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diff --git a/45396.txt b/45396.txt deleted file mode 100644 index d1989ef..0000000 --- a/45396.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9399 +0,0 @@ - FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO - - - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - - -Title: From the Cape to Cairo - The First Traverse of Africa from South to North -Author: Ewart S. Grogan and Arthur H. Sharp -Release Date: April 14, 2014 [EBook #45396] -Language: English -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -*[Frontispiece: I advanced with outstretched Hand (missing from book)]* - - - - - From the - Cape to Cairo - - The First Traverse of - Africa from South to North - - - BY - EWART S. GROGAN - AND - ARTHUR H. SHARP - - - - T. Nelson & Sons, Ltd. - - - - - copyright info - - - - extra publisher info - - - - - TO - THE MEMORY OF - THE GREATEST AND MOST FAR-SEEING - OF - BRITISH IMPERIAL STATESMEN, - - THE RT. HON. CECIL JOHN RHODES, - - THIS VOLUME - IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED - BY - EWART SCOTT GROGAN - AND - ARTHUR HENRY SHARP. - - - - -Government House, -Buluwayo, - -7th Sept., 1900. - -My Dear Grogan, - -You ask me to write you a short introduction for your book, but I am -sorry to say that literary composition is not one of my gifts, my -correspondence and replies being conducted by telegrams. - -I must say I envy you, for you have done that which has been for -centuries the ambition of every explorer, namely, to walk through Africa -from South to North. The amusement of the whole thing is that a youth -from Cambridge during his vacation should have succeeded in doing that -which the ponderous explorers of the world have failed to accomplish. -There is a distinct humour in the whole thing. It makes me the more -certain that we shall complete the telegraph and railway, for surely I -am not going to be beaten by the legs of a Cambridge undergraduate. - -Your success the more confirms one's belief. The schemes described by -Sir William Harcourt as "wild cat" you have proved are capable of being -completed, even in that excellent gentleman's lifetime. - -As to the commercial aspect, every one supposes that the railway is -being built with the only object that a human being may be able to get -in at Cairo and get out at Cape Town. - -This is, of course, ridiculous. The object is to cut Africa through the -centre, and the railway will pick up trade all along the route. The -junctions to the East and West coasts, which will occur in the future, -will be outlets for the traffic obtained along the route of the line as -it passes through the centre of Africa. At any rate, up to Buluwayo, -where I am now, it has been a payable undertaking, and I still think it -will continue to be so as we advance into the far interior. We propose -now to go on and cross the Zambesi just below the Victoria Falls. I -should like to have the spray of the water over the carriages. - -I can but finish by again congratulating you, and by saying that your -success has given me great encouragement in the work that I have still -to accomplish. - -Yours, - C. J. RHODES. - - - - - *PREFACE TO NEW EDITION.* - -Since bringing out the first edition of this book, I have revisited the -United States, Australasia, and Argentina in order that I might again -compare the difficulties before us in Africa with the difficulties which -these new countries have already overcome. I am now more than ever -satisfied that its possibilities are infinitely great. Of the fertility -and natural resources of the country I had no doubt. But two great -stumbling-blocks loomed ahead: they were the prevalence of malaria and -the difficulty of initial development owing to the dearth of navigable -waterways. The epoch-making studies by Major Ross and other scientists -of the influence of the mosquito on the distribution of malaria have -shewn that we are within measurable distance of largely minimising its -ravages, if not of completely removing it from the necessary risks of -African life. A comparison of the death-rates in Calcutta, Hong-Kong, -and other malarious regions with the present rates has also proved how -immense is the influence of settlement on climate. As to the other -obstacle, the question of access, I was amazed to find that in the -United States the railways practically have absorbed all the carrying -trade of the magnificent waterways, which intersect the whole country -east of the Rockies. Naturally, these waterways were of immense -assistance in the original opening up of the country, but now that the -railways are constructed, they are of little importance. - -I would also point out to those who still profess mistrust of the -practical objects of railway construction in Africa, the object-lesson -which the trans-American lines afford. They were pushed ahead of all -settlement into the great unknown exactly as the Cape to Cairo line is -being pushed ahead to-day. But there is this difference: in America -they penetrated silent wastes tenanted by naught else than the -irreconcilable Redskin, the prairie marmot, and the bison; while in -Africa they pass through lands rich in Nature's products and teeming -with peoples who do not recede before the white man's march. - -Another point: when the main railway system of Africa, as sketched out -by Mr. Rhodes, is complete, there will be no single point as remote from -a port as are some of the districts in America which are to-day pouring -out their food-stuffs along hundreds of miles of rail. - -In the words of the old Greek, "History is Philosophy teaching by -examples." The world writhes with the quickening life of change. The -tide of our supreme ascendancy is on the ebb. Nations, like men, are -subject to disease. Let us beware of fatty degeneration of the heart. -Luxury is sweeping away the influences which formed our character. It is -as though our climate has been changed from the bleak northern winds to -the tropic's indolent ease. Yet we have still a chance. While we -sleep, broad tracks have been cut for us by those whom we revile. Far -and wide our outposts are awake, beckoning to the great army to sweep -along the tracks. Let each man with means and muscles for the fray go -forth at least to see what empire is. Clive, Hastings, Rhodes, a -thousand lesser men whose tombs are known only to the forest breeze, -have left us legacies of which we barely dream. Millions of miles of -timber, metals, coal, lie waiting for the breath of life, "pegged out" -for Britain's sons. In these our destiny lies. We live but once: let -us be able, when the last summons comes, to say with the greatest of us -all, "Tread me down. Pass on. I have done my work." - - - - - _*CONTENTS.*_ - -CHAP. - - I. The Cape to Beira and the Sabi - II. The Pungwe and Gorongoza's Plain--Second Expedition - III. The Zambezi and Shire Rivers - IV. Chiperoni - V. British Central Africa and Lake Nyassa - VI. Karonga to Kituta across the Tanganyika Plateau - VII. The Chambesi - VIII. Tanganyika - IX. The Rusisi Valley - X. Lake Kivu - XI. The Volcanoes - XII. Mushari and its Cannibals - XIII. The Rutchuru Valley and the Albert Edward Lake - XIV. Katwe to Toro - XV. Toro to Mboga - XVI. Semliki Valley and Kavalli's Country - XVII. Albert Lake and Upper Nile to Wadelai - XVIII. Wadelai to Kero - XIX. Kero to Abu-Kuka and back to Bohr - XX. In Dinka-land - XXI. In Nuerland - XXII. The Sobat to Cairo - XXIII. The Trans-Continental Railway - XXIV. Native Questions - - - - - _*LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS*_ - -I advanced with outstretched Hand (missing from book) . . . -_Frontispiece_ - -It was a gruesome Sight - -And I was compelled to stoop down and grope - -One or more of the neighbouring Chiefs came to pay his Respects - -On the Track of the Cannibals - -Balegga waiting for Elephant - -There were numbers of Dinkas fishing here - -Map of the Route - - - - - *FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO.* - - - - *CHAPTER I.* - - *THE CAPE TO BEIRA AND THE SABI.* - - -To describe the first stage of the route from the Cape to Cairo, that is -to say, as far as the Zambesi, which I accomplished four years ago, -would, if time be counted by progress, be reverting to the Middle Ages. -The journey to Buluwayo, which meant four dismal days and three yet more -dismal nights, in a most dismal train, whose engine occasionally went -off on its own account to get a drink, and nine awful days and nine -reckless nights in a Gladstone bag on wheels, labelled coach, can now be -accomplished in, I believe, two and a half days in trains that rival in -comfort the best efforts of our American cousins. When I think of those -awful hundreds of miles through dreary wastes of sand and putrefying -carcases, the seemingly impossible country that the Buluwayo road passed -through, the water-courses, the hills, the waterless stages, and the -final oasis, where one could buy a bottle of beer for 10s. 6d., and a -cauliflower for 363., and that now men sit down to their fresh fish or -pheasant for breakfast, where the old scramble daily took place for a -portion of bully beef and rice; and when I think that the fish and -pheasant epoch is already old history, then I know that the hand of a -mighty wizard is on the country, and that yet one more name will go down -to the coming ages which will loom big midst the giants that have built -up an Empire such as the world has never seen. When I think, too, of my -numerous friends in the country who have given their heave, some a great -heave, some a little heave, yet a heave all together, and who toil on -unaware of their own heroism, turning aside as a jest the vituperation -of their countrymen; and when I think how I have seen the old Viking -blood, long time frozen in Piccadilly and the clubs, burst forth in the -old irresistible stream, then I know that it is good to be an -Englishman, and a great pity fills me for those whose lives are cast in -narrow ways, and who never realise the true significance of _Civis -Britannicus sum_. - -My first experience of Africa was gained in the second Matabele war, -when Rhodesia was yet young. The railway had only reached Mafeking, and -my experiences were not such as to make me desire a second visit. But -the spirit of the veldt was upon me, and in comfortable England these -trials sank into the misty oblivion of the past, and a short twelve -months after I again started for those inhospitable shores. - -However, I will not weary the reader with what he has had dinned into -his ears for the last four years, by describing Rhodesia; nor will I -dilate on how, at Lisbon, through a Bucellas-induced haze, I noticed -that all the men had a patch in their trousers, all the women were ugly, -all the food was dirty, and all the friendly-disposed were thieves, nor -will I hurt the feelings of the Deutsch Ost Afrika Cie. by telling how -badly managed their boats are; how they are perambulating beershops, -disguised as liners; how conducive to sleep is a ten-strong brass band -at five yards, seized with religious enthusiasm at 7 a.m. on Sunday -morning--all these I will pass over, knowing that a _Cicero redivivus_ -alone could do justice to the theme. - -Beyond this, suffice it to say, that on February 28th of the year of our -Lord 1898, Arthur Henry Sharp and Ewart Scott Grogan, in company of -sundry German officers and beer enthusiasts, took part in the usual -D.O.A.'s Liner manoeuvre of violently charging a sandbank in the bay of -Beira on a flood-tide, to the ear-smashing accompaniment of the German -National Anthem. In the intervals of waiting to be floated, and finding -out how many of our loads had been lost, we amused ourselves by catching -sharks, which swarmed round the stern of the vessel. Beira, as every -one knows, is mainly composed of galvanized iron, sun-baked sand, -drinks, and Portuguese ruffians, and is inhabited by a mixed society of -railway employes, excellent fellows, Ohio wags, and German Jews. The -Government consists of a triumvirate composed of a "king," who also at -odd times imports railways, the British Consul, and the _Beira Post_, -and sundry minor Portuguese officials, who provide entertainment for the -town, such as volley-firing down the main streets, dredging operations -in the lagoon at the back of the town, bugle-blowing, etc., etc. The -dredging operations and the subsequent depositing of the mud on the -highways were undertaken, I believe, in a friendly spirit of rivalry as -to the death-rate with Fontesvilla (a salubrious riverside resort about -thirty miles inland); a consequent rise to thirty in one day established -a record that, I believe, is still unbeaten. There was a Portuguese -corvette in the bay, and I had the pleasure of dining on board; the -doctor, a most charming specimen of the Portuguese gentleman (and a -Portuguese gentleman is a gentleman), helped me to pass my things -through the Custom House, and those who know Beira will understand what -that means. At Beira I met many old friends, amongst them the -ever-green Mr. Lawley, indefatigable as of yore, and was surprised to -see the immense strides that the town had made in fourteen months. If -it is not washed away some day, it should become second only in -importance to Delagoa Bay. Before starting north, we determined to have -a few months' shooting, and with this end in view took train to Umtali -with the necessary kit. The new site of Umtali township is a more -commanding position than the old one, and already a large number of fine -buildings had been put up, but now that the temporary activity -consequent on its being the railway terminus has passed away, I cannot -foresee much future for the place, as the pick of the mines appear to be -over the new Anglo-Portuguese boundary, and will be worked from -Macequece. - -We decided to try the Sabi, a river running parallel to, and south of, -the Pungwe, having heard great accounts of the lions in that part; and -with this end in view, hired a wagon, which after many days landed us -and ours at Mtambara's Kraal on the Umvumvumvu, a nice stream running -into the Udzi, which is a tributary of the Sabi. Mtambara was formerly -a chief of considerable importance, but the advent of the white man has -reduced him to the position of a mere figurehead; he is a phthisical old -gentleman of no physique, decked out in a dirty patch of cloth and a -bandolier of leather and white beads; he squats and takes snuff, takes -snuff and squats, and had not yet joined the Blue Ribbon Army. There -being no road to the Udzi, we had to send the wagon back and collect -carriers for our loads. Two days' hard walking brought us to the edge -of the high veldt, whence the path dived down the most fantastic -limestone valley, between high cliffs thickly clothed with foliage, and -topped by rows of square rock pillars, splashed with the warm tints of -the moss and lichens that festooned their sides. At our feet lay the -bush-clad plain of the Udzi, a carpet of green picked out with the -occasional silver of the river itself, and in the hazy distance -stretched an unbroken range of purple hills, backed by the silvery green -and dull smoke-red of sunset. On the third day we camped on the Udzi, -about six miles above its junction with the Sabi. The whole country is -covered with low black scrub, and though there are many impala[#] and -small buck, there are very few large antelopes, so after a few days' -inspection we came to the conclusion that it was not good enough, and -decided to return to Umtali and risk the climate of my old shooting -grounds on the Pungwe. - - -[#] A small antelope (_AEpyceros melampus_). - - -Sharp went back by the road to pick up the loads and sick men at -Mtambara's, while I followed up the Udzi for about twenty miles, and -then struck across country to reach Umtali quickly in order to send out -a wagon. After leaving the river-basin, I camped on a kopje about 1,000 -ft. high, where I had one of the finest views it has ever been my -fortune to see. - -Beyond the valley lay range upon range of hills, stretching far as the -eye could reach; fleecy clouds covered the sun, bursting with every -conceivable shade, from delicate rose to deepest purple, backed by that -wondrous green (or is it blue?) that so often in the tropics accompanies -Phoebus to his rest; rarely one may see it at home in summer-time, as -intangible as it is delicate, and, permeating the whole landscape, a -sinuous mesh of molten red, a ghostly sea from which the peaks reared -their purple silhouettes, until they faded into the uncertainty of lilac -mists, like some billowy sea nestling to the bosom of the storm-cloud. -From here I walked to Umtali, a distance of sixty miles, in nineteen -hours, as I was anxious about the sick men at Mtambara's, and long will -the ripple of the ensuing brandy-and-soda linger in my memory. After -securing the services of a wagon, I had to lay up for a couple of days -with fever and a bad foot, but turned out for a concert given as a -house-warming by the latest hotel. It was a typical South African -orgie, in a long, low, wooden room, plainly furnished with deal tables, -packed to overflowing with the most cosmopolitan crowd imaginable, -well-bred 'Varsity men rubbing shoulders with animal-faced Boers, -leavened with Jews, parasites, bummers, nondescripts, and every type of -civilized savage. Faces yellow with fever, faces coppered by the sun, -faces roseate with drink, and faces scarred, keen, money-lustful, and -stamped with every vice and some of the virtues; a substratum of bluff, -business advertisement, pat-on-the-back-kick-you-when-you're-not-looking -air permeated everything, and keen appreciation of both musical garbage -and real talent. - -Starting for Salisbury, where I wanted to look up some old friends, I -was made the victim of one of those subtle little jests so much -appreciated by many of the petty officials in South Africa, who are for -ever reminding one of their importance. I turned up at three, the -advertised time for the coach's departure, and, finding no mules or -signs of activity, learned that (being an official case) three meant -three Cape time, or four Umtali time. So I went back to my hotel, and -again turning up at ten to four, found that the coach had left at a -quarter to four without blowing the bugle, and knowing that there was -one passenger short; this necessitated a nine-mile walk to old Umtali in -the rain, which, after three days' fever, was very enjoyable. The -company, a pleasant one, was somewhat marred by the presence of a fat -Jew of the most revolting type; unkempt curly black hair, lobster-like, -bloodshot eyes with the glazed expression peculiar to tipplers and stale -fish, a vast nose pronouncedly Bacchanalian, the hues of which varied -from yellow through green to livid purple, and lips that would shame any -negro, purple as the extremity of the nose, a small, straggling -moustache and a runaway chin, the whole plentifully smeared with an -unpleasant exudation, kept perpetually simmering by his anxiety lest -some one should steal a march on him, made a loathsome _tout ensemble_ -that is by no means rare in South Africa. The way that creature fought -for food! Well! I have seen hyaenas and negroes fighting for food, but -never such hopelessly abandoned coarseness as he displayed at every meal -on the road, and for no apparent reason, as there was plenty for all, -and by general consent he had the monopoly of any dish that he touched. - -Salisbury, which is quite the aristocratic resort of Rhodesia, had made -very little progress during my eighteen months' absence, though there -had been some activity in the mining districts. The business of -ferreting out the murderers in the late rebellion was still proceeding, -and I saw about thirty condemned negroes in the gaol, and more were -daily added. I went to one of the sittings and saw so many gruesome -relics, burnt pipes, charred bones, skulls, etc., that I did not repeat -my visit. I was forcibly struck by the absolute justice meted out: the -merest technicality of law or the faintest shade of doubt sufficing for -acquittal. Many of the natives in custody thus escaped, although their -guilt was certain and well known. My return journey to Umtali was -enlivened by the company of one of the civic dignitaries of Salisbury, -who was going to "give it hot to Rhodes," shake him up a bit, and -generally put things straight. In one day I had the whole future policy -of Rhodesia and all outstanding difficulties like labour, etc., disposed -of as though they were the merest bagatelles. So struck was I with the -masterly grasp of gigantic questions that I fell into a profound -slumber, whereupon, realizing that after all I was but an ordinary -mortal, and consequently possessed of but ordinary intelligence, he -roused me, and in five minutes sketched out a plan that would make my -intended trip north a certain success; this, with more personal advice -on a score of points, lasted till Umtali, where we found so-called -celebrations in full swing. These celebrations (or barmen's benefits, -as they should more appropriately be called) are of common occurrence, -and are invariably got up on any sort of excuse; they take the outward -form of a few pieces of bunting, and result in every one but the -licensed few finding themselves next morning considerably poorer, and in -an abnormal demand for Seidlitz powders. Society at Umtali groups -itself into two classes, those who have liquor and those who have not, -and each class into three divisions: first, a small number who have -killed lions and say very little about it; secondly, a large number of -persons who have not killed lions, but tell you they have, and say much -about it; and thirdly, a very large number who have not killed lions, -but think it necessary to apologize for the fact by telling you that -they have not lost any. - - - - - *CHAPTER II.* - - *THE PUNGWE AND GORONGOZA'S PLAIN.* - - -"The bulky, good-natured lion, whose only means of defence are the -natural ones of tooth and claw, has no chance against the jumping little -rascal, who pops behind a bush and pokes a gun straight at the bigger -brute's heart."--MARIE CORELLI. - - -Instead of following the Urema as on a previous trip, we marched up the -Pungwe almost as far as Sarmento, an old Portuguese settlement, and then -struck off north to a long lagoon that lies on the western extremity of -Gorongoza's plain. Here we found enormous quantities of game, thousands -of wildebeeste and zebra, and many impala, waterbuck, and hartebeeste. -At night a hyaena came and woke us up by drinking the soapy water in our -indiarubber bath, which was lying just outside our tent. We turned out -and drove him away, but had no sooner climbed into our beds again than -he returned and bolted with the bath, and, before we could make him drop -it, had mauled it to such an extent that it was of no further use. - -As after the first night we heard no lions, we decided to move across to -the Urema. On the way we sighted three eland, but though Sharp and I -chased them for about eight miles we were unsuccessful. - -Towards the Urema the plain opens out to a great width and becomes very -swampy, and as the water had just subsided, it was covered with short -sweet grass. Here we saw between 40,000 and 50,000 head of game, mostly -wildebeeste, which opened out to let us pass and then closed in again -behind. It was a wonderful sight; vast moving masses of life, as far as -the eye could reach. A fortnight later they had eaten up the grass, and -most of them were scattered about the surrounding country. Some of the -swamps were very bad, and we were finally compelled to camp in the -middle far from any wood. - -The next day we struck camp and marched up the Urema to a belt of trees -which we could see in the distance. Several good streams, the most -important being the Umkulumadzi, flow down from the mountains, and -meandering across the plain, empty themselves into the Urema. Sharp and -I went on ahead of our caravan, and keeping well to the south-west to -avoid swamps, came on a nice herd of buffalo which we stalked. At our -shots a few turned off into some long tufts of grass, while the main -body went straight away. One, evidently sick, came edging towards us, -and I gave him two barrels, Sharp doing likewise; I then gave him two -more and dropped him. I kept my eye on where he lay as we advanced to -get a shot at the others, who had again stood about 100 yards farther -on, and he suddenly rose at thirty yards and charged hard, nose in air, -foaming with blood, and looking very nasty. I put both barrels in his -chest without the slightest effect, and then started for the river, -doing level time and shouting to Sharp to do likewise; all the -crocodiles in the universe seemed preferable to that incarnation of -hell. But Sharp had not yet learnt his buffalo, and waited for him. I -heard a shot, and stopped in time to see the beast stagger for a second -with a broken jaw, then come on in irresistible frenzy; but still Sharp -stood as though to receive a cavalry charge, crack rang out the rifle, -and the great brute came pitching forward on to its nose, and rolled -within three yards of Sharp's feet with a broken fetlock. It was a -magnificent sight, and the odd chance in a hundred turned up. Now Sharp -knows his buffalo, and is prepared to back himself, when one turns -nasty, to do his hundred in 9-4/5 seconds. - -Except an elephant, there is nothing harder to stop than a charging -buffalo, as, when once he has made up his mind, he means business; there -is no turning him, and if he misses he will round and come again and -hunt a man down like a dog. Holding his head in the air as he does in -practice, and not low down as in the picture-books, he gives no mark -except the chest, which is rarely a dropping shot. Having hacked off -his head (the buffalo's), we went in pursuit of our caravan, and found -that Mahony had pitched camp in the most perfect spot imaginable. A -strip of open park-like bush ran down from the mountains, cutting the -vast Gorongoza plain into two portions, and abutting on the river, where -it had spread into a small lagoon with banks 20 ft. high. Beyond lay -another plain stretching away to the bush that lies at the foot of the -ridge which runs north and south, and is the watershed of the Urema and -the coast. In all directions from our camp we could see herds of game -grazing. Flocks of fowl flighted up and down the watercourse, huge -crocodiles leered evilly at us as they floated like logs on the oily -water, broken only by the plomp-plomp of the numerous fish, and now and -then the head of a mud-turtle rose like a ghost from below, without even -a ripple, drew a long hissing breath, and as silently vanished. As -there was lions' spoor by the water, we strolled out after tea and -dropped a brace of zebra by the edge of the bush. After an eventful -night, during which leopards coughed, lions roared, hyaenas dashed into -camp and bolted with my best waterbuck head, we all turned out early. -Sharp went down the river, while Mahony and I went to our baits. The -first had completely vanished, and the second had been dragged some -three hundred yards under the shade of a palm-tree. Here we picked up -the spoor of a big lion, who had evidently got our wind as we left camp. -We followed for about a mile along the bush, when Mahony saw him -watching us round the corner of an ant-hill. The lion, seeing that he -was observed, doubled like a flash, and before Mahony could fire, had -dashed into a small patch of thick jungle. We lost no time in -following, and were carefully picking our way through the undergrowth, -when I heard a deep grunt about twenty yards to my right, and saw him, -tail straight in the air, vanishing through the bush. Mahony rushed -along the jungle; while I made a desperate burst through the thorn into -the open. I just caught a glimpse of the lion going through the -scattered palms towards the open plain. When I reached the end of the -palms, he was going hard about two hundred yards away. Using the double -.500 magnum, I removed his tooth with the first barrel, and with the -second pulled him up short with a shot in the hind leg. Mahony then -arrived on the scene and gave him a .500, while I finished him off with -two shots from the .303. He was a very old lion with his teeth much -broken, but had a good mane, and measured as he lay from tip to tip 9 -ft. 10-1/2 in. - -As the moon was now full, I determined to sit up, and having killed a -zebra close to two small palms, I built a screen of palm-leaves and -awaited events. The first two nights nothing came but mosquitoes, and -the third night two hunting dogs turned up, but I didn't fire for fear -of disturbing some lions which I could hear in the distance. These dogs -are very beautiful animals with long bushy tails. They hunt in large -packs, and must destroy an immense quantity of game. Shortly after the -dogs had vanished a lion came to the jungle which was about four hundred -yards away, and apparently detecting my scent, in spite of the -competition of the zebra, which was three days old, vented his -disapproval in three stupendous roars. This is one of the few occasions -on which I heard a lion really roar, though every night for months I -have heard packs of them in all directions. The usual cry is a sort of -vast sigh taken up by the chorus with a deep sob, sob, sob, or a curious -rumbling noise. The true roar is indescribable. It is so deceptive as -to distance, and seems to permeate the whole universe, thundering, -rumbling, majestic. There is no music in the world so sweet. Let me -recommend it to the Wagner school! Thousands of German devotees, backed -by thousands of beers, could never approach the soul-stirring glory of -one _Felis leo_ at home. I then heard him going away to the north, -rumbling to himself at intervals, and at 5 a.m. left my scherm[#] and -started in pursuit, hoping to come up with him at daybreak in the plain. -I could still hear his occasional rumblings, and, taking a line by the -moon, made terrific pace. After leaving the ridge, I plunged into a -dense bank of fog that lay on the plain, but still managed to keep my -line, as the moon showed a lurid red and remained visible till sunrise. -The lion had stopped his meditations for some time, and imperceptibly -the light of day had eaten into the fog, when suddenly my gun-boy -"Rhoda" gripped me by the arm, his teeth chattering like castanets, and -said that he saw the lion in front. At the same instant I thought that -I saw a body moving in the mist about seventy yards away, now looking -like an elephant, now like a jackal. Then the mist swirled round, -wrapping it in obscurity once more. I followed carefully, when suddenly -an eddy in the fog disclosed a male lion thirty yards away, wandering -along as if the whole world belonged to him. He rolled his head from -side to side, swished his tail, poked his nose into every bunch of -grass, then stopped and stood broadside on. I raised the .500, but -found that I had forgotten to remove the bunch of cloth which served for -a night sight, and, before this was remedied, the chance was gone. -Again I followed and again he turned, when I dropped him with a high -shoulder shot. As the grass was only 3 in. high and the lion not more -than thirty yards distant, we lay flat and awaited the turn of events. -He lashed out, tearing up the ground with his paws, then stood up and -looked like going away. I fired again. This gave him my whereabouts. -He swung round and began stalking towards me to investigate matters, so -I snatched my .500 and knocked him over with one in the chest. We then -retired to a more respectful distance. But he rose again, and once more -I fired. Still he fought on, rolling about, rumbling, groaning, and -making frantic efforts to rise, till I crept up close and administered a -.303 forward shot in the stomach, which settled him. He died -reluctantly even then. It is astonishing how difficult lions are to -kill, if the first shot is not very well placed. I attribute it to the -fact that after the first shot there is practically no subsequent shock -to the system. This is especially remarkable in the larger brutes, such -as the elephant, rhino, or buffalo. If the first shot is misplaced, one -can fire shot after shot, even through the heart, without immediate -effect. He was a good lion, in the prime of life, with mane, teeth, and -claws perfect. - - -[#] Fence or screen. - - -Sharp meanwhile had been making his first acquaintance with that -ingenious device of the devil's, the jigger,[#] which confined him to -the camp for a week with a very ugly foot. - - -[#] _The jigger_, the "pulex penetrans." - - -Mahony, who had gone down-river, saw a male lion, but failed to stop him -with a long shot, but the next day in the same place came unexpectedly -on two lionesses, both of which he wounded. As they took refuge in the -grass, which was very extensive and thick, and he saw a cub, he sent -into camp for another gun. Sharp turned out in spite of his foot, and I -followed immediately when I returned to camp and found the note. After -a hard spurt of six miles, I met them coming back in triumph with the -pelt of one lioness and five small rolls of fur and ferocity slung on -poles. The cubs had been captured with difficulty. One only succumbed -after being bowled over with a sun helmet. They were great fun in camp, -and throve amazingly on cooked liver, of which they devoured enormous -quantities. Two of them were males, and three of them (one male and two -females[#]) are now disporting themselves in the Society's Gardens in -Regent's Park. - - -[#] One female has since died. - - -Hoping to see something of the other lioness or the lion I returned to -the same place next day, and after examining the neighbourhood of the -grass, pushed on still farther to the centre of the swamp. In this -swamp the river spreads out into a vast network of channels, with a -small central lagoon. Owing to the dryness of the season, it was -possible to cross most of the channels, which were then merely -mud-troughs, and to reach the lagoon, which was about four hundred yards -wide. Here I witnessed a most extraordinary sight. About fifty hippo -were lying about in the water, and on the banks. As the water was not -in most parts deep enough to cover them, they presented the appearance -of so many huge seals basking in the sun. They climbed in and out, -strolled about, rolled in, splashing, shouting, blowing, and entirely -ignoring my presence. After watching them for some time, I sent my boys -to the far end to drive them past. The boys yelled and threw stones at -them. Suddenly the hippo took alarm and rushed _en masse_ for the -narrow channel of the waterway. Down this they swarmed, kicking the -water 30 ft. in the air, throwing their heads back, roaring, thundering, -and crashing along, while I stood on the bank at twenty yards and took -photographs, all of which unfortunately failed. - -[Illustration: It was a gruesome Sight.] - -The banks of every channel and mud-hole were lined with huge yellow -masses of crocodiles; thousands and thousands of wildfowl (mainly -Egyptian and spur-wing geese), which were nesting in the hippo holes, -kept up a ceaseless din; herds and herds of game appeared as though -dancing in the mirage, and the whole scene was one to delight the heart -of a lover of nature. There indeed one felt one was far from the madding -crowd. - -During the night we were awakened by the most terrific yells, and found -that some crocodiles had gone into the boys' quarters. Fortunately they -contented themselves with removing about two hundredweight of meat. - -As the lions appeared to have left the country, we moved up the river to -our original camp for a week to give the plain a rest, and bagged an -eland. Sharp secured a good lioness in the lion donga. - -On our return I shot a zebra for bait in the strip of bush. Turning out -somewhat reluctantly at 5.30 a.m. with no hopes of success, as the lions -had been very quiet all night, I was cutting the wind rather fine when I -saw a number of birds sitting at a respectful distance from the carcase. -Approaching cautiously, I saw some brute apparently pulling at -something, but could not see clearly what it was, as it was still more -or less dark. I knew it must be a lion from its bulk, yet dared not -think so. I retraced my steps for the wind and crept up to within sixty -yards under cover of a stunted palm. Peering cautiously round, I saw, -in the middle of a circle of some two hundred vultures, a grand old -lion, leisurely gnawing the ribs. Behind him were four little jackals -sitting in a row. It would be difficult to imagine a more perfect -picture. In the background stretched the limitless plain, streaked with -mists shimmering in the growing light of the rising sun. Clumps of -graceful palms fenced in a sandy arena where the zebra had fallen. -Round its attenuated remains, just out of reach of the swish of the -monarch's tail, was a solid circle of waiting vultures, craning their -bald necks, chattering and hustling one another. The more daring -quartette sat within the magic circle like four little images of -patience, while the lion in all his might and matchless grandeur of -form, leisurely chewed and scrunched the tit-bits, magnificently -regardless of the watchful eyes of the encircling _canaille_. Loath to -break the spell, I watched the scene for fully ten minutes, then, as he -showed signs of moving, I took the chance afforded of a broadside shot -and bowled him over with the .500 magnum. I tried to reload but the gun -jammed. The lion rose, and after looking round for the cause of the -interruption, without success, started off at a gallop. With a -desperate effort I closed the gun and knocked him over again. He was a -fine black-maned lion, and measured as he lay in a straight line from -tip to tip 10 ft. 4 in.--a very unusual length. - -Another morning, taking an early stroll, I met an old cow hippo and a -calf, wandering about far from the river. I accompanied them for some -time watching them, but when I caught the youngster by the tail the old -lady turned round in answer to its squeals, and opening her mouth to its -fullest extent, some 6 ft., gave vent to a terrific roar, which reminded -me that it was breakfast-time. On another occasion presumably the same -pair strolled past within one hundred yards of our breakfast-table, but -they out-distanced the boys who went in pursuit, and plunged into the -river, easy winners. - -As Sharp had shot a brace of hippo in our pool, we had them dragged out -on to the sandbank opposite, and built a grass screen at the lower end -of the hippo tunnel which led down through the bush from the high ground -above the river. Fortunately, as it afterwards transpired, we took the -precaution to block up the top entrance with stones. Here Sharp and I -posted ourselves for the night in hopes of lions. When all was quiet, -scores of vast crocodiles came out of the pool, and so successfully did -they rend and tear the huge carcases that in the morning nothing -remained but a few bones. It was a gruesome sight, the great loathsome -reptiles tearing vast blocks of hide like brown paper, then crawling -away to digest their morsel, then again advancing to the attack, while a -row of hyaenas sat silhouetted against the sky on the high bank -opposite, or trotted uneasily to and fro, moaning and howling -unceasingly, yet fearing to approach the evil mass of reptiles. Crowds -of mosquitoes and sandflies added their plaintive song. Suddenly with a -mighty rush five hippo dashed down the bank, then, recovering from their -alarm, strolled quietly by at five yards, the moonlight gleaming white -on their wet backs. - -Having heard some lions at sunrise to the east I started in pursuit, -and, following along an extensive dry donga that cut through the plain, -found some fresh spoor which I lost in the endless sea of dry long grass -that covered the greater part of the plain. This I fired, and then came -round by the river, hoping to see some of them if they were driven from -their cover. When nearly home I saw a lion stand up in the low scrub -about a thousand yards away. He had our wind, and started across the -bare plain at a gallop, making for the long grass. I set off in hot -pursuit with my gun-boy. When the lion stopped to look I stopped, hoping -that he would think I was not following him. Whereupon my boy, who -would never learn the trick, sailed gracefully over my shoulder. The -lion, apparently taking us for some harmless mountebanks, slackened his -pace, and only reached the grass about five hundred yards ahead of me. -Rushing in on his tracks, I was fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of -his mane above the grass, as he crossed a place where the grass was -rather shorter than elsewhere. He had turned at right angles from his -course, and had ceased to worry himself about me. Following hard, I got -a chance at sixty yards, and knocked him over with a shot from the .500 -magnum high on the shoulder. Owing to the smoke, the lack of landmarks, -and the height of the grass (about 4 ft. 6 in.), I lost his exact -whereabouts, and after slipping in another cartridge, walked past him. -He suddenly rose at twenty-five yards and charged straight. The -incredible rapidity of his onslaught and the cover afforded by the grass -rendered aiming impossible. I merely swung the gun on him and dropped -him at four yards with a shot in the neck, then hastily retired. After -waiting for some time and hearing no sound, I again advanced, this time -with the greatest caution. I could soon distinguish his shoulder at ten -yards between the grass. Not wishing to damage his skin unnecessarily, -I took my small rifle and fired at his shoulder. The shot had hardly -struck when he again rose and charged like lightning. Another lucky -shot from the second barrel, which entered the old wound, laid him out. -His head was within three yards of my feet. Even then he would not die, -although unable to rise, and it needed three more shots to finish him. -This was the first time I had been charged by a lion, and I was amazed -at the incredible rapidity of their movements. My respect for friend -lion increased a thousandfold. - -The following day was evidently a lion's holiday, for Mahony and I, -following the river to where I had dropped a zebra, put up two lionesses -out of some scrub. I hit them both with a right and left. Mahony also -hit one, which we secured. But the other one crossed the river, making -a clean jump of 34 ft., and reached a large patch of long grass where we -lost her. The wind dropped, and consequently the grass would not burn. -Nor could we follow her spoor. Sharp, crossing the plain to the -Umkulumadzi, met a lion and a lioness, and killed the lion with a shot -in the neck. On his way home he met another lion, and with a shot at -ten yards from the 10-bore removed a bunch of the mane. The lion jumped -into a small patch of impassable reed from which he could not be induced -to move, so was wisely allowed to stay, as handling a gun inside would -have been impossible. This was our grand finale at lion camp, and we -again moved to our old spot by the water-hole in the jungle, but without -success. - -The variation in the Lichtenstein hartebeeste was very remarkable, the -type in this jungle being a heavy beast without face markings, the -frontal bone very prominent and the white rump indistinct, while near -Gorongoza's hills they were smaller, had a white blaze on the forehead, -and were without the peculiar frontal prominence, the rump, too, being -very white. The nocturnal attentions of the hyaenas were most annoying, -diabolical peals of laughter in rapid succession making sleep almost -impossible. Failing to find buffalo, we again marched up the Pungwe, -and to the lagoon where we had started proceedings. - -The first morning after losing a splendid eland, in company with Mahony, -I met a fretful porcupine taking his morning constitutional. We waited -till he walked within five yards and then gave chase. For a time the -pace was hot, till I headed him off, and grabbed him, by the long hair -on his neck, which promptly gave way (I mean the hair). I was again -closing on him, when he suddenly backed, driving one quill through my -boot, 1-1/2 in. through my little toe, and a dozen others into my leg, -one through the tendon. One of my boys was badly mangled in a similar -manner, and it was only after giving the fretful one a playful tap on -the skull that we made him fast. I regret to say that two days -afterwards he died. - -As the officials of a so-called Gorongoza Development Co., with its -headquarters on the Dingi-Dingi, had seized our boys on their way to -Fontesvilla with trophies, and ill-used them, we marched to the Pungwe, -where I branched off to arrange matters, the others following the river -towards Sarmento. I found seven or eight yellow-visaged creatures, a -Portuguese-French mixture, who in three years had disposed of a capital -of, I believe, some hundreds of thousands of francs, with the stupendous -result of an asset comprising about fifty acres of castor oil (one of -the most ineradicable weeds of the country). The Governor, who was very -polite, told me that he was entitled to levy shooting licences, and -after some talk we closed the matter with a payment of L10, which I -should advise the shareholders of the Gorongoza Development Co. to keep -an eye on, as it is the only return they are ever likely to see. He -also told me that he should like a lion hunt, and had even sat up by his -fowl-house for that purpose. Not long after we met him, vinously -inclined, in Beira--the cheque had been cashed. On the Pungwe we -watched some native blacksmiths at work. Several of their tools were -very ingenious. - -Again we marched north, and striking the Pungwe by Tiga's Kraal, crossed -the island and the Dingi-Dingi, and eventually camped at the junction of -a broad sandy river with the Urema. Sharp bagged a good buffalo with a -42-inch head the first night; and the following morning we found that a -male lion had visited the carcase, but retired before our arrival. We -tossed up as to who should sit up that night, and I was unlucky enough -to win; unlucky, in that I spent one of the most awful nights it has -ever been my lot to endure. Having built a small platform, 6 ft. from -the ground, I repaired thither with a thick blanket at sunset. Soon -about thirty hyaenas appeared, and continued fighting, snarling, and -uttering diabolical yells all night; while battalions of mosquitoes -refreshed themselves at my expense, biting my knees, even through a -camel's-hair blanket and flannel trousers. - -At last, about an hour before dawn, I fell asleep, and was awakened at -sunrise by a scuffling noise behind me. I turned round, on murder -intent, expecting to find a belated hyaena, and beheld, ten yards away, -a grand old lion slowly dragging the carcase under the shade of a tree. -Still half asleep, I reached for the 10-bore, and killed him with a shot -high on the shoulder, and went back to breakfast, feeling thoroughly -ashamed of myself. I consider sitting up over a bait an unpardonable -form of murder, if there is the remotest possibility of shooting a beast -in fair hunt. - -A few days later, when on the way to our camp in the jungle, I overshot -the track in some long grass, and spent a terrible day in consequence. -I could not be certain that I had crossed it, or if I had crossed, of -not doing so again if I returned. The only safe course was to follow -some definite direction. I judged the whereabouts of the junction of -the Gorongoza plain and the Urema, and went straight ahead through thick -and thin. Some of the bush was terrible, and the only way to pass was -by climbing along the boughs of the trees above. The experience gave me -a clear idea of how people lose themselves irretrievably, as I found it -needed a tremendous effort of will to compel myself to go on and on. -The temptation to try another direction is almost invincible, and -nothing is easier than to lose one's nerves on these occasions. -However, I at length emerged, torn and bleeding from head to foot, and -throwing myself into the river, regardless of crocodiles, lay there, -drinking in the water through every pore. Much refreshed, but with the -unpleasant prospect of spending the night there, I climbed up on to the -path that runs along the river-bank, and saw to my amazement the spoor -of two horses; this I followed up; and half an hour later, as it was -getting too dark to see, I caught the glimmer of a fire in the distance. -Here I found Mr. H. S. H. Cavendish of Lake Rudolph fame, and Mr. Dodson -of the British Museum, who had just arrived on a shooting trip. - -After an uncomfortable night in a horse's nose-bag and a cloud of -mosquitoes, I hurried to my camp to relieve Sharp's anxiety, meeting a -search-party of natives on the road. Next day I returned to Cavendish, -to see how the fever from which he was suffering had progressed. During -lunch a native rushed in, saying that he had been bitten by a -night-adder (one of the most deadly snakes in Africa). I promptly -collared him by the arm, stopped the circulation with some string, slit -his finger crosswise with my pocket-knife, exploded some gunpowder in -the cut, while Dodson administered repeated subcutaneous injections of -permanganate of potash. Meanwhile the arm, chest, and left side swelled -to the most appalling proportions. Cavendish then appeared on the scene -with a bottle of whisky, three parts of which we poured down his throat. -Then we told off three strong men to run the patient round the camp till -he subsided like a log into a drunken stupor. The following morning he -was still alive, but the swelling was enormous, and the colour of his -nails indicated incipient gangrene. Not knowing what else to do, we put -a pot on the fire, and made a very strong solution of the permanganate -which we kept gently simmering, while six stalwart natives forced the -unfortunate's hand in and out. His yells were fearful, but the cure was -complete. The swelling rapidly subsided, the nails resumed their normal -colour, and the following morning, with the exception of the loss of the -skin of his hand, he was comparatively well. - -A note from Sharp informed me that the Portuguese ruffians of the -Gorongoza Development Co. had again raided our camp when he was out -shooting, had removed the whole concern, beaten, threatened to shoot, -and eventually made prisoners of all our boys. - -This considerate proceeding they repeated with Mr. Illingworth's party. -Needless to remark, our protests were received by the British Consul -with the diplomatic interest due to the subject, a request to formulate -them on paper, and an intimation that our trouble would be superfluous, -as nothing could be done. - -Having heard that another Portuguese official, who was reported to be -looking for me, was in the vicinity, I asked him to come to dinner. -Whereupon he refrained from arresting me, and asked me to stay with him -instead; accordingly I returned with him to his station, and the -following morning marched into Fontesvilla and caught the train to -Beira, where I found Sharp busy packing and sending off the trophies. - - - - - *CHAPTER III.* - - *THE ZAMBESI AND SHIRE RIVERS.* - - -Though very loath to leave our happy hunting-grounds, we had to tear -ourselves away and make preparations for the long march north, so went -down to Durban to lay in a few necessaries, an extra .303 in case of -accidents, and to obtain the time and rate of our chronometer from the -observatory. - -On our return to Beira we embarked on the _Peters_ for Chinde, finding -as fellow-passengers the Congo Telegraph Expedition under Mr. Mohun--six -white men, one hundred Zanzibaris, thirty donkeys, and a few cows, etc. - -To our horror, on disembarking the next day, we found that all our heavy -luggage, tents, etc., had been put on the wrong boat at Beira, and were -on their way to Delagoa Bay. As the telegraph line is generally in a -state of collapse, owing to the white ants eating the posts, and to -vagaries on the part of the Portuguese or natives, it took some days to -inform the agent. - -Chinde offers no attractions except to those who are waiting for a -home-going boat, so we made up our minds to go on to Chiromo, and have a -little shooting till our things turned up, and we could proceed on our -journey. - -The African Lakes Corporation, to whom we had consigned a splendid -full-plate camera, denied any knowledge of it. We afterwards found that -it had passed through their hands, and had been stowed on a sunny and -rain-swept verandah for three months, with a result that may be -imagined. They had also inadvertently overlooked thirty of our cases of -provisions, which we found at the last moment in their store. - -Having borrowed a tent from Mr. Mohun, and being tired of sardines as a -staple article of diet, we made a start up-river, only to find ourselves -worse off afloat than we had been ashore, the Company we had the -misfortune to travel by having apparently realized how to provide the -minimum of comfort with the maximum of charge. - -On each side of the steamer a barge was made fast, so progress was not -rapid. It was the dry season. The river was very low, and intervals of -rest on sandbanks were of frequent occurrence. The banks being very -high, one very rarely saw the neighbouring country. No game was ever to -be seen, while on the broad river only an occasional native canoe or a -gunboat, bustling down-stream, broke the monotony. - -Every night the boat tied up to lay in a supply of wood, sometimes near -a native village, and occasionally near a sugar plantation; at the -latter we were generally given some green vegetables, which were a great -boon. - -The water is pumped up from the river and distributed by channels over -the cane-swamps, and in the time to come, as more of the river-banks are -taken up by these Sugar Concessions, this drain on the water will make a -considerable difference to navigation in the dry season. - -Amongst the legitimate productions of the cane, they here manufacture -Scotch whisky, the labels and bottles being imported from the home -markets in large quantities. The most important estate is managed by a -French company, superintended by ten Europeans (mainly French). The -system of irrigation is very complete, and the work of cleaning is done -by steam-ploughs, managed, of course, by Scotchmen. Mills are in course -of erection, and the bottles, thistle and all complete, will soon be in -requisition. Three hundred hectares are already planted, and the -Company intend immediately planting five hundred more. - -There is another important Sugar Company, owned by the Portuguese and -managed by a Scotchman. The output from its extensive plantations -during the season, which lasts three months, amounts to one hundred and -twenty tons a week. - -It is a dreary, hot, monotonous journey. - -The river is most uninteresting, of great breadth, with low -grass-covered banks and destitute of trees, except near the delta, where -there are some thriving cocoanut plantations. The stream is cut up by -numerous islands and sandbanks, haunted by vast flocks of geese, -pelicans, and flamingoes. - -At Senna there are a few miserable huts, and a few yet more miserable -Portuguese, and at Songwe there is an Indian settlement, where there is -some trade from the interior. - -On reaching the Shire we were transferred to an animated tea-tray, by -courtesy called a steamer, which carried us to Chiromo. The food for -five Europeans for two and a half days consisted of one ancient duck, -three skinny fowls, and a few tins of sardines. There was no bread, -butter, milk, or Worcester sauce, without which life, or rather native -cookery, is intolerable. Luckily, at the villages on the way we were -able to buy fowls, eggs, and tomatoes. - -Before reaching Chiromo we put in at the first B.C.A. post, Port Herald, -where dusky Napoleons ponder over wild orgies of the past. A broad road -planted with shade trees leads up to the collector's house, and -cross-roads, similarly planted, give quite a pleasant appearance to the -place, backed in the distance by a high mountain. - -Chiromo is laid out at the junction of the Ruo and Shire rivers, while -on the north-west side the station is hemmed in by the vast Elephant -Marsh, now a closed game preserve, owing to the inconsiderate slaughter -in time past. Lions can be heard almost every night, and the day -previous to our arrival a lion appeared in the town in broad daylight, -and carried off a native. Though the available population turned out to -slay, he escaped untouched. Many shots were fired at him from many -varieties of guns, and the range varied from five to five hundred yards. -But still he wandered round, the least excited individual in the place. -Eventually the Nimrod of Chiromo, who arrived late, hurt his feelings by -tumbling off a tree on to his back. This was too much, and he -majestically stalked off into the Marsh, wondering at the inscrutable -ways of men. - -Leopard spoor was also a common sight in the street in the morning, -while in the Ruo the crocodiles lived an easy life, with unlimited black -meat at their command near the bathing-places. - -From its position, the town is the inland port of British Central -Africa, and with the fast-growing coffee industry will become a place of -considerable importance. Already the building plots command a high -price, and stands are being eagerly bought up by the African Flotilla -Company and Sharrers' Transport Company, who are rapidly ousting the -African Lakes Corporation from their position of hitherto unquestioned -monopolists. There are also several German traders who display -considerable activity, apparently with satisfactory results, and there -are rumours of a coffee combination, financed by a prominent German East -Coast firm, making their headquarters here. - -A large estate on the right bank of the Shire, called Rosebery Park, is -owned by the African Flotilla Company, which makes excellent bricks, and -opposite the town a fibre-extracting company has started work. The -company has obtained Foulke's patent fibre-cleaning machine, and a -concession of the fibre-gathering rights over all Crown lands, and -another similar concession in the Portuguese territory. - -The plant employed is Sanseveira, of which there are about twenty -varieties, the most common in the neighbourhood being _S. cylindrica_ -and _S. guiniensis_; the former, owing to the greater ease with which it -can be worked, being the most valuable. The length of leaf is 3 to 6 -ft., and the diameter about 3/4 in. I found it growing in immense -quantities on the plains round Chiperoni. - -The treatment is very simple. The green stuff is put over rollers, -which take it past a rapidly revolving brush under a strong jet of -water. The resulting fibre is then dried in the shade, tied into -bundles, and is ready bleached for the market. Consequently the cost of -production is very low. The fibre is fine, strong, and clean, and the -waste is very small, the proportion of fibre to reed being 4 per cent. -The strength is estimated at two and a half times that of the best -manilla. - -The cost of fuel (wood) to run one engine for a day is only four -shillings, and as the fibre needs no cleaning, only one process is -necessary. - -Mr. H. MacDonald, the Collector and Vice-Consul, royally entertained us -at his house, the only cool spot in Chiromo. His method of providing -fish for dinner was to fire a round from his .303 into the edge of the -river, when one or two fish would rise stunned to the surface. - -The climate of the vicinity is very trying to Europeans; the heat is -intense, and, being a moist heat, is at times insufferable. We -repeatedly registered 115 deg. and 120 deg. in the shade, and owing to -the amount of vapour held suspended in the air, there was very little -diminution of temperature at night. - -Periodical waves of fever prostrate the population when the wind blows -from the Elephant Marsh, and the death-rate assumes alarming -proportions. A form of Beri-Beri is also prevalent. - -Large numbers of natives frequently apply for permission to come over -from the Portuguese country and settle in British territory, and the -population is thus becoming very dense, and food is easily obtainable in -large quantities. - - - - - *CHAPTER IV.