flat noses, and low foreheads; but this head was that of a
handsome man although without any beard. It was carved in the
perpendicular face of the Rock, and the countenance bore a somewhat
severe expression; in fact, after such a long and rude separation from
any of our kind, both Paul and I felt somewhat awed as we gazed at it.
The Rock bore no other mark nor inscription save this solemn, life-sized
head. It was almost on the crest of a rise, and no sooner had we passed
it, than we came on to a beaten pathway on which were fresh footmarks,
not naked like an Indian’s, but more resembling those of a boot without
heels.
I confess that this sudden coming upon the fresh traces of a civilized
race so unmanned both of us that we felt a strong inclination to beat a
hasty retreat. For you must remember that we had now been about four
years living either with savages or by ourselves in a wilderness.
“Shall we follow the path?” I whispered to Paul, for I felt afraid to
speak loud.
He looked around and then answered in the same low tone:
“Let us look over the ridge.”
I nodded assent, and carefully and cautiously we advanced to the top.
Hiding behind a heap of rocks we looked over.
What did we see?
The ridge we were on sloped abruptly down the other side, into a
beautiful open valley, through which ran a broad river. We saw green
patches like cultivated fields, thickets of tall trees, low houses with
white walls, and, above all, human beings, clothed and apparently
wearing a kind of head-dress. Paul and I gazed speechless with
amazement. Then, to my astonishment, he burst out crying and sobbing,
and I could not help but follow his example.
When we were somewhat calm, we retraced our footsteps and, having
repassed the Rock, halted to debate how we should best approach this
strange people. All through our wanderings we had carried with us our
jerkins and breeches that we might not appear naked before any civilized
race we met. We had, of course, never worn them, and they were still in
a fair state of preservation, though weather-stained. Some distance back
we had crossed a small runlet; to this we returned and proceeded to make
our toilet as best we were able. We washed ourselves carefully, and then
did what we could to put our wild hair and beards in order. This was
hard work, for the cutlass was too blunt for such work; but by lighting
a fire and using the glowing ends of sticks we singed each other’s
redundant locks down to fair proportions. After we had dressed
ourselves, feeling very strange in our unaccustomed clothing, we shook
hands with each other and went to meet whatever fate was in store for
us.
We had scarcely risen to our feet when we were alarmed by a loud outcry
from the very spot on the ridge we had just left. Then followed a
strange sound, like the blowing of a horn, and after that all was
still.
I said to Paul:
“Let us go on and get it over.”
He assented, and we walked up the ridge.
When about half-way up we saw a party of men approaching. They were
dressed in a garment like a long shirt, belted round the waist, and wore
small turbans. They were all armed and advanced rapidly towards us; one
man in front, who wore a shell slung over his shoulder (which was the
occasion of the noise we had heard), was pointing to the ground.
Evidently it was the discovery of our barefooted tracks that had alarmed
them. So intent were they in looking on the ground that it was not until
they were comparatively close that they observed us. They stopped short,
in silence, although some lifted their weapons.
We made up our minds for instant death, and stood awaiting it, our only
weapon being the almost useless cutlass, which I had thrust in the belt
of my jerkin. The tomahawk had long since been worn out, and we had
thought it better not to carry native weapons.
To our intense astonishment one man suddenly uttered a shout, and all
the raised weapons fell. The cry was taken up, and whilst some ran back
towards the valley, the others approached with smiles and gestures of
welcome. To this, you may be sure, we were nothing loath to respond, and
we soon found ourselves being conducted in state towards the valley.
The man who seemed to be in authority spoke volubly in his own tongue,
but we could only shake our heads in reply. I noticed that all the party
wore sandals of hide, made, as I found out afterwards, from the skin of
the jumping animal I have already spoken of.
We were led in a friendly fashion past the Rock with the head carved on
it, and then it was that I remarked for the first time that all our
escort were beardless, like the head. Both Paul and I, as I may here
well state, were fair men, like most of my countrymen, and although our
skins were burnt nearly black, our blue eyes and yellow hair showed at
once that we were not native Indians.