* - - *CHIPERONI.* - - -The Ruo, the main tributary of the Shire river, which two rivers at -their angle of confluence enclose Chiromo (native word, "the joining of -the streams"), rises in the Mlanje Hills, whence it flows in two main -streams which join about twenty-five miles north of its junction with -the Shire. Ten miles south of this are the beautiful Zoa Falls. - -As there was every prospect of having to wait some weeks for the errant -loads, we made arrangements for some shooting, having heard great tales -of the rhinoceros on Mount Chiperoni, which lies about forty miles east -of the Ruo in Portuguese territory. Having been provided with porters -by Mr. MacDonald, and obtained a permit from the Portuguese, which -entitled us to carry a gun and shoot meat for the pot, we crossed the -river and marched up towards Zoa. - -The country was exceedingly dry and burnt up: consequently the little -game that remained in the vicinity was concentrated near the water. -After some hard days' work under an impossible sun, I shot a -klipspringer, which, curiously enough, was down in the flat country, and -fully twenty miles from the nearest hills. The bristly hairs reminded -me of a hedgehog, and came out in great quantities during the process of -skinning. These antelopes are exceedingly heavy in the hind quarters, -short in the legs, and have the most delicate feet imaginable. We both -searched high and low for koodoo, which were reported to be plentiful, -but without effect, though I found a couple of worm-eaten heads lying in -the bush; and for some days we had no luck with sable, although there -was much fresh spoor; but eventually I succeeded in bagging a fair bull. -No antelope looks grander than an old bull sable, standing like a statue -under some tree, his mighty horns sweeping far back over his shoulders. -The bristling mane gives a massive appearance to his shoulders; there is -something suggestive of the goat about him, both in his lines and -carriage: a giant ibex! - -One evening some natives came to camp with a wonderful catch of fish, -amongst which I noticed four different species. One was a long, -eel-shaped fish with a curious bottle snout, and very small teeth. The -eye, entirely covered with skin, was almost invisible. There is a -closely allied fish in the Nile. Another one resembled a bream with -very large fins. A third resembled a carp with enormous scales, and was -very poor eating. While the fourth, which I have never seen elsewhere, -and which was unknown to Mr. MacDonald, who is a keen naturalist, -resembled a heavily-built carp with large scales and prominent fins, and -was of a beautiful green colour. - -Sharp having decided to go to the north of Nyassa to arrange transport -across the plateau, then returned to Chiromo, and I quickly followed. -But a few days later I again crossed into Portuguese territory, and -marched east along the telegraph line to M'Serrire on the Liadzi, a -tributary of the Shire. - -The following morning, quietly strolling through some dense bush, I saw -two grand bull sable browsing on the tender shoots of a massive creeper. -I fired at the better of the two, and they both galloped away. It was -easy to follow their spoor in the soft, peaty soil, and a quarter of a -mile away I came on him lying dead. The shot had passed through both -lungs. In the evening, when tubbing, I was beset by bees who come in -clouds for the moisture, and after an exciting and one-sided conflict I -hurriedly withdrew, dashed in a state of nudity through the astonished -village, and sought refuge in a hut. The stings induced a severe fever, -and the next two days were spent in bed and indignant meditation. - -Hearing that some old Cambridge friends of mine had arrived in Chiromo, -I marched in and spent a jovial evening with MacDonald, who was -entertaining them. - -A new detachment of Sikhs arrived under Lieut. Godfrey. It was splendid -to see the contrast between the manners of these magnificent men and -those of the local negro. The respect shown to all Englishmen by these -gentlemen of gentlemen, coupled with their proud carriage and air of -self-respecting-respectful independence, contrasted well with the -slouching, coarse insolence of the hideous African. - -A naive individual arrived by the same boat for some official post, and -asked whether it was usual to leave cards on the converted natives and -their wives. He appeared to be a striking example of the appalling -ineptitude of many of the officials chosen for the difficult and serious -work they undertake. - -Tales of rhinoceros and elephant fired me with the desire to make a trip -to Chiperoni, a large mountain mass east of the Ruo; but my ignorance of -the language made such an undertaking difficult, so that I wasted some -days in endeavouring to find a companion. Preparatory to starting, it -was necessary to make friends with the Portuguese official. The usual -man was away, and his _locum tenens_ was the captain of the gunboat, -which was moored to the bank opposite MacDonald's house. - -From previous experience, I had learnt that with Portuguese and natives -everything depended on outward appearance; and, as my wardrobe was -little calculated to inspire respect, I went round the town and gathered -much gorgeous raiment, the finishing touch being supplied by the doctor -in the shape of a red-and-white medal ribbon, torn from a pocket -pincushion. Resplendent in such gauds, with a heavy riding-whip, spurs -(I had noticed that spurs are indispensable to Portuguese polite -society, even at sea), and balancing a No. 6 helmet on a No. 8 head, I -was rowed across the river in great pomp by the administration boat, -midst the blare of trumpets and waving of flags. - -The Portuguese officer, a delightful gentleman, received me with open -arms, placed the whole country and all that was therein at my disposal, -and gave me a "Viesky-soda," insisting on drinking the same thing -himself--a stretch of hospitality that was attended with the direst -results. - -The following morning, having given up all hopes of finding a companion, -I collected a dozen raw natives and a Chinyanja dictionary, and on -November 10th crossed the Ruo and marched twelve miles to the Liadzi, a -parallel stream to the Ruo, and also flowing into the Shire. Five miles -further I forded the Zitembi, another parallel stream of some volume. -This I followed up to a village called Gombi (little bank), which is -perched on a small cliff at the junction of the Zitembi with a feeder. -I had had considerable difficulty in obtaining guides, the natives being -very surly, and absolutely refusing any information of the best means of -reaching Chiperoni, or of the probability of sport, and at Gombi things -reached a climax, the chief telling me that he wanted no white man in -his country, that the Portuguese forced them to work for nothing, and -demanded a 5 r. hut tax, that my men would obtain no food, etc., etc., -_ad nauseam_. However, seeing that I was not to be trifled with, he -changed his tone, and brought me flour and fowls, guides to show me -game, and a guide to Chiperoni for the morrow. In the afternoon I took -a walk round and shot some meat, seeing plenty of fresh rhino, buffalo, -eland, sable, and other buck spoor. The country seemed so promising -that I decided, if unsuccessful at Chiperoni, to return for a few days. -There was an albino woman in the village; all her children, to the -number of five, were also albino, and at several other villages in the -vicinity I saw specimens, which would argue a strong hereditary -tendency. In many of the villages in the higher valleys there were -numerous cases of goitre, some very pronounced, and an extraordinary -number of lepers and idiots. This was attributable to the isolating -influence of mountainous regions, through difficulty of communication, -and the consequent tendency to inbreed. The whole of the next day I -followed the Zitembi, till, at its junction with a large feeder, about -twenty-four miles from Gombi, there is a village called Chirombo. The -stream, which is a series of cascades, and lined with bamboo, is -exceedingly beautiful, and, by a reconnaissance on the morrow, I -ascertained that it rises on the north of Chiperoni. From here -Chiperoni has quite an imposing effect. It is a terraced cone deeply -seared by water-courses, and rises from the middle of a basin formed by -a circle of less prominent peaks, the most important of which is Makambi -to the west. Far away to the north-west were visible the heights of -Mlanje, while to the east stretched an unending forest-clad plain that -reaches to Mozambique. Woods of mahobahoba (the wild loquat) and many -flowering trees covered every rise, and the flat interior of the basin; -and the glorious golds, reds, russets, and browns of our autumn, which -in these climes beautify the landscape in spring, were at their richest, -while a carpet of vivid green and purple flowers lay spread beneath the -shade. It was a beautiful country, cool, even at midday, cold at night, -free from mosquitoes and flies, and every mile or so an ice-cold stream -came tumbling down behind its curtain of ferns and orchids. - -Marching round the southern face of Chiperoni for twenty miles, we came -to a long ridge or arete which I followed till within 500 ft. of the -summit, which is rocky and precipitous, but would offer no difficulty to -a man without a load. Here I camped on a small plateau in a glade of -mahobahoba. It was a delightful change after the sweltering heat of -Chiromo, and I could imagine myself again in Switzerland as I looked out -over miles of rolling upland and undulating forest. There were numerous -signs of elephant which were feeding on the small sugary loquats, but I -failed to find any, though I followed one spoor for many miles. From -here we worked round to the east face, till, being short of food, I was -obliged to follow one of the numerous streams down to the plain. Here -was a considerable but scattered population with a large number of -domestic pigeons, pigs, ducks, and cats. The pigs were the ordinary -bush-pig, while the pigeons, which were blue rocks, must have been -originally introduced by the Portuguese. The stream, which flows into -the Misongwe, a tributary of the Shire, is called the Machingiri, and -there are numerous signs of rhino, though few antelopes; however, I -managed to bag a good sable. As my boys were following very badly on the -paths, I cut straight across to Gombi through the forest, a very long, -waterless march, and on arrival found there was not one boy a hundred -yards behind; after that I had no further difficulty with them. At -Gombi I decided to stop for a few days, and the next morning, after -spooring a herd of sable for two hours, I shot a splendid bull. - -I had told the chief, who was now most friendly, that I was going to -shoot sable, and he came and asked me what I intended to kill the next -day, and was much amused when I jokingly replied that I should bring -home a rhinoceros. - -With this end in view I started early, at 5.30 a.m., and crossing the -river, skirted along the foot of the hills, and killed a bull -hartebeeste for the Mahomedan boys, who refuse to eat the meat of any -beast that has not had its throat cut before death. Although this is a -great nuisance (as cutting the throat spoils the head skin), it is right -to respect such customs, and I always made a point of killing something -else, so that they should not suffer for their belief. - -At 7.30 I found fresh rhinoceros spoor which I followed under a blazing -sun till 12.30. The country had been very difficult, and I was just -beginning to despair when I heard a snort, and looking up, saw the rhino -trotting round the corner of an ant-hill, behind which he had been -sleeping. On seeing me he stopped, snorting, blowing, and stamping, -looking exceedingly nasty. I was carrying my .303, and turning round -for my 4-bore, I found that all my boys had bolted up a small thorn -tree, from the branch of which they were hanging like a cluster of bees. -They had thrown down the gun, and I was compelled to stoop down and -grope about for it in the undergrowth. The brute was blowing and -snorting only fifteen yards away, and I felt very uncomfortable, as in -my position I offered a magnificent target. However, at last I found -the gun, and firing past his cheek, hit him full on the edge of the -shoulder. Instantly there arose a very hell of sound, squealing, -stamping, and crashing of bushes and grass. The smoke hung like a pall -around me, and I thought he was charging. Having nowhere to run to, I -stayed where I was, and suddenly his huge mass dashed past the edge of -the smoke-cloud, and I saw him disappear at a tremendous pace into the -grass. We followed hard, but though he bled freely and lay down several -times, we did not come up to him again till 3 p.m., when we found him -standing at ten yards' distance in a bushy nullah far up in the hills. -I fired the 4-bore at his shoulder, knocking him down, but he rose -again, and tried to climb the far bank; so I fired the second barrel -hurriedly; the cartridge split at the back, and I was knocked over a -tree two yards behind. That stopped him, and three solid bullets from -the .303 finished him. - -I found that the first shot had penetrated about 2 ft., smashing all the -shoulder, yet he travelled for two and a half hours, over the steepest -hills and through some precipitous water-courses. - -In cutting off his head, I found an old iron native bullet in the muscle -of his neck. - -We were terribly exhausted from the desperate work in a pitiless sun, -and hastily grilled a portion of his liver, which was excellent. - -A twelve-mile trot brought us back to camp at 7 p.m., and the old chief -turned out in state to meet me, and falling upon his knees, rubbed his -face in the dust in token of admiration at my powers of prescience. - -The natives departed in hundreds there and then to cut up the meat, and -arrived early the next morning with the head intact; twenty boys carried -it slung on a pole. Skinning it was a fearful business, and occupied me -till dark; toil that I have much regretted, since I find that the skull, -skin, and many other trophies and curios have been unfortunately lost in -transit. - -The old chief again came to me and asked me what I was going to kill. I -suggested eland for a change; and knowing that there were several herds -near where I had killed the rhinoceros, I set off in that direction, my -local guides carefully placing a bunch of leaves under a bush on the -left-hand side of the path. This, they informed me, ensured success. - -The country was full of splendid hunting-grounds; the young grass was -sprouting from the black, peaty soil, and the new foliage of the trees -afforded grateful shade, beneath which one could walk for hours without -encountering any undergrowth. - -The spoor of buffalo, rhinoceros, sable, and hartebeeste was plentiful, -but nothing would satisfy me except eland, and it was not till midday -that I found tracks fresh enough to follow. A six-mile burst brought me -in sight of a herd of twenty, and I was creeping round under cover of -some trees to obtain a good shot at the leading bull when a boy, who had -followed me from the village, let off a dozen ear-piercing whistles to -inform me that he too had seen them. Away dashed the eland, and any one -who has once followed alarmed eland does not eagerly repeat the mistake. -They usually keep up a steady trot till they are clear of the obnoxious -neighbourhood, and when they do stand are so wary that approach is -impossible. The offending native was an ordinary type of the creatures -depicted in books as wonderful hunters and trackers. Personally I have -never found a native of Africa who was anything but an abominable -nuisance out hunting; and after many trials I strictly confined my -hunting attendants to one or two gun-bearers whom I trained to act -instantly on a definite set of signs, and never used them for any -purpose, except to occasionally follow obvious spoor when I wanted to -rest my eyes; even then they needed watching, or they would go wrong. -The Bushmen are, of course, an exception to this rule. - -On my way back to camp I was startled by a deafening report and the -shriek of a bullet past my head. The boy who was carrying my 4-bore had -slipped the safety-bolt back, and the trigger had caught in a twig. He -was, of course, carrying the gun loosely on his shoulder, and the effect -of the explosion of fourteen drams of powder was terrific. It knocked -him several feet off the path and stunned him, while the gun described a -graceful parabola, and landed, muzzle downwards, on a patch of soft -soil, fortunately escaping damage. - -A messenger arrived in the evening with a note to the effect that the -stray baggage had arrived, and the following day I returned to Chiromo -after a most enjoyable trip. - - - - - *CHAPTER V.* - - *BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA AND LAKE NYASSA.* - - -At last, on November 28th, I left Chiromo and started up the river once -more in the good ship _Scott_, and again realized the feelings of a pea -on a drum. Fortunately the skipper was so ill with fever that we took -charge of the boat ourselves, and thus contrived to have something to -eat. - -We had lost six valuable weeks through our kit having been put on the -wrong boat at Beira, and as Mohun's expedition had gone on in front we -lost eventually six weeks more, through the transport on the Tanganyika -plateau being temporarily demoralized. Thus the carelessness of our -agent delayed us in all three months. Such is African travel. I no -longer fret when my train is ten minutes late. Even after this wait -some of our things never turned up at all. Mr. Commissioner Alfred -Sharpe, C.B., the greatest and most reticent of African Nimrods, was on -board, but we tried in vain to induce him to tell us some of his -experiences. However, he gave me a piece of advice that afterwards -stood me in good stead: that, when charged by an elephant, the safest -course was to remain quite still till the brute was within four yards, -and then to blaze in his face. This almost invariably turns the brute -or makes him swerve; my experience has certainly proved its efficacy. -Mr. Sharpe has the reputation of being the hardest and most daring -shikari who ever followed an elephant; and many amusing tales are -current of how in the excitement of the chase he would charge cow -elephants to make them get out of his way, in order that he might obtain -his shot at the leading bull. In view of the success that attends many -of the imaginative literary efforts of missionaries and week-end -tourists on the subject of Africa, it is a great pity that the few men -like Alfred Sharpe and Lawley of Beira railway fame, who have had -gigantic experience of Africa past and present, resolutely refuse to -record their invaluable data in a book. Sir Harry Johnston and Selous -have set an admirable example, and if a few more men of their stamp -would write, much of the misleading balderdash that now passes current -as representing the Dark Continent would be happily crushed out of -existence. - -[Illustration: I was compelled to stoop down and grope.] - -A slight mishap with the machinery delayed us for several hours, and it -was not till noon the following day that we reached Makwira's village. -Young Makwira, who is quite the young gentleman, in knickers, stockings, -spats, collar, and hard hat, provided us with whiskies and milk, and -discussed local politics, displaying no little acumen. I believe that -it was his father who used to be a terror to all travellers on the -Shire, and that but a few years ago, when the elephant still roamed in -thousands on the Elephant Marsh, undisturbed by the shrill whistle of -the stern-wheeler or the bark of the playful 4-bore. It was either old -Makwira or another genial darky in the vicinity, who for some time kept -a tame Portuguese band, and utilized the bandsmen when off duty as -machila-carriers.[#] - - -[#] _Machila_: Portuguese word acclimatized; a hammock slung to a pole -and carried by a team of men. - - -The Elephant Marsh is a large tract of country lying on the left bank of -the Shire river, north of Chiromo. In days gone by it teemed with -elephant, buffalo, and game of all descriptions; but the persistent -gunner soon drove the elephant away and decimated the other beasts. And -it was due, I believe, to Sir Harry Johnston that it was made into a -game reserve. The effect has been most beneficial. Herds of waterbuck -and buffalo come to the banks of the river, and lazily watch the -steamers pass; and even elephant have been occasionally seen of late -playing in their old haunts. A more suitable spot for a reserve could -not have been selected. The Shire and Ruo rivers to the south-west and -east, and the highlands to the north, form natural boundaries; there is -plenty of water and ample grazing at all times of the year. Every night -one may hear the lions roaring. By legislative foresight a game -paradise has been saved in the midst of one of the busiest and most -progressive of our African possessions. - -At Makwira's we reluctantly bade farewell to Mr. H. C. MacDonald, whose -dry humour and all-embracing hospitality had made my weary sojourn in -Chiromo one of the most delightful stages in our journey. The company -on the steamer was rather embarrassed by the extravaganzas of an -evangelical madman, who had arrived in the country in a state of -destitution, and who is probably by now, under the title D.B.S., a -burden on the community. Such men should be caged, or at least -prevented from running loose amongst the natives, and adding to the -already well-nigh insuperable difficulties of the administration. - -A few hours' run brought us to Katunga's, the African Lakes -Corporation's port for Blantyre. The Government station is a little -distance further up the river. The crocodiles, which were very numerous, -had been causing much mortality amongst the natives; one had even seized -the station's bucket, which, for greater safety, was lowered into the -river to draw water from the end of a long pole. - -The Government station is the highest navigable point of the river south -of the rapids, and everything has to be unshipped and carried round to -the upper river by native porters or wagons. From Katunga's to Blantyre -there is a well-constructed road, with a half-way house belonging to the -African Lakes Corporation. Captain Rhoades, of the B.C.A. navy, -accompanied me in a mule-cart, and we arrived at Blantyre, the -commercial centre of B.C.A., about sunset. The road quickly mounts from -the Shire valley on to the plateau of the highlands. Looking back over -the valley from the edge of the plateau the view is superb; and much of -the scenery through which the road passes is very beautiful. Most of -the highlands are covered with woods, which at that season were in the -full glory of their vernal tints; the grass was springing up green, and -carpeted with millions of beautiful purple flowers resembling crocuses. -There were many specimens of the mahobahoba tree, or wild loquat: the -timber of this tree is much prized for telegraph poles and similar uses; -and the broad dark-green leaves are exceedingly handsome. We passed -several comfortable-looking homesteads belonging to coffee-planters, and -the fields of neatly-planted coffee-shrubs staggering under their burden -of snowy blossom made me fancy that I was back in the fruit-farms of -Kent. - -Coffee is the great industry of British Central Africa, and one that is -likely to bring the little protectorate into the vanguard of our new -possessions in the near future. The quality is second to none; some of -the crops have realized the highest price on the London markets. At -present the industry is more or less paralyzed, owing to the majority of -the planters having started operations on borrowed capital, and, with -one or two exceptions, without previous experience of coffee. But as -soon as the plantations are put on a sound business footing the -prosperity of the community should be assured, always provided that the -administration, by judicious legislation as to rate of pay for -labourers, prevents the labour market from being spoilt. The present -rate of pay is three shillings a month, and a rise must be prevented at -all costs. The labour supply, properly handled, should prove well-nigh -inexhaustible, and, owing to the immigration from the Portuguese sphere, -is steadily increasing. I was informed by many men that the first crop -should pay the expenses of the first three years during which there is -no yield. This is a magnificent return, and by judicious combines, -capitalization, and concentration, Nyassa coffee should become an -important industry. The coffee being of such quality, is only used for -blending at present, so that there is little chance of over-production. -It is one of the few African countries that has natural easy -communication with the coast, and when a light railway has been built, -and shipping and agency have been properly organized, the cost of -transport will be very small. There is also undoubtedly great scope for -subsidiary and supplementary industries, such as cocoa and rubber. - -I consider that in British Central Africa there is an excellent opening -for British capital--an opening that appears to be as yet practically -unknown at home. The fact is that Africa is supinely neglected where it -cannot flaunt the magic war-cry, Gold. The Germans, who are ever on the -alert, are already alive to its possibilities, and there were rumours of -a great coffee combine financed by well-known German East Coast -capitalists. It is to be hoped that England will awake to the chance -before the ground has been cut from under her feet, as has already been -done in so many places that I have visited. The wily Teuton is very -much alive to the advantages afforded by British rule, and has already -levied heavy toll on the budding possibilities of trade in our African -dominions. Our trouble is that, with few exceptions, we do not send out -the right men, but consider that any one is good enough for Africa. -This is far from being the case, as new business lines have to be -adopted to ensure success. Adaptability and enterprise belong to genius -and not to mediocrity, and no country requires a more -delicately-adjusted combination of dash, tact, and perseverance than -Africa. - -There is a passable hotel in Blantyre, and many fine buildings in brick. -The missionaries have built a large church, and laid out avenues of -eucalyptus which have grown wonderfully well. Unfortunately, as in -Rhodesia, the white ants attack the roots when the trees attain a -certain height. Extensive plantations would unquestionably considerably -modify the climate, which is far from good. The worst type of -haemoglobinuric fever is very prevalent, and the death-rate is -consequently high. However, as more and more land is brought under -cultivation, the country should become healthier. Probably much of the -fever that prevails is brought from the lowlands, which must be -traversed before arriving in the higher altitudes: an improved service -with the coast will obviate this to some extent. At Blantyre I met with -much kindness at the hands of Mr. Codrington, the Commissioner of -Northern Rhodesia, Major Harding, C.M.G., who had been recruiting -Angonis for the B.S.A. Police, and Mr. Wilson of the Trans-Continental -Telegraph, an old school and Cambridge friend, whom I was much surprised -to find in this out-of-the-way corner of the world. Three days later I -left with Mr. Hall of the African Flotilla Company in machilas for -Zomba, the administrative capital. We were to spend the night at the -Nomasi river, which we reached in a torrential downpour. Our delight, -when we discovered that the transport people had sent our tents and -provisions by the wrong road, may be imagined. Fortunately we learned -that Mr. Harrison, whom we had met on the river, was camped in the -vicinity, and he kindly provided us with a shakedown and something to -eat. The following day we reached Zomba, having passed through many -flourishing coffee estates. Here Mr. C. C. Bowring put us up and plied -us with all the obtainable luxuries and comforts, in the intervals of a -fight to the death with a swarm of irate bees who had taken possession -of the interior of the wall of his house. The view across Lake Shirwa -and the forests that clothe the flat plains which surround the lake -ranks amongst the finest that I have seen in Africa. Vast purple masses -of hills enclose the placid lake and its forest-clad plains, and the eye -roams on over an infinity of broken upland and shimmering haze. The -Government House is a large picturesque building standing in the midst -of a well-planted tropical garden, which had, however, been lately -ravaged by a flight of locusts. There was tennis accompanied by a -tea-party, presided over by Miss Harrison, who has nursed many a sick -man back to life, and it seemed as if I had suddenly dropped back into -civilized England. After two pleasant days spent in these unwonted -surroundings, I started in a machila for Liwonde on the Upper Shire, -where I arrived at sunset, and was entertained by Mr. Drummond Hay, an -old "Herzog" friend. I am much shocked to hear that he has since fallen -a victim to the climate. - -From Liwonde the S.S. _Monteith_ took me to Fort Johnston, which is the -port of Lake Nyassa, and is situated a few miles south of the bar at the -outlet of the lake. A short distance from Fort Johnston the river opens -out and forms the small lake Pamalomba, formerly a great haunt of -elephant. The lake is very shallow, and as the steamer passes along, -the disturbed mud emits enormous volumes of marsh gas: so great is the -quantity that the water has the appearance of violently boiling. There -have been several instances of men being blown out of their cabins, -owing to their having ignited the gas by absent-mindedly striking a -match. When Sharp passed with Mr. Mohun, somebody threw a lighted match -overboard. Instantly a sheet of flame passed over the barge that was -being towed alongside, and two saddles were seriously burnt. - -As we arrived at Fort Johnston late in the evening, I elected to sleep -on board, and was much gratified to find that two couples of married -German missionaries, not content with having monopolized the only two -cabins, had rigged up a large canvas enclosure and were sleeping on -deck. Consequently, I was compelled to place my blankets by the wheel -and sleep in the wind and dew. - -Mr. Wallis, the Vice-Consul, entertained me. He has laid the new town -out most admirably, and I could scarcely believe that it had all been -done in a few months. The place was alive with rats, who amused -themselves all night by tobogganing down my face, rushing along my body, -and taking flying leaps from my feet into outer darkness. - -Commander Cullen took me over H.M.S. _Gwendoline_, the large new gunboat -that had just been launched for patrolling the lake. It is a splendid -work to have accomplished, when the difficulties of transporting some of -the heavy portions round the rapids are taken into consideration. I was -also introduced to a budding diplomatist, who informed me with pride -that he had fired a soft-nosed bullet at an elephant at one thousand -yards. The elephant escaped. - -On December 15th I started on the voyage up the lake in the S.S. -_Domira_, and at midday made Monkey Bay. It is a most beautiful little -spot, and reminded me forcibly of the South Sea Islands. Bold rocky -headlands plunge into the lake and enclose a white strip of sand with -straggling villages at the back. The water is clear as crystal, and -broken by the heads of hundreds of natives diving, swimming, and -splashing about. Ringing peals of laughter echo in the rocks and -startle the troops of baboons that sit watching with curious eyes the -trim little steamer. Picturesque groups of natives are scattered about -the beach, and the little picaninnies are playing on the skeleton of a -wrecked Arab dhow, little dreaming what that dhow had meant to their -fathers a few years before. In the afternoon I strolled out, hoping to -get a shoot at koodoo, for which the place is famous. But the koodoo -were not at home; however, I saw several impala, and shot a small buck -which I believe to have been the duiker described by Sir Alfred Sharpe -as a probable new species. Unfortunately, my natives devoured the skull -and the rats ate the skin. It was a small, reddish-brown buck, similar -in build to a klipspringer, with wiry hair and thick, high-standing hind -quarters. - -The next wooding station was Domira Bay, and on the 17th we arrived at -Kota-Kota, which used to be the headquarters of the Arab slave traffic -across the lake, and the starting-point of the Arab raids towards Mweru. -Mr. Swann, the collector, who has had many years' experience of -Tanganyika in the old Arab days, entertained me, and gave me two Angoni -spears which had been taken in the Mpeseni trouble. There are several -missionaries at Kota-Kota. They have started football, and in a rash -moment I was induced to play--a freak which I regretted for many days -afterwards, as it brought on a sharp attack of fever. - -Kota-Kota is exceedingly beautiful, as indeed is all the coast of Lake -Nyassa. The hills are heavily wooded, and their bases are broken by the -waves into fantastic caves and rocky promontories against which plays -the white line of surf. Small rocky islands stand out here and there, -and form the resting-place of myriads of cormorants. - -Here I first saw the extraordinary "Kungu" fly, which is, I believe, -peculiar to Lake Nyassa. They resemble small may-flies, and at certain -seasons of the year rise from the water in such stupendous clouds that -they blot out the whole horizon. Seen in the distance, they have -exactly the appearance of a rainstorm coming across the lake. When they -are blown landwards they make every place uninhabitable by the stench -which arises from the countless millions that lodge and die on every -inch of sheltered ground. I myself have seen them lying a foot deep in -a room, and I was told that they are often much worse. The natives -sweep them up and make cakes of them. I tasted one, and found it by no -means bad. The next morning we reached Bandawe, another important -station, where there is a large mission-house with extensive plantations -of pineapples and some splendid mango trees. At Nkata Bay, a few miles -further up the coast, a native came and begged us to go and see his -master, who was very ill. Accordingly we set off in the dark, and found -Mr. Broadbridge of the African Trans-Continental Telegraph down with a -severe attack of fever; we did what we could for him, and he shortly -recovered. After a short stop at Luawi to pick up wood, we steamed into -Florence Bay, and at Miss MacCallum's invitation I accompanied her up to -the Livingstone Mission at Mount Waller. Mr. Stewart, one of the -missionaries, who has been for some time working among the northern -Angonis, told me that he had been investigating the history of the -Angonis, who are descendants of the Zulus. There were two great treks -north of the Zulus in the time of Chaka. One, under Moselikatse, marched -to Matabeleland, leaving the ancestors of the present Matabele, and then -north across the Zambesi. There they came into conflict with the -Barotse, and were driven east, eventually settling in Southern -Angoniland of to-day, which lies south-west by west of Lake Nyassa. - -The other trek marched north through the Sabi district, leaving the -present Shangaans on their way, and then crossed the Zambesi by the -Kabrabasa rapids and passed near Lake Rukwa. Here the chief died and -the trek split up: one part went north of Tanganyika and settled near -the south-west of the Victoria Nyanza, where they were rediscovered by -Stanley; another part marched round the northern shore of Lake Nyassa; -and yet another returned south and founded Northern Angoniland of -to-day. - -Dr. Robert and Mrs. Laws treated me with the greatest hospitality; he -took me round the mission, and showed me the results of their four -years' work since the founding of the station. Dr. Robert Laws was one -of the first explorers of Nyassaland, and was in no small way -responsible for the checkmating of the Portuguese pretensions to what is -now British Central Africa. The station is admirably situated on a -plateau surrounded by hills with valleys intervening, and commands -extensive views across the lake to Amelia Bay and the Livingstone -Mountains, and to the west towards the valley of the Loangwa or Northern -Angoniland. There is a large printing-machine which the natives work -under the superintendence of Mr. Thomson. Here books and magazines and -much work of great merit are produced. The processes of stereotyping -and picture-reproducing on zinc are thoroughly understood by the skilled -natives. In the workshops are several carpenters, one of whom in a few -hours made me a folding camp-chair that accompanied me to Cairo. The -farm and the quarry are both managed by natives. Dr. Laws' system is to -employ native teaching as much as possible. If ability, whole-hearted -earnestness, and hard work can accomplish any good in missionary -endeavour, Dr. Laws ought to succeed. Laden with butter and gigantic -water-melons, I returned to the boat, and the following day we reached -Karonga's, the starting-point for the Stevenson Road. - - - - - *CHAPTER VI.* - - *KARONGA TO KITUTA ACROSS THE TANGANYIKA PLATEAU.* - - -On arrival at Karonga I was much disappointed to find that Sharp, tired -of waiting, had left two days before to try and arrange transport on -Tanganyika. As it was the season for sowing their crops, very few -carriers were available, and it was evident that I should have to wait -some time before I could obtain sufficient men to transport our loads. -I commenced operations by repacking all the food-boxes and discarding -everything that was not absolutely necessary, as well as the -considerable quantity of stuff that had spoilt through being improperly -packed. The firm responsible, either as a practical joke or an -experiment in the cultivation of fungus, had packed chocolate in paper -wrappers and laid them in hay in a leaky wooden box. As a practical -joke it was weak, but as a venture in fungi-culture a complete success. -In fact, unpacking the boxes reminded me forcibly of the days when, as a -youthful disciple of Isaac Walton, I used to dig for worms in the garden -manure-heap. A series of remarkable tins of sausages added materially -to the excitement of these excavations, one and all having assumed the -outward and visible form of a Rugby football; while as to the inward -invisible grace, I was careful to throw them down wind, when they -exploded on contact with the ground in a manner most satisfactory, to -the utter consternation of six Kaffir dogs and a hyaena. They, having -followed up the wind of the first (a comparatively mild one), were so -overcome by its successors that they clapped their tails between their -legs, and, with a dismal howl, fled, convinced of the superiority of the -white man, even in what they had hitherto considered the black man's -monopoly. Native rumour has it that they are running still. - -Having arranged everything and reduced the loads to a minimum, I -succumbed to a dose of fever, and spent Christmas Day in bed, on a cup -of tea. Dr. Castellote, the medical officer of Mr. Mohun's expedition, -was most kind, and when I had sufficiently recovered, we went out -together for a few days' shooting on the River Songwe, which, flowing -into the extreme north-western point of Lake Nyassa, forms part of the -Anglo-German boundary-line. - -Before starting, however, I went to a neighbouring village and called -for volunteers to accompany us on our long journey north. I informed -the people in the guest's resting-place, which is kept apart in every -village, that the journey would take many moons; that we should go to -Tanganyika, that north of Tanganyika we should find another lake, then -mighty mountains that made fire, then another lake, then still mightier -mountains so high that the water became as stones; then a fourth lake, -out of which flowed a great river which, after several moons, took one -to the dwelling-places of the white man--large even as hills--where the -white men were even as the sands of the lake-shore; that there we should -find the sea--the water without end--and that I would send back in -steamers large as villages those who came with me, so that they might -return to their homes and tell their brothers of all the wonderful -things they had seen. The people were much impressed and evidently -considered me a very extra special line in liars. They asked me how I -knew what was there--"had I been there to see?" I told them that the -white man knew much, and what he did not know he could find in books -(showing them one). Then they realized that I must be even a finer liar -than they had at first taken me to be. After a little more talking four -stalwart Watonga volunteered to come, thinking it a pity not to see more -of such a transcendent Ananias. One of them, Makanjira, was a small -chief on the lake-shore, and those four men stuck to me through thick -and thin, and all arrived safely at Cairo; but I regret to say that I -have just heard that one of them, Chacachabo, died during the voyage -down the coast. The next day a nude dirty little ruffian came and asked -to go too; he, though but a small boy, came through safely, and is now -setting up a reputation as a liar on his own account. Later on I -obtained twelve more recruits, whom I handed over to Mr. Mohun's -sergeant to be drilled: these men, as it will later transpire, deserted -_en masse_ a few days north of Ujiji. They were Asiska, and a very -unwholesome lot of ruffians. - -The doctor and I started off along the lake-shore on a couple of donkeys -lent to us by Mr. Mohun. We had much trouble in inducing them to cross -a large stream that flows into the lake a few miles north of Karonga, -and eventually had to take them bodily by the four legs and throw them -in. - -At Chikopolo's there is a Government station in charge of a few native -police; here we stayed for a day, but finding nothing more interesting -than waterbuck and reedbuck, moved north and camped on the Songwe, which -is a stream of considerable importance, and navigable for several miles -from the lake. I was informed that there was a German post on the -northern bank of the river at its junction with the lake, and -accordingly went across to pay my respects. On arrival I found that the -station was in charge of a Goanese native, who promptly endeavoured to -annex my rifle, saying that I had brought it into the country without a -permit. I called upon Mirambo, a splendid old Arab who used to be a -great man in the country. He entertained me with true Arab courtesy, -and loaded my boys with magnificent pine-apples and lemons when I went -away. It was pitiable to see the poor old man, who a few years ago had -commanded thousands, putting on the faded relics of his greatness to do -me honour. - -On the way back to camp I came upon an enormous native fishing weir: -there were two or three natives wading waist-deep in the water above the -weir pulling fish out of the baskets, while down-stream, with nothing -but the crazy sticks between, the water was being lashed into foam by -the gyrations of scores of huge crocodiles. I shot fourteen in as many -minutes, averaging fifteen feet in length. The natives flocked in to -express their satisfaction, and actually brought me a present of some -fish. There were a few pookoo on the plain. They are most beautiful -little antelopes and carry themselves exactly like a waterbuck. The -hair is reddish, long, and curly, and the hide (as with all the -waterbucks) very tough and thick. It has been obtained by comparatively -few sportsmen, as it is only found on the Upper Zambesi, Loangwa, -Chambesi, and Mweru district. - -On the 13th I moved my camp twelve miles up the river to a village -called N'kana. Here the hills close in upon the river, but leave a -series of delightful little green glades, most likely places for finding -roan antelope, which are numerous in the country. But I was -unsuccessful, though there was some spoor about. While crossing one of -these small glades, a shout of Njoka (snake) from my gun-bearer made me -spring to one side. I found that I had put my foot so close to a -sleeping puff-adder that it would have been impossible to have slipped a -visiting-card between us. The brute still slept; on, till I crushed the -life out of it with an enormous log of wood. It rather scared me, as I -was hunting with bare legs. All this country is infested with -puff-adders, which are the most dangerous snakes in Africa, as they do -not dart away like other snakes, but lie sleeping in the dust till they -are trodden upon. They differ from other snakes in that they strike -backwards. Later on, near the Chambesi, I actually trod upon one; it -struck, but missed me, and turned a back somersault in the air, leaving -the ground entirely. After that I always wore gaiters or stockings. I -have heard of another instance of a puff-adder springing clear of the -ground. This is rendered possible by their habit of striking backwards. -The natives complained of the hut tax and of being forbidden to kill -game: they said that many had crossed over into the German sphere; but -they have all come back in a hurry. - -Failing to find roan antelope, I marched back to Chikopolo's across the -hills, and was much struck by the number of butterflies in the woods; -some of them were very beautiful, but so rapid was their flight that it -was exceedingly difficult to catch them. Everywhere there was splendid -cattle country, but unfortunately very little cattle. Before the -rinderpest the whole of the Songwe valley was black with buffalo; now I -do not believe there is a single beast, except in some jungle two days' -march to the north, which the natives told me was haunted by a few -buffalo and elephants. And only a very few head survive of the -countless herds of cattle which were characteristic of the Wankonde. -The Wankonde are a very pleasant-mannered, intelligent people, who were -saved from absolute extinction at the hands of the Angoni, Watonga, and -Arabs by the British occupation of the country. Ethnologically they are -extremely interesting: their ethnographical position in the races has -not yet been satisfactorily ascertained. Their huts, which are very -neat and picturesque, are sometimes square, sometimes round, and worked -in a pattern of round knobs of clay stuck in between the rush walls. -Many are built on a raised clay foundation with a trench to draw off the -rain. The roof is worked in fancy patterns. Their metal work is -first-class, in fact the most finished that I have seen on the east side -of Africa. They have a fair breed of cattle, goats, and sheep, and grow -pineapples, bananas, and pumpkins in profusion. Probably owing to Arab -influence their villages are well laid out, and the banana palms are -planted in carefully aligned avenues. The Arab influence on their music -is obvious. And despite Arab influence they are an exceedingly moral -race. Being a peaceful, pastoral, and agricultural people, they fell an -easy prey to their warlike neighbours and the slave-raiding Arabs. -Lugard speaks of them as having been shot down in the most merciless -manner by the Arabs in his time. - -The natives informed me that Mr. Mohun and Captain Verhellen, the -Belgian officer in command of the telegraph escort, were camped on the -Songwe, so I marched back and joined them. They were out for a short -hunting-trip, and I found them ignominiously slaughtering a goat for -meat, although the whole plain was alive with game. On examining Mr. -Mohun's rifle, which he had just bought from a local man of God, I found -that the barrel was so badly worn that it was almost possible to insert -the whole cartridge at the muzzle. That explained his having fired -forty shots without effect. In the evening we strolled out together, -and after a very difficult stalk I pulled off a long shot of three -hundred yards at a good bull pookoo. Captain Verhellen informed me that -he had seen four small grey antelopes, one of which he had wounded and -lost. I could not imagine what they could be; so on the following -morning turned out with his boy to show me where he had seen them. I -had only walked about three miles when I saw one standing in a patch of -green grass. It appeared to be a reedbuck of a beautiful bright -silver-grey colour. There was a small ant-hill between the buck and me -which made stalking easy, and I approached without difficulty to within -sixty yards. I was just pressing the trigger when an ordinary reedbuck -sprang out at my feet and dashed away with a shrill whistle; this -started the grey one, and I only got a running snapshot. The bullet -struck it in the stern but failed to stop it, and the second barrel only -grazed the side. I galloped wildly in pursuit, but the buck kept on its -course for nearly two miles before it stopped. The distance between us -was fully four hundred yards, but I had to take the shot, as it was -watching me, and was evidently prepared to resume its flight. The bullet -struck it far back, and it again galloped away, the second barrel going -wide. Fortunately the plain was extensive and the grass in most places -short, so that I managed to keep it in view for the next four miles. -Then it stood again, near some bushes; I endeavoured to approach under -cover of these, but was again spotted, and the weary chase recommenced. -The country became more broken, and I lost sight of the brute for some -time, but eventually saw it lying down a thousand yards away. I -approached to a tree, whence I could see if it moved, and waited in the -hope that it would get stiff and allow me to come within certain -shooting-range. After waiting half an hour I commenced to stalk it, -crawling flat on my stomach; there was a convenient bush within fifty -yards of where it was lying, and I made for this. After half an hour's -desperate crawl through thorns in a blazing sun, I reached the -much-desired spot, and peering cautiously round the edge found, to my -infinite disgust, that it had moved on. I searched high and low, but -could find no trace, and soon lost the spoor which showed but faintly on -the grass. As a last effort I made a circuit of two miles, but returned -to where I had lost it without result. Then I sat down, waiting for my -boys to arrive with my water-bottle. The pace had been so hot that they -were completely lost, and I waited in vain. The fever from which I was -still suffering made my thirst intolerable, and I rose with the -intention of returning to camp. Then a bright idea struck me, and -taking the siren whistle which I carried on my belt, I blew a piercing -blast. A rustle! and the buck leapt out of some grass which I imagined -would not have covered a mouse, and dashed off. To throw down the -whistle was the work of a second, and a quick double-barrel brought the -little brute at last to grass. I was more than delighted, and realizing -that I had obtained a new species of antelope, as the eyes, lips, horns, -and hoofs showed no trace of albinoism, skinned it with loving care, and -carried it back to camp. Dr. Sclater of the Zoological Society has -kindly described it for me. I called it Thomasina's reedbuck -(_Cervicapra Thomasinae_) after the lady who is now my wife. - -The following day I slew another good bull pookoo, which took more -killing than any buck I have ever shot. The pookoo's tenacity of life -is proverbial among those who are acquainted with this most beautiful -little antelope. They have a curious gland about 4 in. below the head -in the side of the neck. - -The Wankonde play a curious little musical instrument resembling in -conception a zither: the strings (six or seven in number) are stretched -on a back of hollow reeds; it is held under the leg when sitting, and -fingered like the Maderia machette with the right hand, the strings -being stopped with the left. They also play on a bow with a gourd or -cocoanut-shell as a sounder, and a species of guitar. - -Having received a note to the effect that porters had at last come in, I -returned to Karonga to prepare for my final march of two hundred and ten -miles west to Tanganyika. - -On the way I stopped for a day with Mr. Fox, who was managing the -telegraph construction across the plateau. The line was just opened to -Karonga from Salisbury, and Mr. Mohun had put up the first telephone -seen on Lake Nyassa between Karonga and Mr. Fox's camp. The work of -construction up the west coast of Lake Nyassa had been attended with the -greatest possible difficulties from the precipitous and densely-wooded -nature of the country, and the pestilential climate. These had, -however, by superhuman efforts, been overcome in the stipulated time by -the handful of men engaged on the work. A wide track, straight as an -arrow, up hill, down dale, across abysmal chasms, and through swamps, -had been cleared, and iron posts set in iron shoes supported the wire. -No one at home can realize the stupendous difficulties that have been -overcome. But I from observation know, and take off my hat in awed -admiration of that gallant band who, quietly, relentlessly, and without -a murmur, have accomplished the seemingly impossible. It stands out in -bold relief as a colossal monument of what the Anglo-Saxon can do, and -will ever sigh to the African wind the greatness of that master mind -which, in spite of the fossilized apathy of the British Government, has -raised a British South Africa to be a dominant factor in the world's -history of the future. It was instructive to mark the characteristic -distinction between Mr. Rhodes' telegraph expedition and the expedition -of the King of the Belgians. On the one hand was an unassuming handful -of men (without a single armed man), whose very existence might easily -have been overlooked by the casual passer-by. Yet behind them lay many -hundreds of miles of perfected work which brought the far interior of -Africa within a minute of Cape Town; before them stretched an arrow-like -clearing to Tanganyika (two hundred miles long), waiting for the -transport service to bring poles and wire. Quiet men, rotten with fever, -were being carried to and fro--inspecting, measuring, and trenching. -Above their base floated a diminutive Union Jack; no pomp, no fuss, not -even a bugle; yet all worked like clock-work. On the other hand, a huge -camp thundering with the tramp of armed men, uninhabitable from the -perpetual blare of bugles, a very wilderness of flags. Gorgeous and -fussy Belgians strutting about in uniforms, screaming and gesticulating, -with a few sad-visaged Englishmen doing the work--piles and piles of -loads--and ever those bugles. It resembled the triumphant march of an -army through the land, and the cost must have been appalling. Yet -months after they had eventually arrived at Mtowa, nothing had been -accomplished. The petty jealousy of the local officials proved an -impenetrable barrier, and now if anything has been accomplished, the -wire has been merely slung on trees. According to the latest reports, -there had been trouble with the natives, and the whole expedition had -been broken up, with the loss of most of the plant. There is -undoubtedly a quiet something about the Anglo-Saxon that gets there -somehow. - -Fever overcame me once more, and I was confined to my bed for several -days; but at last, on January 24th, I made a start, and marched to -Mpata, the first camping-place on the Stevenson Road. The Stevenson -Road is a clearing through the bush that covers the greater part of the -plateau, and barely deserves the title of road, although in some places -a few logs have been thrown across the streams, and the more swampy -portions have been trenched. - -The second stage brings one to Mkongwes, about twenty-seven miles from -Karonga. Chumbu, the next halting-place, is fourteen miles further. -The country is very hilly, and the scenery not very attractive. At -intervals, intersecting the road, the telegraph clearing sweeps on in -its relentless line, looking like a gigantic ride, where one expects -every minute to see the white tail of a scared bunny or a gorgeous -cock-pheasant bowling along as though on wheels. But one looks in vain; -no sign of life breaks that monotonous line stretching away over the far -hills till the trees at the side merge together, and it is lost in the -far distant horizon. - -A very long day's march brought us to Fort Hill, the frontier station of -Nyassaland, which is in charge of a few black police. It had been very -wet, as the rains had broken, and I was exceedingly thankful to take -cover in the substantial house which is in the centre of the stockade. -I had a bull-calf with me, and gave it in charge of one of my Askaris, -who retaliated in the usual annoying way of natives by coming and asking -for some string to lead it by. Asking for string is a common and -intangible form of insolence, as they make string from the bark of -several kinds of trees, very common all over the country. But this time -I scored. I had a large coil of Alpine rope weighing about 20 lbs. I -gave him this, and told him on pain of death not to cut it. Then he -said, "It did not matter, he would make some." But I was relentless. -"He had asked for string, and I never refused a reasonable request." -That youth never again asked for string. At Nyala the telegraph people -have built a substantial house, which is to be a telegraph station and -general depository of material; they have selected an admirable -position. A large blood-sucking fly made life rather a burden; they -settled so quietly that one never felt them till they had driven a -proboscis, like a red-hot bodkin, half an inch into one's neck or face. -Amazing downpours every morning added to the joys of life, and for -several days I had to live in wet clothes and sleep in wet blankets, -while it was almost impossible to start a fire. I had a sou'-wester and -an oilskin, but they were of no avail. The rain fell like a wave, and -with such force that it splashed up underneath, and one was soon -drenched to the neck by capillary attraction. Passing through Mpansa we -reached Ikawa on the 31st. - -Ikawa is the first station of Northern Charterland, on the Tanganyika -Plateau. Mr. Mackinnon, the collector, had gone to the Chambesi -district to neutralize the political machinations of a fractious -missionary. - -Nine miles further on is Fife, the A.L.C. station, and the oldest -settlement on the plateau. Mr. McCulloch, who has been in charge for -several years, tells some delightful stories about his exciting -experiences in the old days of Arab predominance. Two members of Lieut. -Schleufer's expedition, which was endeavouring to transport a steamer -for the German Government to Lake Tanganyika, were camped outside the -walls waiting for porters. They had some heavy loads with them on -carts, and had taken seven weeks to make the journey from Karonga. Fife -is the half-way house between Nyassa and Tanganyika. From the verandah -I looked out with longing eyes over the vast Awemba country that lies at -the foot of the plateau. The view was superb, and typical of Africa in -its misty uncanniness. Mr. McCulloch has planted splendid gardens, and -we revelled in green peas, new potatoes, cabbage, lettuce, and many -other European vegetables, all of which grow luxuriantly on these -altitudes. In the days of overcrowding not far distant there will be a -fine country for European settlement on the Tanganyika Plateau. There -is much fever at present, but I think most of it is brought from the low -countries. The nights were quite cold, and fires necessary for comfort. -Mr. McCulloch has a wonderful knowledge of the native; he is considered -as a chief by the large village close to the station, and is much -respected by the native chiefs for many miles round. I purchased some -beautiful wooden snuff-bottles from the Mambwe people, and some -extraordinary ear-plugs which are worn by the women in the lobe of the -ear; some of them were 2 in. in diameter. - -The Anglo-German Boundary Commission had just completed its task, and -the new boundary enclosed many of the large labour centres in the German -sphere: some of the chiefs, however, availed themselves of the time -limit allowed by proclamation, and came across to British territory. -But the Germans, contrary to the terms of the agreement, had posted -native police to intercept and terrorize them into remaining. The -Germans did not behave very well over the boundary settlement, but -insisted on retaining a small strip of territory that fell to their -share, but which cut across the Stevenson Road, though they were offered -a handsome _quid pro quo_ elsewhere. However, the British collector set -to work at once, and in a few days took the road round the obstructing -strip. - -At Ikomba, another B.S.A. station, I found that Mr. Forbes had gone -home, and promptly looted the excellent new potatoes which I found in -his garden. On February 9th I reached Mambwe, and from there made a -trip down to the Awemba country, which is described in the next chapter. -On our return to Mambwe I was laid up with a very severe attack of fever -which did not leave me for two months, till I reached the highlands -around Kivu. I was delirious for some time, but improved sufficiently -to be carried to Kawimbi, a mission station near Abercorn. Mr. and Mrs. -May were most kind to me; the station is very pretty, and looks like an -English village with its picturesque little cottages and numerous -flower-beds. The following morning I was carried on to Abercorn, -although the missionaries kindly pressed me to stay, promising to nurse -me and make me well. I was sorely tempted, but felt bound to hurry on. -At Abercorn I utterly collapsed for several days, and in the intervals -of delirium eked out a precarious existence on Worcester sauce and -limes. Here I heard a lion story. The hero of the story (also the -author) having been told that a leopard was taking toll of the goats, -built a platform in a tree and sat up over a goat. Nothing, however, -turned up; but in the morning, tired of doing nothing, he fired an arrow -at a venture into a patch of grass, and on going to pick it up, found -that it had transfixed the heart of a stupendous black-maned lion. -Considering the state of my health, I thought this rather unkind. At -last I was sufficiently recovered to move once more, and was carried in -a machila, under Mr. Boyd's care, to Kituta, the A.L.C. station at the -south-eastern extremity of Tanganyika. The first glimpse of those -waters, round which so many dark tragedies have been enacted, cheered me -considerably. I had realized another ambition, and had arrived at the -real starting-point of our Odyssey. - -Kituta is a beautiful but pestilential spot, chiefly remarkable for its -abominable smells. It is also the scene of another lion story which -deserves perpetuation. - -There was once a very nervous agent in charge of the station with a -particular horror of lions. One of these brutes commenced eating the -natives of the village; so the agent barricaded himself in his room and -slept with six native watchmen in case of attack. Hearing, or thinking -that he heard, the lion prowling round, he fired out of the window and -knocked a hole through the administration boat. The following night he -again heard sounds and fired, bagging the collector's donkey at the -first shot. A certain well-known sportsman, who was hunting in the -vicinity, wrote in and congratulated him on shooting his first lion. He -rose to the occasion, and now silences all sceptics by producing the -letter, and has acquired quite a reputation as a hunter of big game. - -While purchasing trade-cloth for the journey north, the carelessness of -the British manufacturer was again brought home to me. All the loads -contained different lengths, and as the marks had been rubbed off, the -operation lasted several hours instead of ten minutes; and they were so -badly packed that after a week's knocking about most of them came -undone, and the contents were consequently in part spoiled. I wonder -when the British exporter will realize the advisability of studying the -requirements of his markets. Kituta was at one time the call-place of -many Arab caravans, but now it has sunk into insignificance, although -there is a flourishing rubber trade in the country, which is paying very -handsomely. - - - - - *CHAPTER VII.* - - *THE CHAMBESI.* - - -On reaching Mambwe I had the good fortune to find Mr. C. R. Palmer, the -assistant-collector, on the point of starting for the Chambesi, with the -object of waking up one or two of the chiefs who had been tardy in -sending in labour. His offer to take me with him, and his glowing -description of the game to be found there, were so tempting that next -morning I found myself on the march to Tanzuka, a border village of the -Mambwe; and on the following day we entered the country of the Awemba, a -very powerful tribe apparently of Zulu origin. The difference between -these people and the neighbouring Mambwe is as cheese from chalk: -whereas the latter are of the ordinary dirty, stunted, cringing or -insolent, ill-fed type of Central Africa, the former are of a very -striking caste. Among the upper class are some magnificent specimens of -the native, tall men of powerful build, with much of the well-bred -carriage of the Zulu; their noses are straight and thin cut, their -colour bronze; and their hair, which they wear in grotesque tufts down -the middle of their head, is the only conspicuous negro characteristic. -Many of the young women, with their regular features, beautiful colour, -and small, delicate hands and feet, are quite pleasing. Until the -advent of the Chartered Co. they led the rollicking life of the old -Zulus; herding cattle and depending for the meaner necessaries of life -and the replenishing of their harems on the efforts of their neighbours. -Far and wide they used to raid even to the Atonga country on the east -coast of Tanganyika, and many and wonderful are the tales told of their -stupendous forced marches, when the weaker members used to fall out and -die from sheer exhaustion. All the chiefs of any standing maintain -bands, composed of singers, drummers, and players on the castanets, in -which they take great pride. On the approach of any visitors to whom -they wish to do honour, the band is sent forward to meet them; the -leading part is usually taken by a man who sings the theme, some of them -having remarkably fine voices, while the refrain is taken up by other -men, playing drums of hollow wood with lizard or snake skin stretched -over the apertures, and a chorus of boys rattling pods containing dry -seeds; the whole is accompanied by grotesque dancing, the main object of -which appeared to be to go as near falling down as possible without -actually doing so. The strain, like most African music, plays on about -three notes with untiring repetition, and, though rather pleasing at -first, palls after the fourth or fifth hour. Should a chief find any -singer of unusual power, he promptly removes his eyes to prevent him -from going elsewhere, and many men thus mutilated are to be seen in -every district. In fact mutilation in various forms appears to be the -chief recreation of these autocrats. Mr. Palmer told me of three youths -who came in to him without their eyes, which had been removed by their -chief, because he thought his people were getting out of hand; so to -teach them that he was still master he had selected haphazard these -three unfortunates. I also heard of some women who had had their ears, -lips, hands, and breasts cut off, and who actually travelled a distance -of about sixty miles immediately afterwards to the collector of the -district. I myself saw many men who had similarly lost their ears, lips, -hands, or privates, and sometimes all these parts. - -Mr. Law, the able collector at Abercorn, who is known to the natives by -the appellation of the "Just man" (and who, by the way, charged me L25 -for my rhino about six hours before I sailed north), when on some -punitive expedition in the Awemba country, captured a delightful example -of the grim humour of these pleasing gentry. It consisted of a large -sable horn rudely adorned and fitted with a mask, into which the -patient's head was fitted, his throat having been previously cut with a -ferocious-looking knife, chiefly remarkable for its bluntness; the blood -spurting forth into the horn rang a bell, a performance that gave -general satisfaction, with, I suppose, one exception. Some of their old -kraals are veritable fortresses, consisting of an outer ringed palisade -banked with clay and loopholed; inside is a deep trench, and again an -inner palisade similarly banked and loopholed, with, in many cases, a -third palisade containing the chief's huts. The site is invariably -selected on the edge of a dense thicket, into which the women and cattle -are driven on the advent of strangers; nearly every respectable member -of society has a gun imported by Arab traders from the north and -Portuguese from the south, and there must be several thousand in the -country. Such is the people who have been changed in half a dozen short -years from a cruel, murdering, widespread curse into a quiet -agricultural fraternity; and by whom? By a mere handful of men with -less than a hundred native police, agents of that oppressor of the -native, the Chartered Company; and this without fuss and practically -without bloodshed. The chief industries of the country are -pombe[#]-drinking and the making of bark cloth, which is a strong -fibrous textile of a pleasing reddish-brown colour, made by beating out -the bark of the fig-tree with little wooden hammers, till of the -required thinness. A curious custom prevails here, and one that I have -not noticed elsewhere in Africa, of wearing mourning for dead relatives; -bands of cloth being tied round the head. - - -[#] Pombe: an intoxicating drink made from millet. - - -The following day we arrived at Changala's kraal; he is a large, -powerful man, with a face expressive of determination and character. He -came out two miles to meet us, carried on the shoulders of one of his -men, as is the custom (for the chiefs never walk), with a following of -two or three hundred people. He, as in fact did all the Awemba, gave us -a very hearty reception. Having amicably settled all outstanding -questions with Changala, we visited Makasa, the big man of the country, -whose head village lies about twenty-six miles south-east of Changala's. -He is a portly old gentleman of unprepossessing countenance, and rather -inclined to make trouble--at a distance; however, guessing our -intentions, he had made great preparations for our reception. On -arrival we found our tents already pitched and grass shelters built -above them to keep off the sun; while large crowds of obsequious -gentlemen came out to meet us and insisted on carrying in our machilas -at a run, a form of attention that would not be appreciated by Accident -Insurance Companies. His village, which cannot contain less than five -hundred huts, is of the usual Awemba pattern, and is a great centre of -the bark-cloth industry. - -Tales of rhino and elephant galore raised our hopes to the highest -pitch, and after a day's rest we launched forth into the game country--a -triangular patch of country that lies at the junction of the Chambesi, -and its main tributary the Chosi--camping near Chipiri, the original -site of the French mission. Here we got our first glimpse of the -Chambesi, which, flowing with a devious course into Lake Bangweolo, is -the real source of the Congo. It rises between Mambwe and Abercorn, and -at Chipiri is already a river of some size, flowing through a beautiful -grass plain clothed with patches of waving spear-grass. The plain, -varying in width from a half to five miles, is hemmed in by forest bush -and park land, dotted over with innumerable ant-hills, some 30 ft. in -height, and is the haunt of countless herds of pookoo, two of which -graced our larder shortly after pitching camp. - -The next afternoon we moved further down the river to the Mafunso; and -our carriers started a rhino on the path, the spoor of which we followed -in thick brush. But, getting our wind, he departed with a derisive -squeal, and, though I nearly came up with him again, I was compelled to -give up the chase by nightfall, and only found camp with considerable -difficulty. Still further down the river we camped in a delightful -hunting-country, the Chambesi plain lying to our south, the vast plain -of the Chosi to our east, and north, just behind the camp, strips of -bush alternating with glades and groves of mahobahoba. The bush was -ploughed up with rhino spoor, and that afternoon both Palmer and I -unsuccessfully followed spoor of the morning. Never having seen roan -antelope, I was very anxious to shoot one, and the following day started -out with that intention. I found several fresh spoors, but failed to -make anything of them, but on my way home I found recent lion tracks. -These I followed for about two hours; at times it was very difficult, -their soft pads leaving no impression on the carpets of dead leaves in -the patches of bush, but I managed by casting round to pick the track up -again when at fault, and eventually, hearing a low growl, I caught a -glimpse of four yellow bodies disappearing round the end of a -bush-covered ant-hill. I ran as fast as possible to the other side and -almost into their midst; they had tried the old, old lion tactics of -doubling. At sight of me they stood, and I put in a right and left; off -they galloped, I in hot pursuit, following, as I thought, the first, who -had got a fair shoulder-shot, and not wishing to lose sight of her, -because of the thickness of some of the bush. I could just see her -bounding round an ant-hill, and was making a desperate spurt to see if -she would double, when I rushed round the corner of a bush right on to -the top of a tail. I lost no time in skipping to one side; however, she -was at her last gasp, gnawing her forepaw and making that peculiar deep -gurgle, once heard, never forgotten, the lion's death-groan. I found -she was the recipient of the first barrel, and the one I was following, -which had dropped for a moment to my second barrel, must have crossed -when I lost sight of them behind an ant-hill. Then to my disgust I -remembered that I had had a solid bullet in my second barrel in case of -an unexpected rhino. I picked up her spoor and followed her all round -the country for about three hours, but she was playing the fool with me, -and though several times I must have been very near, I never obtained -another sight of her. The other two, which were three parts grown, -found her after a while, and their spoor led over the top of all the -ant-hills, where they had stopped to watch me till I came too close. To -judge by the blood, I had hit her too far back, and the solid bullet -going right through would make very little impression. This was the -second time I had dropped a right and left and lost one, and I was -grievously disappointed. The one I killed was a superb lioness with -unusually long hair, and she measured 8 ft. 5-1/2 in., from tip to tip, -in the flesh. Owing to the hot, rainy weather I had much difficulty in -curing the skin, but eventually made a complete success of it. I made a -raised quadrangular frame, upon which I stretched the skin, with a grass -roof to keep off the showers; then, in default of any better -preservative, I had wood-ash continually rubbed in by relays of men. - -Making short afternoon marches and hunting in the morning, we gradually -worked down the river to the Chosi junction, then up the Chosi, which is -a fine stream about forty yards wide, with a large body of water, till -we arrived at Kalungu, a small isolated village, and the only one -between Makasa's village and the Chosi. I made a circuit of the plain, -waded some swamps, and emerged on a second plain. Here, in the -distance, I saw three huge unwieldy monsters slowly threading their way -in and out of the numerous ant-hills, till they vanished behind one -larger than the rest. I had left my glasses behind, and owing to the -slight mirage could not be sure whether they were rhino or hippo. -Having loaded the double 4-bore, I hurried forward, creeping from -ant-hill to ant-hill, till at last I arrived in a line with the one -behind which the brutes were still hidden. Crawling cautiously up, I -climbed to the top, the big gun at the present, then peered over while -my heart beat the devil's tattoo. There they were, not fifteen yards -off, three of them, neither rhino nor hippo, but camp boys, with three -loads of wood by their sides, peacefully smoking a hubble-bubble. I -looked at them, then back at the sickly grey face of my gun-bearer, his -teeth chattering with fright, and then marched into camp, to find that -Palmer had shot a splendid roan on the high road. - -Turning out early the next morning I struck the spoor of the herd of -roan, and after sixteen miles through water ankle-deep, came up with -them; but they saw me first, and I only succeeded in dropping a good -cow, which stood on an ant-hill to have a last look at me. I had -arranged to join Palmer and the boys at Nondo, which lies at the -junction of the Mwenda and Chosi, but found that he had gone further up -the Mwenda and camped at Chupi, which lies on the border of Luwala, the -_piece de resistance_ of our trip. At Nondo the Chosi forms a wide -pool, formerly the abode of numerous hippo till the advent of one of the -French priests, who murdered the majority, for the satisfaction, I -suppose, of seeing them float down-stream. The same enterprising -individual, with other kindred spirits, organized a drive of the herds -of pookoo on the plain. Huge fences were built at one end with -funnel-shaped openings, where the gallant sportsmen stationed -themselves, and, if report speaks true, slaughtered about two hundred. -I wonder how many they wounded? By the side of the pool is an enormous -pile of old hippo skulls that is regarded with superstitious awe by the -natives, and close by is a sacred tree, the burial-place of some old -chief, where quite a respectable herd of cattle has accumulated from the -native offerings. East of the Chosi there is another Awemba god, who -dwells in a thicket decorated by a wonderful collection of horns. - -When a big chief dies, they smoke him for a year and then bury him in -bark-cloth. The general belief is that his spirit enters into a lion, -an animal that they hold in superstitious awe, and refuse to kill. - -From Chupi we marched into Luwala, a hitherto unexplored tract of -country. During the rains it is under water, and is consequently quite -uninhabited, a few natives only camping there for fishing purposes, as -the waters begin to leave the plain. On the north and east it is -bounded by the Chosi for a distance of about sixty miles, and on the -west by a slight ridge covered with bush, through which numerous streams -flow and lose themselves in the marshes, eventually draining into the -Chosi by the Mwenda. - -Unfortunately we were too late in the season, the rains having already -broken, and were consequently unable to penetrate far from the west -side; even there we were compelled to wade from camp to camp through -water from 6 in. to 3 ft. deep. The natives told us that when the rains -are drying up, immense numbers of game come out from the bush to feed on -the new grass round the rapidly diminishing pools, and that often they -could see as many as half a dozen rhino at a time. It is also a -favourite haunt of the comparatively few elephant that still roam over -this country. On the first day's trek we crossed rhino spoor about four -to five hours old, and as Palmer, who was out of form, was unwilling to -risk a long chase, I started off in pursuit. After following for about -an hour, I passed quite close to a large herd of roan containing three -or four magnificent bulls, which stood and watched me at about forty -yards. I was sorely tempted, but held to my principle of never leaving a -spoor except for something better. For some time the rhino had been -travelling very fast, but suddenly the spoor freshened, and from the -side of an ant-hill I saw a great pink body in the distance moving -slowly through the grass. It is curious how decidedly pink hippo and -rhino look at a distance. As there were many large ant-hills about I -followed the spoor right out, and coming round the corner of one, -suddenly saw him about forty yards off just walking out into the huge -bare plain; but the birds, many of which were on his back, saw me and -gave the alarm. In turning he gave me my broadside chance, and I fired -the 4-bore, burning fourteen drams and throwing a four-ounce spherical -ball; then, as he swung round to bolt, I popped in a forward raking -second barrel, which quickened his pace considerably. He rushed round -in a half-circle to try and get my wind, while I peppered him with .303 -solid bullets, which appeared to have about the same effect as -hailstones. When he got my wind he stopped short and faced me, then -swayed from side to side, staggered, recovered himself, and finally, -with a shrill squeal, toppled over, kicking his four fat little legs in -the air, and gave up the ghost, or the rhino's equivalent, there being -nothing very spectral about these incongruous old survivals of the past. -Choleric, dyspeptic, unsociable old fellows with a lordly contempt for, -and fixed determination to suppress all such indecent innovations as -guns, Cape wagons, and Mombasa railway-trains, they always remind me of -those fire-eating, civilian-repressing, cheroot-smoke-belching Bagstocks -who frequent Madeira, the Lake of Geneva, and other temperate and -economical resorts, and who glare at all newcomers with that peculiar -bloodshot ferocity only to be acquired by many years of curry, Bombay -duck, and unlimited authority over servile millions. Owing to the -difficulty of providing food for the large mob of Mambwe who had -accompanied us to see in safety their old masters, the Awemba, the meat -was very acceptable. The rhino was a large bull. Being particularly -anxious to preserve the head, I took the trouble to cut through the hide -all round to be sure of having sufficient neck-skin, and, to avoid any -possibility of mistake, I left a boy by the carcase; yet in the evening -it arrived in two detachments, having been considerately hacked in two -to facilitate carriage. - -After floundering about the country for miles and camping on isolated -ant-hills, surrounded by sheets of water, and as, owing to the continued -rains in the hills, the water was daily rising, we were compelled to -retreat north-west. Here we made two more ineffectual efforts to -penetrate into the interior. So, cursing the rains, we marched to the -Luchewe, the largest of the streams which flow into Luwala, and -following its valley, arrived at Kyambi, the mission station of the -Peres Blancs. Here, with their usual enterprise and abilities, they have -constructed a splendid two-storied building with a large cloister-like -verandah, surrounded, as are all their other stations, by a solid, -fortified wall; outside they have collected a large village and laid out -extensive irrigated gardens well stocked with bananas, limes, lemons, -and other fruits. The priests were most charming hosts. Their -hospitality is, indeed, famed throughout Central Africa. - -From Kyambi we marched straight into Mambwe, where we arrived drenched -to the skin; and two days later I was down with an attack of fever which -lasted till I reached the highlands of Kivu. - - - - - *CHAPTER VIII.* - - *TANGANYIKA.* - - -At last, on April 2nd, we sailed from Kituta in the _Good News_. - -Mr. Mohun and a large number of his Zanzibaris were with me. -Consequently there was not much room. The _Good News_ was originally -the property of an English Mission on the Lake, and when the Mission -moved to find healthier quarters, the steamer was sold at a ridiculously -low figure to the African Lakes Corporation, although, I believe, the -Administration of Northern Rhodesia offered a larger sum. A large hole -had been knocked in her bottom and filled up with cement; and the -machinery was tied together with string and strips of sardine-tins. -Vast cockroaches were in possession, and night was made hideous by their -peregrinations; some of them were almost as large as mice, and it was a -great strain on one's mosquito-curtain when they climbed up the sides in -droves. Mr. Mohun endured them all night, but I, in a very few minutes, -gave up the unequal fight and retired on deck. - -Our noble captain, who was quite new to the lake, did not know where he -was going, nor did he care. His idea of navigating a boat consisted in -sleeping in his bunk until the natives told him we had arrived -somewhere; even then, he never inquired what the place was. His only -anxiety was lest he should oversleep himself and miss a meal. - -In the evening we arrived at the Congo Free State post of M'liro, which -is at the south-western corner of the lake, a few miles over the -Anglo-Congolese boundary. - -On board I discovered two of the boys who had gone up with Sharp, and -who had been left at Kituta. At Kituta I had given instructions that -they were to be sent back; so the following morning, having crossed the -lake to a wooding station, on the eastern shore, I turned them off with -their pay and cloth to buy food on the road; but one of them, on -adventure bent, slipped on board again. During the night, finding the -sleeping-places rather limited, he calmly threw a crate containing -twenty-eight fowls, belonging to Mr. Mohun, overboard. - -On April 4th we recrossed the lake and arrived at the French Mission -Station of M'bala. This station is of several years' standing, and the -Fathers, who are seven in number, with several lay brothers, have built -themselves a substantial and comfortable home. They have also built a -magnificent cathedral, capable of holding many hundred devotees. I am -afraid it would need a large expenditure of cloth and medals to fill it. -There are also elaborate workshops, and the gardens, which are very -extensive, are planted with numbers of flourishing fruit trees. The -coffee-shrubs were particularly remarkable for their size and yield. On -the walls were many gigantic sable heads. The horns of one that I -measured were 46-1/2 in.; while many others were almost as long. All -these antelope had been shot in the immediate vicinity by native hunters -employed on the mission station. It was here that the record sable head -which Mr. Boyd presented to me was obtained; and it is evident that -these sable must be the largest in the world. They also had a few rhino -horns, which had been shot in the neighbourhood. - -They gave us a tremendous dinner, with a bewildering profusion of -courses and some luscious kinds of fruit, amongst which the -_ceil-de-boeuf_ was particularly soothing; and delicious Algerian wine -flowed freely round the festive board. There are two or three white -sisters at the station; it was very sad to see how ill they looked. - -After dinner, some natives brought in a large catch of fish, amongst -which was a splendid kind of white-fleshed salmon. The Fathers informed -me that this fish, at that time of the year, runs up the small streams, -and jumps up waterfalls of considerable height. - -The charming point about these white Fathers is that they never ply one -with fantastic accounts of the work which they are doing. When we -regretfully took our leave, they presented us with several large baskets -of potatoes, tomatoes, pomegranates, and many other fruits and -vegetables. - -Along this shore there are enormous dug-out canoes, and we were carried -to and from the steamer in one very fine specimen, probably 40 ft. in -length. - -On the run up to M'towa, we encountered a terrific sea, and were for -several hours in imminent danger of turning turtle. The wind rushes -down the narrow gulleys between the mountains that enclose the lake, and -lashes the waters into a very frenzy. The arrival of these squalls is -very sudden and impossible to predict; consequently, sailing on Lake -Tanganyika is a most dangerous amusement. All the natives were most -abominably ill, everything was wet, and the cabin and the captain formed -an impossible combination. - -Early in the morning the tempest subsided and we made M'towa, which is -the chief Congo station on the lake. Here all the officials in the -district had collected, having ignominiously fled from the rebels. One -gentleman who had retired from a station further up the lake, had thrown -all the station ammunition and ivory into the lake, solely on a report -that the rebels were within a hundred miles. The rebels, hearing of the -action, went to the place and quietly fished up both the ivory and the -cartridges, thereby gaining a new lease of life. At M'towa the Belgians -had built elaborate defences and had protected all the approaches with -barbed wire; and in case the rebels should come they had cut down all -the bananas, and were consequently short of food. There were one or two -unfortunate Scandinavians in the service, who were being thrown out as -pickets. One of these gentlemen came and asked us for some poison, in -case he should be caught by the rebels with his totally inadequate -force. - -This chaotic condition has now lasted for five years, and there appears -to be no man capable of grappling with the situation; it seems to me a -great pity that they did not allow Commandant Henry, whom I afterwards -met on the Nile, to follow up his preliminary successes against the -rebels. Had he been given a free hand, in all probability the -revolution would have been crushed long since. - -Mr. Mohun's expedition was camped on a hill about a mile from the -Government station, and they complained of most indifferent treatment at -the hands of the local officials. Although they had been ready to start -operations for more than six weeks, the officials had failed to provide -them with any labour. It was obvious that there was much jealousy and -friction between the expedition and the authorities. Fortunately, the -King of the Belgians had sent Mr. Mohun a supplementary commission, -which would give him the free hand necessary to the successful carrying -out of his difficult task. - -I was very pleased to again meet Sharp, as we had been separated for -nearly three months. He was looking very ill, having only recently been -laid up with fever in Ujiji. Dr. Castellote, the medical officer of Mr. -Mohun's expedition, and who I am grieved to learn has recently died of -fever, hearing of Sharp's sorry plight, crossed the lake and brought him -over to the comparatively healthy uplands near M'towa. - -Sharp had visited the station of the white Fathers on the east coast of -the lake, where we had only put in to obtain wood. He told me that -there was an elaborate church of brick with stained-glass windows, where -he had attended service. He had been much amused at watching dirty -little nigger boys from the village passing in at one door, draped in -the usual filthy strip of greasy cloth, and presently emerging from -another door clad in scarlet cassocks and lace tippets, waving censers, -etc. - -Bidding a regretful farewell to our good telegraph friends, and wishing -them every luck in their venture, Sharp and I, with a mean temperature -of 104 deg., repaired across the lake to Ujiji. - -It was with feelings of curiosity that I looked out for the first time -on the one historic spot in Central Africa. A few mango trees and a few -white buildings scattered about on the top of the long, gently sloping -shore of the lake: such was Ujiji, the meeting-place of Stanley and -Livingstone, and the heart of the great slave-raiding ulcer of the past. - -After considerable difficulty, we landed all our belongings by means of -some unstable dug-out canoes; and having piled them on the beach, left -them in charge of our boys, while we rode on donkeys, sent to us by the -Greek merchant, through a gruesome array of grinning skulls that still -lie scattered about the beach, the last relic of the days of Arab -predominance. - -We were given beds in an old mission-house which is now tenanted by two -Greek traders, who, by their enterprise, richly deserve the success -which they are enjoying. The old mission-house is substantially built, -and is surrounded by enormous mango and guava trees. - -Having fixed up our loads, we crawled up to the Government house to pay -our respects to Hauptmann Bethe, the German chief of the station; he is -a most delightful specimen of a German officer. He treated us with -every kindness and showered the most lavish hospitality upon us. -Without his cordial co-operation, we should never have been able to take -the route _via_ Kivu, on which we had set our hearts. He strongly -advised us to go by the hackneyed route by Tabora and the Victoria -Nyanza, the road by which Decle went from Ujiji to Uganda, and which is -the high-road for all the caravans that ply between the Victoria Nyanza -and Tabora, and Ujiji and Tabora. He informed us that it would be most -risky to take the route which we intended without at least a hundred -armed men. - -He also told us that the Congolese rebels had sent a deputation to him -to tell him that they intended once more to attack the Belgians. They -asked whether, in the event of failure, they would be allowed to hand -their guns in to him, and to come over and settle in German territory. -This is an indication of the natives' feeling towards the Congo Free -State Administration. - -Unfortunately both Sharp and I were too ill to see much of Ujiji and its -interesting people. Many charming old Arabs, clad in gorgeous array, -came and paid their respects, and sent us many presents, such as fruit, -eggs, and vegetables. It was sad to see these venerable old gentlemen -in their then condition, and to think of how, in the good old days gone -by, they had held undisputed sway over many, many thousand square miles. - -The day after our arrival we lunched with Hauptmann Bethe and his staff. -We were plied with the most bewildering succession of drinks; starting -with port, then through successive courses of champagne, brandy, beer, -Vermouth, and claret, we slowly wended our way, with the temperature 110 -deg. in the shade. This diet, the Germans informed us, was absolutely -essential to avoid fever. They protested that no teetotaller who had -arrived in Ujiji had ever left Ujiji for any other place in this world; -and certainly the Germans who were there were living examples of the -efficacy of their treatment. - -The courtesy, assistance, and confidence which we received in the German -sphere shone bright in contrast with much of the treatment which we -received under our own flag; and our warmest thanks are due to those -whole-hearted Germans who are upholding the honour of the Fatherland on -the far distant shore of Tanganyika. - -My fever, which had now lasted for more than three weeks, took a decided -turn for the worse, and I began to lose the proper control of my hands. -Sharp, on the other hand, was slightly better. - -We witnessed several dances. It was quite easy to start one, by -providing the funds necessary to obtain a considerable quantity of -native beer, when the natives would arrive in hundreds in the -market-place and perform the wildest and most grotesque dances -imaginable. Hauptmann Bethe arranged a most elaborate one for our -edification. - -At last, on April 12th, we had organized our caravan of one hundred and -thirty men, and made a start up the lake. We had been compelled to -leave some loads behind, and it was not till four in the afternoon that -the last man left the courtyard. We had had no difficulty in recruiting -as many men as we wanted, as the Germans afforded us every facility. - -We only marched out sufficiently far to get our caravan quite clear of -Ujiji; and the Germans kindly sent out a few soldiers to avoid any -trouble with the men, the last farewell of the natives being invariably -accompanied by much pombe. However, they all turned up, and we got them -into some sort of order. I had brought from Nyassa sixteen boys--ten of -whom had been drilled for a few days by one of Mr. Mohun's Zanzibari -sergeants--two of them were kitchen boys, and the other four gun-bearers -and tent-pitchers: this made our caravan one hundred and fifty strong. - -Sharp ignored the mosquitoes the first night, and in consequence -suffered severely from blood poisoning of the hands. The path led -through a fertile country, but as the high grass overhung the narrow -track, it was very wet travelling and not conducive to a speedy recovery -from fever. The way became gradually worse and we had many sharp rises -to face, and many small streams to cross, while satisfactory -camping-grounds were hard to find. On the fourth day, after a struggle -up an almost perpendicular hill, we camped at an elevation of nearly -6,000 ft., and obtained some lovely views over the country to the -east--high, tree-covered hills, with a few native huts and their -accompanying gardens in clearings where the ground was not too steep, -and, down below, deep valleys covered with dense bush--while to the west -we could just catch a glimpse of the lake backed by the rugged and -forbidding-looking hills on the Congo side. - -A cold white mist came up in the afternoon, and put all thoughts of -scenery away, driving us to refuge in tightly-closed tents. - -Next day we mounted still higher--about 7,000 ft.--and the scenery amply -repaid the exertion. From thence we made a rapid descent by a path so -steep and rough that we had to glissade at times with the aid of a -strong spear. At the villages here we found the people wearing wooden -tweezers on their noses; on inquiry we discovered that they injected -snuff mixed with water, and then put the apparatus on to keep the -concoction from wasting away at once. A day or two later we reached the -lake-shore, and the path, such as it was, came to an end. We now had to -make our way along the shingle. The bush overhung the water every few -yards, and as it was mostly mimosa, or other equally prickly matter, we -had to wade round to avoid it--often up to our middles in the -water--while an occasional mountain torrent necessitated our being -carried on our boys' shoulders. As the lake was swarming with -crocodiles, this was rather exciting. Our Nyassa boys, who had earned -the name of the Guinea-fowls, owing to their dress of dark-blue -bird's-eye cotton and greeny-blue fezzes, had been a great comfort, -pitching our tents and doing all the little odd jobs inseparable from -camp life, and we were congratulating ourselves on having some natives -of a different race to our Manyema porters. - -The heat and continual wetting now began to tell on the fever which we -had not been able to shake off, so we hired two big canoes, and putting -our deck-chairs in the largest, over which we rigged up an awning, we -proceeded by water while our boys plodded through the shingle. On -reaching the halting-place after our first day's canoeing, we were -horrified to find that our ten Askaris and the cook had bolted, leaving -their rifles and bayonets on the path. Though I was bad with fever I -got a fresh crew for the big canoe, and made all haste back to our last -night's camp. Nothing was to be seen or heard of the fugitives, and -though I offered the Sultani (chief) of the village heavy rewards for -each captive, we never heard any more of them, but trust that they did -not escape their deserts when they reached Ujiji, if the natives on the -way let them go free, which is more than doubtful. I had left Sharp to -try his 'prentice hand at cooking, and returning wet through, very tired -and full of fever, found his attempt at soup had ended in a few bones -and a blob of fat at the bottom of the pan! The heat was intense, never -a breath of air, and no shade, while the rays of the burning sun were -refracted from the face of the water. At every camp one or more of the -neighbouring chiefs came to pay his respects, bringing with him a -present, according to his standing, of pombe, native beer, bananas, -three or four fowls, and in the case of a big "swell," two or three -goats or sheep. Each chief was followed by as large a retinue as he -could gather, and most of them were dressed in semi-Arab fashion--a -long, white shirt or "kanzu," a coloured cloth, and a turban or white -head-dress. The natives had many knives of local manufacture, the -sheaths of which were ornamented with well-carved patterns, while their -spears were very thin and light, and often adorned with brass and copper -wire. Of course we had to make return presents of cloth and beads to an -equal value. Eggs were rather hard to obtain, and it was still more -difficult to make the natives believe that we did not want them for -electioneering purposes. My fever was now so bad that I had to depute -my baking to Sharp, who was becoming quite a passable cook under my -tuition, and retire to bed as soon as I could get my tent pitched. To -add to our enjoyment Sharp got a sunstroke and a dose of fever, and we -were consequently reduced to the most pitiable plight. My temperature -went up to 106.9, and left me too weak to move, while Sharp, ill as he -was, made superhuman efforts to look after me. At last, after several -days of intolerable misery, we eventually arrived at Usambara, where the -German official, Lieutenant von Gravert, took us in hand. Under his -care we recovered slightly. - -Usambara, with characteristic German thoroughness, has been well laid -out. Substantial buildings have been put up, good gardens made, and an -immense avenue of pawpaws and bananas planted from the Government House -to the lake shore. A small sailing-boat adds materially to the comfort -and efficiency of the commanding officer. - -Every morning a large market is held, and the natives bring in enormous -supplies of fish, bananas, beans, grains of different sort (even rice), -and fowls. The German black troops keep splendid order, and the station -has the most flourishing air. I am a great believer in the Germans' -African methods. Of course they are severely handicapped by having such -a poor country to work upon. But their methods are thorough and -eminently practical, and not characterized by the stinginess which -paralyzes most of our African efforts. The men selected for the work -are given a practically free hand, and are not cramped by the ignorant -babblings of sentimentalism. - - - - - *CHAPTER IX.* - - *THE RUSISI VALLEY.* - - -At last, on May 7th, we were sufficiently recovered to move, and bidding -farewell to our good friend, Lieutenant von Gravert, we left Usambara -and made a short march along the lake shore to Kijaga, a deserted -Government station near the most easterly mouth of the Rusisi. - -Being still much too weak to walk, I was carried in a hammock slung from -a pole by a team of twelve natives of Usige kindly recruited for me by -Lieutenant von Gravert, who were to take me to Dr. Kandt's headquarters -on Kivu, where the climate of the highlands, it was hoped, would render -me sufficiently strong to continue my journey on foot. - -After the trained "machila" teams of Nyassaland they were very crude, -and many amusing incidents arose from their inexperience. However, they -were willing, and served me very well. - -The northern shore of the lake is flat and sandy, and for a long -distance from land the water is very shallow; even at a distance of two -miles hippopotami could walk on the bottom with their heads above water. -The natives are great fishermen, and own many dug-out canoes; they fish -mainly at night. There was little moon at the time, and we could see -scores of canoes punting about, each with a great flaming torch in the -bows, and the fishermen with poised spears eagerly scanning the water. -The effect of the number of dimly-defined canoes gliding to and fro on -the oily water, of the strong reflection of the flaming torches, and of -the phosphorescent wash was most picturesque. - -The Rusisi, which is the outflow of Lake Kivu, falls into Lake -Tanganyika through five mouths, four of which are close together -slightly to the east of the centre of the northern shore, while the -fifth is on the extreme western point under the gigantic hills that line -the western shore. The enclosed deltas are very flat and swampy, and in -part covered with forest, the haunt of many elephant, a large portion of -which are said by the Arabs to be tuskless. - -During many weary days of sickness at Usambara, I had gazed up that -mighty valley, the vast flat gently merging into endless vistas of -purple hills, behind winch lay the mysterious waters of Kivu and the -giant volcanoes (the pulse of Africa), flanked by two massive walls of -mountains--the path that led to the yet unknown, the first real stage of -the task that we had set ourselves! And for long it seemed as though I -had struggled thus far only to die at the very gate. The extraordinary -beauty of the scene fascinated me, and with its eddying mists and fading -hills, redolent of mystery, it seemed a fitting entry to an unknown -land. - -At Kijaga we rose to find that our cook and the three boys whom we had -engaged at Usambara had bolted in the night, taking with them their -month's pay and two months' rations. We immediately sent a note in to -Von Gravert, and his police very cleverly caught them two days later, -although they tried to go down to Ujiji by a path that leads over the -hills at the back of the station. The capture was a very clever one, -and reflects great credit on the German administrative organization. - -Our cow-boys were a great nuisance; they refused to go near one of the -cows which kicked, and they evidently considered that the little milk -they succeeded in extracting from the others had been earned by the -trouble of extraction, consequently what eventually arrived for us was -limited in quantity. A strong protest, backed by mild physical -correction, produced a larger quantity, but it was sour, and on inquiry -we found that they had drunk our fresh milk, and for a small -consideration purchased some sour milk from a neighbouring chief; they -foolishly brought it stone cold, ostensibly fresh from the cow. They -assured us that all the cows in that country produced sour milk. - -For the first fifteen miles the valley is absolutely flat, and deposits -of semi-fossilized shells indicate a historically recent upheaval. - -There are two streams, the Mpanda and Kazeki, flowing from the east; the -former has a considerable volume of water. - -The flat, which is about two miles wide, is covered with very short, -poor-looking grass, and dotted here and there with magnificent specimens -of the candelabra euphorbia, looking in the distance like gigantic -cabbages. An occasional palm-tree breaks the desolate monotony, and a -very occasional small antelope lends a suggestion of life. - -To the west the Rusisi makes a long curve towards the enclosing mountain -range, and in places spreads out into swampy lagoons apparently of some -extent. - -Our carriers had been giving much trouble, lagging behind and not -arriving till two or three hours after our arrival, hoping thereby to -escape fatigue duties. It was most desirable to have the caravan as -compact as possible on the march, in view of possible troubles with the -natives. - -We allowed them, therefore, half an hour's margin, and every one who -arrived after that, without having obtained permission in the morning -for sickness or some valid reason, was made to stand with his load on -his head in the middle of camp as long as was deemed sufficient for his -particular case. We found this much more effectual as a punishment than -fines (a system to be deprecated, except in Government stations). The -native enjoys his afternoon nap, he likes to stroll into the -neighbouring villages, show his best clothes off before the local -beauties, and pass the time of day with the village cronies. It jars on -him to have to stand doing nothing while he sees his friends chatting -and discussing their bananas and the topics of the day. One such -punishment usually sufficed for at least a month, and a native must be -very much impressed to remember anything for as long as that. - -Fifteen miles from Kijaga there is a bunch of large villages. The chief -is called Balamata. They are situated on the advance spur of a line of -conical peaks which divide the main valley into two sections: the -western branch, which trends north-west by north, is the valley of the -Rusisi; while the eastern branch, which trends north-east by north, -comes from Kirimbi and Imbo. Close to Balamata a small stream flows -from the central peaks towards the eastern valley, and as we did not -pass any stream of consequence, I imagine that this small stream and the -whole of the drainage of the valley loses itself in the swamp which I -could plainly see a few miles to the east. - -Passing round the western side of Balamata's peaks, we found the country -similar to the first stage of the valley, flat and dotted with -euphorbia, the mean altitude being slightly higher than the lake level. -We passed over two extraordinary ravines dug out of the flat country. -One was evidently a dry stream-bed, but the other appeared to have no -outlet, and I could find no satisfactory clue to its origin. - -The Rusisi here flows under the eastern wall; it is a large body of -water flowing through wide expanses of papyrus, and is probably -navigable for small steamers to a point forty miles north of the lake. - -The population is very scanty. The scattered villages and their -cattle-pens are enclosed by artificial hedges of euphorbia. - -A large stream, the Kagunozi, flows down from the east a few miles north -of Balamata's, and three miles further north is the village of Buvinka, -a chief of some importance. - -North of Buvinka's, a large stream called the Kabulantwa flows into the -Rusisi from the east, which appears to be very broken and mountainous in -the distance. We had much difficulty in crossing the stream with our -cattle and goats, owing to the power of the current. Several goats were -washed away, but with the exception of two, all were eventually rescued -by the boys, who were expert swimmers. In places the stream narrowed -considerably, forming foaming rapids, and it was splendid to see some of -the Manyema shooting down like arrows in pursuit of an old billy-goat, -eventually dragging him half drowned on to the bank. Some of the cows -refused to enter the water, and had to be forcibly dragged across by -ropes. - -Opposite the junction of the Kabulantwa and the Rusisi, the western -range of hills sends a long spur down into the valley, culminating in a -well-defined conical peak, which abuts on the river, and is a splendid -landmark for many miles north and south. - -The dominant peaks at the back are very striking, and apparently at -least 7,000 ft. high; they are very rugged, and in parts heavily wooded. - -A few miles north of the Kabulantwa the valley again splits into two; -the eastern branch is drained by a small and very rapid stream called -the Muhira, which appears to be a highroad for elephant crossing the -valley. The western branch is the valley of the Rusisi; it is very -flat, and covered with coarse grass with slight thorn-scrub at the -sides; part of it is marshy. - -We camped in a scattered village of considerable size, thickly planted -with bananas. The Rusisi flows close by, cutting its way through a -dyke, which crosses the valley. The country here was much more broken, -and our camp was about 300 ft. above the lake level. - -[Illustration: One or more of the neighbouring Chiefs came to pay his -Respects.] - -The natives have a good supply of cattle, and live in scattered villages -of considerable size; they are well set up, with good faces, high -foreheads, and not prognathous to a conspicuous degree; they all carry -long, slight, spears with small heads, and long sword-knives with -elaborately-decorated sheaths. They also use a long-bladed axe with a -hook on the end for cutting bananas, the handle of which is also -elaborately decorated with iron, copper, and brass. On their arms they -wear many wire rings and large wooden bracelets of curious shape. - -In the evening I discovered an enormous jigger in my small toe, and one -of my Watonga boys skilfully removed it; the bag of eggs was the size of -a marrowfat pea, and as there was only the bone and top part of my toe -left I was afraid that I should lose it; however, after giving me some -trouble, it yielded to the persuasive influence of that panacea for all -African ills, permanganate of potash, and healed. - -During the night a hyaena grabbed one of the goats, and tore the poor -brute so badly that it had to be killed. The following morning, after -crossing some very broken country, and fording a deep stream called the -Nyamgana, we arrived at the first of the three Soudanese forts, -established by the Germans on the Rusisi to prevent raids of the -Congolese rebels. - -The treaty boundary, between the Congo and German East Africa of 1885, -runs from the mouth of the Rusisi to cut the 30th degree east longitude, -at a point 1 deg. 20' south of the equator. Hence all these three posts -are well within the Congo Free State. The Germans have cleverly availed -themselves of the Congolese chaos, and having placed these advance posts -for the plausible object of defending their country, by occupying the -natural line of defence afforded by the river, are now pleading -effective occupation. In the meanwhile Dr. Kandt, under the auspices of -the German Government, is investigating the possibilities of the -country. On his report the Germans will know whether the country is -worth a struggle. - -The fort is well placed on a flat-topped hill overhanging the river, -which here races along between precipitous rocks, and although it is -only in charge of a native officer, it is clean and well kept. The -troops are Wanyamwesi, officered by Soudanese. - -We camped on the north bank of the Nyakagunda, a large stream flowing -from the east; here again a line of rounded hills (a long spur of the -mass of hills that hems in the north end of the valley) cuts the valley -into two branches. The main or Rusisi branch is still flat and -grass-covered, and obviously an old lake-bed; while the eastern branch, -down which flows the Nyakagunda, is broken by many small hills. - -About an hour before sunset some natives rushed in to say that they had -seen elephant close to camp; they said that they were travelling, so -that there was not a moment to be lost. To put the 4-bore together was -a question of seconds, and hurriedly collecting the few necessaries, and -ordering my "machila" team to follow, as I was still very weak, I dashed -off in the direction indicated. Sharp had, unfortunately, not yet -unpacked any of his 10-bore cartridges, and as every minute was precious -at that time of day, it would have been useless to wait. - -About two miles from camp we found the elephants; they had stopped, and -were standing round a clump of euphorbia. Making a detour to catch the -wind, I approached them, 4-bore in hand, and with one boy carrying the -.303 behind me. There was absolutely no cover, but, to my astonishment, -they took not the slightest notice of me. Gathering confidence from -this, I went quite close and inspected them. There were twenty-nine in -all, mostly cows, some of which, however, had enormously long, thin -tusks. Taking care to avoid any sudden movements which would be likely -to attract their attention, I passed to leeward of them, so close to -some that I could have touched them with my rifle. The three bulls were -at the far end, and I at length made up my mind which one to take. The -cartridge missed fire, and at the same moment the middle bull, which had -appeared small, lifted his head from behind a small euphorbia and showed -a pair of very massive tusks, almost black from use. Inwardly blessing -the miss-fire, I went up to within six yards of him, when the one I had -left caught a puff of my wind and cocked his ears; that was all he did; -he never made a sound of any description, yet the whole twenty-nine -(many of which had their backs turned, or were completely hidden by the -euphorbia) moved off instantly. As the black-tusked male swung round, I -gave him the first barrel on the shoulder, and again the second barrel -at nine yards; he dropped on to one knee, but never even lost his -stride; the others closed round him, and helped him away, and that was -the last I saw or heard of my first elephant. I was too weak to follow -far, and the next morning I sent out some of our boys with local -natives, but they never found him. When hunting elephant and other -game, the extraordinary ease with which they pass on the danger-signal -has often made me wonder whether they have another sense, which we, by -disuse, have practically lost. Perhaps even with us it survives in a -rudimentary form, causing the inexplicable phenomena of second sight, -mesmerism, etc., etc. - -The next morning we followed the eastern branch, and passing many steep -hills, crossed a pass 5,500 ft. high, and again descended into the main -valley. Numerous small streams intersected the hills, and at each ford -clouds of gorgeous butterflies enlivened the scene, attracted apparently -by the moisture. On the way we crossed many fresh tracks of elephant, -and on the western slope of the valley a large herd had followed the -track in the early morning. At the base of the slope we had much -difficulty in fording a deep and rapid river, called the Kasilo; several -goats and a calf were washed away, and the rest were only saved by the -brilliant swimming of the Watonga contingent. Thence two hours' hard -travelling brought us to the second German Soudanese fort, situated on a -small hill overlooking the Rusisi, where it issues from its broken -course through the mountains which dam the south end of Lake Kivu, -preparatory to its seventy-five-mile run through the flat valley bed to -Lake Tanganyika. - -The Soudanese officer in command was most courteous and personally -presented all the local potentates, who brought us supplies of bananas, -flour, and goats. He also promised to try and trace my lost elephant, -but said that if, as was most probable, it had crossed the river it -would be impossible to recover ivory from the obstreperous chiefs in the -Congo Free State. Here, as during the whole of our journey from -Tanganyika, the mosquitoes were appalling; colossal of stature, they -arrived in myriads at sunset, and continued their plaintive wail till -the cool hour before dawn. - -On the morrow we left the Rusisi once more, and passed to the east of -many striking conical hills along the flat plain of the Kasilo (which -obviously in remote ages was the course of the outlet of Lake Kivu), for -a distance of four miles, crossing several small tributaries of the -Kasilo on our way. We turned west, and climbing the high plateau -through which the Rusisi has now forced its way, camped on a high ridge -2,000 ft. above the plain. There were numerous villages and large herds -of cattle, which at night are enclosed in pens strongly stockaded. Here -we had entered the terrible Ruanda country, and the paramount chief of -the district, Ngenzi, the most powerful satrap of the King of Ruanda, -came and paid his respects. From his pleasant manner we little guessed -what a source of trouble he was to prove in the near future. Small boys -followed us on the march with huge wooden utensils filled with fresh -milk, and our welcome was most cordial. Forests of bananas stretched -far as the eye could reach to the north, east, and west, and vast fields -of peas and beans bore witness to the fertility and prosperity of the -country. - -To the south lay the mighty valley of the Rusisi, stretching away -between its enclosing walls of hills, till, in the far distance, gleamed -the waters of Tanganyika. - -Bidding a last farewell to those historic waters, we plunged into the -wild turmoil of hills which surround Kivu, and after a six hours' tramp, -accompanied on the way by Ngenzi and his hundred followers (not -forgetting the inevitable cup-bearer with his gourd of pombe and the -regal sucking-straw), climbed on to a ridge from which we saw the waters -of Kivu lying at our feet. - -The mighty sheet of water, dotted with a hundred isles and hemmed in by -a thousand imposing hills, was of surpassing beauty; the only one of the -vast lakes of Central Africa which had not been first gazed upon by -British eyes. - - - - - *CHAPTER X.