We were led down into the valley by a broad well-trodden pathway, and on
reaching the foot found many people assembling to see us, having been
roused by those who ran back. I noticed but few things then, for our
excitement was too great, only that the women wore a garment like the
men, and the men being all beardless, the only distinction in the
appearance of the sexes was that the women wore their hair long, prankt
with flowers, parrots’ wings, and other adornments.
We soon approached a larger cluster of houses, which I supposed to be
the heart of the town, although the town was scattered all up and down
the valley. The houses were much the same in design, being but one story
high, with flat roofs; but this ugliness was relieved by the sides being
made sloping, like the sides of a pyramid. Some of the houses were
larger than others by reason of having wings thrown out. They were built
of mud and coated with a kind of whitewash to preserve them from the
rain. There were flowering shrubs and beautiful trees everywhere, for
the valley seemed to be most fertile.
Presently we approached what appeared to be the largest of the houses in
the town, if such a scattered lot of houses could be called a town.
There seemed to be a good deal of bustle going on, and when we arrived
close the crowd parted and a fine-looking man came forward, dressed but
little better than the rest, with the exception that his turban was
bright red whilst all the others wore white.
He approached us eagerly and looked curiously at us, then said something
in a language different from what the others had been using, which
sounded somewhat familiar to me, but which I still could not understand.
He repeated it, and catching a word that sounded like “ar-me” I said it
after him. This delighted him hugely, and he looked at me so kindly
that, instinctively, I held out both my hands which he seized and shook
warmly, then, leaning forward kissed me on both cheeks. Paul followed my
example, and all the people standing around seemed as pleased as
possible.
The man with the red turban--whom I may as well say at once was the
chief, King Quibibio--led us into the house. For the moment we could
scarcely see, the room being darkened to keep out the flesh-flies, which
here, as in all parts of Terra Australis, are the greatest possible
torment. But as they will not enter a darkened room, the Quadrucos,
which is the name of these people, keep their houses darkened. Our eyes
soon grew accustomed to the dim light, and we found the interior
delightfully cool, on account of the thickness of the walls. There were
skins and other kinds of mats about the floor but no seats of any kind,
for these people always sit or recline on the ground.
The king motioned us to be seated, setting the example by lying down on
a rug. He then called out an order in his own language and a boy came in
with two cups made of shells, filled with what I now know to be green
cocoa-nut milk. After being so long used to tepid, brackish water I
thought it the most delicious beverage I had ever tasted. The boy took
back the empty cups and presently came in with a large earthenware bowl
of water. He washed our feet, which we submitted to quietly enough, and
then proceeded to fasten on each of us a pair of sandals, such as were
worn by all the others. This seemed to give the king the liveliest
satisfaction, and after motioning the boy to leave he resumed his
attempts at conversation.
I may as well here mention that the investiture of the sandals made us
members of the family. The meaning of it I will describe later on.
Pointing to himself the king said, “Quibibio”, then he pointed to me and
I replied, “Diedrich”, this, after some repetitions, he succeeded in
mastering. Paul was much easier, and then we practised on the king’s
name until we had it perfectly.
We now had time to look about the room, which was spacious and lofty,
and although destitute of any furniture but the rugs and mats, seemed
exactly suited to the climate. Doorways opened in two or three
directions, and before them hung curtains or screens of reeds. Seeing
our curiosity the king led us outside, through the doorway by which we
had entered, and taking us a little distance away pointed to the wall.
We then saw one reason why they were made sloping. Shallow steps, or
rather a stairway, was cut in them to enable the inhabitants to easily
reach the flat roof.
Quibibio ascended, and we followed him on to a flat roof surrounded by
a low parapet. I never saw a lovelier sight than that beautiful valley
presented. The white houses seemed to nestle in clumps of verdure, the
cultivated fields, though easily discernible, were not separated by
walls, for these people possessed no domestic animals, and they rather
regarded the fields as serving as a lure to bring in the big jumping
animals from the neighbouring hills. It was a most peaceful scene, and,
coming to it suddenly, as we did, out of the great desolate wilderness,
we could scarce believe but that we were dreaming.