* - - *LAKE KIVU.* - - -An abrupt descent led us through many straggling villages and endless -banana plantations to the German Soudanese post on the extreme -south-west point of the lake. - -We camped on a small rise opposite the Government stockade and -overlooking the lake; the outlet is a long, thin arm, narrowing to where -the Rusisi tumbles over the first cascades, and starts on its broken -course through the hills to the point whence it finally issues on its -long, long journey by Tanganyika to the sea. The body of water leaving -the lake is small, but, with the numerous tributaries from east and -west, soon swells to a considerable size; and forty miles from -Tanganyika it is of about the same volume as the Thames at Richmond. - -The south-western extremity of Kivu is really a small lake in itself, -separated as it is from the main body of the lake by a narrow neck, -which is again almost blocked by a network of islands. - -On all sides long straggling promontories jut out into the water, -cutting the coast-line into a multitude of lochs and bays. - -They are the spurs of the wild groups of hills which enclose Kivu on the -east, south, and west sides, and which, ever increasing in height as -they recede from the lake-shore, eventually culminate in the mighty -peaks which crown the enclosing walls of this vast Rift Valley, in which -Tanganyika, Kivu, the Albert Edward, and the Albert Lakes are but -residuary pools. - -Miles and miles of banana plantations clothe the lower hills, and vast -fields of peas give a touch of green to the purples, reds, and yellows -of the luxuriant pastures. There are no trees in all the Kivu region -nearer than the summits of the distant peaks and the slopes of the -volcanoes, with the exception of a very occasional solitary tree on the -extreme summit of some of the conspicuous hills. These latter are left -untouched, despite the value of wood, and would appear to be held in -reverential awe; they form conspicuous landmarks, which may be the -primary cause of the superstitions that attach to them. Their existence -points to the country having been at one time more or less wooded; and -the trees which served no essential purpose have fallen before the -requirements of the enormous population. - -This same enormous population, and the pervading air of prosperity, are -a striking indication of the possibilities of native races left to work -out their own destiny. - -The far-famed unity and power of the Ruanda people have deterred the -Arabs from making slave-raids into their country, and with the exception -of one or two Belgian looting expeditions, which fortunately met with no -success, they have been left in peace. - -All the southern and eastern coast-line drops abruptly into the lake, -and there is no beach or marshland such as are found on the other lakes -of Central Africa, but the feeding-streams, at their junction with the -lake, become papyrus swamps. - -There were only ten soldiers in the fort, and they rolled in the lap of -luxury, calmly relieving the neighbouring population of what they (the -soldiers) considered superfluities, such as goats, sheep, fowls, etc. -This is the invariable result of placing natives in a post of -responsibility without constant supervision. - -As to their duties, they had none; and it was patent that the sole -_raison d'etre_ of these posts was to be able on the day of reckoning to -show a definite asset, a claim to effective occupation--in fine, a -fulfilment of the duties imposed upon European powers by the Berlin -Conference. - -The Soudanese officer in charge was most friendly, and the neighbouring -chiefs arrived in long procession and paid their respects. They -presented us with several goats and sheep, and when we expressed the -wish to purchase more, they brought them along in a ceaseless stream. -Subsequently we discovered that the affable Soudanese officer and his -brother ruffians, hearing of our approach, had annexed several herds -from some villages two days north; these were the beasts that arrived in -such bewildering profusion. They had insisted on the owners accepting a -handful of beads, thereby establishing a claim to legitimate purchase, -and compelled the local natives to bring the beasts in to us as their -own property. - -There are numerous small villages in the vicinity of the post, and the -people, who live in the most wretched huts, thrown up like hayricks, -appear to have been very thoroughly bled by their undesirable -neighbours. - -An extraordinary feature of Kivu, and the rivers and small lakes of the -Kivu system, is the absence of hippopotami and crocodiles. As they -swarm in Tanganyika and the Rusisi to the south, and in the Rutchuru and -Albert Edward Lake to the north, this is very remarkable. Probably the -abrupt nature of the shore, the depth of water, and the absence of -sandbanks and shelving beaches may account for it. The only possible -landing-and-resting-places would be the papyrus swamps that I have -mentioned as existing at the mouths of the streams; and the water, -hurrying down from high altitudes, and shaded from the sun by the -papyrus, is here intensely cold, and therefore unsuited to their -requirements. - -The natives brought us quantities of fish similar in appearance to -bream, and of most delicate flavour. The same fish is common in -Tanganyika and the Albert Edward. This was the only species that I saw -in Kivu, and the natives told me that there are no large fish, such as -are found in the other lakes. A conspicuous feature is the -extraordinary number of large otters, which are to be seen in scores -swimming and diving in every bay. Lake Ngami in South Africa is also -remarkable for the number of otters, the skins of which are obtainable -in quantities from the natives. - -There are many butterflies on the rich pasture-land, the most common -kind being almost identical with our _Coleas edusa_. - -After a day's rest we marched to Ishangi, the base of Dr. Kandt, who is -making an exhaustive study of all the "district." He was most kind, and -gave us much useful information and advice. - -His work is being done with characteristic German thoroughness. In a -recent surveying expedition, in the course of which he travelled 560 -miles, he found his error on rounding up the trip amounted to less than -a quarter of a mile. This astounding result was obtained by counting -every step, and taking three bearings a minute. It is this amazing -attention to detail which makes the Teuton so formidable a competitor. -Amongst many most interesting specimens, he had the finest pair of tusks -that it has ever been my fortune to see. Unfortunately we had no scales, -and it was impossible to judge of their weight. The elephant had been -shot in Mushari, the country where I afterwards narrowly escaped being -eaten. Hearing from the natives that the beast was in a small gully -close to camp, Dr. Kandt sallied forth with four soldiers; only the back -of the elephant was visible over the scrub, and they fired a volley at -four hundred yards. One lucky shot hit the knee and disabled the beast, -when the gallant doctor established a valid claim to having killed an -elephant, as he naively remarked, by finishing it off. Close to Ishangi -is Lubengera, the site of a former Congo Free State station, where a few -black troops had been posted to raid cattle from the rich cattle -districts of Lubengera and Bugoie. - -The mean of my aneroid readings on the lake level was 5,000 ft., and the -height of the hills contiguous with the lake ranged between 5,500 and -6,000 ft. - -At Ishangi we purchased some spears, amongst others an interesting -specimen from Bunyabungu, on the west side of the lake. It was simply a -long, coarse spike, and the natives said that the people of Bunyabungu -could not manage the final stage of beating it out into a blade. Dr. -Kandt warned us about the thieving propensities and light-fingered -ability of the Wa Ruanda, and told us how he had suffered from their -depredations. One thief had entered his closed tent under the nose of -the sentry, and abstracted a pair of trousers from under the pillow on -which the doctor was lying. Another had removed the fly of his -headman's tent. Consequently, the following night we took the -precaution of carefully closing our tents, and of placing all the loads -in the third tent, with men sleeping at each end. Notwithstanding, the -following morning a tin box weighing 60 lbs. had been taken from my -tent, and had completely vanished, while two canvas kit-bags had been -abstracted, cut open, and the desirable contents removed. Thus, at one -fell swoop, we lost our sextant, artificial horizon, boiling-point -thermometers, a bag of one hundred sovereigns, all my trousers, -stockings, and socks, and many valuable papers, books, and photographs. -On this discovery we summoned the chief, our old friend Ngenzi, who had -been hanging on our flanks for about forty miles. He arrived with a -supercilious smile and a host of attendants. Having explained the -situation, I asked him what he intended to do. "There are many bad men -in my country of whom I know nothing," he answered, and again that evil -smile flitted over his countenance. It was obvious that bluffing was to -be the order of the day; so, taking the same line, we clapped him into -the guard-tent, stopped his drinks and smokes, put a guard with fixed -bayonets over him, and delivered an ultimatum to the effect that, unless -the stolen goods were restored intact by midday, we should take further -steps. Of course he protested absolute ignorance, but the sudden and -resolute nature of our proceedings took him unawares, and for once the -guile of the native failed him. Instead of protesting to a finish, -which would have left us powerless to act, he produced by his men a few -of the articles that seemed most important to him, such as caps and -native shirts. This proved his complicity, and at twelve noon we decided -to act. Sharp opened a case of Snider cartridges, issued rounds to the -ten men who carried guns, and prepared the camp for defence; while I -took my revolver and an old French cutlass purchased in Cornhill, and -with my two Watonga carrying my rifles, climbed the hill on which the -chief village was situated. Hundreds of natives with spears turned out -and showed signs of an intention to resist me. - -I harangued them, explained what had happened, and told them that my -quarrel was with Ngenzi, and with Ngenzi only; that he had allowed -thieves to come and steal the goods of strangers in his country, -strangers who had come to see their country, to pass through it on a -long journey to far lands, and who had come in peace paying for what -they (the natives) brought, receiving and giving presents. I then told -them that I was going to take all Ngenzi's cattle, drive it in to the -German post, and let the Germans, their overlords, decide between us. I -warned them that any man coming to the camp would be shot, but that they -might bring food as usual for sale. Eventually, without firing a shot, -I collected and drove in to the camp one hundred and ninety head of -cattle. - -They made a few tentative rushes at me, but were repulsed by the simple -expedient of waving the cutlass in the air. Such were the terrible -Ruanda people, whose reputation has spread far and wide, and whose -country has been left alone for fear of their military organization. At -least five thousand men sat on the hill-tops and watched three men with -a revolver, cutlass, and two rifles drive off one hundred and ninety -head of cattle; and I am inclined to think that most Central African -warfare could be settled as easily. Had I had despatches to write I -might have acted differently. - -The Germans, overestimating the power of the Ruanda kingdom, had -weakened the white man's prestige by subsidizing Ngenzi with extravagant -gifts of cloth; and he imagined that he could bleed any one who came -into his country. - -I have always utterly refused to pay "hongo"[#] to any native, and never -give presents until I have received one. Then, if the present is a -liberal one, I give a yet more liberal present; but if the present is -niggardly, I give the exact market value of the goods received, unless, -of course, the niggardliness is due to poverty. - - -[#] Tax on people passing through chief's territory. - - -We placed a strong guard over the cattle, and removed our camp from the -undesirable vicinity of the villages to a round, flat-topped hill half a -mile to the south. At one end we pitched our three tents and arranged -the boys' tents to complete the circle. Inside we fixed a long rope -plaited from banana fibre, and kept in position by spears. Inside this -circle we drove all the cattle, and we placed pickets round the side of -the hill to guard against surprise or an attempt to stampede the herd. -The moon rose about midnight, and during the hours of darkness Sharp and -I took it in turns to go the rounds. The noise was appalling, as some -of the cows had lost their calves; and one or two attempts were made to -break through, but we succeeded in quieting them before the panic became -general. Thanks to our precautions, the night passed without incident, -and in the morning Sharp drove the whole herd over to Ishangi and gave -them into the charge of the Soudanese, whom we had summoned from the -post at the tail of Kivu. - -Of course, immensely exaggerated accounts of our proceedings spread -throughout the land, and the chief near Dr. Kandt went to him and asked -him whether he had better fly from the country. He was promptly -reassured, and the doctor kindly came over to see if he could be of any -assistance, while the Soudanese officer sent his men to scour the -outlying villages to see if they could find any of our property, but -without avail. - -Fortunately the natives did not attack Sharp on the road, and with the -exception of some difficulty in crossing bogs, he arrived without -mishap. - -We sent in an exhaustive report to Lieut. von Gravert, and released -Ngenzi with a caution. He promptly made up for lost time in the way of -tobacco and pombe, and was most respectful. That sinister smile has for -ever faded from his dusky features, and I am sure the lesson has been of -inestimable benefit to him. - -For many days to come it was curious to see the military appearance of -our Manyema: no one stirred from the camp without two spears, a -sword-knife, and, if possible, a gun with fixed bayonet. - -The smaller fry were delighted at the humiliation of the mighty Mtusi, -and many came in to do obeisance and thank us for our action. - -Society in Ruanda is divided into two castes, the Watusi and the Wahutu. - -The Watusi, who are practically identical with the Wahuma, are the -descendants of a great wave of Galla invasion that reached even to -Tanganyika. They still retain their pastoral instincts, and refuse to -do any work other than the tending of cattle; and so great is their -affection for their beasts, that rather than sever company they will -become slaves, and do the menial work of their beloved cattle for the -benefit of their conquerors. This is all the more remarkable when one -takes into consideration their inherent pride of race and contempt for -other peoples, even for the white man. They are most jealous of their -descent, and no Mtusi woman ever marries any one but a Mtusi. A Mtusi -man will take another woman as a working wife, but his true wife is -invariably of his own stock, and her children alone can succeed to his -position. - -The half-castes, and individuals with any trace of Mtusi blood, form a -medium between the full-blooded Watusi and the aborigines, whom they -call Wahutu, but associate only with the upper class, or are the -paramount chiefs of insignificant districts. Many signs of superior -civilization, observable in the peoples with whom the Watusi have come -into contact, are traceable to this Galla influence. - -The hills are terraced, thus increasing the area of cultivation, and -obviating the denudation of the fertile slopes by torrential rains. In -many places irrigation is carried out on a sufficiently extensive scale, -and the swamps are drained by ditches. Artificial reservoirs are built -with side troughs for watering cattle. The fields are in many instances -fenced in by planted hedges of euphorbia and thorn, and similar fences -are planted along the narrow parts of the main cattle tracks, to prevent -the beasts from straying or trampling down the cultivation. - -There is also an exceptional diversity of plants cultivated, such as -hungry rice, maize, red and white millet, several kinds of beans, peas, -bananas, and the edible arum. Some of the higher-growing beans are even -trained on sticks planted for the purpose. Pumpkins and sweet potatoes -are also common; and the Watusi own and tend enormous herds of cattle, -goats, and sheep. Owing to the magnificent pasturage, the milk is of -excellent quality, and they make large quantities of butter. They are -exceedingly clever with their beasts, and have many calls which the -cattle understand. At milking-time they light smoke-fires to keep the -flies from irritating the beasts. - -All the dairy utensils are of wood, and are kept scrupulously clean; but -they have an unpleasant method of repairing cracked jars by filling up -the crevices with cow-dung, and of using the urine as the cleansing -medium. - -They are tall, slightly-built men, of graceful, nonchalant carriage, and -their features are delicate and refined. I noticed many faces that, -bleached and set in a white collar, would have been conspicuous for -character in a London drawing-room. The legal type was especially -pronounced. - -Centuries of undisputed sway have left their mark in the _blase_, -supercilious manner of the majority; and in many ways they are a -remarkable and far from unattractive people. - -The Wahutu are their absolute antithesis. They are the aborigines of -the country, and any pristine originality or character has been -effectually stamped out of them. Hewers of wood and drawers of water, -they do all the hard work, and unquestioning, in abject servility, give -up the proceeds on demand. Their numerical proportion to the Watusi -must be at least a hundred to one, yet they defer to them without -protest; and in spite of the obvious hatred in which they hold their -overlords, there seems to be no friction. - -Formerly there was a far-reaching and effective feudal system, which -constituted the proverbial strength of the kingdom of Ruanda. - -The king was supreme, and the sole owner of all the cattle in the -country; the large provinces were administered by prominent Watusi, -usually blood-relations of his Majesty, whose power locally was -absolute, but who were directly responsible to him for the acts of the -subordinate chiefs and for the loss of cattle. Each subordinate, again, -had the use of a portion of the cattle, for which he was directly -responsible to the satrap of the district. The king's title is -"Kigeri;" "Ntwala" is the title of the satraps; and the term "Sultani" -is usually applied to the smaller chiefs. The old Kigeri died, and the -rule passed to his son Musinga, who appears to have been a mere child. - -There is a native superstition against the Kigeri being seen by -strangers, and consequently a substitute, an individual known to the -natives as Pamba Rugamba, has been presented to the Germans who have -visited the Residence. The child appears also to have died, and the -power now is divided between Kisunga and Gwamu or Mwami. Mwami was the -name told to me by many natives, but it appears to be merely a title, as -other natives addressed me as "Mwami." These two men were described as -the sons of the old Kigeri, possibly by another wife than the mother of -Musinga; but son is such an elastic term with natives that they may have -been nephews. This division has materially weakened the strength of the -Ruanda kingdom. - -In Africa almost every kingdom is divided against itself, as well as -against every other, so that unity is indeed strength. And it was this -unity which constituted the power of Ruanda and of the Zulus, just as at -the present day it constitutes the power of the mighty Dinka and Shilluk -tribes of the Nile. - -While Sharp was away I purchased several curios from the natives, and -amongst others a most curious bracelet that I was informed came from the -Nyema district of the Congo. It consisted of a semi-tubular circle of -iron, the hollow being filled up with a crude ivory mosaic held in place -by rubber. - -The Germans, who have a favourable opinion of the possibilities of the -Ruanda country, are talking of sending emigrants there. The soil is -very rich, but the country is so inaccessible that I fail to see how -they could be self-supporting--a desirable condition for emigrants--or -how they could cultivate anything for export that would bear the cost of -transport. - -Amongst the natives who brought produce for sale were two pigmies; they -were most curious little fellows, and appeared to be immensely powerful. -I fancy they were not quite pure-bred dwarfs, or else they had been -enslaved when young, as they had none of the shyness so characteristic -of this singular little people, and appeared to be living with the local -natives. - -To the south-east the enclosing line of hills culminates in four large -peaks of 8,000 to 9,000 ft. All four are conspicuous landmarks for many -miles. - -A favourite device of the Manyema carriers, when in a country of -thieves, is to conceal a load of cloth during the night; in the morning -they arrive in great distress, and say that a load has been stolen; -nothing can be done; the unsuspecting traveller abuses the natives, the -land, and other things, and the wily Manyema annexes the lost load on -his return home. To obviate this, we informed them that every man in -future would be held responsible for his own load, and that he would -have to make good, out of his pay, any loss or damage. This was doubly -necessary, as Swahilis and Manyema generally contrive to find a boy or -starveling who will carry their load for a consideration. Apropos of -this point, I find the following in my diary: "Talk about Charles -Kingsley's description of sweating as a result of civilization! Here we -have porters hiring natives who hire others to the fourth degree, each -walking along like a gentleman and pocketing his proportion. There is -nothing new in this world." - -The difficulty of preventing our Manyema ruffians from swindling the -natives was almost insuperable. After the Ngenzi fracas, I discovered -that they were making capital out of our action to extort things from -the natives; so I insisted that for a time every transaction should be -performed before me. If a carrier wished to buy a bunch of bananas from -a native, he brought the native with the bananas to my tent, and they -bargained, and the price was paid in my presence. - -One of the blackest of our villains promptly sent his small boy out into -a neighbouring plantation, whence he issued in the scanty garb of a -local native with a bunch of bananas. The villain, the boy, and the -bananas appeared before me, and they solemnly performed the bargaining -and payment. But I had been waiting for that villain, and without -appearing to do so, watched the issue. They all repaired to their tent, -and the boy resumed his garments, when they fell to on what they fondly -believed was a cheap feed--a belief which a ceaseless succession of -fatigue-duties soon dispelled. - -Three fiords, several miles in length, necessitated a wide detour. The -scenery was superb: a lacework of bays, lochs, and inlets with endless -choppy waves of hills sweeping away to the great purple surf of the -distant ranges; islets galore, and the vast rugged mass of the island of -Kwijwi as a background. - -For several days we had much trouble in allaying the fears of the -natives; terrible accounts had preceded us, and the entire population -fled to the hills on our approach. The fact of our carriers being -Manyema, a name of terror throughout Central Africa, was not reassuring -to the poor creatures, whose only knowledge of Manyema had been gathered -from the Congo Free State soldiers, who for a time had been posted on -Kivu, and from reports of the atrocities committed by the revolted -troops during the past five years. Accounts also of the cannibals who -were battering at the gates of Bugoie must have reached them from their -northern kinsfolk. Black masses of natives in a silvery sea of glinting -spearheads watched us from every hill-top. Fortunately we had several -days' food for our men, and when the natives saw that we passed through -without touching even a bunch of bananas, they were reassured, and a few -were eventually induced to approach and talk. We caught two of our men -stealing, and inflicted condign punishment before a small body of -natives who were in camp, explaining the circumstances, and telling -them, in case of a repetition of the offence, to come and lay a -complaint. But it would be easier to stop a monkey from scratching than -a Manyema from stealing; and as the state of unrest of the native -population was a grave danger, and petty thefts would probably have -precipitated an attack, which we were ill prepared to repulse, we -confined all our boys to camp, made water-carrying for the whole camp a -fatigue-duty, and established a market where the natives might sell -their produce under our personal supervision. I explained the -expediency of our action, and told them that there were some such -abandoned ruffians amongst them that they must all suffer for the -misdeeds of the miscreants. They appeared satisfied, but as we were -sitting down to lunch, I noticed an unusual stir in the lines. On going -out I found that they were all packing up their belongings and preparing -to depart; about thirty were already moving off. It was obviously an -attempt to bluff us, as the experience of the boys who ran away at -Tanganyika had taught them that it would be impossible to avoid -detection even if they succeeded in passing through Ngenzi's country, -which they knew would be impossible in view of the then state of the -natives. It was a critical moment. If the camp broke up, the entire -expedition would be inevitably massacred by the Ruanda. I took my rifle -and dashed off in pursuit, accompanied by my two Watonga; while Sharp, -revolver in one hand and rifle in the other, threatened to shoot the -first man who moved. Rushing over a rise, I saw the ringleader, one of -our worst villains, and the originator of the idea, leading about two -hundred yards away; I fired at him, just as he turned the corner of the -hill, fully intending to drop him. The bullet removed his fez. Down he -dropped into the grass, and the whole thirty did likewise. After a few -shots in the air, to keep up their anxiety, I sent a headman out to -order them back to camp, saying that the affair was now ended, and that -I should not know who had left camp. As I expected, every one was -present at roll-call, half an hour after dark. The position was saved. -In the course of a long harangue, I informed them again of the absolute -necessity of confining them to camp till the natives should be -reassured; explained that I had spared the ringleader this time, and had -removed his hat to show him with what ease I could have killed him had I -wished to do so (a remark that my gun-bearer, Makanjira, assured them -was true); said that it was for their benefit that we desired friendly -relations with the population; we had no desire to see a lot of dirty -natives, we wished nothing from them; had we not, as they well knew, -food for many weeks in boxes? But if the natives refused to come, where -would they be able to buy goats, fowls, tobacco, and all the things that -rejoiced the stomachs of men? - -The bluff was outbluffed, and with ringing cheers the men returned to -their fires to jabber and howl with laughter far into the night. From -discontent to merry laughter is but a momentary transition with the -African. - -From the ridge on which we were encamped we looked down upon a perfect -spot, a long arm of the lake winding in between striking hills, -terminating in a small bay. Banana palms with the tiny villages nestling -in their midst fringed the shore. Weird little islands covered with -ibis and demoiselle crane were dotted about. A wall of papyrus showed -where the tumbling stream that danced down the encircling hills entered -the lake, and the glorious colouring and strong shadows brought out the -picture into striking relief. Sharp said it reminded him of Japan; -there was an air of _dolce far niente_ heavy with the lush glamour of -the tropics that carried me back to the South Seas. - -The following day we succeeded, after much shouting, in inducing a -half-bred Mtusi to come to us. We gave him a present, and told him to -go and explain that we wanted to buy provisions; and that if the natives -would not come we should be compelled, much against our will, to take -what was necessary. He departed, promising to do so, but nobody -appeared. After waiting several hours, I took ten men out with me, and -cut sufficient bananas for the men; and though I tried for two days to -induce the chief to come for payment, he never appeared. This was the -sole occasion during the whole of my long trip in Africa when I had to -commandeer anything from the natives. I quite agree with Colonel Lugard -when he says that it is unnecessary. This was the last time that we had -any difficulty with the natives. Seeing that we refrained from looting -their fields, they plucked up courage, and came in the same numbers as -when we first entered the country. The hordes of warriors whom we had -seen sitting on the tops of the hills in the distance came and mingled -freely with our men, and a brisk trade started in the numerous products -of the country. From many of our camps the scenery was most beautiful; -as we rounded the south-eastern corner of the lake, the whole expanse of -water opened out before us. The track we followed often led over hills -1,500 ft. above the lake; and from many positions we could look down on -the vast oily expanse of water, deep set in its basin of innumerable -hills, dotted with a thousand islets, stretching far away till it was -lost in the shimmering haze of the northern shore, where, crisp and -clear, towered the mighty mass of Mount Goetzen, whose jet of smoke -alone broke the steel-blue dome of sky. - -Close to this part are the sources of the Nyavolongo, which are the real -sources of the Victoria Nile. At the actual angle of the lake there is -an extensive valley, which is the real frontier of Ngenzi's district, -Mukinyaga. Every available inch of this extensive fertile valley is -covered with luxuriant crops of beans, peas, sweet potatoes, and millet. -To the east, up this valley, lies the road to the old Kigeri's -residence, which is about five days' march from the lake. - -Here there is a district which is divided up amongst many chiefs, and -which seems to have no representative name. At the mouth of the stream -that flows down this valley, the lake shores, if possible, are still -more broken than elsewhere. The hills which cover the country around -Kivu appear to have been sprinkled out of a pepper-pot, they are in the -main disconnected, and the country seems almost to have boiled. The -hollows are in places filled with papyrus swamps, many of which have -drained dry, and now form level lawns a few feet above the lake. - -The population round this valley is enormous. The northern wall of the -valley rises very abruptly, and the path led along precipitous passes. -The scenery is most striking. From the top of this plateau we caught -our first glimpse of the volcanoes, the sharp outline of the four main -peaks standing out clear and crisp above the misty haze that surrounds -their base. - -One day's march brought us to the district of Lubengera, which is -remarkable for the number of Watusi. There seems to be no prominent -chief among them. The banana plantations are of amazing extent, and -literally clothe many of the hills from top to bottom. In this district -especially we remarked the extreme neatness of the fields and the -scattered nature of the villages. The Ruanda do not live together in -great numbers, but are scattered far and wide over the country; their -villages would perhaps be more aptly described as farms. - -It is remarkable that throughout the whole of this country, as in the -valley of the Rusisi, there were no antelope, and until we arrived near -the wooded slopes of the volcanoes, where a few of the natives had -bushbuck skins, we never saw any traces of their having been obtained. - -All the natives of Ruanda are great smokers; they use small, -neatly-made, and sometimes grotesquely-carved, black clay pipes. At -this stage we were much troubled by complaints from our boys of petty -thefts. On going thoroughly into the question, I found that besides the -numerous slave boys whom our Manyema carriers had brought up from Ujiji, -they had picked up many more on the road. Some of these had recently -bolted, taking everything upon which they could lay their hands. As it -was desirable to stop this, we had all the boys' boys brought up, and -registered them. All those who could not show that they had come either -from Ujiji or Usambara were given twenty-four hours' notice to quit. I -also forbade our carriers to hire local natives to carry their loads, -and thus rendered our caravan on the march much more compact, and -thereby less open to attack. - -On the far coast of the lake two striking hills were plainly visible; -these are evidently placed on the two promontories which I have -suggested as existing in my map. From the numerous observations which I -took, I came to the conclusion that the islands to the north of Kwijwi -have either risen since Count Goetzen's visit, or else that he -underestimated their size; which seems scarcely possible, as he actually -landed on one or two of them. - -As we were approaching the north end of the lake, several attempts were -made to raid the camp at night, and at one place in particular the -thieves were very resolute, and succeeded in stealing many small things -from the boys. The sentry came and woke me up during the night, and -told me that persistent attempts were being made to enter the camp; so I -went out, and taking up my position outside the lines, under the cover -of a small bush, I succeeded in capturing one of the thieves by -collaring him low. This form of attack was unexpected, and though he -was greased he failed to escape. The following morning he was handed -over to the chief, and suffered the usual penalty of convicted thieves, -his head being cut off and placed on the path, as a warning to others. -This fortunate capture definitely settled the thieving question. - -After crossing the Kashale, we entered the populous and fertile district -of Bugoie. The chief is variously called Gwamu or Mwami, and is now, as -I have before stated, one of the joint kings of Ruanda. All the way up -this coast the scenery is exquisite; nowhere, except in the sounds of -New Zealand, have I ever seen anything so fine, and the nearer we -approached to the mighty volcanoes, the more dazzlingly beautiful and -the more imposing it became. - -At one of our camps we were besieged by an army of biting and poisonous -ants, and I was just turning in when they assaulted my tent. Countless -thousands swarmed all over my blankets and into my boxes and my clothes, -and over every available inch both of my person and belongings. Calling -my boys to my rescue, we endeavoured to save at least a blanket, and -fled precipitately. But so thick were they that it was impossible to -escape them. However, eventually the main body had moved on to other -people's quarters, and I succeeded in rescuing my camp-bed, which I -fixed up in another tent with all four legs in basins of water; by this -means I managed to pass the night without more than three or four -hundred around me. Sharp, who at first had looked upon it as a great -joke, became the main object of their attentions during the small hours -of the morning. - -Here the people became very friendly again, and one chief provided us -with two guides and two cattle-men, who undertook to go with us as far -as the northern slopes of the volcanoes. One of these guides and one of -the cattle-men bolted the following day with a few trifles, but the -other two stuck to us well, and found our company so agreeable that they -even followed me right through to the Nile, where they met a sad fate. - -The Ruanda people are even more superstitious than most Central African -natives. They wear medicine (native name _dawa_) to guard them against -every conceivable ill, such as pains in the stomach, leopards, death, -etc., etc. It is curious that the natives, like the lower animals, seem -to be unable to grasp the fact that they will die; such a thing as a -natural death they cannot understand, and always attribute the event to -some form of violence, which, if not obvious, they describe as the -effect of the "evil eye." The tip of a cow's horn, inlaid with ivory, -is considered particularly efficacious against a pain in the side; and -if a man wears two small leather bottles round his neck, he can never -die. A large red bean is a sure preventive against leopards. One -native wore an extraordinary bracelet; it was made of wood, and -beautifully worked with various metals; the total weight must have been -at least two pounds. He promised to come into camp and sell it to me; -but, having promised, naturally did not come. Of all the liars in -Africa, I believe the people of Ruanda are by far the most thorough. I -have pointed to a mountain 13,000 ft. high, at a distance of three -miles, and asked my native guide whether there was a mountain there: he -would say "No!" On the march, if I asked whether there was water near, -and he told me "yes," I knew that it would take at least six hours to -find the next stream, and therefore camped where I was; if, however, he -said that there was no water, one could be perfectly certain of finding -several streams within the course of the next ten minutes. Even amongst -themselves they appear to talk in the same way, and many of the -instances, such as I have mentioned, are so extraordinary that I cannot -help thinking that it is a custom. I believe at one place on the coast -there is a form of Swahili which is spoken backwards, or rather the end -of the word is put first. It seems to me to be just conceivable that -the same train of reasoning may affect the habits of speech of the Wa -Ruanda. - -The natives assured me that there were many elephant on the north side -of the volcanoes and also to the west, in the countries of Mushari and -Gishari; for this reason I was sorely tempted to doubt their existence; -however, from Dr. Kandt's remarks we thought it would be worth while, -later on, to go and see. - -[Illustration: On the Track of the Cannibals.] - -We had a lot of trouble with our cattle-folk. The head cattle-man was a -most persistent, pertinacious scoundrel, and as soon as he was detected -in one villainy he invariably tried another; the result being that, -although we had ten cows, there was barely enough milk for two people, -and butter was quite out of the question. So we determined to take the -thing in hand, and make a big effort to find out where the leakage was. -As we had expected, under our personal supervision, there was a quantity -of milk, enough for us both, and plenty with which we could make butter. - -The method of making butter, a task which was entrusted to the headman's -wife, is as follows: The woman squatted down on the ground, and taking -an enormous flat gourd, containing milk which had been kept for three -days, she proceeded to rock it to and fro, bringing it up short against -her thigh. She assured us that, for the purpose of obtaining butter, it -was absolutely necessary to insert two small pieces of wood as medicine. -Judging from the quantity of butter, I doubted its efficacy; and -suspecting that there was some new villainy in hand, as we obtained -about a quarter of an ounce of butter from a bucket full of milk, we -waited till the process was complete, and then told her to bring the -gourd to us. All my doubts as to the efficacy of the two bits of wood -were removed when I discovered that they were just large enough to jam -in the neck of the gourd, and that, perched on the top of them, was a -pound and a half of butter. She was quite unabashed at the discovery, -and evidently mentally prayed that she would have better luck next time, -which I have no doubt she did, although not in that particular method. - -On our last march up the side of the lake the cattle were, owing to the -steep nature of the road, left a long way behind; a band of natives -attacked them, but the cattle-guard, firing a few rounds, which did more -harm to themselves than to anybody else, repulsed the attack. Hearing -about it, I sent Makanjira, my gun-bearer, back, and with his help they -brought them all in without mishap. - -At the north-east corner of the lake there is an abrupt descent, and to -the north of the lake the country is flat, gently sloping to the base of -the large, active volcano. - - - - - *CHAPTER XI.* - - *THE VOLCANOES.* - - -At the base of the descent there is a small bay, the resort of many -fishermen, and beyond, two small isolated peaks, on the slope of one of -which we camped. In the evening I climbed to the top of the one nearest -to the lake to take observations of all the promontories down the east -coast. - -I think the view is the finest I have ever seen. Far to the south -stretched the mighty expanse of water; dark promontories of every shape -and size jutted far into the lake; Kwijwi stood out in bold outline; and -the mighty wall of mountains on the west was dimly visible on the far -horizon. Below me stretched a great plain, the eastern part densely -covered with fields of millet and banana plantations, dotted with a -thousand huts. In all the fields hundreds of women were working, and -small herds of cattle and goats were slowly wending their way to the -lake. To the west, the plain was covered with young forest. To the -north towered the terrific mass of Mount Goetzen, vomiting forth a great -volume of black smoke. The old volcanoes towered aloft above the -clouds, which swirled in constant eddies about their base. Entranced -with the view, I waited till the sun declined and dropped like a molten -ball behind the bold outline of the hills; then the moon came up, -bathing the waters of the lake in silvery light. - -The natives visited our camp in hundreds, and brought numerous presents -of goats and sheep, and an unlimited quantity of supplies for sale. We -told them that we wanted to buy eggs--a request that always astonishes -the natives, who are not used to the ways of white men, as they -themselves never eat them. One old gentleman rushed away, and shortly -returned, bringing a dirty basket with a frowsy old hen and about -fifteen small chickens emerging from the eggs, and was surprised because -we said they were of no use to us. We tried to explain that we -preferred them fresh, and he evidently thought that we were making a -fool of him. - -Here we were informed that in the pass between the volcanoes there was -no water, and that we should have to purchase what we required at great -price from the natives, who obtain a purple liquid by tapping the stems -of the banana palms. - -The large volcanoes, of which there are six, fall naturally under two -heads. The two western ones are still active; the highest I have -described on my map as Mount Goetzen, in honour of Count Goetzen, who -was the first to discover Kivu, and who made the ascent of the peak -which I have named after him. Owing to the impossibility of obtaining -representative names to these mountains, I have suggested names for -them. On one of the mountains on which I camped, I obtained no less -than thirty-six names of the same place. Mount Goetzen is a stupendous -mass, and has three craters. The central crater, described by Count -Goetzen, is very extensive; the bottom of the crater is quite flat, and -has two cleanly-drilled vent-holes; the northern and the southern -craters are now extinct. It is covered with the densest imaginable -forest, almost to the summit; and Count Goetzen found it absolutely -necessary, during his ascent, to fetch all water from the lake. - -Slightly to the north-west of this peak another volcano, covering an -enormous area, has formed since Count Goetzen's passage through the -country. He mentions considerable activity at the end of the ridge; and -two years before I passed through the country there had been a terrific -eruption, in the course of which this volcano formed; its crater is -several miles in circumference. I have described it as Mount Sharp, -after my fellow-traveller. - -The eastern system is still more imposing. The four main peaks have -long been extinct, and the form of the highest, which I have described -as Mount Eyres, after Mrs. Eyres of Dumbleton Hall, Evesham, is very -striking, reminding me forcibly of the Matterhorn, as seen from the -Riffelalp. The height of Mount Eyres is over 13,000 ft., and its summit -was almost invariably covered with snow in the morning. A dense, -impenetrable forest runs up to a height of 11,500 ft., above which there -is open woodland. The actual summit, or last 500 ft., is practically -bare. The top has the appearance of slightly overhanging, and shows -some bold rock faces. The next volcano in the chain I have described as -Mount Kandt, after the eminent scientist who is making such exhaustive -studies of Ruanda and the north-west territories of the German sphere. - -We insisted upon all our boys buying gourds for water, in case of there -being any difficulty in obtaining it on the road. The waterless stage -to be traversed was a long one, and we therefore only made a short -march, and camped at the last watering-place, which was about four miles -from the lake. This was the site of Gwamu's village. Gwamu himself, -following the traditions of the Ruanda kings, retired to the mountains, -but left his headman to receive us with a handsome present of goats and -necessaries. - -The population here was enormous, every available inch of country was -cultivated, and this portion of Bugoie is undoubtedly the most -prosperous, the most densely populated, and the most fertile spot that I -have seen in Africa. - -Fifteen miles to the east, the range that encloses the Rift Valley -culminates in a striking peak. It is known to the natives as Hembe e -Bugogo. This peak is at a pronounced angle in the range; and northwards -the enclosing hills recede towards the east. The volcanoes themselves -are a quite distinct system, having risen out of the bed of the Rift -Valley. - -On the following day we started on our waterless march with many -misgivings. Our route lay along the base of the hills, then over a -small chain of extinct volcanic craters, then across the flat, swampy -plain, which lies to the east of Mount Goetzen. In all directions there -are isolated, extinct craters, still perfect in form, and invariably -terraced and covered with crops of peas and beans. - -We camped in the vicinity of three large, straggling villages. The -natives were not very friendly at first, although the headman of Gwamu -had accompanied us, and about tea-time one of our men rushed in to say -that the herds had been attacked and that they had lost thirty goats and -sheep, and that one man had been wounded with a spear. I hurried out to -the scene, but it was too late to do any good, and I returned, bringing -in the remnants of our flocks. - -The path then passed over the summit of the pass between Mount Goetzen -and Mount Eyres. I found the height to be approximately 7,000 feet. -Half a mile from our camp I discovered a small cave open at both ends, -in which there was a pool of water, which the natives refused to drink; -whether from superstition or because the water is poisonous, I could not -say. - -At the base of Mount Eyres there are several small craters, and on the -north side of the base there is a little rugged patch of country, where -the path descends into abrupt ravines, and passes through a strip of the -most luxuriant tropical forest, on the far side of which the wonderful -pastures, characteristic of this country, recommence. Here, we were -told, was the elephant country. - -Gwamu's headman was still with us, and he brought in many of the -surrounding chiefs. At first they were very friendly and brought us -plenty of supplies for sale, the article of exchange in greatest request -being salt. Judging from their phenomenal mendacity, I can quite -understand their need of it. - -Here we purchased several bows made by the dwarfs. They are quite -distinct from any other bow that I have seen. The arc is in two pieces, -an outside sheath of split cane with another piece of wood let in to the -groove; both are neatly bound together by reed, and the string is -composed of one blade of a very tough reed which grows in the forest. -We also procured some strings of beads which the natives said had come -from the west; they are very primitive, and appear to have been made of -some kind of shell. - -The following morning we went out in search of elephant. - -The forest was full of traps set by the Pigmies. The ordinary type was -a bamboo bent towards the game-path with a string fastened to the -ground, where it was tied in a running noose; by this means, I am -informed, they catch many pigs and small quadrupeds of the forest. They -also fix spears, weighted with heavy blocks of wood, in the trees, and -the elephant passing underneath releases the spear by breaking the cord -with which it is attached; but I think their usual method of slaying -elephant is by firing poisoned arrows into them--having done which, they -follow the unfortunate beast for days, until it drops. - -The country was so impenetrable that hunting was a practical -impossibility, so two days later I started with ten boys to see if I -could find an easier hunting-ground. I passed round to the north of -Mount Eyres, and pitched my camp on an eminence of 9,000 ft., -overlooking the Rutchuru Valley. Here I immediately found fresh -elephant-tracks. A herd of ten had passed towards the north, and a -solitary old bull had gone towards the forest on the mountain slope. -This I elected to follow, and in an hour and a half I could hear him not -far away, tearing down branches of trees. His spoor was bigger than any -spoor I have ever seen, and the size of the brute, when I first saw him, -filled me with astonishment. Unfortunately he was not standing broadside -on, and it was impossible for me to go round. From where I stood, I -could see the small glade in which he was standing, but could only see a -portion of his head and the ridge of his back. I watched him for some -time picking the leaves off a tree; then, having eaten all the leaves -within reach, without apparent effort he seized the trunk of the tree -about 16 ft. from the ground and laid it flat. The tree had a diameter -of more than 2 ft. Fearing that he might move into the impenetrable -jungle that surrounded us, I took the shot, difficult as it was; he -fell, but instantly recovered himself and dashed away, getting the -second barrel in his flank as he did so. For several hours I followed -him, without getting another shot, though I found where he had again -fallen down and lost much blood. A few hundred yards further on I heard -him in some very thick bush; my guide, who was following on the spoor, -refused to advance, and I had perforce to take the lead. The wind was -very shifty, and he suddenly detected our presence, venting his -disapproval in a series of unpleasant grunts. Suddenly, hearing a great -crashing of bushes, I thought that he was moving away, and hurried -forward as fast as the difficult track would allow, in the hopes of -catching a glimpse of him. The noise was terrific, and it suddenly -dawned upon me that, so far from moving off, he was coming on. I was -powerless to move--a fall would have been fatal--so waited; but the -forest was so dense that I never saw him till his head was literally -above me, when I fired both barrels of the double .500 magnum, which I -was carrying, in his face. The whole forest seemed to crumple up, and a -second later I found myself 10 ft. above the ground, well home in a -thorn-bush, while my gun was lying ten yards away in the opposite -direction; and I heard a roar as of thunder disappearing into the -distance. A few seconds later, the most daring of my boys, Zowanji, -came hurrying along with that sickly green hue which a negro's face -assumes in moments of fear, and with his assistance I descended from my -spiky perch. I was drenched with blood, which fortunately proved to be -not mine, but that of the elephant; my gun, which I recovered, was also -covered with his blood, even to the inside of the barrels. The only -damage I sustained was a slightly twisted knee. I cannot say whether -the elephant actually struck me, or whether I was carried there by the -rush of country. - -Following on his tracks, I found enormous pools of blood, and half a -mile further on I again heard grunts, which showed that he had caught my -wind. He rushed about, uttering those strident shrieks that are so -terrifying, but, after his last experience, refused to charge. I spent -an exceedingly nervous five minutes, while he devastated half an acre of -forest. Then he moved on again, and it was not till two hours later -that I caught him up. He was standing in a dense bamboo thicket, and I -fired the .500 at his head; he fell to the shot, but quickly recovered -and went away. Yet another time I caught him up, and approached within -ten yards, but the thicket was so dense that I could not see an inch of -his body. I might have turned his flank, but in so doing should have -given him my wind, and I funked it. He shortly moved on, and after -twice falling pulled himself together, and went through the bamboo -forest at an increased pace. I followed hard, but never saw him again, -and at sunset was compelled to give up the chase. - -We were at an altitude of 9,000 ft. and spent the night sitting naked -round a fire, while the rain beat out any lingering sentiments for -elephant-hunting that had survived the day's work. The old volcanic -soil of these forests is so porous that above the valley there are no -streams. We had had nothing to eat or drink since 6 a.m., and it was -not till 11.30 the following morning that we found a cattle-station in -the forest. Here we drank a quantity of milk, and eventually arrived in -camp at two in the afternoon. My boys were almost dead with fatigue, -and I myself slept for fifteen hours without rocking. - -In following elephant through these forests it was necessary to cut -one's way with a native axe on the path that the elephant had traversed -only five minutes before. At times, for many yards one never touched -the ground, but had perforce to climb along the tree-trunks, and the -dense vegetable growth, constantly slipping and falling into thorn-bush -and nettles, all of which the elephant would take in his stride; while -the bush was so solid that, after the elephant had brushed it aside, it -flew back to its original position. - -This nettle, which, I believe, is peculiar to these volcanoes, is the -most appalling creation that I have ever dreamed of. Some were 10 ft. -in height, and it was impossible to brush them aside; they were covered -with myriads of long, almost invisible, spines, which penetrated khaki, -flannel, and everything except leather. The pain produced by contact -with them was nearly unbearable, but fortunately subsided in about ten -minutes. At times they were so bad that my natives could no longer -move, and I had to beat down a track before they could pass. Many times -they sat down and howled like babies. Some of the trees that had been -torn down by the elephant were of enormous dimensions, and I had never -before even guessed at the stupendous power of the African elephant. - -I found that the country here was no easier than that which I had just -left, and therefore marched north down the long sloping spur that leads -into the valley of the Kako. - -The district round the base of Mount Eyres is called Bwisha. It is -ruled by a powerful chief called Kahanga. His main village was -elaborately protected by a palisade, around which trees and creepers had -been planted to consolidate the structure, and it was surrounded by many -smaller villages. The whole of the adjacent country was densely planted -with banana, and all the intervening land was covered with fields of -peas, beans, and millet. - -My track led down a small stream that flowed into the Mungawo, which is -the western head-waters of the Kako, as the southern part of the -Rutchuru is called; it is consequently one of the most distant sources -of the Albert Nile. The territory between the Mungawo and the Kako is -called Shoni; here I made many inquiries about elephant, and, as usual, -was informed that there were none actually there, but that there were -tremendous quantities elsewhere. - -Kahanga was at first rather suspicious, but plucking up courage at the -insignificant proportions of my caravan, he eventually became very -communicative, and told off some men to guide me round the country. - -Leaving this village I marched to the east, along the base of four -extinct volcanoes, to find out the real truth of the vexed question of -Mfumbiro. - -Mfumbiro, as a mountain, is unknown to the natives, but I eventually -ascertained that it is merely a native word which means "The place where -there is fire." And when I reached the country where Mount Mfumbiro had -been supposed by an imaginative treaty-maker to be, I was informed that -"Mfumbiro" was used by the natives in that part to represent the -district of the active volcanoes. - -In reaching my destination I passed through many almost impenetrable -forests of bamboo, and crossed the head-waters of the main stream of the -Kako. The natives appeared to be rather disturbed, and suspicious of my -intentions. With such a weak caravan I did not desire to have any -trouble; I therefore hastily retreated to the base of Mount Eyres once -more. - -Close to Kahanga's village there is a small pool, probably a relic of -the lake that once filled this Rift Valley, as there are a few -hippopotami therein, and the hilly nature of the country that surrounds -this small lake renders it improbable that they have any connection with -the outside world. - -From here I made my first attempt to cross the great lava streams that -fill the trough of the valley, with the intention of inspecting Mushari, -which Dr. Kandt had told me teemed with elephant. Inquiries which I -made confirmed his report, and the natives appeared particularly anxious -for me to go there. It was not till my eventual arrival in Mushari that -I really understood the reason of their anxiety. - -When I had penetrated a short distance into the tangled scrub that has -sprung up on the edge of the lava-stream, my guide mysteriously -disappeared; and as it was already late in the day, and I knew that -there was no chance of obtaining water till I reached the hills on the -far side, I returned. Passing round the base of the terrace which -overhangs the lava-stream, I eventually arrived back at our main camp. -On the way I traversed a wonderful succession of plantations and -villages. The natives bring all their water from a distance of six -miles. - -I found that Sharp, after losing two stone in frantic efforts to find -elephant, had given up the game as a bad job, and together we started to -make another attempt to cross into Mushari. - -The natives stated that there was a track round Mount Goetzen, and it -was not until we had actually started that they informed us that it was -impossible to take cattle there. One man volunteered to show the way, -but at the last moment endeavoured to escape. However, he was caught, -and a string was tied round his neck. I explained to him that I could -not risk being left without a guide, and had therefore been compelled to -take that precaution, promising him, however, a supplementary present -when he had completed his task, as compensation for his offended -dignity. He then protested that the track was impossible, saying that -there was no water for two days, nor any food, and that the path was so -bad that it would cut everybody's feet to pieces. Sharp and I -accordingly arranged that it would be better to see what the path was -like before moving with the whole caravan. For this purpose I started -with half a dozen men, carrying my necessaries, while Sharp returned to -our camping-place. - -I and my boys set out for the slopes of Mount Goetzen, and on the way -managed to pick up two more guides. After climbing a very steep hill, we -arrived on a flat terrace, where there were many signs of elephant; this -we crossed and plunged into the dense forest, characteristic of the -slopes of these volcanoes. The track was almost indistinguishable, and -the recent depredations of elephant had rendered it practically -impassable. After eight hours' work we found that it would be impossible -to reach a pool of water which, my guide acknowledged, existed at some -distance. At this point two of the guides mysteriously vanished, and I -sincerely congratulated myself on having tied the third one up. - -I waited for my boys to close up, but waited in vain: all except two had -lost the track, and though I fired round after round, there was no -response. Everything, with the exception of the inside of my tent, was -with the boys who had strayed. To afford some shelter we fixed up this -part of the tent on some poles, which we cut with a sword-bayonet. - -Torrential rains fell all night, but unfortunately we had no means of -catching the water, as the roof of foliage above our heads caught the -fall and poured it on to us through unexpected channels. It was -exceedingly cold, and we had no food. However, the night passed -somehow, and the following morning, retracing our steps and firing shots -at intervals, we eventually discovered the other boys. The sun was very -hot, and selecting an open glade, we sat down and dried ourselves, while -making a square meal. - -In the midst of my meal I had an idea that somebody from behind was -looking at me; and turning round, I saw the hideous, distorted features -of a pigmy leering at me in open-mouthed astonishment through the bush -against which I was resting. When he saw that he was detected he dashed -away at an incredible pace, and my boys failed to catch him. These -pigmies are usually described by travellers as implacably hostile to -strangers, but I never had any trouble with them, although I came in -contact with many. - -Having no water or food, I had, for the second time, to abandon the -attempt to reach Mushari, and sorrowfully retraced my steps to camp, -burning on my way the hut of the guide who had bolted; a punishment that -he richly deserved, as he had undertaken to come for payment and had -left me, thinking that I should be lost, and taking with him my axe. - -In this part of Africa the natives use the word "tanganyika" for any -lake or extensive body of water. - -On my way into camp I saw another pigmy in one of the villages. He had -brought honey to trade with the Ruanda people for grain. The natives -informed me that the pigmies have no settled villages, nor do they -cultivate anything. They live the life of the brute in the forests, -perpetually wandering in search of honey or in pursuit of elephant; when -they succeed in killing anything, they throw up a few grass shelters and -remain there till all the meat is either eaten or dried. They depend -upon the other natives for the necessary grain, which they either steal -or barter for elephant-meat or honey. All their knives, spear-heads, -and arrow-heads they likewise purchase from other people, but they make -their own bows and arrows. So well are these made that they are held in -great esteem by the surrounding people. This pigmy fled on my approach, -and although the country was perfectly flat, and therefore my boys were -on equal terms when they tried to catch him, he easily escaped. The -pace at which he ran was extraordinary. It is curious to notice how -perfectly adapted they are to the surroundings in which they live; the -combination of immense strength necessary for the precarious -hunting-life they lead, and of compactness, indispensable to rapid -movement in dense forest, where the pig-runs are the only means of -passage, is a wonderful example of nature's adaptability. - -After a few days' rest I made my third and successful attempt to cross -the lava-beds, which I describe in the following chapter on Mushari. - -Sharp undertook to take the live stock and the main caravan round the -southern slope of Mount Goetzen, and to eventually meet me in Mushari. -This involved a waterless tramp of twenty-five miles, unless he could -find the pool of water spoken of by Count Goetzen as existing in a small -crater on the lava-bed between Mount Goetzen and the lake. - -On the road he had to pass near the place where he had lost our thirty -sheep and goats, and he determined to recapture them, if possible. -Seeing a large flock being driven off across the plain he gave chase, -followed by two of his boys, while the main caravan halted. After a -sharp dash over the roughest country imaginable, semi-disintegrated lava -and scrubby bush, he succeeded in collecting twenty-five goats, and in -driving them to his camping-place. The natives meanwhile collected in -large numbers and fired volleys of arrows at him, all of which -fortunately missed their mark. When he rejoined the main body of his -caravan he found that two men had been wounded by arrows. An enormous -concourse of natives rapidly gathered on the surrounding hills. - -Having pitched his camp and put the place in a position of defence, he -was hailed by a deputation from the chief, who said that he wished to -pay Sharp "hongo." Sharp promptly informed them that the chief must -arrive with wood, water, and thirty-five goats, as compensation for the -loss which we had sustained and the trouble which they had caused us. -All this the chief undertook to do. He was a fine native, standing over -6 ft. After a long delay he returned with three goats, and without wood -or water. So he was promptly bound with his four headmen and placed in -the guard-tent. After much prevarication and some little delay the -goats were produced, and with them a small tusk of ivory; whereupon the -prisoners were released and their hearts made glad by a handsome present -of cloth and beads to show that, now that the account was squared, there -was no ill-feeling. - -The following day he had much difficulty in getting his caravan through -the difficult country, and failing to find water, he was compelled to -descend to the shore of Kivu, where a sharp attack of fever delayed him -for some days. - -The boys, who had picked up wild rumours of the existence of bad men in -the country to be penetrated, almost mutinied, and Sharp was fortunately -relieved of the necessity of risking a mutiny through pushing on by the -receipt of a note from me to the effect that he must return at once, as -the country was full of cannibals and devastated from end to end. - - - - - *CHAPTER XII.* - - *MUSHARI AND ITS CANNIBALS.* - - -After these two unsuccessful attempts to reach Mushari--first, north by -Kahanga's country, and secondly, by the path that runs round the base of -Mount Goetzen--I determined to cut straight across the lava-streams, in -spite of everything that the natives said to dissuade me. Lies, lies, -lies, I was sick to death of them, and resolved to go to Mushari by the -direct route, cost what it might, the behaviour of my pagazi,[#] which -caused my second attempt to fail, making me only the more determined to -show them that their little games were of no use. In vain I sent out to -the villages for guides, none were forthcoming; frightened, as I -afterwards discovered, by my boys, they obstinately assured me there was -no way across; that we should die of thirst, be eaten by lions, and so -forth, _ad nauseam_. I gave out orders that all my boys were to make -sandals, and prepare food and water for two days. In the morning -three-quarters of them hobbled up on sticks, pleading sickness; and when -I finally started, half of them burst into tears and swore that they -were not slaves, to be led into the wilderness to die. When we reached -the edge of the lava-stream, there were no shoes or food or water; but -when I once stepped on to the stones, the whole scene changed. Beads -were produced, natives with sandals for sale brought forth, guides -sprang up in bewildering plenty, and, as I had half suspected, I found -there was a well-used track across. There is one thing to be said for -the Manyema: they play their game right out to the end. - - -[#] Porters. - - -We went south-west for four hours across the eastern stream, making -about half a mile an hour; it is like a very broken glacier such as that -which lies under the north-west side of the Aiguille du Dru near -Chamounix, huge blocks of lava piled one upon the other, and sharp as -razors. The length is about twenty miles, and breadth about two in the -narrowest part. Further north it branches off to the east and west, the -western branch mingling with the great western stream about fifteen -miles from the pass between Mount Goetzen and Mount Sharp. The natives -say that the lava came down two years ago, and that great numbers of -elephants were killed; I myself saw the bones of one in our -comparatively short traverse. - -Already there are patches of bush several miles in extent where the -stream eddied, stayed by some extra strong clump of trees, and so -wonderful is the tropical growth produced by the combination of damp and -fertile soil, that in another twenty years all obvious trace of the -great eruption will have been erased. The trees on all the higher spurs -which were above the level of the streams were snapped off short by the -wind, and lie in regular rows towards the main centres of disturbance. -The eruption must have been accompanied by considerable seismic waves, -huge rents occurring in the surrounding forests; and very beautiful -these rents are, being already converted by a luxuriant nature into -exotic ferneries. After leaving the lava the path led west into the -bush, and about 4 p.m. we reached a pool of water formed by an old -crater. My inquiry as to the death-rate caused much merriment, and the -evening passed with howls of joy and those unearthly noises which in -Africa pass current for song. - -Here we were joined by numbers of natives coming from Mushari with loads -of food. On inquiry I found that they were refugees, having been driven -out by the Baleka or Bareka, a tribe of cannibals from the Congo who had -raided their country. They told me that those who had survived were -living in the forest, and that great numbers were dying every day of -hunger. On the morrow we skirted along the base of the new volcano for -about fourteen miles through the most beautiful glades, coming across -several pools of water. Dead natives lined the path, showing that the -tales of our last night's companions were only too true. Towards -evening we reached the great western stream, and here we met several -natives who were living amongst the stones in the most awful misery, -hardly daring even to make a fire. They said that they had been living -thus for six months. When driven to despair by hunger, they would make -a dash for an armful of half-ripe grain, each time losing some of their -number by the Baleka, who were watching all the paths. I lined their -bellies and warmed their hearts (identical organs, I believe, in the -African and perhaps some others) with beans; and in the morning we -advanced into the dreaded land. All the paths up the hills that led to -the uplands of Mushari were lined with grain and torn skins, relics of -those unfortunates who had been caught; and dried pools of blood, gaunt -skeletons, grinning skulls, and trampled grass told a truly African -tale. On arriving at the top of the ridge a beautiful rolling country -opened out before us, dotted with clusters of grass huts and stately -trees; russet patches of ripening mtama contrasted with the emerald -green of the wild banana, range upon range of purple hills melted into -the nether-world of a tropical horizon. But we were not to enjoy the -scenery long, for distant howls showed that we had been observed, -silhouetted as we were against the sky; and strings of black figures, -brandishing spears and howling at the expected feast, came running down -from a neighbouring hill. I was still uncertain as to the exact state -of affairs. The refugees and the numerous corpses made it obvious that -there was something in the wind, but I imagined that it was merely an -ordinary case of native fractiousness, some intertribal squabble, such -as occurs every day in these remote corners of the Dark Continent, and -that the Baleka and their doings were merely a characteristic effort of -the African imagination. But the diabolical noise made by the onrushing -natives decided me that the matter was serious. I questioned my guide -as to their intentions, and was scarcely reassured by his naive remark: -"They are coming to eat us." Accordingly I kept quiet behind a clump of -grass till they were quite close and there was no further doubt of their -intentions, and opened fire with my light rifle. They disappeared like -rabbits into the standing crops. - -We then hurried on to the huts from which we had seen these people come; -but they were too quick for us, and fled. A cloud of vultures hovering -over the spot gave me an inkling of what I was about to see, but the -realization defies description; it haunts me in my dreams, at dinner it -sits on my leg-of-mutton, it bubbles in my soup--in fine, Watonga would -not eat the potatoes that grew in the same country, and went without -food for forty-eight hours rather than do so: ask your African friends -what that means; negroes have not delicate stomachs. Loathsome, -revolting, a hideous nightmare of horrors; and yet I must tell briefly -what I saw, for the edification of any disciple of the -poor-dear-black-man, down-with-the-Maxim, Africa-for-the-African Creed, -who may chance to peruse these pages. - -_Item_.--A bunch of human entrails drying on a stick. - -_Item_.--A howling baby. - -_Item_.--A pot of soup with bright yellow fat. - -_Item_.--A skeleton with the skin on lying in the middle of the huts; -apparently been dead about three months. - -_Item_.--A gnawed thigh-bone with shreds of half-cooked meat attached. - -_Item_.--A gnawed forearm, raw. - -_Item_.--Three packets of small joints, evidently prepared for flight, -but forgotten at the last moment. - -_Item_.--A head, with a spoon left sticking in the brains. - -_Item_.--A head, one cheek eaten, the other charred; hair burnt, and -scalp cut off at top of forehead like the peel of an orange; one eye -removed, presumably eaten, the other glaring at you. - -_Item_.--Offal, sewage. - -_Item_.--A stench that passeth all understanding, and, as a fitting -accompaniment, a hovering cloud of crows and loathly, scraggy-necked -vultures. - -Every village had been burnt to the ground, and as I fled from the -country I saw skeletons, skeletons everywhere; and such postures, what -tales of horror they told! Let this suffice, worse than all this I saw, -and that I have not exaggerated one jot or tittle, may God bear me -witness! I would not have entered into these revolting details, but -that I think it advisable that those who have not the chance of seeing -for themselves should know what is going on every day in this country. A -beautiful yellow covers this spot on the map, with a fringe of red spots -with flags attached, denoting (as the map informs you) stations of the -Congo Free State. And yet a peaceful agricultural people can be -subjected to horrors like this for months (_without any one knowing_). -And why? Because the whole system is bunkum--the so-called partition of -Africa. The stations marked do not exist; and read, mark, learn, and -inwardly digest this fact: I have to pay a licence _to carry a gun_ in -the country. - -The next day I reached Kishari, and found that this beautiful and -well-watered country had been converted into a howling wilderness, -Kameronse having suffered to the same extent. Thus a tract of country -about 3,000 square miles in extent has been depopulated and devastated. -I do not believe that two per cent. of the thousands of inhabitants have -survived the massacre and famine: in Kishari and Kameronse there is not -one single soul. And all this is directly attributable to the revolted -Askaris of the Congo: they led the attack with thirty guns, took all the -cattle, and then departed, leaving this horde of hyaenas in their wake; -and a similar fate has, I suppose, befallen all those tribes between -Tanganyika and Albert Edward through whose country they passed. - -The partition or occupation of Africa with a view to sound -colonization--that is, to fit the country as a future home for surplus -population--is the obvious duty of the nations which form the vanguard -of civilization. This is the object of our occupation of the various -territories under the British flag, and of the Germans in the East and -South-west Africa, and, I believe, of the French in the north, to make -new markets and open up country for coming generations; to suffer -temporary loss for the future benefit of overcrowded humanity. -Experience and the suitability of our institutions are the reasons of -our success. The predominance of militarism is the reason of the -hitherto comparative failure of the two great land powers, and -corruption and senile decay are the reasons of the abject failure of the -nation that led the van of colonization. However, _experientia docet_, -and Germany, at least, is laying a sound foundation for a broader -colonial policy, while Portuguese occupation is only a negative failure. -But what can be said in favour of permitting a vast tract of country to -be run merely as a commercial speculation without more legitimate -objective than that of squeezing as much rubber and ivory out of the -natives as possible; of arming large numbers of savages and entrusting -them to inexperienced men from a land of untravelled commercials to whom -expatriation is akin to disgrace; of making the administrators of -districts to all intents and purposes farmers of the taxes? However -sound the intentions of the fountain-head, there can be no responsible -administration without a connection with a definite home government. -Men do not take employment in Africa for the joke of the thing. Hopes of -preferment or pecuniary profit are what induce them to give up the -comforts of civilization, and where the former is lacking the latter -must be offered, or only the dregs of other trades will be forthcoming. - -Then followed two of the worst days of my life. Rapid movements alone -could save us from annihilation, and we travelled from sunrise to -sunset, camping in patches of forest, and concealing our route by -leaving the paths and forcing our way through the grass. Mummies, -skulls, limbs, putrefying carcases washing to and fro in every limpid -stream, marked the course of the fiendish horde. An insufferable stench -filled the land, concentrating round every defiled homestead. This was -the Congo Free State. Fear of being rushed at night made sleep -well-nigh impossible, tired as we were. The country was exceedingly -beautiful. Wild stretches of undulating hills, streaked with forest and -drained by a hundred streams, each with its cargo of bloated corpses, -made a terrible combination of heaven and hell. It was a scene that -made one wonder if there be a God. To the west I could see two lakes -nestling between the hills. A stream connects the two, and empties out -at the south end, flowing, I imagined, towards the Congo. Flights of -gorgeous butterflies floated here and there, and, settling on the -gruesome relics, gave a finishing touch to the horrors of that land. - -Leaving Kishari, we passed over the watershed, about 9,500 ft., and -descended into Kameronse. Here we were met by the same scenes of -desolation; the whole country had been swept clean--not so much as a -sweet potato, which grow almost as weeds, was left. As we were skirting -along a large papyrus swamp, which absorbs all the neighbouring streams, -we came on the fresh spoor of natives. I had only just seized my gun, -for which I had to wait about ten minutes, when a woman, girl, and two -small boys appeared. These my natives captured; and no sooner did the -woman realize that she had fallen into undesirable quarters, than she -offered to show us where her relations lay. I followed the direction -indicated with great caution, the way leading through very tall and -thick grass; and as I turned a corner, my guide flashed past me like a -streak of lightning, and I found myself confronted by half a dozen -gentlemen of anthropophagic proclivities on supper intent. The -unexpected apparition of a white man checked their rush, and dodging a -spear, I got my chance and dropped one with a shot through the heart, -two others escaping by my magazine failing to feed the barrel. We -rushed on in pursuit, and shortly came on their encampment in a banana -grove; here were the same ghastly relics as we had seen before. It -appeared that they had raided an outlying village of Bugoie the previous -night, and had caught two unfortunate wretches, whose remains were -baking and stewing in pots. From the number of the rude huts there must -have been at least fifty Baleka, but they had disappeared into the grass -and papyrus, and we saw no more of them. Some baskets of grain were -lying about, and these the Manyema eagerly seized upon; but I could not -bring myself to eat any, and my Watonga were equally fastidious, -although we had been almost without food for three days. Our captives -were terribly thin, and these outlying bands of raiders are evidently -leading but a hand-to-mouth existence; and as the Baleka have cut their -boats adrift by wiping out the whole country behind them (in their -wanton madness they even cut down the banana palms), I am afraid the -people of Bugoie will eventually succumb, although hitherto they have -held out. As yet they have only had to repel the attacks of small -bands, the main mass of the Baleka being still occupied in demolishing -the mtama fields of northern Mushari. When the general onslaught -begins, I think they will have to give way before the thousands of -savages rendered desperate by the impossibility of retreat, and those, -too, men of superior courage. Those Baleka that I had the chance of -observing at close quarters were well made and pleasant-featured, -averaging not more than 5 ft. Their possessions--baskets, shields, -knives, etc.--are very crude, and their dress consists of air and an -occasional scrap of hide, human or otherwise. Whether they have a -definite country or not, I cannot say; some natives told me that they -have, many days' journey west of Kivu, while the majority say that they -lead a nomadic existence like a flight of locusts, eating up just as -effectually whatever they come across. At a rough estimate, there -cannot have been less than 5,000 of them in the countries I passed -through. - -The next morning we came on another small encampment, which, -fortunately, had been unable to see our fires, owing to the dense bush, -although we were not half a mile away. To my amazement our guide, -seeing one gentleman apart from the rest and unarmed, rushed in and -speared him. The others turned on me, but were dispersed with a couple -of shots. This was the last we saw of the Baleka, as, in the evening, -we reached the outskirts of Bugoie, but skulls and charred relics for -many miles bore witness to their recent raids. Very glad I was of a -night's rest, for although the moral and sometimes physical effect of -firearms on these unsophisticated people is very great, still the danger -of being rushed at night, or in the dense forest and long grass, made it -very anxious work; also the smallness of my caravan--twelve carriers -with only two sniders, and such excitable curs at the end of them that I -forbade them to fire--made us a tempting prey for any large number of -natives we might meet; however, this was balanced by the rapidity of our -movements and unexpected appearance, which would have been impossible -with a larger caravan. - -Such was the country that had been described to me by Dr. Kandt, who had -visited it six months before, as a beautiful district teeming with -peaceful agricultural folk. The natives informed me that of all that -flourishing community but sixty remained. I was very anxious about -Sharp, fearing that he might enter the country by a different road to -that by which I had just left. Had he arrived hampered by a large -caravan and cattle, he must inevitably have been destroyed. Hoping that -he was still south of the volcanoes, I hurried east through the forest -that is springing up on the great lava-bed thrown out by the last -eruption but one. Here too the path was strewn with skulls, showing the -desperate efforts that the Baleka had made to force an entry into -Bugoie. Late in the afternoon we arrived at an old volcanic cone. This -was the outpost of Bugoie, and the few wretched survivors, seeing us -approaching through the forest, naturally mistook us for Baleka, and -quickly prepared for battle. It was only after an hour's shouting that -we allayed their fears. With some difficulty we managed to procure a -jar of bad water, which we sadly needed, having had nothing to drink -since daybreak, and we endeavoured to appease our ravening hunger with a -brace of pumpkins, which was all the poor creatures had to offer us. -Their destitution was complete, and filled me with pity, but I was -powerless to assist them. It was impossible to obtain any definite -information about Sharp, and it was with the direst forebodings that I -started the following morning, as I knew that there was now no chance of -intercepting him. However, an hour later I met an elderly pigmy in the -forest and managed to induce him to talk. He was a splendid little -fellow full of self-confidence, and gave me most concise information, -stating that the white man with many belongings had passed near by two -days before, and had then gone down to the lake-shore, where he was -camped at that moment. These people must have a wonderful code of signs -and signals, as, despite their isolated and nomadic existence, they -always know exactly what is happening everywhere. He was a typical -pigmy as found on the volcanoes--squat, gnarled, proud, and easy of -carriage. His beard hung down over his chest, and his thighs and chest -were covered with wiry hair. He carried the usual pigmy bow made of two -pieces of cane spliced together with grass, and with a string made of a -single strand of a rush that grows in the forests. - -I sent off two of my boys with a note to Sharp, and pushed on as fast as -possible to the food districts of Bugoie, where my boys ate so much that -I despaired of their surviving. For the next two days I was very ill, -owing to my having eaten a number of green bananas in the first banana -plantation that I entered. The scarcity of water made it still more -difficult to endure the pangs of hunger during the last day of our -march. - -Having partially recovered, I marched back to my northernmost camp and -waited for Sharp. The natives, thinking that I could be imposed upon -with my small caravan, ignored my presence, and in face of several -requests refused to bring in food for sale. The country was very rich -in produce, so I warned the chief that unless he brought in food in the -ordinary way for sale I should be obliged to come and take what I -wanted, as I could not starve. I was just preparing to carry out my -threat, when Sharp arrived, and the chief soon turned up with a diseased -sheep and about a quart of flour, which I promptly clapped on to his -head, while Sharp roared with laughter at him. He tried hard to -maintain his dignity, but with little effect: a little, tub-bellied man, -he presented the most ridiculous spectacle imaginable as he stalked out -of camp half black, half white, preceded by his awed followers. In the -afternoon he returned with plenty of supplies, and after receiving a -handsome present in exchange, retired quite satisfied. After making yet -two more attempts after elephant, in the course of which I came on many -cattle-yards hidden in the deepest recesses of the forest, we gave it up -as hopeless, and determined to press on to the Albert Edward Lake. -During one of my elephant hunts I came on the skeleton of a gigantic -ape, larger than anything I have ever seen in the anthropoids, but I -never saw a live specimen, though the natives assured me that they were -plentiful, and were a great source of annoyance to the villages, being -in the habit of carrying off stray women. - -While exploring with a small number of followers, I observed some -ape-like creatures leering at me from behind banana-palms, and with -considerable difficulty my Ruanda guide induced one of them to come and -be inspected. He was a tall man with the long arms, pendent paunch, and -short legs of the ape, pronouncedly microcephalous and prognathous. At -first he was terribly alarmed, but soon gained confidence, and when I -asked him about game and elephant, he gave me most realistic -representations of them and of how they should be attacked. I failed to -exactly define their status, but from the contempt in which they were -held by the Wa Ruanda their local caste must be very low. The stamp of -the brute was so strong on them that I should place them lower in the -human scale than any other natives I have seen in Africa. Their type is -quite distinct from the other people's, and, judging from the twenty to -thirty specimens that I saw, very consistent. Their face, body, and -limbs are covered with wiry hair, and the hang of the long, powerful -arms, the slight stoop of the trunk, and the hunted, vacant expression -of the face, made up a _tout ensemble_ that was a terrible pictorial -proof of Darwinism. Two of them accompanied me to Mushari. On the road -they showed me the ease with which they can make fire with their -fire-sticks. - - - - - *CHAPTER XIII.* - - *THE RUTCHURU VALLEY AND THE ALBERT EDWARD LAKE.* - - -On June 26th we started on our march to the Albert Edward Lake, and -camped that night near Kahanga's village. Many of the more important -men came and paid their respects to us, but Kahanga himself did not turn -up. We inquired of his Prime Minister for what reason he had not done -so, and were informed that he was ill; but having, as I thought, seen -him, as I passed, looking far from ill, I made further inquiries, and -discovered that he was afraid of our caravan, and imagined that if he -came to our camp we should make him prisoner and demand a big ransom of -ivory. I can only imagine that he had heard of other white men behaving -in this manner. I tried hard to induce him to come, but in vain. As -when I was there before with only a few boys he had been exceedingly -friendly, it is obvious under what disadvantages one labours when -travelling through Africa with a big caravan. - -The following day we crossed the Mungawo, and following the ridge of the -spur which runs down to the junction of the Mungawo and the Kako through -the Shoni district, we camped on a bluff overlooking the Kako itself. - -The Kako, as the southern portion of the Rutchuru is called, is a large -body of water, many feet deep, and quite unfordable. Its banks are -clothed with dense forests. - -The people of Shoni were most friendly, and we purchased a large supply -of beans. At this camp I saw a waterbuck, the first antelope that we -had seen for many weeks. - -We crossed the river by a native bridge formed of trunks of trees thrown -across and bound together with fibre. Beneath, the Kako thundered, a -mighty torrent, and the cloud of spray had left a saline deposit on the -rocks, which was much appreciated by our cattle. - -The name of the district into which we had entered was Imukubsu. From -here we had a magnificent view of the volcanoes, and having dropped -4,000 ft. we were enabled to see what an imposing mass Mount Eyres is; -its form on this side is an exact facsimile of the Matterhorn from the -Riffelalp. - -Here we purchased some of the curious hippo spears that are used by all -the natives on the Albert Edward Lake; they have a large piece of cork -or light wood on the end of the haft which floats the spear if they miss -their aim. We also purchased some medicine for producing rain; it was a -small goat's horn filled with the congealed blood of chickens. - -Our Baleka prisoners were most amusing. Their joint clothing when -captured consisted of one string of beads, half a dozen wire bracelets, -and a human tooth as a pendant to a necklace of elephant hair. They -were very hungry, and quite pleased with their quarters. It was a -terrible sight to see how they tore and devoured half-raw meat, but -apparently they missed the flavour which they had particularly affected, -as they could never satisfy themselves. Because of the quantity of food -they consumed, our boys viewed them with considerable disfavour. We -issued for their use a large block of soap, and insisted on their -bathing in every available stream; after that we presented them with -some blue cloth and a red blanket, draped in which they appeared quite -respectable, although the style of costume did not seem to lend itself -to their figures or type of beauty. - -The western side of the valley is covered with luxuriant forest, and the -eastern side consists of rolling grass land till fifteen miles from the -lake, when the country settles down into one vast plain. - -The people of Imukubsu appear to be practically independent of the -Kigeri, although they are undoubtedly part of the Ruanda stock. - -Here four streams flow down from the east, the most important being the -Fuko. At the outlet of the Fuko the Kako becomes the Rutchuru, and the -district to the east is called Bukoma, and is very sparsely inhabited. -Still further to the east lies the district of Ijomba, which centres -round two rather prominent peaks. Six miles further north there is -again a considerable population, and large plantations of bananas. - -The following day we crossed a stream of considerable breadth, filled -with papyrus; the water was very deep, and we had great difficulty in -the crossing of our goats and sheep. Marching through a desolate -country with no population, we arrived at a good stream called the -Gwenda. The bed of this stream is very curious; the country drops -suddenly 100 ft., forming a broad, flat-bottomed valley, down the middle -of which the Gwenda has carved out a deep trough. The valley is so flat -that it cannot be due to erosion, and is probably a recently-dried-up -arm of the lake. - -From there we crossed a vast plateau, covered with short grass; and it -was not until three in the afternoon that we reached an insignificant -stream, on the banks of which were a few poverty-stricken villages. - -The type of native had changed entirely; they informed us that they were -Wanyabinga, and that the name of their country was Wataka. They refused -cloth or beads, saying that they had no use for such things, their only -garment consisting of well-cured skins. - -The following morning we marched through similar country, and saw many -tracks of elephant. I was leading the caravan that day, and was -suddenly stopped by the cry of "Elephant!" I hastily put my big gun -together, and saw a herd of fifty elephant cross the path and descend on -to the flat plain below; they reminded me forcibly of an old print of -the Spanish Armada, as they sailed past through the long grass; their -huge ears flapping to and fro gave the impression of sails; and their -gliding action over the uneven ground was exactly similar to the motion -of a ship. The grass covered their legs, and the peculiar swinging -action of the elephant, who moves both the legs on one side at the same -time, gives the appearance of the beast being on wheels. Sending a note -back to Sharp, I hurried off in pursuit, as they swept into an extensive -patch of dense thorn jungle. The track was easy to follow, owing to the -number that had passed, and after a sharp burst of half an hour I saw -one standing broadside on, about thirty yards ahead. I tried for the -brain-shot with my .303. He threw his trunk into the air, and fell like -a rock--dead. Two more appeared at the shot, and looked at me; I fired, -and the whole herd crashed away; then I remembered that the magazine of -my gun had been loaded with expanding bullets. I rushed after them, but -failed to catch them up, and I had the greatest difficulty in retracing -my steps; the elephant had forced a way through the thornbush, and it -was comparatively easy, in the excitement of pursuit, to follow, as I -could push the thorns open in front as the elephant had done before me; -but on my return journey it was almost impossible to get through, as the -thorns, which had swung back in their place, had to be pulled towards -one to allow a passage. However, eventually I arrived at my dead -elephant, full of thorns, and torn to pieces. It was only a small bull, -but it was my first, and as I strolled back to the caravan, the beast's -tail in my hand, I was a proud man. - -I had some difficulty in getting out of the jungle. In trying to do so -I arrived unexpectedly in a village hidden in the thicket. The people, -hearing my shots, had put the village in a state of defence. It was -surrounded by almost impenetrable jungle, except at two places, where -there was an elaborate gate and stockade. The gate had been filled up -with a pile of heavy logs, pointing outwards and upwards, which rendered -entrance impossible from without, but, to their astonishment, I arrived -through the thicket. As I promptly leaned my rifle against a hut and -put out my hand to greet them, their suspicions were allayed, and they -gave me some water; then one of their number showed me the path out of -the jungle, and I rejoined the caravan. Half a mile further on we -camped by two muddy pools on the outskirts of the thicket. - -The natives became quite friendly, and brought us large quantities of a -small kind of bean, and helped us to cut out the tusks. Our carriers -came to see the elephant, and forming a ring round it, chanted a song in -its honour, and each man threw a handful of grass on its side to show -his respect, but, of course, would not eat the meat. Curiously enough, -the natives also refused to eat the meat, although they were very poor; -they informed us that they would eat hippo meat, but not elephant, which -seemed to me a very subtle distinction. We cut off a portion of the -trunk and boiled it gently for twelve hours, but did not eat much of it -when it came to table; the meat was excellent, but the two unpleasant -tubes through the middle, and the wrinkled black skin with its short, -stubby bristles, did not give an appetizing, appearance to the _plat_. -However, the youthful cannibals devoured it, although there must have -been at least ten pounds, in the short space of an hour. The two elderly -cannibals disappeared during the night. It was evidently a move on the -part of our boys, who resented the proportion of presents that fell to -the cannibals' lot. - -The reports of the country in front were not encouraging, so we bought -up a considerable quantity of beans; and the following morning marched -across the plain, and arrived near another village, similar to the one -we had left, which was also carefully hidden in the jungle. This village -was elaborately stockaded, and the natives absolutely refused to allow -me to enter; however, I eventually succeeded in obtaining a guide, and -we continued our march till we arrived at a small lagoon, where our -guide promptly left us. Here we saw a considerable number of -topi-hartebeeste and Uganda kob; these, with the exception of one -waterbuck mentioned above, were the only game that we had seen for many -long weeks; and it was a great treat to have a change from the -inevitable goat. - -Here the plain opened out to a tremendous width and had the most -desolate appearance, all the short grass being burnt; and the only -relieving features were a few patches of thorn-scrub and an occasional -candelabra euphorbia. Having no guide and no idea of what was before -us, it was rather a risky undertaking to go ahead without reconnoitring; -but retreat was impossible, owing to the scarcity of provisions, and the -quantity of game rendered actual starvation improbable. - -The following morning we launched forth, and after a long march, as I -was beginning to get doubtful as to whether we should find water, I -sighted the Rutchuru river, which here swings back towards the east. -There was a considerable quantity of Uganda kob, topi-hartebeeste, and -Chanler's reedbuck, and on the path we saw several traces of lions, -while the river teemed with hippopotami. The country is very barren, -and there are numerous salt-pans, which at a distance appear like snow. - -While the tents were being pitched, we went out and quickly secured a -supply of meat. The Manyema, like all tribes that have come under the -influence of the Arabs, refused to eat the meat of any animal that had -not had its throat cut while still alive; they also refuse to eat hippo, -elephant, or pig, but, curiously enough, are not so particular about -rhinoceros. - -We deemed it advisable to camp here for a day, while we went out in -different directions to inspect the country, as we could still, by a -forced march, manage to reach food countries if we found it impossible -to proceed. - -I went down the river, and six miles north came unexpectedly through a -belt of reeds on to the lake-shore. Where the Rutchuru enters the lake -there is a very extensive swamp, the haunt of thousands of birds -(pelicans, geese, and various storks), and many hippo. Here I found a -very sparse fishing population; their huts were built in the swamp, and -they themselves travelled about in dangerous-looking canoes. They were -very shy, and it was only after repeated efforts that I succeeded in -inducing two men to come and talk; from them I purchased a few fish, -giving them beads in exchange; and I made many inquiries as to the -country that we had to traverse. They informed me that there were no -villages for many days, and that the few villages that existed at some -distance from the lake were reduced to pitiable straits by the drought, -and the raids of some tribe from the east. - -Hence it was obviously impossible to proceed without laying in a stock -of provisions; so we shot several antelope and made our men dry the meat -over fires. - -I was suffering from slight fever, and consequently Sharp undertook to -return with boys and purchase as many loads as possible of beans. - -The fever brought on a very bad foot; I had rubbed all the skin off the -heel with elephant-hunting, and had been walking on it ever since; and -owing to the poisonous influence of the fever, it swelled to a great -size, and was in such an unhealthy condition that when I pushed my -finger into the swelling it left a cavity which did not swell out again -for some minutes. As it was impossible to stop in the country, I had to -make arrangements to be carried, and all the time that I was in camp, -sat with my foot in a basin filled with a strong solution of -permanganate of potash, applying a poultice of Elliman's Embrocation at -night. - -Here the water of the Rutchuru was almost too salt to drink, and we were -not sorry to reach the lake, where, although the water was salt, it was -drinkable. - -Sharp shot several fine kob and topi, the horns being equal to anything -recorded in Rowland Ward's book, _Horns and their Measurement_. - -The water at the edge of the lake was very shallow. Two days from the -Rutchuru my leg became so bad that we were compelled to stop; and as the -supply of food was already running short, we sent some of our boys back -to buy a fresh supply. - -Here we were visited by some natives who, having heard our shots, came -down the lake in canoes to find out who we were; they had a few guns -which they had purchased from some Swahili traders; and as they entered -the camp they fired a salute in our honour. The chief, who was a most -intelligent native, asked us whether we wanted to buy any ivory. We -told him to bring it to us, so that we might see whether it was worth -purchasing. He brought a small tusk of 30 lbs., and said that he had -another very large tusk, which he dared not bring unless we made -blood-brotherhood with him. This we did, our headman serving as proxy. - -The mode of procedure was as follows: Our headman sat down opposite the -native's representative, each party having a sponsor, while the eldest -of the natives constituted himself master of the ceremonies. Two small -pieces of meat were procured, and each sponsor held one in his hand; the -master of the ceremonies then explained that we were to become -blood-brothers of the chief, and evoked a series of curses on either -party that might not be true to the pledge. The words of his weird -incantation were,-- - -"May hippopotami run against him; may leopards tear him by night; may -hunger and thirst gripe him; may his women be barren; may his children -wither, even as the grass withers; may crocodiles rend him; may lions -howl round his couch by night; may elephants crush him," etc. - -Having thus evoked all imaginary curses on the delinquent's head, he -made a slight incision on each of the parties' chest. The blood that -flowed from the cut having been smeared on the two pieces of raw meat, -each party had to devour the piece smeared with the blood of the other. - -A loaded gun had been placed between them, and when the ceremony was -complete, this was fired into the air; while the chief and his -attendants fired another volley. Thereupon I had the 4-bore brought -forth, and told off my headman to fire it, while my gun-bearer supported -him--an advisable precaution. The tremendous report, the obvious -recoil, and the shriek of the huge bullet impressed them mightily. - -We then called the chief up and taught him to shake hands, saying that -it was the Englishman's method of making blood-brotherhood; and that now -that we had performed the rites of both people, the Wanyabinga and the -Englishman, there could be no possibility of the compact ever being -broken. And we pointed out our flag,[#] which was flying over the camp, -and told him that wherever in future he saw that flag, he might know -that he would be well received and treated with justice. - - -[#] This flag was accepted by her late Majesty the Queen. - - -They then filed off with a handsome present of cloth, delighted with the -result of their visit; and the following morning they arrived with the -tusk, which was a large one, weighing about 80 lbs. But we did not -purchase it, explaining to them that we had only come there to see the -country, and to hunt elephant for our own amusement, and that we were -not like the Swahili traders whom they had met. We allowed them to -bring the tusk, so that they might see that they could repose absolute -confidence in us. With the tusk they brought several loads of sweet -potatoes, and we gave them a present in exchange. - -The chief was a very pleasant and intelligent native, and during the -next two days Sharp made several short trips with him. One day the -chief and all his men showed us how they hunted antelope with dogs. The -dogs were well trained; they rounded the beast and drove it within reach -of the hunters, who succeeded in spearing it. - -The whole of the southern coast of the Albert Edward is the home of -hundreds of hippopotami, and the beach is lined with masses of their -dung; all night they kept up a tremendous concert of bellowing and -grunts, which rendered sleep well-nigh impossible. - -My foot having meanwhile sufficiently healed to allow me to be carried, -we advanced along the shore of the lake, and camped at the edge of the -extensive swamp at the mouth of the three main streams which flow into -the lake from the south-east. Here it was obvious that there had been a -recent and abrupt rise in the country, the old lake-bed being sharply -defined. - -From this point I perceived that my observations would materially -diminish the area of the lake; the suggested coast-line on extant maps -practically corresponds with the last lake level. Judging from the -comparatively insignificant size of the vegetation on the -recently-exposed lake-bed, the last rise and level must have been -historically recent and quite sudden; in fact, a remarkable point was -that this vegetation corresponds in age to the vegetation found on the -lava-beds that had been poured out by the volcanoes immediately prior to -the late terrific eruption. - -Owing to the swampy nature of the country, we were compelled to again -march south-east; and after crossing a flat table-land, again descended -on to the last level of the lake, where we crossed the first of the -south-eastern streams, called the Sasa. Here an arm of the late lake -level runs five miles inland, and is three miles broad. Then we again -climbed on to the table-land, which is the last lake-level but two, and -camped on the site of two deserted villages. - -Our blood-brother was still with us, and he informed us that these -villages had been raided by a tribe from the east, and that the -surviving inhabitants had retired to the impenetrable thorn-jungle, or -had fled to the Rutchuru valley. - -From this camp we looked down on a great swampy plain which absorbs the -waters of these three south-eastern streams. In many places geysers -were shooting vast jets of steam into the air, and the course of the -rivers was defined by dense strips of luxuriant jungle. - -The surrounding country must be rising very rapidly, and the geysers are -an indication of considerable volcanic activity. By the last rise the -lake has lost a hundred and twenty square miles; and the loss occasioned -by the last rise but one must have amounted to several hundreds of -square miles. - -The map of this lake-shore emphasizes the extraordinary similarity of -form in all the great lakes of Central Africa, with the one exception of -the Victoria Nyanza. A glance at the map will show that the angular -inclination and general form of Lake Nyassa, Lake Tanganyika, Lake -Albert Edward, and Lake Albert have a wonderful resemblance to one -another. - -The next day we again descended on to the last lake level, and crossed -the Ntungwe river. This river we crossed by means of an ingenious -native bridge, which would suggest that the country at some time not -very remote was much more densely populated. After passing through one -or two insignificant villages, we camped by a small lagoon. The -following morning we crossed the third stream which feeds these swamps, -but I could not ascertain its name; and we were compelled to make a -detour to the east to avoid some very dense strips of jungle, in which -we found some carefully-hidden villages, strongly fortified by -stockades. The natives had carefully closed the entrance, but appeared -to be quite friendly; and here, with great regret, we said farewell to -our Wanyabinga brother. - -Our day's march brought us once more to the lake-shore, which was still -swampy; and as reed was growing at a distance of one mile from the -shore, it was evident that the lake was still very shallow, and in all -probability the next few years will see another very considerable change -in its area. - -A few miles further on there is a small bay, where are two insignificant -villages close to the lake. Here the natives cultivate dwarf -banana-plants, and eke out a precarious existence by trapping -hippopotami. They build a stout scaffold of logs and fasten thereto a -booby-trap, consisting of a heavily-weighted spear-head. - -These villages were on the frontier of Visegwe's country, who is one of -Kaihura's chiefs. Here my fever assumed a serious form; my temperature -at one time rose to 108.4, but the motherly attentions of Sharp pulled -me through; and when I was sufficiently recovered to be moved, he -procured a gigantic dug-out canoe, in which I was paddled to Katwe, the -frontier post of the Uganda Protectorate. - -Sharp marched up the lake-shore, and with the assistance of Kazinga, -ferried all the loads and boys across the narrow neck of Lake Ruisamba. -The ferry is not more than four hundred yards wide, and with -considerable trouble the cattle were induced to swim the distance. Two -natives seized each beast by the horns, and, swimming by its side, -assisted it across. Fortunately there were no crocodiles in the -vicinity. The canoes were of extraordinary structure, and are peculiar -to Lake Albert Edward, although they approximate to the type of canoe to -be found on the Victoria Nyanza; some of them are very large. They are -made of axe-hewn boards, sewn together with banana fibre. - - - - - *CHAPTER XIV.* - - *KATWE TO TORO.* - - -As we had never heard that the boundary between the Uganda Protectorate -and the Congo Free State had been definitely settled, we were surprised -to find the Congo flag flying almost within shooting distance of the -fort; and on our sending over to buy fish, we found that the natives -across the border were not allowed to sell to us. Furthermore, the -Soudanese officer in charge told us that the trade in salt had almost -died out, as the Congo officials stopped their natives from bringing -ivory or food to barter. It is hard to understand why the hard-and-fast -line of the thirtieth parallel has been adhered to, when there is the -natural boundary of the Semliki. With that boundary there would be no -severance of the possessions of a chief, whereas now some of the land of -Kaihura is Belgian and some English, and an uneducated native cannot be -expected to serve two masters with different laws and widely-separated -methods of treating him. - -In the fort we were also shown the bullet-marks of the rebel Congo -troops, who had attacked the fort because the Effendi refused to give up -the fugitive Belgian lieutenant who had taken refuge there. As Colonel -Lugard remarks in his _Rise of our East African Empire_, the fort stands -in a very strong position; but there was no Congo fort in his time. - -We here enjoyed the shelter of a roof for the first time for many -months, despite the uncomfortable accessories of thousands of mosquitoes -and armies of rats. - -The Effendi kindly revictualled our forces, as we were not allowed to -trade on our own account, and we gladly turned our backs on the bare -ridges of the fort, and the curiously-coloured salt lake, and started on -the eighty-mile march to Fort Gerry. - -Elephant were reported as numerous throughout the country, and we looked -forward to a little sport as a change, more especially as an Askari had -shot a fine bull two days before, when he was out bathing in one of the -streams we had to cross. We started on an excellent cleared road, -myself in a machila, as the fever had left me too weak to walk, and -passing several volcanic lakes and extinct craters, camped close by a -large salt lake round the edge of which the spoor of many antelope was -visible, and in which a few hippo snorted and splashed. - -Hundreds of reedbuck dashed wildly about the plains, and a few kobus and -waterbuck were seen in the distance, but, the grass being very short, -there was no chance of a stalk. - -Every day we crossed one or more beautiful clear streams, running down -gullies from Mount Ruwenzori, the principal one being the Wimi; but -nowhere did we ever get more than a glimpse of the outlying shoulders of -the mountain, the higher peaks being always hidden in mist. - -Elephant spoor was plentiful, but grass fires had cleared the whole of -the plain and driven all the game to the foot-hills or swamps, and day -after day our hopes of elephant were doomed to disappointment. - -We met a Congo official--a Belgian--returning from a visit to Fort Gerry -to his station, Fort Mbeni on the Semliki, whence there is a rapid and -easy route or high-road to the Congo, of which the missionary, Mr. -Lloyd, has lately given a startling account in _The Graphic_. - -On July 27th we camped within sight of the hills, where Kasagama reigns -by favour of the British Government, happy in the knowledge of the final -extinction of his old enemy, Kabbarega; and on the morrow we gathered -that we were nearing the end of our journey, by the amount of -"Amerikani"[#] and the quantity of crucifixes, the hall-marks of the -Protestant and Catholic sects. Next we saw a large church in a walled -enclosure, and two Peres Blancs came out to welcome us, and insist on -our trying their excellent Algerian wine. They were much interested on -hearing that we had come up from Tanganyika, and asked many questions -about the brethren of their order down south. Hospitably they -accompanied us a short way till we reached the boundaries of the Church -of England mission, whose territory they would not pass, except on -urgent business, to the Government station. - - -[#] White trade cloth. - - -Kasagama's hill, on the left, is a magnificent situation for a palace -(or fort), dominating as it does the missions nestling below it, and the -Boma on an adjacent hill. The king received us a day or two later under -the escort of the English missionaries. - -The high-road led past the English mission, where extensive building -operations in brick were going on, down a steep hill and across a -primitive and dangerous bridge, built by the 11th Company of Soudanese, -under the late Colonel Sitwell, to keep them quiet during the mutiny, -and up a steep hill to the fort, where we were most hospitably received -by Mr. S. S. Bagge, one of the founders of the Uganda Protectorate, who -has spent nearly nine years in the country, having acquired the -pioneering mania in that hot-bed of pioneers, the Western States of -America. Captain J. A. Meldon was in charge of the troops. English -newspapers and books were most welcome, after being separated from them -for many months. Our own literature consisted of Whitaker, Shakespeare, -and Keats. - -Two days after our arrival at Fort Gerry, our boys began to get -troublesome, as they had nothing to do, and pombe (native beer) was -plentiful; and one evening they raided the milk belonging to the -Soudanese officer, and beat his boys, for which the culprits were duly -admonished. Next day they all declared a desire to go home again to -Ujiji. We were anxious to take them on to Wadelai, there being no hopes -of getting local porters to go anywhere except to Kampala; and at -length, after much parleying, arranged that thirty of them should go to -Wadelai with me, and the rest to Kampala with Sharp, to lay in supplies -for the Nile journey, and then the whole lot could return by the -Victoria Nyanza to Mwanza in German territory, and thence home in -safety, _via_ Tabora. - -Meantime stories of enormous tuskers were dinned into our ears, and -Captain Meldon having very kindly offered to accompany us, we determined -to go and have a fortnight's elephant-hunting, as a little relaxation -after our arduous march. On inquiry as to licences, we were horrified -to find a L25 licence necessary, which entitled the payer to kill two -elephant only. Permission might be obtained from the Commissioner of a -district to kill others at L12 each--truly a preposterous regulation, in -view of our subsequent experiences; however, having come so far, more or -less with the objective of elephant-shooting, we paid up like men, and -started off on the main road to Kampala. - -The country, as usual in Toro, consisted of undulating hills intersected -by papyrus swamps, with a few banana plantations, very sparsely -populated, and showing no signs of game except some old elephant spoor. - -The second march brought us to a very likely country, and the natives -said there were many elephant in the vicinity. Sharp went out, but did -not see any, the grass and thorn-scrub being almost impassable. Thence -a four hours' walk brought us to the top of a small range of hills, from -the crest of which I saw an elephant standing in the thick cane-brake on -the opposite slope. The main part of the caravan, with Sharp and -Meldon, was some distance in front, as the difficulty of carrying my -machila through the swamps made my progress slow. Praying that the wind -would hold, I was carried as near as the brake would allow, and after a -short walk, in the course of which I fell into an elephant-pit, found -the unsuspecting old gentleman under a tree, and killed him with a -single .303 bullet in the brain. He was a stupendous old bull, 11 ft. 6 -in. at the shoulder, with a 64-in. foot (dry), and his teeth, 5 ft. 10 -and 6 ft. 2, weighed 86 and 85 lbs. This success filled the others with -envy, and a native coming in during lunch with news of a herd of forty, -not very far off, Meldon and Sharp rushed off, only to return at sundown -hot and tired, having hit and lost a decent bull, while I had gone out -to inspect an old gentleman who came and waved his ears at me from a -neighbouring hill, but which I spared, not being satisfied with his -ivories. - -Leaving a few boys to bring the ivory and one foot, we trekked early -next day to the ridge overlooking the river, passing fresh spoor and -elephant tracks almost every minute, and, while looking for a likely -camping-ground, saw a small herd of elephant in the valley. Sharp -immediately went in pursuit, and unfortunately for him the Soudanese -officer followed, and by cutting the line of elephant, gave the leaders -the wind, and thus spoilt an excellent chance. From our camp on the -hill we had a splendid view of ten miles or so of the Msisi valley and -the hills opposite, and all day long, elephant, singly, in small herds, -and, eventually in the afternoon, in large herds of two hundred or more, -perambulated up and down, giving us the most magnificent chance of -making their acquaintance. - -Sharp returned at lunch, hot and miserable, having shot a cow -elephant--the grass being so high that it was impossible to judge -beforehand what he fired at. The whole of the morning we heard shots -from the far side of the river fired by Waganda or Wanyoro hunters, and -presently, in a great cloud of dust, a herd of at least a hundred -elephant crossed the river and wandered towards our camp. It was a most -impressive sight, as they swept the long grass down in front of them as -flat as if a steam-roller had passed over it. They stopped for a time -about half a mile below us, blowing water and dust over their backs, -while we tried to pick out the biggest bull with our glasses. We must -have seen a thousand to fifteen hundred elephant that day, and heard -thirty or forty shots from native guns across the Msisi. - -Next day there wasn't an elephant in sight, but we could hear the -natives banging away up-river, and as the elephant near camp began to -smell we trekked up the valley. Here the downtrodden grass showed that -the big herd had moved off south. - -Having exceeded our time-limit, we decided to return to Fort Gerry and -start for the north. Taking all the ivory into Fort Gerry for -registration, I left Sharp on the road with a few boys to hunt, -intending to make the necessary arrangements at the station, and then to -send out the boys to him for the march to Kampala; but the evening of my -return was celebrated by a pombe revel amongst my boys, and when I went -down to see what the noise was about, I was attacked by twenty or thirty -of them with spears, and was obliged to fire my revolver at the -ringleader. This scared them, and the whole hundred broke out of camp, -scattering the Soudanese guards, who were supposed to keep them in -order. Next day all the boys came in a body and demanded to be sent -home; so, to avoid trouble, we rounded them by strategy into a -cattle-kraal, and put a strong guard over them; and after giving them -posho (cloth to buy food), and obtaining a guard from Kasagama to see -them out of the country, I packed them off to Katwe. Sharp arrived next -day, having done the fifty miles in two marches. Ten of our boys were -in chain-gang for behaving badly during our absence, and these and -Sharp's lot I persuaded to go with me to Wadelai, and thence by -high-road to Kampala, and by Victoria Nyanza back to Tabora and Ujiji. - -Out of our fourteen calves two alone had survived, and we had been -obliged to kill two cows, as they could not travel further. Six cows we -exchanged with Kasagama for a tusk of 138 lbs., and six others I sold -for 180 r., giving the other cow and calf to Mr. Bagge. During our -absence elephant-hunting, four of King Kasagama's cows died, so I -rescinded the bargain, and gave two of my tusks and a present of cloth -for the big one, and handed the surviving cattle over to Mr. Bagge. -Curiously enough, the six I sold to the Soudanese Effendi were still -well, while Mr. Bagge's cow and calf had both died. Too good food and -too much time to eat it, after a march of two hundred and fifty miles, -had evidently overpowered them. - -At this stage of my journey, Mr. Sharp, to my great regret, was forced -by the ties of urgent business to return home. The Nile was such an -uncertain quantity that he was unable to risk the possibility of being -buried in the wilds for another two years. He therefore marched through -Toro and Uganda to the Mombasa rail-head, and took passage to England -_via_ the Red Sea. - - - - - *CHAPTER XV.* - - *TORO TO MBOGA.* - - -Leaving Fort Gerry and all its hospitalities on August 28th, I skirted -along the northern spur of Ruwenzori, passing between the little -volcanic lakes Vijongo, and after three hours' walking, arrived at the -edge of the first escarpment. Here there is a sheer drop of 1,500 ft. -from the undulating table-land of Toro proper to the scrub-clad terrace -about eight miles wide, which in its turn overlooks the Semliki valley, -a further drop of 500 ft. From the edge of the first escarpment the -view is truly magnificent; to the south looms the mighty bulk of -Ruwenzori, a purple mass, peak piled upon peak, black-streaked with -forest, scored with ravine, and ever mounting till her castellated crags -shoot their gleaming tips far into the violet heavens. But it is only -for a brief hour at sunset or sunrise: then again the mists swirl up her -thousand gorges, again the storm-cloud lowers and broods grumbling round -her virgin snows as though jealous of the future--a future of Cook's -tours, funicular railways, personally-conducted ascents (with a sermon -and ginger-beer thrown in). Well! thank God I have seen her first--seen -her as she has stood for countless ages, wrapped in impenetrable -mystery, undesecrated by human tread since the awful travail that gave -her birth. "The Mountains of the Moon"--the very name breathes mystery -and romance, and fitly have romance and the myths of the ancients played -round her crest, for is she not part mother of the Nile? Alas! even as -we gaze she fades away, a murky glow lights up the evening sky, again -she starts into bold relief, 'tis her last farewell! The mists eddy -round those frowning crags, creeping here, drifting there, and the -curtain drops, hiding all but the great black base. Such is Ruwenzori, -when she deigns to show herself; and only when there is rain in the air -is she thus condescending. - -Scarcely less striking is the outlook to the north. Deep shade is -already on the terrific slope at our feet, while the setting sun still -lights up the vast basin of the Semliki and the Albert Lake. We seem to -be standing on the brink of a new world, ourselves in shade cast by the -western spur, and the eye wanders on over sunlit plain picked out with -silver streaks, where in places we catch a glimpse of the Semliki, and -on till the lake lies gleaming like a sea of quicksilver, and yet on and -on, ever-fading steel-blue to grey, till we can just see the black -outlines of the hills against the blue-green sky, flecked with the gauzy -pink of the after-glow. Then like a flash all is grey, for we are very -near the equator, and we turn in to "kuku"[#] stew and the luxury of new -potatoes and tomatoes. Those kukus! They are like Sinbad's old man of -the sea, you cannot shake them off, for they are really indispensable. -Their only resemblance to their English namesake is in name, for neither -are they fine birds nor do they fly; nor, if they did fly, would they -confine their vocal efforts to the period of their flight, but would, I -am sure, still retain that inimitable faculty of producing at all, and -more especially unseasonable, times, the most startling and -by-no-means-(not-even-by-death)-repressible cries that have justly made -them so beloved of African travellers. As I have had so many -opportunities of observing the African variety of this world-wide -domestic nuisance, less favoured observers may find a few remarks not -out of place. - - -[#] _Kuku_: native word for fowl. - - -First, they are essentially gregarious. I have often seen large flocks -collecting on any strange piece of clothing or blanket, especially if -such blanket be placed out to dry after rain. - -Secondly, they are capable of feeling and showing great affection for -man. In fact, the united efforts of three servants have often failed to -prevent them coming into my tent during the heat of the day, and, just -out of respect, leaving a few superfluous inhabitants behind. - -Thirdly, like the nightingale, they sing at night, taking especial -delight in those ditties that have a good, full chorus. - -Fourthly, they never lay fresh eggs--only eggs that have qualified for -the seventh heaven. Presumably, as the native likes a good, full egg, -it is the old tale of the survival of the fittest, and the hen who can -lay a real Blondin has been spared. If so, this must dislodge all -geological estimates of the date of the creation, as nothing short of -incalculable ages could have brought the breed to its present state of -perfection. For a long time I considered this elegant bird exempt from -the natural process of decay, as no reasonable period after decease -produced any modification in its adamantine structure, but a certain -incident not unconnected with soup dispelled this excusable illusion. - -And lastly, but not leastly, this diabolical fowl, although it can hang -head downwards in a temperature of 140 deg. for many hours without -showing any signs of inconvenience other than a slightly intensified -complexion, and although it greets with contumely blows inflicted with -the various missiles to be found at a moment's notice in an average -tent, yet, should it be left with natives other than its rightful owner -for one short hour, it is so overcome with modesty that it reverts -rapidly and without perceptible residue into its original invisible -components. - -The extent to which the kuku enters into one's very existence in Africa -is, I feel sure, a sufficient excuse for this digression. In fact, I -believe that, were it not for the counter-irritation produced by the -camp goats, I should have "kuku" on the brain. - -Having successfully wrestled with the athletic cause of this digression, -and unsuccessfully with a prehistoric gun that a neighbouring chief -brought me for medical treatment, and dreamt that a rooster with 10 ft. -tusks was dancing the double shuffle on my chest, I descended into the -valley, and after two hours' walking reached the Semliki, a fine river, -here sixty to seventy yards wide, with a current of about five miles an -hour. When I had, with the greatest difficulty, wedged myself in a very -long, very unstable, and appallingly leaky piece of firewood (called by -courtesy a canoe), and had with still greater difficulty dissuaded -fifteen gentlemen from risking the voyage in my company, in the lucid -intervals of the amazement with which I viewed the frantic efforts of my -Charon (for such he was like to prove) to keep the stick's head -up-stream, I gathered from a benevolent philanthropist on shore that a -woman had been taken that morning by a crocodile from the very spot -where we came to land, and that on no account must I permit my boys to -go to the water's edge, as the crocodiles were very numerous and very -daring. However, suitably cheered by this information, and in defiance -of all such paltry laws of nature as gravity, we eventually did succeed -in landing safely on the other side; how or why I cannot say, as only -the two ends of the canoe were in the water, the middle, where I sat, -being slightly raised above the surface. I suppose the whole concern -had warped. Whatever the cause, I did not fancy trusting my baggage in -her, so I sent up the river, and after much yelling and more delay, -another more serviceable concern was produced. Having fixed on a place -for my tent, I left the boys to attend to the passage of my belongings, -and went out in search of dinner. - -The plain, which here is about six miles wide, is covered with short -grass and dotted with clumps of euphorbia and thorn-bush, and is the -home of countless reedbuck and herds of Uganda kob. During the rains it -is the playground of troops of elephant and of the few survivors of the -teeming herds of buffalo that formerly roamed over all this country. I -had no difficulty in bringing two bucks to grass, as the country offered -magnificent stalking-ground, and the meat made a very agreeable change -after the everlasting mutton. The Uganda kob (_Cobus Thomasi_) very -closely resembles the pookoo (_Cobus Vardoni_), though its coat, which -is of a beautiful reddish colour, is less foxy and not so long in the -hair as that of the pookoo. They both have the regular gait of the -waterbuck, that so forcibly reminds one of our own red deer. But -whereas the pookoo never seems to run in herds of more than twenty or -thirty, I have seen as many as three hundred Thomasi together. The -leading buck of this herd, which I shot, had horns 20 in. in length. - -Here, as elsewhere, I was much impressed by the two different types of -native, the sharp, intelligent, almost delicate features and the lithe -limbs of the aristocrats (of Galla origin) contrasting very forcibly -with the coarse, squat, ape-like appearance of the rabble. Some of the -lower class have really no ostensible claims to being human, beyond the -ability to produce fire. Covering even of the most rudimentary -description is totally ignored by both sexes. Leaving the Semliki, we -travelled west to the hills of Mboga, and shortly left the plain below, -rising into a country of miniature canons, intersected by numerous -ravines full of elephant-grass. Here we camped and sent out scouts in -all directions to search for njojo (the local name for elephant). I had -just made myself comfortable when news was brought of elephant to the -south, so I set off without delay, only to find a herd of small cows. -On my return to camp my boys told me that there was an elephant quite -close, and pointed him out, standing under a tree in the middle of the -elephant-grass in the ravine at our feet. As the sun was very hot, I -concluded that he was likely to stop where he was, and setting a boy on -an ant-hill to watch him, I sat down to lunch. He did stop where he was -till I had finished lunch, and then moved on, and as it was useless to -go into the grass, 15 to 25 ft. high, without a definite landmark such -as the tree would have proved, I was fain to dodge about, watching him, -when I could get an occasional glimpse, and to wait for another chance. -Several times I lost sight of him altogether, and then again would see -an ear. At last, as he appeared to be coming near the stream, which here -ran close underneath the bank on which I was standing, I went down -through the thorns and grass and waited, but in vain. Again I mounted -the bank, but could see no signs of him till I was turning campwards in -despair, when my boy saw the grass move, and this time quite close to -the stream. Down we scrambled once more and stood in the bed of the -stream listening. Then the crack of a twig and the waving of the tops -of the grass showed that he was coming, and he glided past a slight gap -in the thicket like some spectre, but I could not get a shot, although -within twenty yards. I never can understand how they manage to glide -through the most tangled jungles almost without sound unless they are -alarmed, when it seems as if all hell were loosed. I followed quickly -down the stream, the grass now completely hiding him, and suddenly came -on him drinking in a small mud-hole, at about fifteen yards distance. -He gave me a half side-shot, and I fired at his head, giving him a -second as he swung round. Down he came like an avalanche, and lay -thrashing the reeds with his trunk. Fearing that he might get up again, -I approached to give him the _coup de grace_. I was already within six -yards, but still unable to see him, when a cold puff on the back of my -neck gave me warning of a chance in the wind. I stepped back as he -struggled to his feet, and his great trunk came quivering forward within -two yards of my face. Again the wind steadied, and as I stood -motionless as a rock, he failed to see me, swung round, and made off. -Three shots I poured into him, then waited, sick at heart, listening to -the crash-crash as he went away, till again I heard that welcome roar of -rending tree and rush. He was down: a long gurgle and a sob, and all -was over. Although a small elephant, he carried beautiful teeth, 7 ft. -9 in. and 7 ft. (tip broken), and weighing 72 lbs. and 69 lbs. - -I reached camp just at dusk, and found that Changera, one of the Mboga -chiefs, had come in to see me. His country lies between Tavara's and -Kavalli's, and stretches from the top of the Congo Semliki watershed to -the Semliju. The following morning I went down to see how they were -cutting out the tusks, and found that hordes of Balegga had swarmed down -from the hills for the meat. A weird sight it was: stark naked savages -with long greased hair (in some cases hanging down on their shoulders) -were perched on every available inch of the carcase, hacking away with -knives and spears, yelling, snarling, whooping, wrestling, cursing, and -munching, covered with blood and entrails; the new arrivals tearing off -lumps of meat and swallowing them raw, the earlier birds defending their -worms in the form of great lumps of fat paunch and other delicacies; -while others were crawling in and out of the intestines lake so many -prairie marmots. Old men, young men, prehistoric hags, babies, one and -all gorging or gorged; pools of blood, strips of hide, vast bones, -blocks of meat, individuals who had not dined wisely but too well, lay -around in bewildering profusion; and in two short hours all was -finished. Nothing remained but the gaunt ribs like the skeleton of a -shipwreck, and a few disconsolate-looking vultures perched thereon. - -The Balegga live in the hills to the north of Mboga proper, though many -of them are now under Changera, having fled south from the Belgians. -They are good specimens of the real Central African savage, rather -short, but well-set-up, innocent of clothing as a babe unborn, and -blessed with an inordinate and insatiable craving for meat, which at -that time was, if possible, intensified by the failure of their crops, -owing to the drought. They wear their hair in long thin plaits, -liberally smeared with grease, which gives them a very wild appearance, -especially when, as I noticed in some cases, it hangs down over their -face. In the intervals of gorging and hacking, they amused themselves -by smearing the caked blood over their hair and bodies--a proceeding -that gave general satisfaction. I gathered from them that many had -lately come south to Mboga (which is at present administered from Fort -Gerry) to avoid the persecution of the Belgians, who had killed, as they -said, great numbers both of them and their neighbouring tribes to the -north. They indignantly denied my soft impeachment of cannibalism, but -from extraneous sources I gathered that any lightly grilled portion of -my anatomy that might happen to wander round their way would be, so to -speak, a "gone coon." - -The neighbouring chief, Tabara by name, apparently suffering from that -troublesome complaint known to the faculty as "swelled head," amused -himself for the next two days by sending in an intermittent fusillade of -insolence; "it was not his business to come and see every white man who -came into the country," etc., etc., _ad nauseam_. As I had never sent -for him, being unaware even of the gentleman's existence, and as I found -on inquiry that he was a chief independent of Kasagama, and owing -allegiance to the official at Fort Gerry only, I concluded that my -mubaka[#] provided by Kasagama was the cause of the trouble, or that he -imagined I was Belgian. I therefore sent a message to him to the effect -that I had no doubt he was a most admirable individual, but, strange to -relate, till the arrival of his message I had been unaware of his -existence; that my object in coming to the country was to shoot -elephant, and not to interview obscure natives. The effect was -remarkable: the following morning he turned up with a numerous -following, carrying an umbrella and a very dangerous camp-stool, and -presented me with sundry goats, fowls, and other edibles. - - -[#] A sort of courier. - - -The prevailing type of elephant in these parts differs so essentially -from that of Toro, that I have been forced to the conclusion that there -are two distinct varieties; a theory in which the natives universally -concur. - -When in Toro I saw more than a thousand elephant, and without exception -they carried a thick, heavy type of tusk, the elephant themselves being -unusually large and solid. - -In Mboga, on the other hand, the prevailing type was a much smaller -elephant, with very long thin tusks. Two cows shot by Mr. Bagge carried -tusks about 4 ft., and no thicker than the butt-end of a billiard-cue. - -The average height of old bulls in Mboga is about 9 ft., while the only -two that I shot in Toro were 11 ft. and upwards, and several others that -I had a chance of observing closely must have been about the same size. -The Indian notion of twice the circumference of the foot equalling the -height does not hold with the African species; I generally found that it -fell short of the height by about 8 or 10 in. In a subsequent chapter I -have dealt fully with this question. - -A few days later, answering to the call of elephant, I came on a herd of -cows, one of which I shot, hoping to be able to send the calf into Fort -Gerry. The little fellow stood about 3 ft. high, and stalked towards us -in the most majestic manner, rumbling and grunting on a 12 ft. scale at -least. So confident was his advance that my boys, guns and all, fled -without more ado, and it was only when I had caught him by the tail that -they ventured back. His strength was amazing, and it needed the united -efforts of myself and four boys to throw him. However, we eventually -managed to tie his legs together, and laid him under a tree squealing -and shrieking like a steam-engine. Whether in his vocal efforts he -broke a blood-vessel, or whether owing to the heat of the sun, the sad -fact remains that after I had made all arrangements for his transport to -Fort Gerry he left the earthly trials of pitfalls and 4-bores at sunset. -I was very much disappointed, as I had hoped that if he had survived he -might have been of service in the future, should a progressive -Government, departing from the usual practice of thinking of the matter -when it is too late, endeavour to make use of the vast transport -treasure that is now roaming the papyrus swamps of Toro. In the greater -part of Africa the elephant is now a thing of the past; and the rate at -which they have disappeared is appalling. Ten years ago elephant -swarmed in places like B.C.A., where now you will not find one. Still, -there is yet an accessible stronghold of the pachyderm in Toro, where at -the lowest possible estimate there must be fifteen thousand elephant. -Why is not an effort made, and that at once (for in a few years' time it -will be too late), to secure this vast means of transport to posterity? -What an inestimable boon to the country, and what an easy solution of -half the labour problem that is already such a thorn in the side of the -southern administrations! I suppose it is on the same principle on -which a paternal Government sends its servants out to a pestilential -spot where the sole recreation is shooting, and then forbids them that -recreation, while allowing every native who can command a gas-pipe and a -handful of powder to sally forth and slay a tithe of what he wounds, -regardless of sex and age; or on which the same paternal Government -allows the aforesaid servants to take out and pay for a licence -permitting them to shoot two elephant, and then confidentially informs -them that all ivory shot by servants of the Protectorate, either within -or without the Protectorate's dominions, is the property of the -Government; however (note the wild, unreasoning generosity), servants -returning home may, with the permission of the Commissioner, be allowed -to take a pair of tusks as a trophy. Upon what possible theory this -preposterous claim is based I fail to conceive, unless the Government -assumes that the leisure of their servants is included in their salary, -in which case they may claim the pictures of an amateur artist who may -be in their service, or his letters home, or anything else equally -reasonable. It is the spirit of the thing that is so pitiable, and it -seems so unnecessary, for nobody doubts but that the Exchequer can -manage to stagger along somehow, even though deprived of the support -that the miserable dozen tusks or so would afford; and, after all, the -right to shoot and keep a couple of elephant is not an extravagant -recompense for two years' isolation in a wilderness devoid of -recreation. - -I then moved my camp some miles to the west, on a hill overlooking a -large patch of very dense elephant-grass. - -The next morning I went south to a deep gorge filled with dense forest, -where some elephant were reported. We descended a steep grass slope into -the gorge itself, which was cut up in all directions by elephant and -buffalo spoor. Suddenly, with much puffing, pawing, and snorting, some -buffalo rushed past at about forty yards, at the same time starting some -elephant, which we heard crashing up the slope. Leaving the buffalo to -puff and snort, we struck the elephant spoor and cautiously approached -to where we could hear them grunting and rumbling. By stooping low it -was possible to follow the path with comparative ease, but the bush was -so thick that we could not see two yards ahead. Having approached -within ten yards, I stood, hoping that some movement would show me their -exact whereabouts; but though they quickly recovered from their fright -and started feeding, I could see nothing but the occasional waving of -the leaves above where they were standing. After a quarter of an hour -of this amusement, during which I was balancing myself on a slippery -bank of clay, I descended again, and coming dead up-wind succeeded in -getting within two yards of one. A thick tangle of lianas alone -separated us, and although I could hear him breathing, and felt sure he -must hear my heart thumping, I could see nothing. I know nothing in the -world more exciting than hunting elephant in this description of -country. One approaches so close, and yet can see nothing; the only -thing to do is to wait, in hopes of some movement bringing them into -view. Then they make such extraordinary noises, and at every crash of a -branch torn down one thinks they are stampeding or coming towards one. -Again, the wind is so shifty in cover, and one puff will set them all -off, very possibly in the least desirable direction. A dropping shot is -almost out of the question, and when wounded they have a nasty knack of -looking to see who did it; a whole regiment of lions cannot produce the -same moral effect as one elephant when he cocks his ears, draws himself -up to his full height, and looks at you, letting off at the same time a -blood-curdling scream, while in all probability others invisible are -stampeding on all sides with the din of an earthquake. They are so vast -(one I measured was actually 15 ft. from edge of ear to edge of ear) -that they seem to block out the whole horizon; one seems to shrivel, and -the very gun to dwindle into a pea-shooter; try as I will, I can never -quite stomach it, and always feel inclined to throw down my rifle and -run till I drop. - -At last the elephant, having an idea that something was amiss, moved, -and showing his head, received a mate to that idea in the shape of a -.303 bullet. Down the bank he rushed, taking the bark off one side of a -tree, while I stepped round the other. I got another shot home as he -passed, and head over heels he went like a bolting rabbit. Trees, bush, -blocks of earth, vanished like chaff, till a mighty old veteran trunk -pulled him up short about fifty yards below. There he lay, his legs in -the air, screaming and vainly struggling to regain his feet, a path like -the sea-wall at Brighton leading down to him. A few more shots finished -him. - -The next day I was again in this gorge, and after vainly floundering -about on the spoor of a small elephant, and complimenting in suitable -terms a swarm of biting ants which eventually left me indistinguishable -from a splash of pickled cabbage, I saw a fine old tusker grazing in the -short grass on the top of the further bank. To cross was a matter of -minutes, as I knew that at any moment he might descend into the gorge, -and on emerging I saw him still in the same place. Walking up quite -close, I dropped the poor old brute with one shot. He had very long -teeth for their weight, 8 ft. 4 in. (tip slightly broken), and 7 ft. 4 -in. (tip broken), and weighing 76 and 73 lbs. respectively. Standing on -his ribs--that is, about 6 ft. from the ground--I saw some more grazing -on the other side of a branch gully, so I set off in pursuit; but some -of the half-starved natives, who would follow me about the country, and -had been lurking behind some bushes, spoilt my chance of a shot by -darting out up-wind of the herd, presumably to catch any elephant that -might drop. - -For several days matters were very quiet, and though I ranged far and -wide, one day following buffalo spoor for several hours, I saw nothing; -till again I was wakened by the welcome cry of "njojo," and snatching a -hasty breakfast, set off, this time backed by the double 10-bore paradox -which had been sent out after me, and had arrived the previous day; and -very thankful I felt for its support. My double 4-bore had gone home -with Sharp, who had left his paradox in its stead as the more useful -all-round gun. And though I had my double .500 magnum, the firm that -provided my cartridges had sent out all expanding bullets, despite the -fact of my having ordered half with solids; just to humour me, however, -they labelled the packets "solid bullets," so that I never found out -till north of Tanganyika. Two other firms distinguished themselves in a -similar manner, one by shipping my double .303 in a case, without so -much as a cleaning-rod, much less a screwdriver or spare pin, and the -other by providing me at the trifling cost of 2s. 6d. each with damaged -cartridge-cases for my 4-bore; the majority of them were badly split at -the rim, sufficiently split to fill rapidly when held in water, and -though they had been carefully repolished, on close inspection the old -firing marks were quite obvious. The consequent result was that the -first shot I fired I was knocked over a fallen tree two yards behind me. - -Our native took us across the marsh lying below the camp by a path that -in its various intricacies led into a pit of water 20 ft. deep, into -which they fondly hoped some elephant would walk; then through numerous -villages where the banana-groves, owing to the depredations of elephant, -looked more like street barricades, till we eventually emerged from the -odoriferous fog of drying elephant meat on to the ridge where I had last -camped. He then told us that two elephant had come into the bananas -during the night and had retired up the gorge. Skirting along the edge -of the plateau, we soon saw them in the elephant-grass below, and -descending with difficulty through the tangled mat of grass, I took up -my position behind a tree and waited, hoping that when they moved I -might have a favourable chance. One was standing under a small tree -about four hundred yards away; and the other, at a distance of two -hundred yards, was up to his belly in mud, his stern alone showing round -a tuft of grass. Previous experience had taught me that it was useless -to go down into the grass, so I had perforce to stay where I was and -possess my soul in patience. After some time the one under the tree -moved, and in a leisurely manner strolled up to his companion. As he -emerged from the long grass round the mud-hole I had one glimpse of his -tusks, and, quite satisfied, I took the only chance I was likely to -obtain, and fired a half-side head shot. He drew himself up into a bunch -of indignant protest, as much as to say, "Who the devil did that?" But -a second shot failing to elucidate the matter, he swung round and -crashed away across the gully, while number two bolted straight ahead. -I rained shot into him while he swerved round and followed in the wake -of his companion. Then I dashed along the side of the slope, stumbling, -tripping, rolling, and diving over grass that I could not force my way -through, till a sudden drop of 10 ft. landed me face first on the bed of -a stream, invisible above through the grass, but painfully tangible -below. Fortunately my rifle did not suffer proportionately, and -scrambling out I reached a small ridge from which I could see my -elephant standing about three hundred yards off. Again I fusilladed him -till out of range, and then followed, falling twice to the elephant's -once. He was nearly spent, but managed to reach some extra long grass, -where I lost sight of him for some time, till at length he crawled out -into the shade of a tree under the opposite bank. The gorge was narrow -at this point, so that he was not more than one hundred yards off when I -reopened the bombardment. For a long time he took the phut-phut of the -bullets without showing the slightest emotion. Then suddenly over he -went like a tree under the axe. He struggled to his feet once more, -only to fall for the last time under the continued hail. Cutting across -the dip, I climbed on to the bank about twenty yards above him; but the -grass was so dense that I could not see him, although considerably above -the level of the tangle where he was lying. His great sobs told me that -all was over, and anxious to put him out of his misery, I went down, -having to approach within two yards before I could see him, and finished -him off with the 10-bore, his head being invisible. To my amazement he -had only one tusk, 7 ft. 9 in., and 98 lbs.; and as I was sure that I -had seen two tusks, I came to the conclusion that this must be number -two, and that number one had dropped at the same time that I did. So -following back on the spoor, I came on the other elephant, lying four -hundred yards from where I had first hit him, but, lo and behold! he -also had only one tusk, 7 ft. 7 in., and 86 lbs. So certain was I of -having seen two tusks that I followed his spoor back, thinking that -possibly there might have been a third hidden by the grass, but it was -not so, and to this day I believe he took the other tusk off and threw -it away, as a sort of Jonah! On arriving at camp I found that letters -and tomatoes had arrived from Toro. Our pagasi had attempted their old -games about three days' journey south of the Albert Edward and had been -attacked with the loss of twenty men, amongst them Sulimani, the root of -all the disturbances. His successor in office, who, like other gentlemen -of his kidney, combined loudness of talk in times of peace with -extraordinary fleetness of foot in times of danger, was the first to -bring the news to Toro. - - - - - *CHAPTER XVI.* - - *SEMLIKI VALLEY AND KAVALLI'S COUNTRY.* - - -Leaving this country with regret, I descended into the valley once more -and marched north, crossing the Semliki to avoid the swamps mentioned by -Colonel Lugard at the westerly bend of the river, and recrossed about -six miles from where the river enters the lake. For some distance the -mournful monotony of aloe and euphorbia is broken by groves of the -stately borassus palm. The few miserable Wanyoro, who are sparsely -scattered over the plain, were absolutely destitute. The prolonged -drought had dried up the maize and millet, and the beans, which form -their main food supply, were finished, so that three hippo that I killed -for them raised me to a giddy pinnacle of fame; my tent became, for the -time being, a second Lourdes, droves of pilgrims pouring in to pay -homage to my .303. Their astonishment, when I showed them the size of -the bullet and how the magazine worked, was most ludicrous. They had -heard how it would drop a huge elephant without a wriggle of his trunk, -and they had heard the three shots and could see the three hippo tied to -the bank, and had imagined, I suppose, that it was a sort of 7-pounder; -so that when they held a cartridge with its pencil-like bullet in their -hand, and the truth gradually dawned on them, they would drop it like a -hot potato. Some, when I started the mechanism, fairly took to their -heels. A native's estimate of a gun varies proportionately with the -size of the bore, and his idea of killing range is ten yards, or, if the -sportsman is something of a marksman, perhaps twenty. I was fortunate -in bringing off several shots at about four hundred to five hundred -yards at nsunu,[#] and natives, having no unit of distance, consider -everything from two hundred yards to about five miles as the same thing. -I have several times heard my gun-bearer, Makanjira, who is a great -admirer of the gun, solemnly explaining to an open-mouthed audience how -he had seen me kill beasts at such a distance, pointing to a hill some -three or four miles away. Consequently, its powers were magnified to -the most prodigious proportions, and on the march excited natives would -point to mere specks on the horizon, inform me they were buck, and -expect me to kill them on the instant; they never gave me any of the -credit--it was the gun, the wonderful gun, and I only obtained a -reflected glory as its possessor. After crossing the river, I found the -natives very nervous and suspicious, and though I visited the village -near which I camped, and induced the chief to come to the river-bank to -see one of the hippo, which I told him he might have, the following -morning, on sending for a guide, I found that they had "shot the moon," -carrying off their half-dozen miserable goats, and fled into the bush. - - -[#] Nsunu: _Cobus Thomasi_. - - -As the guide promised me by the chief on the other side was not -forthcoming, and not wishing to delay any longer, as the sun was -terrible on these arid plains, I started without one, and, after two -hours' walking, found that I had penetrated well into the marshes at the -south end of the lake. In trying to skirt round the arm of water and -sudd that stretches to the south, we soon found ourselves in an -apparently boundless sea of one of Nature's truly African inventions, a -tall grass, 8 to 10 ft. high, the roots forming a hopeless tangle of -matted whipcord reaching 2 ft. from the ground, and effectually hiding -the honeycomb of old hippo and elephant-holes 2 ft. deep below, while -the stems and leaves are covered with myriads of invisible spines, which -detach themselves in one's skin and clothes, and set up the most intense -irritation. - -After floundering through this sea of misery for a couple of hours, we -were extricated by the promised guide, who had followed on our tracks, -and eventually arrived at a miserable patch of huts; we came so -unexpectedly on the people that they had not time to fly, and a few -explanations soon put them at their ease. I found that they were -Wanyabuga, the same people who were so friendly to Lugard and belonged -to Katonzi, a nominal vassal of Kasagama's, and who is now the sole -survivor of Lugard's three blood brothers, Katonzi, Kavalli, and -Mugenzi. They do not cultivate, but depend on the Balegga and Wakoba -for grain, which they barter for fish and salt. They are quite distinct -in appearance from the surrounding tribes. The type is a tall (5 ft. 8 -in.), large-limbed, square-shouldered negro, bull-necked, bullet-headed, -with a very low forehead and coarse features; colour very dark; but they -have a jolly expression, and were some of the pleasantest natives I ever -dealt with. It was curious to see even amongst these people, who live a -life apart from their surroundings, the occasional delicate features, -gazelle-like eyes, light colour, lithe limbs, and genteel nonchalance of -the Galla influence. - -At the south end of the Albert Edward, where the Rutchuru flows into the -lake, forming similar marshes to those of the Semliki, there is a people -living exactly the same life. Unfortunately, owing to their extreme -shyness, I could find out very little about them, but from their mode of -life, methods of fishing, and general appearance, I have no doubt that -they are closely allied; probably survivors of former inhabitants who -have found a last refuge in these intricate waterways and impenetrable -marshes. The similarity in the names of these two peoples is -significant. - -It is a strange amphibious existence in these simmering wastes of weed -and water, the stillness of which is only broken by the occasional blow -of a hippo, the splash of a fish or crocodile, the wild cry of the -numerous flights of wild-fowl, and the everlasting plaint of the -fish-eagle. A perpetual mirage hovering over the scene adds to the -general mystery; groups of huts suddenly appear where all was shimmering -light, and as suddenly vanish; a canoe with its two upright punters -glides past apparently in the sky, a goose suddenly assumes the -proportions of an elephant, and an elephant evolves out of what one took -to be a goose; and thus the scene is ever changing, till the grey of -evening and the crisp light of the rising sun bring out in strong relief -the placid sheets of water, the long brown bands of weeds, the tiny -islands with their little huts perched among the waving reeds, the thin -strips of sand with their occasional waddling hippo, the little black -canoes slowly gliding in and out amongst the weed-beds and tufts of -grass, and the continual flight of flocks of white ibis. - -I never tired of sitting on the shore and watching the long string of -little black canoes slowly wending their way towards me, bringing in -fish and salt, to trade with the group of Balegga who were waiting with -loads of beans and millet flour. - -The small stretch of country lying between the Semliki, the Albert Lake, -and the hills is called Kitwakimbi, and is distinct from Bukande, which -begins at the foot of the hills and reaches back to the watershed. - -My Wanyabuga friends provided me with two guides, who, after wasting two -hours in visiting obscure villages, all of which were deserted, and -answering my protests at our zigzag route by ambiguous allusions to -marshes, eventually landed me within four hundred yards of where I had -started, and suggested that I should camp. Having with difficulty -persuaded them that I was annoyed, which they evidently considered -unreasonable on my part, they smilingly explained that it was far from -their homes, and they had hoped to find me other guides. However, vague -allusions to the presence of a "kiboko"[#] convinced them of the -inexpediency, not to say positive danger, of further nonsense, and they -gaily proceeded on their way, chortling hugely at the success of what -they thought a very merry prank. They led me to a deserted village -opposite Kasenyi, a small island about a mile from the mainland, and the -present headquarters of Katonzi. The Wanyabuga-Balegga market was in -full swing, but vanished like mist at my sudden appearance, and it was -only by going down to the beach stripped to the waist, and a happy -allusion to brothership with "Kapelli," that I induced them to bring -their canoes to the shore again. "Kapelli" is the native name of that -gallant officer Colonel Lugard, and to have left a name in Africa that -opens all doors and all hearts is the finest monument to his exploits -that a man can have. They flocked in to see me under Tunja, Katonzi's -eldest son, who brought several loads of food, and informed me that -Katonzi had left two days before for Toro. They asked all kinds of -questions about "Kapelli" and Mr. Grant, who was with Lugard in his -expedition to release the Soudanese, and wanted to know why he had never -come back, and had the English deserted their country after promising to -protect them? I answered all their questions to the best of my ability, -and when I showed them Lugard's book and the photograph of Grant, which, -to my surprise, they immediately recognized, their delight knew no -bounds. - - -[#] _Kiboko_: whip made of hippo hide. - - -The mosquitoes here defy description; even at mid-day I had to eat my -food walking about, and my evening and morning toilet, combined as it -was with a Dan Lenoesque extravaganza, if performed on the Empire stage -would assuredly have brought down the house. I crawled into my -mosquito-net with the greatest caution, disposed all my weighty -belongings, such as boots and cartridge-bags, in a circle round my bed -to keep down the edges of the net, exhausted all my candle-ends in -exploding the odd hundred or two that had crawled in with me, and was -quickly lulled to sleep by the dismal drone of myriads, happy in the -knowledge that they were outside; sleep, gentle sleep, during which I -evolved in one short hour from my own insignificant self through the -alarming stages of Daniel in the lion's den, and a cold bread poultice, -to the stern reality that they were inside; and they were, hundred and -hundreds of them. In vain I searched for some hole or possible inlet, -and eventually had to resign myself to the inevitable, buoyed up by the -meagre consolation that I had discovered that, like the light of the -glow-worm, the mosquito is possessed of the properties of the Roentgen -rays. - -Early the next morning Tunja came to tell me that Katonzi was coming -back, and at midday he arrived in person. He is a dismal old nigger, -and though somewhat rapacious, not a bad fellow. His first request was -to see the wonderful book, and then how I struck a match, an -accomplishment that tickled him immensely. He then naively asked me to -give him my guns, saying that Lugard had given them two guns, but that -the Belgians had taken them away. I asked him why all the people were -so frightened, and where they had all gone; whereupon he proceeded to -recount the same tales of misery and oppression that I had heard the day -before, from which I gathered that a Congo Free State official rejoicing -in the name of "Billygee" had suddenly swooped down on the country a -year ago, and after shooting down numbers of the natives had returned -west, carrying off forty young women, numerous children, and all the -cattle and goats, and putting a finishing touch to the proceedings by a -grand pyrotechnic display, during which they bound the old women, threw -them into the huts, and then fired the roofs. Several absolutely -independent witnesses informed me that this had been done actually in -the presence of Billygee and the gentlemen who accompanied him. -Katonzi's two sons, Tunja and Kutaru, were bound and taken away, but -released after two months. Kavalli's eldest son is now in their hands, -while a younger one escaped to the Balegga. As I have mentioned before, -when in Mboga the Balegga told me similar tales; here I was repeatedly -given accounts that tallied in all essentials, and further north the -Wakoba made the same piteous complaints; and I saw myself that a country -apparently well populated and responsive to just treatment in Lugard's -time (and that under very trying conditions, owing to the numbers of -destitute aliens in the country--to wit, the Soudanese) is now -practically a howling wilderness; the scattered inhabitants, terrified -even of one another, and living almost without cultivation in the -marshes, thickets, and reeds, madly flee even from their own shadows. -Chaos--hopeless, abysmal chaos--from Mweru to the Nile; in the south, -tales of cruelty of undoubted veracity, but which I could not repeat -without actual investigation on the spot; on Tanganyika, absolute -impotence, revolted Askaris ranging at their own sweet will, while the -white men are throwing their ivory and cartridges into the lake, and -cutting down their bananas for fear the rebels should take them; on -Kivu, a hideous wave of cannibalism raging unchecked through the land, -while in the north the very white men who should be keeping peace where -chaos now reigns supreme, are spending thousands in making of peace a -chaos of their own. I have no hesitation in condemning the whole State -as a vampire growth, intended to suck the country dry, and to provide a -happy hunting-ground for a pack of unprincipled outcasts and untutored -scoundrels. The few sound men in the country are powerless to stem the -tide of oppression. - -The departure of my mubaka provided by King Kasagama had taken a great -load off my mind; he was too heavy a swell for me to keep pace with, -dressed in white breeks, yellow putties, red fez, and three fancy -cloths, to say nothing of a red and yellow belt; and his terrible -anxiety lest he should miss a chance of putting up a large white -umbrella with a green lining was so infectious that finally I found -myself watching the clouds with one eye and the mubaka with the other, -knowing that at the first ray of sunshine he would emerge from his hut -and perform for my edification. In the cloudy intervals he devoured -such masses of solid food that even with my experience of native -capacity I became quite alarmed, and between the struttings and -bursting-point tests, he had very little time to devote to my affairs, -so that I was very glad to see the last of him. - -Katonzi, after relating his own troubles, and thinking, I suppose, that -it was my turn to have a few, proceeded to paint the most gruesome -pictures of what was in front. With tears in his eyes he begged me to -turn back, saying that if I died the white men would blame him; he -informed me that all was wilderness beyond--no food, no paths, all the -people dead. Putting his hand to his head, he explained how they had -all just done so, lain down and expired.[#] Pressed as to the reason of -this general collapse, he eagerly shook his head and murmured "Muungu" -(Kismet). Though summing up the majority of these perils as "nigger -gibberish," I was rather alarmed at the sudden death business, thinking -that perhaps it was smallpox or the Bombay plague; but this, like the -rest, was simply imagination. It is strange how natives get these ideas -into their heads. I do not think it was gratuitous lying, as all his -people, as far as I could see without any other reason than belief in -the sudden death, were afraid even to hunt in the direction indicated; -and he certainly had nothing to gain by stopping me from going forward, -since he had no interest in the country. However, I thought it advisable -to buy several days' provisions, and to do this it was necessary to draw -the Balegga from the hills; all my overtures had failed so far, and I -saw that the only way to start was to lay ground-bait for them by -killing elephant or buffalo. With this object in view I sallied forth -with a guide who was to take me to the elephant country. He wandered -about for two or three hours in country that an elephant would not look -at through a telescope, and whenever I said that I wanted elephant, he -nodded his head and said, "Oh yes, elephant." Then suddenly, as if a -bright idea had struck him, he said, "Oh yes, _elephant_!" and promptly -walked back through camp to a narrow spit jutting out into the lake and -about a quarter of a mile distant. As I could see water on both sides -and short grass in front, I thought he meant hippo, or was mad, -inclining to the latter belief; but no, he was quite confident, and -stalked along muttering to himself, "Yes, elephant! Yes, elephant!" (as -much as to say, "Who would have thought it?"); and sure enough there -were nine elephant in the reeds in the lake at the end of the spit. The -place was a mass of vegetation and honeycombed with elephant-holes. I -dropped one with a single shot. - - -[#] I have since realized that he was referring to the sleeping sickness -which entered this district at that time. - - -As I had expected, after a day of very hot sun, the odour was too -tempting, and the Balegga swarmed down from the hills and brought me -what food I wanted. I went for a stroll in the evening, and came on a -small herd of buffalo; they were very small compared with the South -African species, and amongst them were three light brown ones, a bull, -cow, and three-parts-grown calf. They were very beautiful animals, with -a black ridge of hair running along the neck and the top of the -shoulders. I shot the bull, and as my pagasi had as much as they could -carry, I told the natives to cure the hide and send it with the head -into Toro, so I hope to be able to have it described. When I first saw -them I thought they were eland, and it was with the greatest surprise -that I found they had a buffalo's head attached. The small one was as -light in colour as a reedbuck, and the other two a similar colour round -the rump and the belly.[#] I could gather no information from the -natives as to whether they had seen others; all they knew was that the -buffalo was an evil beast, had once been very numerous, but was now -finished. - - -[#] I have since found, on reference to the British Museum, that they -were the Congo buffalo. This proves that their distribution is further -East than was imagined. The fact that they were running in the same -herd as the black Eastern variety is of considerable scientific -interest. - - - - - *CHAPTER XVII.* - - *ALBERT LAKE AND UPPER NILE TO WADELAI.* - - -An hour's walk into the valley of death brought us to a cluster of -villages with a large population, which was in a state of utter -destitution. The people, who were very nervous at first, eventually -gathered round in numbers with the same tale of rapine and murder, and -the chief gave me a guide to take me to the foot of the hills. Another -hour brought us to Nsabe, which, though generally depicted on maps in -large letters, consists of about five dirty little muck-heaps, only -recognizable as human habitations by the filthy smell that emanated from -them. All the inhabitants fled, leaving their spears, bows, and beer in -their hurry, and no amount of shouting and yelling would induce them to -return. Our guide promptly made a bundle of the spears and other -movables, with a view to appropriation, which when complete I placed -against a tree, accompanying the movement by a vigorous application of -my boot to the toughest portion of his anatomy. Incorrigible, bullying, -thieving curs, one is often tempted to think that the Boer method of -treating natives is, after all, the only one they deserve. Their Mark -Tapleyism is their sole redeeming feature, and that is attributable to -the incapacity of their intellect to hold anything but the impression of -the moment. Although of the same tribe and close neighbours, I expect -he would have thoroughly enjoyed seeing me burn and loot the place; it -is the same everywhere--a guide amongst his own people is a worse thief -even than a Manyema porter. He then took us by a devious route to the -shore of the lake, and seemed greatly astonished to find that the -village he had mentioned did not exist; nor had it left any trace -behind. I could see by the way he was behaving that he intended to -bolt, and knowing that without a native of the country there was very -little chance of inducing the people, in their frightened state, to -remain in their villages, I kept a close eye on him. As I expected, when -I sat down on the shore to wait for the boys to close up, he began -edging off towards the jungle; but when he looked round to see if it was -all clear, he found himself covered by my .303. I had him brought back, -and explained to him that his chief had sent him to show the way to the -foot of the hills, that he had led me into the wilderness and could now -lead me out, the two alternatives being villages, another guide, and a -present, or a race with a .303 bullet. He chose the former, and seeing -that fooling was a glut in the market, promptly took us to a village of -the Wakoba called Kahoma, and in Kahuma's country. Here all the people -fled, but he followed, and persuaded them to bring food to trade. They, -too, had been raided, and had lost two women and two children captured. -They could not tell me how many white men or Askaris there were, as they -had not waited to see. The majority of them are fine, well-made men, -and intensely black. One in particular took my fancy. He was a -tremendous swell, with anything from 15 to 20 lbs. of red clay on his -head, an enormous ivory bracelet, and multitudes of iron rings. The -Wakoba live all along the lake-shore and in the fringe of the hills, -and, curiously enough, their villages are mixed indiscriminately with -those of the Balegga, with whom they seem to be on the best of terms, -although the two peoples are quite distinct, the Balegga being real -out-and-out bestial little savages, while the Wakoba are much above the -Central African average of intelligence, with quite a wide knowledge of -local affairs. They are both in a state of parallel expansion, the -Balegga working to the north into the Lendu country, and the Wakoba in -the opposite direction encroaching on the Wanyabuga. - -Two miles north of Kahoma the hills come down to the water's edge, -leaving only a narrow shingly beach, and thenceforward our progress -became painfully slow; at intervals the headlands jut out into the -water, and the work of transporting the loads round these obstructions -with only two or three small and very unstable canoes was one of -considerable difficulty, even the latitude of Doctor Johnson's -dictionary proving insufficient on occasions; scores of little streams -come tumbling down into the lake, each one forming a small delta, on -many of which there are Wakoba villages with a few banana palms, and -signs of scratching on the hillside, where I presume something was -intended to grow, but had turned dizzy and given up the attempt. After -Kahanama's, which is in Kahuma's sphere, Mpigwa is the big man, and I -passed through many of his villages, some of the largest being Kabora, -Zingi (?), Bordo, Nsessi, and Kiboko. Most of the scenery is very fine, -the little white cascades gleaming in the shadow of immense trees, many -of which are covered with scarlet and yellow blossoms, and in the midst -of luxuriant tangles of vegetation the great gaunt slabs of slimy rock -deep-set in their snow-white bed of sand, over which the little waves -come tumbling in, gurgling and splashing round their feet and moaning -and sobbing into a thousand miniature caves; while great apes and little -brown-eyed monkeys drop from branch to branch and sit leering and -gibbering at us as we paddle past. - -The continual wetting and rock-climbing had the most disastrous effect -on my already attenuated wardrobe, and for two or three days I was -compelled to disport myself clad in a simple shirt, which, thanks to a -classical education and consequent ignorance of the art of washing, had -contracted to the modest and insufficient dimensions of a -chest-preserver, while assuming the durable but inappropriate -consistency of a piece of oil-cloth. The roseate hues of early dawn -"weren't in it" with my nether limbs after the first day's exposure to a -pitiless sun, and I became a sort of perambulating three-tiered -Neapolitan ice, coffee, vanilla and raspberry, a phenomenon that greatly -astonished a savage who surprised me in my bath, and who immediately -fetched all his kith and kin to see; on the second day, however, the -alarming desertion of a third of my epidermis so pained me mentally and -physically, that after a great effort I produced a double-barrelled -garment that in the absence of Poole-bred critics served its turn. - -Of the various arts and crafts that one is called upon to undertake in -Africa, such as cooking, shoe-mending, washer-womaning, doctoring, -butchering, taxiderming, armoury work, carpentering, etc., _ad -infinitum_, I think perhaps tailoring is the most trying; the cotton -will _not_ go into the eye of the needle, and the needle _will_ go into -one's fingers, and then when you think it is all over, you find you have -sewn the back of your shirt to the front, or accomplished something -equally unexpected and equally difficult to undo. - -At Nsessi, two miles south of Kiboko, there is a superb waterfall; it -has a drop of about 500 ft., and is divided into three stages, all at a -different angle to one another, falling 100 ft., then swirling round at -an angle, plunging into the next pool, and then a last long slide to the -level of the lake. Stupendous silver-trunked trees, with foliage the -colour of the ilex and brilliant splashes of scarlet bloom, crowd round -on either side of the gorge wherever the wild rocks afford a footing; -above towers a pointed peak showing bright above the dense gloom of the -gorge, and a white stripe of sand fringes the little village, nestling -in its banana grove, at the base. - -These natives lead a curious existence, shut in between precipitous -hills and the lake, their sole means of communication with one another -being their leaky little 10 ft. dug-outs. They are wonderfully clever -at handling them, and perform the extraordinary feat of crossing the -lake, dodging in and out between the waves in the most marvellous -manner. As a means of transport they are not to be recommended; the -shape of a cross-section being that of an egg with its top off, one -slides in with comparative ease like a pickle into a pickle-jar: once -in, as with the pickle, extrication is a matter of time and patience. -It needs one of Lear's Jumblies to feel thoroughly at home, as they leak -like a sieve, and only perpetual bailing will keep them afloat. - -The first day, in the sweet innocence of youth, I set off to round a -headland with my guns and a tin box containing my indispensables on -board, fearing to trust them to a native. All went smoothly at first, -till I had arrived well off the rocks with a slight swell on and no -landing-place near, and then she began slowly to heel over, while water -seemed to be rushing in through the wood itself. After prodigious -efforts I succeeded in running into the rocks, the water being then -within an inch of the gunwale. I saved my guns and box, but smashed the -canoe, and after that turned passenger. It looks so easy when they come -dancing along, each with a native kneeling in the stern and plying a -huge curved-bladed paddle; but it is a very different thing when one is -wedged in oneself; physically incapable of squatting in a kneeling -posture, as a native does, one finds bailing out an impossibility; the -whole of the bottom of the canoe seems to be covered with boots, and the -incurved edges catch the wooden bailing-dish and jerk the contents into -one's lap. - -Although the lake teems with fish, many of large size, the Wakoba make -no attempt to catch them, trusting to the occasional chance of -purchasing from the natives on the other shore or from Kasenyi. - -One day I shot a baboon at the natives' request, a performance, by the -way, that I shall not repeat, nor would I recommend it to any one but -the most hardened villain. A frantic scramble took place for the flesh, -and when I asked them what it tasted like, they "smole a smile." -Amongst the countless troops of monkeys that are for ever coughing and -dancing amongst the rocks and trees, I saw a small family of very -beautiful little fellows with bright fox-red fringes down their sides, -but I could not bring myself to shoot at them after seeing that -unfortunate baboon, although I have never seen them described, or -elsewhere in Africa. - -At Viboko I was compelled to wait, the shore in front being -impracticable and the heights behind unscaleable, till Mswa sent down -the canoes, which I had requested by numerous envoys. My boys were -badly in need of a rest, the work having been very trying since -Kahanama's, and the fever from which I was suffering made it equally -acceptable to me. In the afternoon two natives arrived, saying that a -muzungu[#] was coming down to meet me with ten canoes. After inquiries -as to what kind of Askaris he had, etc., etc., I gathered that it must -be a Belgian official, so killed the fatted calf in the guise of a -skinny sheep and sundry osseous frames masquerading as dorkings, and -then plunged for the second time into the turgid flow of Zola's _Rome_, -to cleanse my French of probable Swahili trespassers. I even exhumed a -tie, and having produced a menu that exhausted all the possible -combinations and permutations of an African larder, awaited anxiously -his arrival, picturing to myself the joys of a little talkee-talkee once -more. A stiff southerly breeze evidently was delaying them, and it was -not till after dark that we heard the wild canoe-song of the flotilla, -which had rounded the point and caught sight of our camp-fires. Giving -a last twirl to my moustache and a nautical hitch to the Poolesque -garment aforesaid, and composing my features to the iron-clad smirk -indispensable to such occasions, I advanced to do the honours, and -grasped the hand of a dirty, greasy little negro clad in, or rather -smeared over with, a prehistoric piece of cloth! Here was my muzungu! -here my gallant Belgian staggering under the gold braid of a hat of that -peculiarly unbecoming shape affected by French guards and German -tourists, and majestically trailing the orthodox 30-franc sword! -Inquiries elicited the fact that the parasitic relic of Manchester above -mentioned established a valid claim to the title of muzungu in these -parts. However, he had brought the canoes, so I readily forgave him, -and next day we arrived at the old Soudanese station, Mswa. Mswa is the -name of the chief, who is a vassal of Tukenda, and Mahagi is the name of -the country itself. He is an intelligent old native, and remembered -seeing that ubiquitous officer, Bt.-Major Vandeleur, D.S.O., when he -crossed from Kibero, and was delighted at the photograph which forms the -frontispiece to his book entitled _Campaigns on the Nile and Niger_. -Here let me recommend travellers to take out photographs of men who have -gone before them; the effect is wonderful on those natives who can grasp -the idea, though, of course, to many natives a picture is merely a piece -of paper. It convinces those who can understand it that you are -speaking the truth--a possibility so utterly foreign to the native mind. -After exchanging presents he retired, promising to bring more boys in -the morning to work the canoes; but in the morning none were -forthcoming, and after waiting some time while Mswa rushed frantically -round the country, shouting to his people, who walked off into the grass -and laughed at him, I concluded that he was either incompetent or trying -to make a fool of me, and, to his consternation, manned the canoes with -my own men and started. As I expected, enough men were immediately -forthcoming, but too late, and I held on my way. - - -[#] _Muzungu_: white man. - - -We did not reach Mahagi till after dark. Here the hills again recede -from the lake-shore, leaving an alluvial plain from one to two miles -wide, which is densely populated by Lures, while in the hills there are -numerous villages of Balegga. Tukenda is the big man, whose influence -reaches from south of Mswa to Boki; he has a small herd of cattle and -large flocks of goats, and his people are evidently flourishing and very -friendly. So dense is the population that the natives have been -emigrating down the lake, and have started new villages on the -unoccupied sand-spits. At Boki a grand old tusker came sailing by the -camp, and after a stern chase and much expenditure of powder, -condescended to strike his colours. He was a perfect specimen of the -Toro type above described, standing 11 ft. 1 in. at the shoulder, with a -forefoot of 62 in., and measuring 5 ft. 6 in. round the elbow, while his -tusks were 6 ft. 10 in. and 7 ft 1 in. long, weighing respectively 72 -lbs. and 76 lbs. A small patch of forest about two miles by one mile -comes down from the hills to the lake-shore, and as my boys had heard -elephant there when cutting wood, I went for a stroll after the midday -heat of the sun. Never have I seen a more delightful or interesting -scene; countless herds of elephant had trampled down the undergrowth, -leaving vast shady chambers joined in all directions by galleries. Some -of these chambers were fully an acre in extent, and every vestige of -vegetation underfoot had been crushed into a level carpet, upon which it -was a pleasure to walk. As one entered these delightful retreats, -troops and troops of monkeys lined the branches and gazed on us with -fearless curiosity; while two or three hundred of the beautiful -black-and-white colobus monkey performed the most amazing acrobatic -feats overhead. Emerging on the far side I saw a herd of ten elephant. -They were standing in long grass, but fortunately there was a small -ant-hill close by; climbing up this I found them all with ears -widespread advancing in line towards me, and had it not been for the -fortuitous existence of this point of vantage they would have walked -right on top of us, the grass being about 8 ft. high. They presented a -glorious spectacle as they came sailing along, all canvas set (I can -find no other word to express the motion of an elephant in grass), ten -old tuskers, their ivory now and again gleaming white above the grass; -on they came till, when within thirty yards, one turned and gave me a -chance. He dropped to the shot, but quickly recovered; succumbing, -however, after two more. I damaged three more considerably before -exhausting the magazine, and then dashed off in pursuit, passing one -which had dropped about five hundred yards off, and reached an ant-hill -from which I could see number three evidently very sick. I dropped him -with a forehead shot, but he recovered, and eventually reached the -forest carrying another ten bullets. Here I followed again, but it was -impossible to keep his spoor owing to the perfect maze of tracks, and -after wandering around for some time, I climbed up an ant-hill with a -large funnel down the middle. From this elevation I saw him standing -not more than fifteen yards away. I fired the 10-bore, which staggered -him, and knocked me down the funnel, but I scrambled out again just in -time to give him the second barrel, which brought him down at the same -time that I once more retired into my Stygian retreat; a 3 in. ridge of -crumbling earth 15 ft. from the ground is not the most advisable basis -from which to fire a 10-bore paradox. All these elephant were of the -same type, huge solid beasts with shortish, thick tusks; 6 ft. 10 in., 7 -ft. 3 in., 5 ft. 6 in., 5 ft. 6 in., 6 ft. 4 in., 6 ft. 5 in., and -weighing 76 lbs., 78 lbs., 56 lbs., 56 lbs., 60 lbs., and 61 lbs. -respectively. - -The next day I found the fourth that I had hit very hard. He had fallen -within two hundred yards of the other two, but owing to the long grass I -had not seen him. His tusks weighed 49 lbs., and measured 6 ft. and 5 -ft. 10 in., making a total of 633 lbs. for the day. - -Between Boki and Munyagora there is a ten-mile stretch of inhospitable -scrub covered with a species of acacia, with huge white thorns springing -in pairs from hard bulbous excrescences. Formerly there was a -settlement named Mjamori about half way, but the chief Akem has fled -with his people to Munyagora; he told me that he had fled from the -Belgians. I here made the discovery that "Billygee" is a generic term -for the Congo officials, and not, as I had previously imagined, the name -of an individual. From Munyagora to Igara, which lies at the bend of -the river, the country is thickly populated. The Lures build very -primitive shelters and surround each village with a scherm of -thorn-tree; they do not appear to cultivate the soil, but breed large -numbers of goats, which look very sleek and comely. The country, which -is very barren and parched, is admirably adapted to that abominable -quadruped, which is never so happy as when confined to a little sand and -the rancid smell of its own kind. - -I was an object of the greatest curiosity, especially to the ladies of -these communities, who came in large numbers to inspect me (front seats -at bath time being in great request), and who, whether from a ridiculous -sense of modesty or a laudable desire to do honour to the occasion, -donned over and above the national costume of a small piece of string -tied round the waist, a hopelessly inadequate apron of dried grass: a -garment that, from the simplicity of its cut and the small quantity of -material employed in its composition, I should have no hesitation in -classing with the species of female extravagance known, I believe, to -the fair sex as tailor-made. The men, who seem to be of a hopeful -disposition, spend much time in making wicker baskets resembling two -lobster-pots fastened together like a cottage loaf; these they leave in -the river tied to sticks and without bait. I saw many hundreds of these, -and large numbers of natives visiting them, but only one fish, though my -olfactory sense warned me of the vicinity of at least one more. They -have a pretty little myth about buying food from the Balegga for fish, -and as they do not kill their goats and certainly had not been buying -lately, I cannot imagine what they live on; but I do know that in six -hours they removed every scrap of five large bull elephant, hides, -bones, and all; a small trifle of about twenty tons; so conclude they -live a kind of boa-constrictor's existence. Many of the young men -aggravate the natural ugliness of their faces by inserting pieces of -glass about 5 in. long in their under-lip. One and all carry small -bows, with reed arrows tipped with long thin spikes of iron neither -barbed nor feathered. Most of the chiefs and elders are obviously of -different race, some having the Galla features more or less pronounced. -Here at the north end of the lake one emerges quite suddenly from the -"Bantu" peoples to the Nilotic, and the line of division is wonderfully -sharply defined. There are numbers of reedbuck and nsunu, and in the -bush a small very red oribi of which I failed to procure a specimen. I -also saw a herd of hartebeeste, and shot a cow; they closely resembled -the Lichtenstein, though the rump was not so white, and the horns lie -closer together and stand more erect than those of Lichtenstein. Mr. -Cape tells me that Jackson's hartebeeste, which it appears to resemble -in other respects, is a considerably larger beast; so that it is to be -hoped that he will be able to take a skull and hide home for -identification. - - - - - *CHAPTER XVIII.* - - *WADELAI TO KERO.* - - -I arrived at Wadelai on October 1st, and found Lieut. Cape, R.A., in -command; the boma is built on a small hill overlooking the miniature -lake, and is slightly south of Emin's old site. Here, as elsewhere, the -drought had been very serious, and the country consequently looked bare -and uninviting. After Rhodesia, B.C.A., and Northern Rhodesia, it was -difficult to believe that this land of administrative chaos had been -occupied for six years. The mail arrived three weeks overdue, and some -loads which had or ought to have been already a month on the road, were -three weeks afterwards still untraceable, although the whole distance is -only a fortnight's march, while station loads sent off yet three weeks -earlier were still unheard of. Nowhere has the Government made any -effort to introduce even bananas, much less fruit-trees, vegetables, -wheat, or rice; no system of mail service has been organized, and no -regulations as to import, duties, etc., had been issued. At Toro I asked -for information about the transit dues, naturally objecting to pay the -ordinary export duty of 15 per cent. on ivory which I had obtained -outside the Protectorate. My request was ignored, and at Wadelai I was -met by a demand for duties based on regulations apparently issued for -our benefit, but by an error of judgment bearing a date subsequent to -our crossing the frontier. From this I can only gather, either that the -possibility of the country becoming a trade-route (one of the _raisons -d'etre_, I presume, of the railway) had never been entertained, or that -it was part of the penny-wise, pound-foolish policy that robs officials -of their hunting trophies, and maintains, at the preposterous figure of -14 rupees 8 annas a month, a large number of Waganda boatmen on the -Nile, where they die like flies of dysentery brought on by unsuitable -food. The country is quite unsuited to these Waganda, who are all -banana-eaters, millet being the staple food; and this, coupled with the -great difference in altitude, is killing them by dozens, while the banks -of the Nile itself are lined with capable canoemen, who could be engaged -at 3s. a month; 14 r. 8 a. a month to raw natives, many of whom are mere -boys, is sufficient in itself to damn any country's future which will be -dependent on its agriculture. Where would B.C.A. be with wages for raw -labour at L1 a month? It is an uphill fight now at 3s. rate; 8 r. a -load from Kampala to Fajao, a fourteen days' march, what produce will -bear transport rates like this? Similarly the pay of the Soudanese is -absurd; they actually do not know what to do with their money; and the -only result of the late rise in their pay is that they no longer -cultivate on their own account, but buy everything at exorbitant rates -from the natives. They would have been equally contented and equally -well off with half the sum, the effect of the other half being increased -drunkenness and a general rise in the price of native produce. The -Government should have its own plantations or make allotments to the -station natives, instead of the present system of money rations, as it -will be very difficult to induce the natives to work while they can sell -enough produce at exorbitant rates to obtain their few luxuries, and in -the near future to pay their hut-tax. Another gross piece of folly was -the introduction of the rupee instead of the English currency. - -It was very pleasant to find some one to talk to again; in six weeks one -finds out what a terribly uninteresting fellow one is. After a rest of -three or four days spent in waiting for the overdue mails and the -arrival of the Waganda canoe fiasco, Lieutenant Cape took me out to see -the Shuli country and for a general trot round, the _piece de -resistance_ to be an old bull giraffe that Sheikh Ali, the local -potentate, reported to be in his neighbourhood. My host was fortunate -enough to be able to leave the station for a few days, though we were -hampered in our movements by his having to keep within a day's march. -This, I believe, was the second time he had succeeded in getting away -for a day or two in his year's residence. The really important work of -inspecting the country and winning the confidence of the natives had to -give way to the soldierly occupation of sorting mails, and retailing -beads and yards of cloth, which could be equally well done by an Indian -at 10 or 15 r. a month. This playing at shop is, as far as I could -judge, the sole _raison d'etre_ of these stations, and perhaps a desire -on the part of the Government to show the unfortunate officer who has -been inveigled into this Downing Street-warranted paradise what an -insignificant thing he and his wants (at home we should say necessaries -of life) are compared with a Dinka's boots or a Baluchi's ginger. The -whole transport of the Protectorate has been paralyzed to supply a -miserable mob of Baluchis with rations which their white officers would -gladly have bought at their weight in gold, and who have been, are, and -will be utterly useless in the country. Heaven knows what they have -cost, and Heaven, I presume, knows why they were brought, for I am sure -no one else does. There was not one single pound of flour in any -station that I passed through, and no white man had been able to obtain -a load of the common necessaries of life for months, because what little -transport there was had been monopolized to hurry through the Soudanese -belts, blankets, comic opera uniforms, and boots, which they take off -and give to their boys to carry when they walk. One gallant officer -amused me much by telling me that the one touch of civilization of the -past year had been a ginger-pudding made from a surplus ounce of the -Indians' rations. - -We had a delightful trip, killing a good elephant, 71 lbs. and 61 lbs. -(broken tusks); but the giraffe turned out to be an unsociable old -gentleman and not on view; we were always nearly coming on him, but -never quite came. The country was full of rhino, the difficulty being to -avoid them. One day natives came in to report an elephant in the Shuli -country, and we hurried off to the spot. Here we found that he had -killed a woman who had met him unexpectedly on the path. Unfortunately -we failed to avenge her, as, after following for some hours, we lost the -spoor owing to the hardness of the ground. The following morning they -brought us news of buffalo, which turned out to be three rhino lying -under a tree. They started off, making a great variety of strange -sounds, and after a stern chase we slew the old bull, which stood 5 ft. -5 in. at the shoulder, and measured 12 ft. in length. Unfortunately we -had also wounded one of the cows during the bombardment, and so had a -long tramp to finish her. On the morrow we again had news of buffalo, -and this time found, but they escaped without a shot, Cape's .303 -missing fire. For some reason or other they travelled hard, and just as -we were coming close again, a confounded old cow rhino, which was -evidently sleeping close to their track, charged Cape most viciously. -Fortunately he turned her at three yards with a double barrel from the -.303, and she rushed past me with a youngster, tail and nose in air and -squealing like a steam-whistle, in hot pursuit. I dropped her with a -spine-shot from my .303, but to our annoyance she recovered after -dragging her hind quarters for fifty yards, and led us a long and -exhausting dance in a desperate sun. She was a saucy old lady, but our -battery was too much for her, and she never charged again, although -after the first burst she made no frantic efforts to go away. A very -long shot from Cape's 8-smoothbore glanced off her shoulder. Curiously -enough, I had an exactly similar experience with my rhino on the -Chambesi: the first shot from my 4-bore glanced off the shoulder, -although a broadside shot at thirty yards and striking 18 in. below the -ridge. Of course both these guns fired spherical balls. In Cape's case -I distinctly heard the bullet strike, and then again strike the trees -far away. I regret to say we never caught the calf; he stayed behind in -the grass at an early stage of the fracas; he was the funniest-looking -little chap imaginable, and reminded me of the mock turtle; if taught to -follow, he would have made quite a sensation in the Park. The elephant, -which measured 11 ft. 6 in. at the shoulder, 58 in. round the fore foot, -18 ft. round the edge of the ear, 4-1/2 ft. from the earhole to the -outside edge, was chiefly remarkable for the complacent way in which he -received a really extraordinary sequence of lead; we kept up a running -bombardment over about half a mile; and it was not till Cape put an -experimental shot into his leg that we could induce him to take any -notice of us. This brought him round sharp, and I popped a shot in, in -front of the eye, which knocked him down. Even then he made desperate -efforts to get up again, and would have succeeded had it not been for -the slope on which he was lying, and the fact that his legs were -up-hill. - -About this time life became rather a burden, owing to the terrific -storms that broke over us nightly. The first one removed my tent as you -would a candle-extinguisher, and left me exposed to a torrent of -ice-cold water (one can hardly call it rain, as it comes in one solid -mass, like an inverted bath). This experience--and a more awful one I -cannot conceive--made us both rather nervous, and the greater portion of -the succeeding three nights was spent in anxious wakefulness, desperate -hammerings at pegs and holding of poles, to the accompaniment of a -running and not too polite commentary on Nature and her ways, sustained -in a high falsetto to keep up one another's courage. But this became -rather wearying, and we consequently returned to Wadelai. The Shulis, -whose country lies to the east of the Lures, and extends from the -Somerset Nile to about 48 north, are similar in appearance to their Lure -neighbours. They hunt game by means of nets and regularly organized -battues, and seem to be fair shikaris compared to the other people in -this part of Africa. They appear to be braver than the Lures, who are -the most abject curs. Near Mahagi I have seen elephant's droppings on -the roofs of the huts, and the fields trodden flat, and this in spite of -there being a number of guns in the country, while we did succeed in -inducing some Shulis to follow the spoor of the murderous elephant -above-mentioned, but at the chatter of a monkey they hurriedly -disappeared, and it needed ten minutes to collect them again. They -build very neat villages, laid out on a definite plan, and very superior -to the primitive hayricks of the Lures. An outer ring of huts, with the -spaces between stoutly palisaded, encloses alternate rings of -grain-stores and huts, while the centre is occupied by a dining and -"jabbering" place, formed by piling stout poles in tiers; these, like -most of their other possessions, being stained with a kind of red clay. -In some central position a large pigeon-loft is built, in which all the -small babies are stowed and shut up for the night; a very excellent -idea, and one that might be introduced at home. Many of the young -bloods wear neat head-dresses made of human hair, with an outer layer of -beads and culminating in a peak in front, which is tipped with an old -cartridge-case or other gaudy object. They paint their bodies in -gruesome patterns with red-and-white clay, and do not distress -themselves about the proprieties. They still own considerable herds of -cattle and enormous flocks of goats and sheep, and their cultivations -are very extensive. Numbers of chiefs came to pay their respects, glad -of the opportunity of doing so without passing through Lure country, -which they must do to visit Wadelai. One old gentleman arrived with a -cane-bottomed chair, which he said had once belonged to Emin; he also -distinctly remembered Sir Samuel Baker. His two chief wives came and -called on us; they were pleasant-featured women, and scrupulously clean, -but their appearance was much spoilt by the inevitable piece of glass -and enormous earrings. This wearing of a piece of glass in the lower lip -is very curious, and peculiar, I believe, to the Shulis and Lures. - -On October 22nd, giving up all hopes of my loads, I sent back my Manyema -_via_ Kampala, and embarking in my man-of-war with five trusty Watonga, -my small boy from Ujiji, and my two Wa Ruanda, I started down stream -once more, and profiting by a strong current, made considerable -progress, and encamped on the left bank by one of the first villages of -the Madi. The Madi are a fine race, closely allied to the Lures; they -surround their villages with a dense thorn hedge, and the only means of -ingress is through small holes 2 ft. high. They make beautiful arrows -with barbs of a great variety of patterns. - -Here the mosquitoes were terrible, and as they were small enough to -penetrate the mesh of my net, sleep was out of the question, while my -wretched natives spent the night in reminiscences of the happy lands -flowing with milk and honey now left far behind. On the following day -the river widened considerably, in some places resembling a lake rather -than a river. In the vicinity of Bora, the old Egyptian station, it -must be at least four miles broad, and the current is almost -imperceptible, except where the sudd is so extensive as to leave only -one or two small channels. There are enormous numbers of hippopotami in -these reaches, and they constitute a very real danger to navigation. One -of the Uganda canoes, in emerging from the Unyama, a river opposite -Dufile, was attacked, and only escaped by running into the sudd. -Captain Delme Radcliffe, the officer commanding this district, was -attacked in the steel boat; and an infuriated old bull chased me for -fully half a mile, at one time being within five yards of the stern, but -a well-placed shot from my revolver eventually induced him to desist -from the pursuit. The Madi attack them with a harpoon-head, fastened to -the end of a shaft by a twist of the rope to which it is attached, and -so arranged as to detach itself after the delivery of the stroke from -the shaft, which remains in the hand of the hunter, while the rope is -free to run out until the float, which is tied to the other end, can be -thrown overboard. The ridge of hills that commences at Wadelai -gradually increases in height, till at Bora the hills become quite -imposing; then they rapidly diminish, and a few miles south of Dufile -vanish completely, giving place after a few miles of level ground to -some isolated kopjes. On the left bank a range of hills runs parallel -to the Nile, opposite Wadelai, but at a distance of about twenty miles -from the river; then they bend to the east and merge into the formidable -peaks that dominate Dufile and the Karas rapids. On the bank of the -river, and even in mid-stream, there are some picturesque kopjes black -with cormorants. In the vast wastes of weed and water through which one -passes it is easy to trace the formation of the formidable barriers -which further north render navigation almost impossible. There is a -small plant, similar in form to our well-known London Pride, which grows -in the water, and is entirely independent of the soil, deriving its -sustenance from the water by means of a tangle of roots resembling -seaweed, and which descend to a depth of 1 ft. 6 in. to 2 ft. This -plant grows in enormous quantities at the mouth of the Semliki, and in -the placid reaches of the Victoria Nile, and single plants and even -large masses are carried by the wind and current, and eventually are -caught by a snag, a bed of water-lilies, or a bank of sand; they are -soon followed by others, and by degrees the mass becomes enormous. Then -grass-seeds are dropped by birds or driven by the wind, and the mass is -quickly matted by the grass; driftwood, plants, and refuse of all sorts -soon accumulate, and the rotting remains and mud that settles from the -stream form a solid bottom. Then come the papyrus and the dense reeds, -and what was originally a stick or a water-lily has in a few months -become a solid island. There are numbers of Uganda kob and hartebeeste -on the banks, but remarkably few ducks or geese. The neighbourhood of -old Dufile appears to be very densely populated, and at my camp, near -the old site, I was visited by numbers of natives, who told me that the -Belgian post was further down, below the commencement of the rapids, and -that the Belgians had been recently fighting a tribe living in the -hills. - -The following morning, after narrowly escaping shooting the rapids, -owing to a mistake in Bt.-Major Vandeleur's map, which transposes the -river Unyama and the stream which flows in farther north, I reached -Afuddu, a post built in the bottom of a crater several miles from -anywhere, and surrounded by dense bush. A more concise summing up of -Uganda methods than that afforded by the placing of Afuddu would be -difficult to conceive. Subsequent inquiries elicited the monstrous fact -that the site had been chosen because of a magnificent shady tree which -serves as an open-air dining-room: in fine, two white men and a hundred -odd Soudanese are condemned to live in a mosquito-bush situated in a -hollow surrounded by hills, two hours from the river and off the main -road to Fort Berkeley, for the shade afforded by a tree during -meal-times. Naturally the site is now to be changed, which means the -loss of a year's work. I was much distressed to find Lieut. Langton of -the 21st Lancers, the O.C., in bed with black-water fever. Fortunately -two days later Dr. Walker arrived from Lamogi, and when I left all -danger was past. The Commandant of new Dufile sent over wine and other -luxuries for the invalid, and sent me a most pressing invitation to go -and shoot with him, which, owing to my anxiety to arrive at Fort -Berkeley, and obtain the latest news, I was unable to accept. - -After three days' wallowing in the unheard-of luxury of glass, china, -silver, milk and butter galore, for which Afuddu is justly famous, I set -off with thirty Madi porters provided by a neighbouring chief, and -crossing the line of hills north of the Unyama, camped on the Asua, -which in the rains is a very formidable river. On the road I saw my -first herd of giraffe, but owing to the necessity of avoiding delay, the -country being uninhabited, and consequently foodless, I had to rest -content with a long look through my binoculars. I was much impressed -with their immense height and extraordinary action. The road to Fort -Berkeley crosses the plateau several miles east of the Nile, and passes -through a stony, inhospitable country, the haunt of numerous rhinoceros, -antelope, and elephant. Scores of rocky streams flow west to the Nile. -In the neighbourhood of the large hills, four days from Afuddu, their -banks are clothed with dense masses of bamboo. The third day out we -passed through the deserted fields and villages of a chief, Krefi, who, -owing to some difference as to the porterage of food with the -authorities at Fort Berkeley, has moved with all his people from the -road towards the interior. This has been a sad blow to the transport of -the region, as formerly a relay of porters and food were to be obtained, -whereas now the porters from Afuddu have to do the whole five days to -Alimadi's villages, and that without being able to obtain food on the -road, an innovation which they naturally resent. At Alimadi's I found a -detachment of Soudanese from Fort Berkeley buying food. Alimadi himself -is a decent old chief, and still owns a few head of cattle; I believe -the only herd in the vicinity that has survived the depredations of the -Dervishes. Between here and Fort Berkeley the road traverses the sites -of numerous villages, the inhabitants of which have either fled or been -slain. Fort Berkeley is quite in keeping with the other stations on the -Nile, having been carefully placed under a brow which commands the -interior of the zariba. A swamp to the west between the fort and the -river, and an extensive swamp to the south, add to the general salubrity -of the situation. The nearest food-centres are two days' march, with -the consequent result that half the garrison is constantly away buying -food. The Maxim has been mounted behind a large acacia tree, which -effectively screens it from an imaginary enemy, but at the same time -confines its firing area to the inside of the fort, and gives a general -finish-off to the situation. The station has been provided with an -Egyptian clerk, who can only write Arabic, which is not required, and -whose duties are consequently limited to holding a tape-yard at the -Stores issue, for which herculean task he receives the very respectable -sum of a hundred rupees a month. - -Captain Dugmore, D.S.O., the officer in command, received me with every -kindness, and nearly broke my heart by assuring me that I should spend -Christmas with him. I had counted on being home by Christmas; a vain -hope, as it afterwards transpired, and his prediction came near being -fulfilled. He was engaged in completing a magnificent water-wheel _a la -Chinoise_, compounded of broken-up chop-boxes and empty tins. The -extraordinary relics employed in its construction and the ingenuity -displayed filled me with amazement. But, alas! its life was short, for -after three days of service it collapsed in a high wind, which, -considering that the only elements available for the construction of its -axle were some green wood and a sardine-tin, was not remarkable. Here, -as elsewhere, all the crops had failed, owing to the drought, and -Captain Dugmore's wheat, though cherished with loving care, was -gradually disappearing before the ubiquitous termite. As the launch was -away, we were in the ignominious position of being dependent on the -Belgians for a ferry across the river. Shabby! shabby! is the only word -for our methods in Africa. At present on the Nile we have one steel -boat refloated off Mahagi, and below the cataracts one steam-tub. Add -to this a few useless Waganda canoes, one of which, after an initial -cost of, say, L100, carries one load, and all of which are warranted to -spoil half their contents owing to the enormous leakage inevitable in -canoes consisting of planks sewn together by fibre, and you have our -Upper Nile fleet; while the Belgians, whose transport difficulties are -at least equal to ours, have a large steamer and a dozen fine steel -whale-boats, with several more in construction and on the road. The -majority of the Belgians (there are about twenty on the Nile) are well -lodged in burnt-brick houses, while, with the exception of a weird -construction in sun-dried brick at Fort Berkeley, all our officers are -housed, like the natives, in grass and mud huts. The sum of the -situation is this. The Belgians under Chaltin reached the Nile, drove -out the Dervishes from Redjaf after some stiff fighting, followed them -up, and eventually, by repeated activity and the effective occupation -and fortification of Kero on the 5-1/2 deg. parallel, compelled them in -self-defence to evacuate Bohr. They then put their steamer on the -river, and by a reconnaissance towards the Bahr-el-Ghazal, ascertained -that the Dervishes had left the country, presumably to join the Khalifa -in Kordofan. In the meanwhile Colonel Martyr's expedition arrives on the -scene, and after establishing four posts--Wadelai, Lamoji, Afuddu, and -Fort Berkeley--in the most unsuitable positions, succeeds in launching a -small steam-tub capable of holding about ten men, and in which it is -impossible to put both wood and supplies at the same time. Everybody, -the officers of the expedition included, imagined that an effort was to -be made to effect a junction with the Egyptian forces--an excellent -opportunity of acquiring a maximum of "kudos" at a minimum of cost, a -chance that does not come to all men--and the chance slid by. - -From Bohr to Gaba Shambeh there is an excellent waterway, and at the -same time that we were bolting from the mosquitoes and imaginary -difficulties, some Senegalese with a French officer were flying the -tri-colour at Gaba Shambeh, and were advancing their interests _via_ -Abu-kuka towards Bohr. After such dismal failures, and in view of the -prevailing chaos, it is hardly to be wondered at that the Commissioner -found it advisable to issue general orders to the effect that any -officials writing home to their friends, and mentioning abuses in -letters which should appear in the Press, would be held responsible. At -Fort Berkeley I seemed to have come to a full stop. The steam-tub, with -Dr. Milne and Capt. Gage, who had suddenly started with Commandant Henry -and the Belgian steamer on a reconnaissance towards Khartoum, was still -away, and though they had been absent more than two months there was no -reliable news. But the arrival of Inspector Chaltin, the victor of the -Dervishes at Redjaf, opened up new possibilities. In response to his -cordial invitation Captain Dugmore and I repaired to Redjaf in a Belgian -whale-boat, and in the intervals of an amazing sequence of various wines -and spirituous liquors, Inspector Chaltin kindly invited me to join him -at Kero, adding that he would make inquiries about the possibility of -going from Bohr overland, and offering me every assistance in his power. - -Accordingly, a few days later I found myself again at Redjaf, the guest -of the charming commanding officer of the station, Commandant Colin. -Here I learnt that I was to proceed slowly down river in the company of -M. Beaupain, the judge, a most ardent sportsman, and to whom I am -indebted for many kindnesses. The mushroom-stone mentioned by Baker in -_Ismailia_ is still extant, though hardly of the dimensions depicted. -The Dervishes had thrown up enormous earthworks, and the outline of the -old station and the foundations of the houses are still visible; while, -as at Bedden, lime-trees and oil-seed acacia imported by Emin are -flourishing. A few hours' paddling brought us to Lado, which is a -howling waste in a wilderness of swamps. Here the river is already of -considerable breadth and a network of enormous islands, many of which -were covered with crops of red millet, which looked very promising -despite the drought. The agricultural possibilities of these thousands -of isles and islets immediately after flood as a rule are very great; at -highest river most are inundated, but sowings after the first fall give -enormous crops, the soil, which is composed of alluvium and decaying -vegetation, being of extraordinary richness. The formation of many is -very curious, resembling nothing so much as a coral island, a solid bank -of varying thickness enclosing a lagoon, with the stream flowing all -round. Lieut. Engh received me with the greatest hospitality, and we -spent several delightful days in this historic waste. There is here a -fine herd of cattle looted from the Dervishes. The earthworks of the -old station are enormous, and need a garrison of fully one thousand men. -At present there is a small palisaded enclosure in one corner which -contains the station, and the approaches are commanded by two Krupp guns -and a Maxim posted on a brick tower. But Inspector Chaltin talks of -removing the main station from Kero to Lado, owing to its greater -agricultural possibilities, in which case the whole extent of the -earthworks will be utilized. Between here and Redjaf are enormous -swamps, which further north on the Kero road become still more -extensive, in places opening out into vast lagoons. The lagoon -immediately to the south of Kero is about fifteen miles in -circumference, though not more than half a mile wide at the river neck. -To the east lie the hills of Gondokoro, and beyond them other ranges of -hills with a large population and many cattle. These are the last -eminences till we reach the hills of Kordofan, and the country settles -down into one vast dismal flat, a wilderness of water, weed, and scrub; -the haunt of thousands of hippo, elephant, and dismal marabout storks; -the paradise of malaria, misery, and mosquitoes. - -Six hours' paddling brought us to Kero, the frontier station of the -Congo Free State, on the 5-1/2 deg. parallel, which is their temporary -limit as arranged by treaty with the French. The station is a -marvellous example of energy, although only in existence for one year. -A large and well-built brick house for the inspector has been completed, -and the majority of the whites, to the number of about ten, are housed -in baked-brick cottages. There are several large whale-boats, and more -in course of erection. At one time there were a thousand Askaris, a -number which has been reduced since the reconnaissance of Commandant -Henry towards the north, which ascertained that the Dervishes had -retreated _via_ Rumbek and Mashra er Rek towards Kordofan. The high -bank on which the station stands being the promontory at a sharp bend of -the river, is being rapidly eaten away by the stream, and the water-edge -is now thirty yards further back than a year ago. This shows to what an -extent and with what marvellous rapidity the Nile changes its course. -The quantity of fish is prodigious, and an Anzande fisherman keeps the -station daily supplied with fish of the best quality. Some attain to a -weight of 200 lbs., and several enormous specimens have been obtained by -dynamite explosions which are the evening amusement. The Anzande method -is very ingenious. The fisherman selects a shallow spot, and with a -clever knack throws a funnel-shaped net weighted round the rim, and -attached by the apex to a cord, by means of which he feels if any fish -have been covered; he then slowly draws in, and the weights, thus -closing together, form a bag with the fish struggling in the meshes. -Several times I saw him take a dozen large fish at a time, and half an -hour's work in almost the same spot sufficed to provide fish for all the -white men, and many to spare. The food question is one of considerable -difficulty, grain being only obtainable at a distance of several days, -which necessitates the continued absence of half the garrison. However, -the natives managed to eke out their daily ration of one small cup of -red millet with fish, an occasional hippo or antelope, and a kind of -plum which grows in profusion in the district; it has a hard outer -shell, then one-tenth of an inch of sweet fibre which leaves an -after-taste of quinine, and finally a hard stone containing a kernel -that cooked tastes like a mixture of prussic acid and quintessence of -quinine; however, the natives devour them with avidity, and also extract -an oil which I am told is quite tasteless--a fact that, after tasting -one of the kernels, I am prepared to take on trust. There is also a -small berry tasting like an old apple, from which they make a form of -bread, which at first sight I pardonably mistook for clay. There was -plenty of snap about the Congo State soldiers, who paraded daily with -drums and bugles, and it was easy to see by the general efficiency and -the progress made in a short time that the country was under a strong -man, the whole Nile district forming a very agreeable contrast to the -Tanganyika chaos. - -[Illustration: BALEGGA WAITING FOR ELEPHANT.] - - - - - *CHAPTER XIX.* - - *KERO TO ABU-KUKA AND BACK TO BOHR.* - - -As considerable anxiety was felt as to the fate of the steamer, which -had been now three months absent without sending news, Inspector Chaltin -decided to send Commandant Renier with a whale-boat to Shambeh to -endeavour to obtain information, and very kindly offered me the -opportunity of accompanying him, with orders to assist me forward in -every possible way. As I was suffering from congestion of the liver, -which prevented me from standing up straight, and from a remittent fever -which showed no inclination to disappear, I gladly availed myself of the -chance, knowing that activity alone would keep the fever in check, and -that it was advisable to reach the sea as soon as possible. The camp was -beaten up for volunteers to go with me overland either from Bohr or -Shambeh, as circumstances might dictate, with the result that one small -boy, a Dinka, and a mad criminal in chains, were forthcoming, with which -formidable recruits on December 20th, I, an old Egyptian Dervish -prisoner with a broken leg, a dozen soldiers, and sundry nondescripts, -departed in one of the large whale-boats. I carried away with me many -pleasing souvenirs of Inspector Chaltin's hospitality, and everybody's -kindness and welcome, and also the sincere hope that never should I set -eyes on Kero or any other spot on the Upper Nile again. - -For several miles the stream follows the bank, then branches off to the -east, and for miles and miles loses itself in a labyrinth of isles of -weed. In vain we searched for a landing-place, and it was not till 5 -p.m. that we found a small plantation of millet with a few wretched -Baris stifling in a fog of mosquitoes on a mud-bank. The following day -we paddled for hours, seeing nothing but tall reeds, hippo, and -sand-spits, and eventually reached the left bank again at a spot called -Semsem, owing to the immense plantations of that grain which existed -here in the time of the Dervishes. Here there is a bank nearly 6 ft. -high, with a large tree tenanted by hundreds of marabouts; to the -south-west and north are swamps, and to the east, beyond the river, -stretches one vast howling melancholy--reach upon reach of reed and -rush, strips of lagoon, and again rush and reed, till on the far horizon -a thin purple haze shows the line of the right bank. - -The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come -thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to -the north-west. Their villages were very scattered, the huts being -dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet. They beat -the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, -which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the -nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour. As most of their huts -were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they -would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters. All their canoes are -very tiny, and they work them with consummate skill. The amount of fish -that they spear is wonderful. It is very sad to think how the Baris -have been wiped out by the Dervishes. It will be remembered what a -formidable people they were in Sir Samuel Baker's time; putting -thousands of warriors into the field, and owning vast herds of cattle. -Now, with the exception of those who took refuge in the Gondokoro hills, -they are to all intents and purposes extinct. A few scattered -settlements of miserable fisher-folk alone show the extent of the former -Bari kingdom. The whole road from Krefi's kraal to Fort Berkeley is -lined with the stone foundations of former Bari villages, and the -country is strewn with discarded stones, used for grinding the corn. -There is still, according to report, plenty of cattle in the Gondokoro -hills, but with that exception and the exception of the few beasts owned -by Ali-madi, all those vast herds spoken of by Baker have been looted -and destroyed. Fortunately the Dervish wave did not reach further than -Dufile, so that the southern Nile above the rapids was left untouched. -The country east of the Nile, except on the actual river-banks, was also -practically untouched, hence the Eastern Dinkas escaped their -depredations, and still own enormous heads of cattle. The Western -Dinkas were less fortunate, as the Dervishes from the Bahr-el-Djebel and -the Bahr-el-Ghazal penetrated far into the Niam-Niam country, and were -at one time a serious menace to the Congo Free State. This is the only -valid excuse for the Belgian occupation of the Nile; but I think the -result could have been equally well accomplished by protecting the Congo -Nile watershed. Still, the Belgians carried out their expedition with -consummate ability, and all honour is due to Inspector Chaltin for his -able leadership. It was a gross error of statesmanship that ever -permitted them to obtain a footing on the Nile. For, however good their -intentions, their methods are not ours; and their presence cannot but -tend to unsettle the natives. - -The key to the difference between their methods and ours lies in the -fundamentally distinct objects for which we acquire territory. We -acquire territory for generations yet unborn, trusting thereby to find -an outlet for surplus population in the congested days to come. It is -to the future benefit of the race that we look. We expect no immediate -return. It is as with a man who starts farming, and with an eye to the -future buys the call on the surrounding country. But with the Belgians -it is quite different. They expect immediate returns. They say this -country is no good, we can get no ivory or rubber, why do we stay here? -And they are advising the evacuation of the Nile stations. It is as -with a man who leases a vast tract of country and cuts down all the -timber for sale, hoping thereby to obtain a large and immediate return -on his money, ignoring the future, or believing his lease to be merely -temporary. The greatest difficulty with which the Belgians have to -contend--one that paralyzes all their efforts, however genuine--is the -character of the tribes from whom they recruit their soldiers. I -myself, having had experience of Manyema, can fully appreciate their -difficulties in this respect. The majority of the tribes drawn upon are -cannibals, and they are so low in the scale of civilization, and in many -cases so vice-sodden from their association with Arabs of the Tippoo Tib -fraternity, that it is impossible to make any impression upon them. -Most natives can be touched in their pride or sense of the -responsibility of a soldier's position. But these brutes are mere -brutes, feeling the whip if it is laid on sufficiently thoroughly, and -nothing else. As I pointed out to Inspector Chaltin, if the Congo State -would draw its soldiers mainly from the northern tribes, such as the -Makrakas and Niam-Niams, they would obtain the raw material that could -be trained to a sense of responsibility and self-esteem. The ruffians -that they employ at present cannot be trusted for one hour away from the -superintendence of a white man. Cases of outrages committed by the -mail-carriers on even the natives on the British side of the river are -of daily occurrence. I can bear witness to the distress that they -caused Inspector Chaltin, but they are inevitable with the existing -state of the Free State forces. Another potent factor is the inadequacy -of the commissariat arrangements; the Belgians are at present -endeavouring to maintain about one thousand five hundred men in a -country destitute of supplies. They have to make expeditions ten days' -march into the interior to obtain any supplies at all. And I am -convinced by the frequency of the shooting affrays that their methods of -obtaining these supplies are not, in our ideas, legitimate. Knowing, -too, the difficulty that we have in buying provisions for one hundred -men only on the British side, and having seen the trade goods taken out -by the Belgians, I am sure that "commandeering" is largely resorted to. -Anyhow it is significant that all the natives on the Congo Free State -side are retiring further and further inland, while the natives on the -British side are rapidly resettling on the river-bank, from which they -were driven by the Dervishes. Owing to the difficulty that the Belgians -find in obtaining supplies, the ration per man is one small cup of -millet a day; out of this he has probably to feed a slave boy, one or -two wives, and Heaven knows how many children. Yet they all look sleek -and fat. How do they manage it? The conclusion is obvious. When I was -hunting with Captain Dugmore, the local natives on our side dare not go -alone into the bush, as they said that they would be caught and eaten. -Another great source of weakness is the Belgian method of treating their -natives. They are too familiar with them, and then, when, as the -inevitable result, the natives become impertinent, brutally severe. In -treating natives it is indispensable to emphasize the distinction -between black and white, yet at the same time to let the native see that -you respect him in his own line, but take your own absolute superiority -for granted. Hair-splitting justice is a _sine qua non_; and, I -believe, herein lies our success with inferior peoples; it is the one -thing that they can understand, and which inspires more respect than -anything else. - -On the third day we met the first Dinkas, miserable, amphibious objects, -eking out a precarious existence on a semi-submerged island; here we -camped, in a visible--nay, tangible--atmosphere of rotting fish, -mud-caked niggers, marabouts, and kites; and at sunset, with a -long-drawn expectant howl the mosquitoes arrived: little ones, big ones, -black ones, mottled ones, a whirling, wailing fog of miniature vampires, -that kept up the mournful dirge till the cold hour before sunrise, when -with a sigh of relief we pushed off in our boat, and after five hours' -paddling reached Bohr, which lies on the right bank at a sudden bend of -the river. The original zaribas of the Dervishes and the more -substantial earthworks thrown up when they heard of the occupation of -Kero are already falling to pieces, and the elephant now takes his -midday siesta midst the grinning skulls and calcined bones that are -scattered about, all equally regardless of the wanton brutality of the -near past. The past fades fast in Africa; yet another year, and the -cotton-bush will have hid the mouldering relics of the earthworks, and -the white ant will have seen the last grin of those gruesome jaws. - -The fort of the Dervishes was of very considerable extent; about five -hundred yards by six hundred yards, the long side lying on the river. -There are still signs of a primitive effort at drainage, and the -enormous quantity of cotton shrubs are a proof of the suitability of the -soil to this product could it be brought within touch of a market. -There are also unlimited numbers of gum-trees and tamarinds. - -We had a few dynamite cartridges with us, and we obtained a good supply -of fish by a couple of explosions. Amongst the numerous kinds that -floated up to the surface was a curious fish similar to the species that -I have mentioned as having been brought to me from the Ruo river near -Chiromo. It was a long, eel-like fish, with the eyes covered by skin, -the dorsal fin running down to and joining the diminutive tail. The -snout was long and tubular, and the flesh lay in long, thin, delicate -flakes like the flesh of the skate. Another species had the head and -fore-part of the body encased in an adamantine shield armed with -dangerous spikes on the back and by the pectoral fins. Its tail was -shaped like the tail of a shark, which it resembles in general form, -although the mouth was not underneath as with the shark's. A third -species, very common all over this section of the Nile, much prized, and -justly so, for the richness of its flesh, is covered with -disproportionately enormous scales of circular form; its general form -approximates to that of a red mullet. The commonest kind was the -gorgeous tiger-fish, which is one of the most beautiful fish that swim. - -There are large numbers of natives in the vicinity, and when we had at -length convinced them of our pacific intentions, they brought milk and -quantities of fish and fowls. It appears that such was the anxiety of -the Dervishes in departing that the Dinkas succeeded in relieving them -of their cattle. As a protection against mosquitoes the natives smother -themselves in wood-ash, and the long lines of tall, gaunt, grey spectres -slowly threading their way into the bush, each with a bright, -broad-bladed spear, and a small gourd of milk or a decaying fish, -present a very curious spectacle. Having stopped for a day to buy -supplies, amongst which was a goat, rather less meaty than my hand, -whose two hind legs combined would have had no chance against an English -mutton-chop, we once more launched forth into the weary waste. We -camped successively on a mud-bank tenanted by a few forlorn natives, -from whom we obtained a small supply of grain at an exorbitant rate, and -on a network of sun-dried hippo-holes whose authors resented our -intrusion all night, expressing their disapproval by that strange -variety of coughs, bellows, grunts, squeals, and roars peculiar to that -misshapen pachyderm. Here we fired the 20 ft. reeds to modify the -mosquito plague. They were very dry except at the base, and the -terrific sheet of flame, capped by a vast cloud of smoke catching the -red lights from the fire, afforded a picture of indescribable grandeur. -It thundered away like a mighty sea of molten iron, licking up the -country as it sped eastward; and we "smiled loud out" to think of the -billions of mosquitoes that were perishing in its line; and the funny -old hippo roared in astonishment, blinking their pink eyes at the -alarming spectacle. - -On the third day, having seen throughout the whole voyage from Bohr one -tree at a distance of several miles, we were startled during lunch by -the cry of "Steamer!" and rounding a bend in the river we saw the -British steam-tub labouring up-stream with a bunch of ribbons that had -once been a Jack flying at her stern. She was soon alongside, and we -found on board Mr. Mulders, a naturalized American Dutchman, who built -the Belgian steamer, in command, and two Belgians, one of whom was -confined to his bed by a severe attack of sciatica which necessitated -his return to Kero. In answer to our eager inquiries we learnt that -they had spent the three months in the sudd, making prodigious efforts -to cut a channel, and that eventually, after living waist-deep in water, -sleeping on water, eating strange birds and being eaten by mosquitoes, -steaming for miles in search of a stick or grain, they had abandoned -their steamer, leaving her in charge of a few Askaris, and the whole -party, including the French officer from Shambeh, who daringly followed -them in a flotilla of native canoes, had started in the boats with the -idea of dragging them by main force over the vegetation. The British -boat was sent back with the sick men for supplies and mails, and with -orders to return and patrol the vicinity of the obstructions at -intervals of a week, blowing her whistle and endeavouring to find out -whether the party would return, and, if no news had been obtained by the -middle of March, to return with the Belgian steamer to Kero. - -I consider this successful attempt of Capt. Gage of the 7th Dragoon -Guards, and Dr. Milne, as one of the most daring feats ever accomplished -in the history of African travel. They suffered indescribable hardships -for nearly four months, during all which time they hardly slept one -night on land; but were compelled to see the long hours of darkness -through, night after night, cramped up in a small boat or lying on the -vegetation, tormented by myriads of mosquitoes, and with very little -more substantial than native porridge to keep their spirits up. Day -after day, nothing but that vast expanse of weed of a hopelessness -beyond civilized conception; day after day dragging their boats through -and over stinking bogs and spongy masses of weed tenanted by a thousand -crocodiles--not knowing where they were, nor, in characteristic British -fashion, caring, yet ever keeping their face forward, strong in the -knowledge that perseverance must succeed. Their food ran short, and to -return was impossible. Had they not come unexpectedly upon Major -Peake's steamers they would probably all have perished. Very few people -can ever have any conception of the magnitude and apparent hopelessness -of their task. The terror of those stupendous wastes! They have eaten -like rust into my very heart, as they must do with all those who launch -forth into their seemingly unending desolation. - -From information I found it was impossible to land anywhere north of -Bohr on the right bank, so decided that the only course open to me was -to return to that salubrious resort. Commandant Renier kindly offered -to take me on if I thought it worth while to make the attempt; however, -it was obviously useless, and with a heavy heart I started back on my -tracks. We steamed up-river until we came to the enormous Lake -Powendael, which lies between the river and the left bank six hours -north of Bohr, and there we anchored till morning, when we sent a boat -ashore in search of wood. The lake is about twenty miles by ten, and -very shallow, numerous banks covered with ducks, geese, pelicans, and -other strange birds showing above the surface. The Dervishes were -reported to have sunk their steamer here, but an exhaustive search by -the small boat failed to find sufficient water to cover it; probably it -was sunk in the channel near Abu-kuka or Shambeh, as these are almost -the only spots where it is possible to reach the left bank. The -following day we reached Bohr, and as one of my Wa Ruanda who had been -sick was finished off by mosquitoes, and my Dinka had bolted with what -he could lay his hands on, my numbers were reduced to my four Watonga, -two small boys, one Ruanda, the criminal lunatic, and the youth from -Kero. With these it was obviously impossible to start, and Commandant -Renier kindly offered me some Askaris. Five boys from Sierra Leone -turned up in answer to a call for volunteers, and with my numbers -swelled to the vast total of fourteen, I made a start on December 30th. - - - - - *CHAPTER XX.* - - *IN DINKA-LAND.* - - -The native information as to my route was decidedly discouraging, but -knowing by now the value of native information, it was with reasonable -hopes of success that I disposed of my bed and other luxuries, and put -the first of three hundred miles behind me. As I started late, I camped -at the first large village that I met, a distance of six miles from -Bohr. Here there was an enormous population living round the extensive -lagoons that stretched in all directions, and after the first few -minutes of suspense, a brisk trade started in fish and grain, and -eventually in milk. On the following day we succeeded in dodging -several lagoons, but had to wade up to our necks and cross another -nearly a mile wide on a very treacherous layer of vegetation. Skirting -the edge of the water, we came on a herd of twenty elephant, and I -dropped a good bull with a couple of .303's in the head. The quantities -of goats and sheep possessed by the natives were extraordinary, enormous -herds grazing in every direction in the rich vegetation growing in the -swamps. After cutting off meat from the elephant, I followed one of the -numerous paths which led inland, and meeting hundreds of natives on the -way, arrived at a large, scattered village, where we camped. - -The main population, which is very dense, lives in the bush at a -distance of sometimes several miles from the river, and water is one of -the most expensive supplies, though, except in seasons of severe -drought, such as when I passed through, there are evidently numerous -pools scattered all over the bush. Owing to the drought there was no -grain obtainable, and the natives were eating the seeds of a water-plant -resembling a crown-artichoke (the nenuphar) and the kernels of the -before-mentioned plums. A very affable and intelligent gentleman, who -had accompanied me for some miles, offered his services as guide, which -I gladly accepted, and after marching for an hour I arrived at another -extensive village. Here, as elsewhere, all the huts were isolated and -surrounded by a fence of thorns to ward off the lions, which were very -numerous. On the path we met hundreds and hundreds of natives, many of -enormous stature, 6 ft. 4 to 6 ft. 6, who were going to cut up the -elephant, and they were all very friendly. At the village I waited for -my boys to close up, but after some time one was still missing, and as -boys whom I sent back told me that they could not find him, I packed my -people and belongings into one of the thorn-fences, and went back with -one soldier and some Dinkas whom I persuaded to accompany me. - -About a mile away I met my headman and my guide of the morning returning -with the delinquent, who was none other than the criminal lunatic. It -appears that he had decided to return home, and, as a preliminary, had -distributed my blankets, mosquito-curtain, and clothes amongst the -natives. By an extraordinary stroke of luck I recovered them intact, -with the trivial exception of one of my two shirts; it was due to my -guide, and he and the two men who brought them in were handsomely -rewarded; so was the runaway. The flies by day, the mosquitoes by -night, rendered life well-nigh impossible, and with visions of -impassable swamps, waterless deserts, and famine in front, I heartily -wished myself quit of Africa and all its abominations, as I have so -often done before, and shall no doubt so often do again. In the -afternoon, at the urgent request of many hungry Dinkas, I sallied forth -and slew a good bull elephant. I had chased him for several miles, -pouring in lead whenever I could see him, till at last he stood. This -gave me my chance, and he dropped to a shot in the head. But as I was -going up to inspect him, he suddenly rose and sloped away. I fired four -shots from the 10-bore at him as he passed. At the fourth he stopped, -turned his head towards me, and quite deliberately began to advance, -examining carefully with his trunk every palm-bush. There was no -unseemly haste about his action. He meant investigating the matter. My -position was most uncomfortable, as, if I fired, I should give him my -whereabouts, and certainly could not drop him; while, if I moved from -the cover of the diminutive palm-tree behind which I was standing, he -would immediately see me, and the country was too open to escape. So, -for lack of another alternative, I waited. On he came quite quietly, -that snake-like trunk writhing round every corner, till there were but -two more palm-trees between him and me: out went that trunk once more; -he stopped, swayed slowly to and fro, and fell with a mighty -crash--dead. His tusks must have weighed about 60 lbs. apiece. It was -heart-breaking to leave them lying there, and to think that I had had to -kill such a magnificent beast for the sake of his meat. The natives -were very much delighted, and evidently thought me a great institution, -and for several days afterwards I was pestered with requests to shoot -elephant, till I began to wish I had never seen such a beast. They -promised to take the tusks of those I had slain to Bohr, and to give -them to the steamer when she returned, but I don't suppose I shall see -them again.[#] - - -[#] They turned up seven years later, the natives having kept them for -me till a Government station was established. - - -The river, which is here one vast sea of grass, the opposite bank being -quite invisible even from an eminence of 20 ft., continually branches -inland in the form of long, narrow, meandering lagoons, which, I -suppose, are apologies for rivers in this part of the world. As some of -them are several miles in length, progress is very difficult, and every -moment I dreaded to see a new one. However, I successfully dodged most -of them, but had some trouble with one a mile broad, which we eventually -passed by wading, the water being in places up to my boys' necks. At -one time my small boy, with my revolver, prismatic compass, and coat, -disappeared completely, but was extricated by an obliging Dinka of about -6 ft. 7 in. The prevalence of crocodiles, and a slimy bottom pitted -with elephant-holes, did not facilitate matters. - -Enormous numbers of Dinkas came to see me beaten by this obstruction; -and after two hours' exhausting conversation in signs, during which I -displayed all my remaining trade goods, I had still failed to induce a -guide to show me the way across. In native fashion they all wanted to -see what I would do. At last, utterly disgusted, I started to wade, -intending to swim if we could not manage otherwise, as I dare not waste -the two or three days that would be necessary to march round. When they -saw that I was quite determined, several came with me and showed me the -shallowest path across. They were hugely delighted when I presented them -with a Jubilee medal and some beads, but said that they dare not go any -further, as the next village was not their village, signifying that if -they went they would be speared. A short march soon brought us to the -village in question. The natives were rather nervous at first, but soon -brought us plenty of rotten fish and a little milk. Here my surviving -Ruanda man succumbed to the attacks of the mosquitoes, which defied -description; he had been ailing for some time, and being too desperate -to keep them off, he was literally sucked dry. It was absolutely -necessary to turn in half an hour before sunset and to make all the -preparations possible for the night. I piled all my belongings round the -edge of my net, and kept a green wood fire burning at each end: then I -lay inside, smoked native tobacco (of remarkable pungency), and prayed -for morning. As soon as the sun went down they started operations. It -was like having a tame whirlwind in one's tent. They could not possibly -have been worse: had there been thousands more it would not have -mattered, as not a single one more could have found room on any exposed -part of one's anatomy. Every night two or three hundred contrived to -enter my net; I have no idea how. The most pernicious and poisonous -kind was a very small black mosquito, that might possibly have -penetrated the mesh. I used to turn out in the morning feeling -perfectly dazed from the amount of poison that had been injected during -the night. The natives of the country obviate the nuisance by lining -their huts with a deep layer of burnt cow-dung, in which they lie. They -also smear a paste made of this ash and cow's urine all over their -bodies. The women carefully collect all the dung and spread it out to -dry. In the evening, when the cattle are brought in to be milked, they -burn it. The smoke serves to keep the flies from the beasts during the -milking. Then all the ash is collected and placed in the huts. - -Following the river, we made good progress till a halt was called by the -presence of a stupendous old bull elephant with magnificent tusks, who -was dozing on the path. We shouted to him to get out of the way, and he -slowly turned round, stalked towards us, and when within fifty yards -curled up his trunk, spread his ears, rumbled and came. Crash went -every load, and I found myself in a medley of tent and boxes, pots and -pans, with a double .303 loaded with soft-nosed bullets, looking at him -in amazement; but the shot fortunately turned him, and away he went, -screaming and trumpeting, giving my blankets a parting kick as he swung -round. This is the only time I have seen one aggressive without due -cause. Owing to the absence of water and the quantity of plum-trees, of -which they are very fond, there were enormous numbers of elephant along -the river-bank, and except where they were on the path we scarcely -noticed them, every day passing several herds. I was wild when I -thought of the prodigious but futile efforts that Sharp and I made round -the volcanoes to find them, when we had porters galore, while now, -having no porters, I looked upon them as a nuisance, owing to the delay -they caused. Here, and for some days afterwards, close to the line of -bush, there was a well-defined river with a stream of one and a half to -two miles an hour, which would be navigable for flat-bottomed punts. -The numbers of hippo were incredible, literally thousands and thousands. -At every two hundred yards there was a great purple bank of twenty, -fifty, or a hundred lying with their bodies half exposed, while others -were wandering about in every direction on the vegetation, islands, and -mud-banks. They practically ignored our presence, though we often -passed within ten yards of them. Other game was scarce; I only saw a -few waterbuck, bushbuck, and once the track of a giraffe, though plenty -of guinea-fowl, and a few ducks and geese; but these were of little use, -as, on opening my last box of shot-cartridges, they fell to pieces, -being eaten through and through with rust. At one village a native -produced a recent number of _Black and White_, carefully wrapped up in a -piece of goatskin, and pointed out with great glee a picture of Dreyfus; -as I had no interpreter, and the natives no longer understood my ten -words of pigeon Arabic, I have not the remotest conception how it came -into this outlandish spot. It was very difficult to obtain supplies, -owing to the general famine, so I shot another elephant, which came down -to water near camp, and made my boys smoke a three-days' supply of meat. -The following day we saw two large herds of elephant, one mainly -composed of good bulls. Some, showing splendid ivories, refused for a -long time to leave the path. We were compelled to stone them. Then, -making good progress, we camped opposite a ferry, which led to an island -where I could see some natives. They quickly collected, and in a few -minutes there was a crowd of several hundred, with a solid hedge of -spears glinting in the sun. At first they were very doubtful; then, -suddenly realizing that it was all right, they swarmed across, yelling -and whooping, and in one minute my diminutive camp was one howling black -mass. At first things looked rather anxious, but some slaps on the back -and a long-winded repetition of aram, which appears to be the local form -of salaam, quickly spread a broad grin over the mass; they brought me a -present of about thirty large fish, and there was soon a brisk trade in -milk, of which they had an unlimited supply, so that all my men had a -good wholesome feed. They proved very friendly, and I much regret that -our conversation was strictly limited to aram, which, however, appears -to have considerable significance, being invariably responded to by much -grunting and a peculiar clucking noise like the soliloquy of an old hen. -Every one in Dinka-land carries a long-bladed spear, a pointed -fish-spear, and a club made of a heavy purple wood, while the important -gentlemen wear enormous ivory bracelets round their upper arm; strict -nudity is the fashion, and a marabout feather in the hair is the essence -of _chic_. They are all beautifully built, having broad shoulders, -small waist, good hips, and well-shaped legs. The stature of some is -colossal. It was most curious to see how these Dinkas, living as they do -in the marshes, approximate to the type of the water-bird. They have -much the same walk as a heron, picking their feet up very high, and -thrusting them well forward. Their feet are enormous. Their colossal -height is, of course, a great advantage in the reed-grown country in -which they live. They are the complete antithesis of the pigmy, as the -country in which they live is the complete antithesis of the dense -forest that is the home of the dwarfs. Many of these strange African -peoples form most interesting reading to a student of evolution. The -adaptability of a race to its surroundings is wonderful. The favourite -pose of a Dinka is in reality the favourite pose of a water-bird. It is -most interesting to note that surroundings should produce a similar type -in families as remote from one another as birds and men. - -My headman woke me in the morning with the pleasing information that my -home-sick criminal had disappeared in the night, so the body of my tent -had to go by the board, a severe loss, as afterwards transpired. During -this day's march and a part of the next, the population changed -entirely, the well-bred Dinkas giving place to a miserable fishing-folk, -who are presumably the Woatsch spoken of, as reported to live here, by -Sir S. Baker. They are an extraordinary people, of a very low stage of -civilization, and showed abject terror at the sight of beads and cloth. -I imagine they took me for a god, as each village, man, woman, and -child, persisted in escorting me for a mile or so, doing the honours -with a deafening chant, and continually pointing to the sun; this, -though very flattering, hardly acted as a sedative on my fever, and I -was heartily thankful to leave them behind; at one spot there must have -been fully five hundred men who formed a solid phalanx round me, and -sang at the top of their voices for a distance of two miles. They -appeared not to have the remotest conception of barter, and hid their -faces when I produced any of my trade goods, so that it was impossible -to buy any food. Even during the night small bands approached to a -respectful distance and chanted, and at one watering-place about a -hundred loathsome hags danced a wild fandango around me, uttering the -shrillest cries conceivable, and accompanying them with a measured -flap-flap of their long pendant dugs; then, as a grand finale, all threw -themselves on their faces at my feet, and with one ear-piercing shriek -dispersed into the bush, leaving me under the impression that I was in -the Drury Lane pantomime, outside two bottles of champagne. Never in -all Africa had I met such embarrassing and impossible people. In the -intervals of these trying performances I noticed that the country was -slightly more elevated, and that there was a profusion of large trees. -This would be the best position for a Government station. But it soon -settled down again into the dismal flat of sun-baked clay, thorn, and -palm-scrub, which in places recedes, leaving large plains that are -flooded in ordinary seasons; here there were numbers of small buck, and -I saw a beautiful male _Cobus maria_. It was a most handsome little -beast, and was running with a large herd of other waterbuck, and had the -same action as the Uganda kob. I was much disappointed, from lack of -porterage, to lose the opportunity of procuring such a rare specimen. -The variety of aquatic birds was enormous; amongst others, a beautiful -black-and-white ibis; but I looked in vain for _Balaeniceps rex_. The -kites, marabouts, and vultures were a great nuisance. On several -occasions a kite actually took my dinner out of the frying-pan on the -fire while the cook's back was turned. - -After the singing gentry, it was with no little relief that I met some -respectable Dinkas again with large herds of cattle; they, too, appeared -to be ignorant of the elements of barter, and it was only after an -hour's dumb-crambo business that they brought an antediluvian fish as a -feeler; this I immediately bought at great price, and then they realized -that there was something in the idea, and brought a good supply. They -have absolutely none of the fear of, and respect for, the white man that -one finds all over Africa except in the regions of Exeter Hall -legislation, but merely regard one as a great joke, and, on the whole, -not such a bad sort of fool. They are all the most inveterate, -pertinacious, and annoying beggars, and evince the greatest astonishment -when one refuses to distribute one's belongings gratis amongst them. -One in particular amused me, a 6 ft. 4 giant, who took a fancy to my -last pair of trousers, and when, pleading modesty, I refused his -request, he stamped and howled like a spoilt child. He then proceeded -to make himself very objectionable, and forced his way into my tent, -refused to quit, and brandished his club. This was too much, so I -suddenly took him by the scruff of the neck and the seat of where he -wished my trousers to be, and, trusting in the superiority of a beef and -beer diet over one of fish and thin milk, to his intense amazement, ran -him out of camp, and imparted a final impetus with a double-barrelled -drop-kick, backed by a pair of iron-shod ammunition boots. I was -surprised to find how weak he was, despite his colossal stature. The -others took it as a huge joke, and an hour afterwards he returned and -behaved himself very well, on the morrow guiding me for some miles. - -From here the country changes completely, opening out into a limitless -plain, dotted here and there with clumps of borassus palm, growing on -small, flat-topped eminences which are the only possible -camping-grounds. The channel (which I christened the Gertrude Nile, and -which had never hitherto been more than half a mile from the bush) bends -away to the west and spreads out into large marshes, though its course -is still obvious, and the plain, which is a mass of matted, half-burnt -reed, hippo and elephant holes, is scored with numerous channels of -water and mud, and towards the bush, which is soon at least fifteen -miles from the river, is covered with small ant-hills. There is an -enormous population on these plains, with huge herds of cattle and -goats, though it is impossible to say where they live, and they are -wonderfully clever at hiding their cattle, and light smoke fires to -prevent them from making a noise. I marched for hours without seeing a -native, but when pitching camp I could see hundreds and hundreds -advancing in Indian file from all directions, or if I took a line that -led far from water, a group would appear like magic to put me right. -There was something uncanny about knowing that one was watched by -hundreds without ever seeing more than an occasional individual perched -on one leg, the other foot resting on his knee, on the top of a far -ant-hill, and looking like a long black stork. The first day that I -camped in the plain I was visited by at least a thousand natives. - -With the exception of one or two slight fracas with my boys, they were -well-behaved, and I bought a large supply of fish; but the second day -about fifteen hundred turned up, and having nothing to sell, became very -obstreperous. They tried to steal, so I ordered the vicinity of my tent -to be cleared, and hustled several fairly roughly. One turned on me, -and I knocked him down, cutting my hand badly on his teeth. They took -my rough handling very well, but immediately resented any movement of my -boys, and one silly young blood danced a dangerous war-dance, -brandishing his spear round one of my Askaris, till I broke it for him, -and gave him two or three reminders with a heavy hippo-whip. They then -became very much excited, and I spent the rest of the afternoon with my -hand on my revolver, momentarily expecting a general _emeute_, when, no -doubt, we should have fared badly. Fortunately, there were two -respectable old gentlemen who did their best to keep the younger blades -quiet. One man bolted with a bit of cloth; a miss-fire from my .303 -saved his life, and one of the old gentlemen, not knowing that I had -pulled the trigger, signed to me to hold, and had the cloth fetched -back; he then succeeded in clearing the camp of about half the turbulent -rabble, for which I was very thankful. They then began to slowly file -off, but about a hundred, including some of the most noisy ruffians, -remained; these I quickly cleared with a heavy whip in one hand and my -revolver in the other. They did not like the whip and smiled at the -revolver, evidently thinking it a sort of club, till I shot a confiding -marabout which was watching the proceedings, when there was a race for -first place to less dangerous quarters. - -On the march we came upon a belated hippo out on the plain, and there -was a great hunt, about two hundred natives chasing him and plunging -their spears into his body, till at last, covered with blood, he turned -to bay, when I finished him off with a shot in the head. - -A few miles further on I shot a Senegal hartebeeste, which gave us a -supply of meat. On the third day we succeeded in shaking off our too -attentive friends, and although we marched for six hours only made seven -miles, owing to the necessity of feeling one's way round the swamps and -the difficult nature of the ground. In many places the burnt vegetation -was of the consistency of coke, and severely cut my boys' feet. The -plain still widened, and the Gertrude Nile tended more decidedly towards -the west. The bush was no longer visible, but to the west of the swamps -there appeared to be a slight ridge with a dense covering of borassus. - -We camped near a cattle village, and the people seemed friendly, though, -as usual, somewhat turbulent. Two came into the camp after dark, -evidently to see if we were on the alert, and were summarily ejected. -In the morning about a hundred came and gave considerable trouble, and -persisted in following us on the march. I noticed that two or three -were closing round each of my boys, while at the same time about twenty -were packing behind me. I turned round to drive them off, when my fools -of Watonga were suddenly seized with a panic, and, throwing their loads -down, ran towards me, shouting, "We are all lost!" Of course that -started the game, and my best Congo soldier fell, stabbed to the heart, -and two more went down with cracked skulls. I took the chief and his -right-hand man with a double barrel, then turning round, found my boy -had bolted with my revolver. At the same moment a Dinka hurled his -spear at me; I dodged it, but he rushed in and dealt me a swinging blow -with his club, which I fortunately warded with my arm, receiving no more -damage than a wholesome bruise. I poked my empty gun at his stomach, -and he turned, receiving a second afterwards a Dum-dum in the small of -his back. Then they broke and ran, my army with eight guns having -succeeded in firing two shots. I climbed up a high ant-hill that was -close, and could see them watching at about three hundred yards for our -next move, which was an unexpected one, for I planted a Dum-dum -apparently in the stomach of one of the most obtrusive ruffians, whom I -recognized by his great height. They then hurried off and bunched at -about seven hundred yards, and another shot, whether effectual or not I -could not see, sent them off in all directions, and the battle was -finished. It was all over in a shorter time than it takes to tell the -tale, but while it lasted it was fairly warm. I never expected to see -my happy home again, nor did I feel much happier when I had time to look -round. I was alone; at my feet lay my Congo Askari, in the last -spasmodic shudder of death; a few yards away lay three more of my men, -streams of blood slowly trickling from gaping wounds in their heads. -The distorted figures of the three Dinkas, shot at close quarters, were -the only other breaks in the dismal monotony of the marsh. I shouted, -and slowly--one by one--my miserable curs emerged from patches of reed -and bog-holes. Then the three wounded came-to from their swoon; one was -very slightly hurt, but the other two were quite mad for days after. It -was necessary, therefore, to throw away still more of our belongings. -There was only one thing that could go, and that was Sharp's 60g. -Holland and Holland paradox, half of which is peacefully reposing under -some scrub, while the other half is at the bottom of a mud-hole. After -dressing the heads of the two soldiers, who, with the trifling exception -of insanity, did not seem much the worse, one for a gash 2 in. long and -down to the bone on his temple, and the other for two gaping holes on -the top of his skull, we hurried on, fearing the Dinkas might return _en -masse_. But they contented themselves with watching us, and when I -dropped the topmost man of a bunch of five on an ant-hill at six hundred -yards, they only made further observations at a distance of a mile. - -The news spread like wildfire, for, several miles further on, when -passing within half a mile of a village, a band of ten old men came -towards me, waving their arms in the air to show that they were unarmed. -I went to meet them, and when quite close they started the old singing -business, so I hurried off, after treating them to several arams with an -attempted pacific intonation. They then sent milk after me, but I waved -them off, thinking it advisable to try by forced marches to break the -line of communication. - -Shortly afterwards, crossing a swamp on a dangerous bridge of weed burnt -to the water level, I saw a specimen of _Balaeniceps rex_ standing quite -close to me. I was on the point of firing, when a hippo put his head -through the bridge at about ten yards, and regretfully I had to shoot -him instead for his beef. Half a dozen Dinkas appeared, and, after -making a great pacific demonstration, approached and helped to finish -him off. He took several shots, and each time I fired they ran to a -distance of at least two hundred yards, so they had evidently heard of -the morning's proceedings. After cutting off some meat we continued our -march, and it was not till 4 p.m. that I found another place where it -was possible to camp, having buried most of my beads on the road to -further lighten the loads. For the same purpose, in the evening I made -a distribution of cloth and burnt a quantity, together with all my boys' -rags. - -[Illustration: THERE WERE NUMBERS OF DINKAS FISHING HERE.] - -The night passed peacefully, though I thought it advisable to put on a -double sentry, and on the morrow, weary of swamps, I struck east towards -the great burnt plain, and then marched due north, trusting to luck for -water. I found numerous holes where the water had not quite dried up, -and met many isolated groups of desponding natives spearing a loathsome -four-legged reptile or fish, some of which, for lack of more delicate -fare, I had to eat; and after marching for about fifteen miles, I again -came on extensive swamps which stretched far to the east, and seemed -likely to give me much trouble, if not to effectually prevent me going -further. Being totally ignorant of the country, and without means of -asking the simplest question of the natives, I had been fearing all -along that I should arrive at some impassable obstacle. I was very -anxious on this point, as it would have been impossible to return. -Arriving unexpectedly on the edge of the first pool, I found it one mass -of small duck, with a spur-winged goose standing up in the middle. I -fired at him with my .303, and he dropped, the bullet striking him with -most unusual noise. My boy, wading in, returned not only with the -goose, but also two duck. The bullet had struck the goose's back, -removing his intestines and half his breast, then cut off the head and -broken the wing of No. 1 duck, and neatly cleaned No. 2. It was a -Dum-dum, and must have exploded like a shell. I have often noticed that -the bullets with the most penetration, such as the solid, nickel-coated, -and the Dum-dum, shatter small animals and birds more effectually than -the more expansive bullets, such as the Jeffrey and the lead-nose. This -stroke of luck provided a very welcome change to my mournful diet of -doubtful fish, occasional milk flavoured with cow's urine, which is used -for washing the dairy utensils, and a strange cheese of my own -manufacture. - -We camped on the top of a layer of burnt vegetation overlying a morass, -and my tent nearly disappeared in the night, while I was seized with -furious bouts of vomiting, caused by the quantity of salt in the water. -To make matters more cheerful, I discovered that my last two tins of -tobacco were mouldy, and I only wished that I could enjoy it as much as -the mosquitoes appeared to do, who settled in clouds on the rim of my -pipe waiting their turn for a space on my epidermis. Several either -climbed inside or bit me through a pair of ammunition boots. I had a -severe cold and a stiff arm; my cook boy had dysentery; one of the Congo -soldiers had a dreadful foot, which rendered walking a terrible torture; -and the two gentlemen with cracked skulls were semi-delirious, so that, -on the whole, we were a jovial party, our joviality being materially -increased by the impossibility of making a fire, owing to lack of fuel. - -In the morning we repeated the same tactics, and after finding plenty of -water early in the march, only reached a camping-place at sunset. The -country became slightly more cheerful, several trees about the -dimensions of a healthy cabbage appearing on the horizon, and I saw the -spoor of several giraffe, though where the giraffe themselves contrived -to hide was more than I could guess. Our camp was near a large village -where there were at least one thousand five hundred head of cattle, -besides sheep and goats, and the chief brought me a fine fat bull-calf, -which settled the nervous question of food for two days. These people, -too, had evidently heard of the fracas, and only approached my camp in -small bands, for which I was very grateful. - -There were numbers of Dinkas fishing here. Their method is as follows: -About a dozen men, each taking a large basket open at the bottom and -with a hole at the top, advance in line through the shallow portions of -the lagoon. Grasping the basket by the hole at the top, they dash it -down on to the mud in front of them. I suppose if they catch a fish -inside they pull it out of the hole at the top. I never saw them catch -one, although they appeared to be quite hopeful. - -The styles of coiffure affected by the Southern Dinkas had now changed, -the prevailing fashion being to wear the hair long and frizzed out like -a mop, while some of the young exquisites caked it with a white clay -brought out to a peak behind. The rambling village, with its groups of -figures and long lines of home-coming cattle dimly seen in the smoke of -a hundred fires as I approached at sunset, was very picturesque. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXI.* - - *IN NUERLAND.* - - -The following two days I still kept to the plain, on the first day -finding plenty of water, and camping near a mud-trough where the water -was flowing west; but on the second day we wandered into a waterless -wilderness, and taking a north-west course marched for hours before we -reached a stream. Our sufferings were intolerable, increased as they -were by the salt nature of the water which we had been drinking for -days. Half the boys fell by the road, and lay helpless till relieved by -the water I sent back. I was beginning to despair of saving them, when -from the only ant-hill for miles I saw a flight of birds, and after an -hour's sharp burst I arrived at a large vlei, where to my joy I found -that the water was flowing north, and was less salt. At an early stage -of that day's march I had to leave yet another load. Soon after -starting I saw a herd of at least four hundred hartebeeste, and on the -vlei, where we camped, the numbers of ducks, geese, and pelicans were -extraordinary. At my first shot I killed two large spurwings, and a few -more rounds provided geese for all the camp, while I revelled in the -luxury of _pate de foie maigre_; but the little plump teal, knowing that -I had no shot-gun, kept flighting backwards and forwards in thousands. -Two guns might have had an evening's sport that they would have -remembered for a lifetime. A few miles from camp I met some Nuer who -had come to meet me. The chief, who was very sociable, though, like -all, an incorrigible beggar, had been to Fashoda in the old times, and -again my classic Arabic came into play. He asked after Emin, and seemed -surprised to hear of his death, and also after Wadelai and Lado, and was -particularly anxious to know if there was still a zariba at Bohr. He -laid great stress on this point, asking me over and over again, so I -imagined he wished to verify reports he had received of the flight of -the Dervishes. - -The following day I marched to the junction of the Kohr with the -Bahr-el-Zaraf. In Justus Perthe's old map it is suggested that this -Kohr is the outlet of the streams crossed by Lupton Bey in the hills -east of Gondokoro. This cannot be so, as the natives at Bohr assured me -that there was no water many days east; and if these streams are the -feeders of this Kohr, they must, by the contour of the country, pass -close to Bohr. Nor could the channel be dry, as the Kohr held plenty of -water. Hence I am inclined to think that Lupton's streams either flow -into the Nile south of Bohr, or pass down the other side of the -watershed into the Pibro, the largest tributary of the Sobat. As Lupton -went overland from Gondokoro to Bohr, and does not mark any significant -feeder of the Nile, it is probable that the latter hypothesis is -correct. That is, that they flow into the vast marsh recently located -as the headwaters of the Pibro. If this is correct, the Kohr must also -drain out of the Pibro marsh, in which case the country between the -Sobat and the Bahr-el-Zaraf is an island. - -The whole length of the bank was cut up with giraffe and elephant spoor, -and as I could see for miles and miles in every direction and never saw -one, I suppose they come great distances for water. The Kohr, though -evidently from the exposed mud-flats of considerable width in the rains, -was here not more than twenty yards wide and four feet deep; and the -numbers of hippo and clouds of pelicans and cranes made sleep almost -impossible. - -The surrounding country assumed a little more character, long lines of -palm-trees enlivening the awful monotony of that heart-breaking plain. -The Nuer, though well-set-up, appear not to have the same unusual -stature as the Dinkas; they wear circlets of cowries round their hair, -which they grow long like a mop; the woolly buttons of the negroid, -though visible from time to time up till now, have quite disappeared. -Nothing impressed me so much as the vast flocks of birds. With five -shots from a rifle I killed three geese, eight duck, and two pelicans, -and that from camp: had I fired at some of the flocks I saw on the march -I might have doubled the result. - -Following the river, which has a very devious course, I saw large -numbers of natives, and they were all very friendly, insisting on -indulging in the trying practice of spitting in one's hand or on one's -chest, which signifies intense respect; the Dinkas have the same -objectionable custom. - -For two days I saw numbers of natives with large herds of cattle and -plenty of small palm-tree canoes, but a very limited supply of grain, -and on the third day I came to a small Kohr with about a dozen large -villages. Hundreds of natives came out to meet me, and I had some -difficulty in driving them off, as, confident in their numbers, they -were inclined to be boisterous. - -A few miles further on, one of my Congolese soldiers, who, against all -orders, lagged behind a few minutes, mysteriously disappeared, and an -exhaustive search failed to find any trace either of him or of natives. -The country was very open, and he was carrying a rifle, so they must -have spirited him away very cleverly. From here to the mouth of the -Zaraf there is only one village, so that for food I was entirely -dependent on my rifle. At first there was no difficulty, as the river -swarmed with hippo, and there were numbers of hartebeeste, Mrs. Gray's -waterbuck, leucotis, reedbuck, waterbuck, and roan. A magnificent bull -of the latter species I at first took to be a sable, owing to the -extraordinary length of his horns, and with the cussedness of his kind -he stood and watched us all pass at a distance of thirty yards. But for -several days afterwards I had the greatest difficulty in obtaining meat, -subsisting entirely on pelicans, one day being even reduced to marabout -soup, and it was not till within thirty miles of the mouth that I again -came into a game country, where the bush comes down to the river. Here -I saw numerous giraffe, and one day marched for hours through small -herds of cow elephant. It was curious that I saw nothing but bulls on -the Nile swamps, while on the Zaraf there were huge numbers of breeding -cows, and I only saw the spoor of a very few bulls, and those were -mostly small. For days the muddy tide rolls slowly on between banks of -sun-baked mud, unrelieved by swamps or vegetation. The flocks of birds -no more break the depressing monotony, naught but great, loathly -crocodiles, that slip without a sound into the turgid flow, bald-pated -marabouts, and screaming kites. No sign of hope; a vast reserve for -God's foulest creatures, and a fitting one. Ye gods, what a land! The -old boyhood's desire to shriek and break something that invariably -recurred on Sunday morning broke out afresh, and I felt that I was near -that indefinable boundary beyond which is madness. - -About thirty miles south of the Abiad an extensive Kohr, which was dry -when I passed, flows into the Zaraf. Close by there is a small ridge a -few feet above the level of the surrounding country; here I camped and -saw a great variety of game. Four giraffe came and peered over a bush -at me while I was having my bath, and thoroughly enjoyed the novel -spectacle. They showed no inclination to move away, and I had a -splendid chance of having a good look at them. The situation was -quaint. It struck me as an admirable study for Rene Bull or Mr. -Shepherd. - -Soon after sunset two grand old lions commenced calling to one another, -and I could hear them gradually approaching across the plain. They met -about a mile from my camp, and after a round of hearty greetings, -settled down into silence. As the wind was in their direction, I -ordered all my boys up close to my tent and made two large fires. They -still remained silent, so I knew that they were near; but after waiting -some time I concluded that they did not mean business, and turned in. I -had only just crept inside my mosquito-curtain when the sentry called -out to me that they were in camp. I scrambled out, but was just too -late! They had calmly strolled past in the full light of the fire, and I -saw a tail disappear round the corner of a bush. Snatching up a blazing -log, we dashed out, but, of course, never saw them, as there was too -much bush; however, they were not in a hurry, and an occasional sniff -showed that they were still inspecting, but they would not show in the -firelight again, and, whenever I went out, sneaked off, till, getting -tired of the game, they strolled away grumbling across the plain, and -treated me to a farewell roar that will long linger in my ears as Savage -Africa's farewell! - -For on the morrow my troubles ended. We were plodding wearily along, -wondering how to tide over the next four days, which I had estimated as -the time necessary to reach the Sobat, when I saw in the far distance a -curved pole swaying in the wind. For a long time it puzzled me; then I -realized that it must be the mast of a boat, but dared not believe it, -though certain that no palm-stem could swing to that angle. Presently I -saw figures moving to and fro, and then one in white cloth, and soon we -had evidently been noticed. A short council of war took place, and then -an unmistakable Soudanese soldier came out to meet me, carefully -inserting a cartridge in his rifle as he approached. Throwing my rifle -on to my left shoulder, with a conciliatory and pacific smile I advanced -with outstretched hand, and evidently convinced him that I was at least -harmless, for with a 3 ft. 6 grin he drew his cartridge and shook the -proffered hand with vigour. I learned that Captain Dunn, R.A.M.C., was -up the Zaraf for a few days' shooting, and that he was expected back in -camp in a few minutes. - -I could scarcely believe that it was all over, that my troubles were -ended! Those four days, that I imagined still remained, had been a -nightmare to me. All my men were sick; the majority of them had to be -pushed along at the point of the spear, to prevent them from lying down -and giving up the struggle. There were no more hippo and very little -game: all our grain had long been exhausted, and but two pipefuls of -sour tobacco remained. And then, at a sudden bend of the river, all -this nightmare was dispelled! It was over! From being so long without -vegetables, my hands had begun to turn black, and the continual anxiety -of the last month, day and night, had told its tale on my nerves. With -what unspeakable content I sat down and waited for Dunn's arrival it -would be impossible to describe. I had not to wait long, for a few -minutes later Captain Dunn emerged from the bush. The following -conversation ensued:-- - -Captain Dunn: "How do you do?" - -I: "Oh, very fit, thanks; how are you? Had any sport?" - -Dunn: "Oh, pretty fair, but there is nothing much here. Have a drink? -You must be hungry; I'll hurry on lunch. Had any shooting? See any -elephant?" - -Then we washed, lunched, discussed the war, and eventually Dunn asked -where the devil I had come from, saying that at first he had taken me -for another confounded Frenchman, and was trying to hunt up some French. -All this six hundred odd miles from anywhere in the uttermost end of the -earth--the Nile swamps. Verily we are a strange people. How De -Tonquedec, the Frenchman, laughed at the tale! - -Then we dropped slowly down-stream in the boat, and in the light of the -myriad stars discussed the strange world into which the Father Nile was -slowly carrying me. A whirl of thoughts made sleep impossible, and as I -pondered over many things I thought long on the Fashoda incident. In -the course of a chequered career I have seen many unwholesome spots; but -for a God-forsaken, dry-sucked, fly-blown wilderness, commend me to the -Upper Nile; a desolation of desolations, an infernal region, a howling -waste of weed, mosquitoes, flies, and fever, backed by a groaning waste -of thorn and stones--waterless and waterlogged. I have passed through -it, and have now no fear for the hereafter. And for this choice spot -thousands of homes might have been wrecked, and the whole of -civilization rushed into a cockpit of mutual slaughter. Let me -recommend France to send the minister responsible for the Marchand -expedition for a short sojourn in the land: no fitter punishment could -be found. What a sensible idea it would be if ministers of rival -nations, foreseeing a dispute, were to buy in a large store of choice -wines and cigars, leave them at home, and decide to spend the time, till -the dispute should be amicably settled, in the bone of contention. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXII.* - - *THE SOBAT TO CAIRO.* - - -I awoke in the morning to find the gyassa[#] moored off the base camp of -Major Peake's sudd-cutting expedition. Close by lay a trim, -smart-looking gun-boat. AH was bustle and stir on board, and it was -obvious that they were getting up steam. I drank in the sight, -momentarily expecting to see it fade before my eyes, and to find myself -once more wearily plodding through those maddening swamps. The -transition from ceaseless anxiety and hungry misery to full-bellied -content and tobacco-soothed repose had been so sudden; I was as a man -who, after long time staggering in the dark, is suddenly thrust into the -full glare of sunlight, and could hardly grasp that it was at last all -over. Nothing to do but sit and be carried along towards clean shirts, -collars, glasses, friends--all that makes life a thing of joy. How many -people realize what all these things mean? How many people have ever -caught the exquisite flavour of bread-and-butter? the restful luxury of -clean linen? the hiss of Schweppe's? One must munch hippo-meat alone, -save one's sole shirt from contact with water as from a pestilence lest -it fall to pieces, and drink brackish mud for days, to realize all this. -Sensations are but contrasts, and in the strong picture contrasts must -be strong. We all have our allotted portions of black and white paint; -how we lay it on is a question of temperament. One mixes the pigments -carefully and paints his life an even grey. Another dashes in the light -and shade with a palette-knife. Such an one is the wanderer in strange -climes. - - -[#] Nile sailing-boat. - - -Captain Hayes-Sadler, the Governor of Fashoda, was in command of the -gunboat, and kindly offered to take me down to Khartoum. They told me -that Captain Gage, Dr. Milne, Commandant Henri, Lieut. Bertrand, and -Lieut. de Tonquedec had all passed about four days before. De -Tonquedec, a most delightful and entertaining man, was the last -Frenchman to evacuate the Nile. He had been sent up to supplement the -occupation begun by Marchand, and had done by far the finest work of -all. No undertaking has ever been more absurdly overrated than -Marchand's expedition to Fashoda. It was seized upon by the military -party, and boomed to the echo as a set-off to the Dreyfusards. As a -matter of fact, he never touched an inch of new country, but merely -carried out successfully a very able bit of transport organization with -everything in his favour--sound lieutenants, unlimited funds, and one of -the best-equipped expeditions that ever set foot in Africa, supported by -excellent native troops in his Senegalese. All the labour of the country -was retained for him, and compulsion used where there was any difficulty -in obtaining carriers. Hundreds of miles of navigable water took his -goods almost to the Congo-Nile divide, and thence it was simply a -question of moving from post to post till the watershed was crossed, and -he could place his boats on the navigable waters of the Nile. The only -real difficulty, that of reoccupying the Bahr-el-Ghazal posts, had been -already accomplished by the Belgians, whom the French kicked out. Once -on the navigable Nile, they had but to go with the current till they -reached Fashoda; the waters of the Bahr-el-Ghazal and Lake No happening -to be comparatively free from sudd obstructions. They were strong -enough to defy resistance at the hands of the Shilluks, who have nothing -but ambatch canoes, and once entrenched at Fashoda they would have been -poor creatures if they could not have beaten off a handful of Dervishes. -As an able example of African transport it stands in the van of similar -undertakings, but as a daring or dangerous feat it does not stand in the -same class as Gage and Milne's descent of the Nile, or De Tonquedec's -performance. His duty was a most hazardous one, as, with nothing but a -handful of Senegalese and a sous-officier, he penetrated overland -through the terrible Dinkas to the Upper Nile, and occupied Gaba -Shambeh. Marchand is a world-word. When I arrived at Marseilles and -inquired after De Tonquedec, nobody had ever heard of him. - -Fortune favoured me when I started on the descent of the Nile. I knew -that Khartoum had fallen, but nothing more. I had imagined that the -Redjaf Dervishes were still occupying Bohr and the Upper Nile, and that -the Khalifa was still at large on the Fashoda district of the Nile. But -shortly after I started the Dervishes fled from Bohr before the advance -of the Belgians, and while I was wearily plodding along, Sir Francis -Wingate killed the Khalifa, and annihilated the Dervish army at Om -Debrikat. The Abyssinians had finally retired from the Sobat, and by -this happy combination of luck I had a clear route, though I did not -know it, and my anxiety lest I should unexpectedly stroll into a Dervish -or Abyssinian camp was considerable. Captain C. G. Steward, R.A., -D.S.O., was in command of the base camp, and was sadly fretting at -having had his orders to proceed to South Africa cancelled. - -There were several gunboats employed on the sudd-cutting operations. -Many of the Dervish prisoners had been sent south for the work, and were -looking uncommonly well, which speaks volumes for the efficient -transport system. The method of procedure was as follows:--The sudd, -which at times is 30 ft. thick and sufficiently solid for the elephant -to pass over, was cut into large blocks. A wire hawser was then -attached, and the mass was pulled away by two steamers. When it floated -clear it was cut up, and allowed to drift away with the stream. Many of -these floating masses had accumulated opposite the base camp, and bade -fair to form another sudd obstruction. In places where a portion was -cut out, the water from the pressure caused by the pent-up river surged -forth like a wave, bringing up water-logged canoes, bloated crocodiles, -and various other unexpected apparitions. The fish rose in incredible -swarms to these breathing-places. At one place the men took off their -loose trousers, tied the ends, and baled out over four hundred large -fish in less than an hour. The work was so hard that no one had time to -get fever, and the health of the expedition had been excellent. After -several months of desperate toil, the undertaking is now happily -completed, and there is a clear riverway from Khartoum to Redjaf; and -Fort Berkeley, the outpost of the Uganda Protectorate, instead of being -nearly four months from Mombasa, is now within one month of Cairo. A -weekly service of steamers should effectually prevent the sudd from -re-forming. By judicious treatment, possibly on the lines that I have -suggested in a subsequent chapter, the waterway might be made permanent, -and its navigable facilities greatly improved. There is, undoubtedly, -as pointed out by Gordon, the great difficulty of fuel, but probably in -the near future oil will obviate this. - -A few hours' steaming took us past the Sobat junction, where there is -now but a small post of Soudanese under a native officer, and to the -world-famed Fashoda. Here I handed over the first trans-continental -post-bag, which I had brought through with me, to Captain Hayes-Sadler, -who stamped the post-cards with the gorgeous red seal of Fashoda. Here, -too, I received the first letter that had reached me for eighteen -months, in which I learned that my oldest friend had fallen at Glencoe, -at the very beginning of the war--to wit, Lieut. John Taylor, of the -King's Royal Rifles. Curiously enough, the last letter that I had -received on leaving civilization had been from him. Verily Africa is an -accursed land. Many of the good friends whom I had met during our -journey have already gone, and again and again I hear of fresh gaps in -the chain. - -I went and looked at the little French fort built of bricks that were -taken from the ruined buildings of Fashoda. It is a very insignificant -structure, and I should have been very sorry to be inside with a -seven-pounder playing on the fort. There are still a few pawpaw trees -planted by Marchand, the shrivelled fruit of which we took on board, and -utilized as vegetable marrows. The Rek or King of the Shilluks lives -near Fashoda; he is the descendant of a hundred kings, or something of -that kind. I am not sure that his pedigree does not go back to the time -of the Pharaohs. I had the pleasure of seeing his mop-headed Majesty -ride past, attended by numerous courtiers. The Shilluk villages are -about a mile away from the channel of the Nile, to avoid being flooded -during the rains. The Dervishes kidnapped many thousands of the flower -of their youth for military service. The Rek is a delightful old -gentleman, and presented Captain Hayes-Sadler with an order not -unconnected with crocodiles. The Shilluks are a most moral people, and -live contentedly under an ample code of laws admirably suited to their -social condition and mode of life. Any attempt to interfere with the -belief and customs of such a people seems unwise. In view of the -appalling misery and want at home, it is difficult to justify the large -sums of money spent in upsetting the, in many cases, admirable existing -state of society in Africa. Centuries have evolved a state of society -most suitable to the surroundings and conditions of life. Why try to -upset it? On the voyage down to Fashoda I saw many Shilluk fishermen -wading in the shallow water, and endeavouring to spear fish. The spear -used is of great length, and the pointed end is tied back to form a bow, -by which means the point is induced to run along the top of, instead of -sticking into, the mud. It seemed an unprofitable business, but, like -most natives, they appear quite hopeful. They train their hair into -gigantic mops, and dye it red with cow-dung. Many of the men have -splendid features, and are extremely handsome. They hunt the hippo with -great daring, pursuing the beasts in tiny ambatch canoes, which are -often broken up by the infuriated bulls. They plunge a barbed spearhead -into the skin, and then paddle ashore with the end of the attached rope; -every one lends a hand, and the struggling brute is eventually hauled -ashore and despatched. - -North of Fashoda we saw many herds of waterbuck, hartebeeste -(_Senegalensis?_), and roan grazing on the flats which lie between the -marshy banks and the bush. One evening I was standing on deck, and -noticed ahead of the steamer an animal sitting on the top of the bank -watching us. As we passed alongside, it moved, and we saw that it was a -splendid leopard. It strolled away quite unconcernedly, watching us -round its shoulder, and slowly swishing its long tail to and fro; then -it went and sat under a tree, whence it lazily regarded us till we were -out of sight. At Djebel Ain we had to leave the gunboat, as the -extraordinarily low Nile prevented steamers from crossing the ford, and -we were forced to proceed to the next navigable stretch in a large -gyassa or native boat. Djebel Ain is the end of the northern telegraph -line, and I could at last wire and relieve the anxiety of my friends and -relations. It was just fourteen months since I had left the end of the -southern, or Mr. Rhodes's, section. Hayes-Sadler's Soudanese orderly, -who looked after me, was a most delightful old gentleman. He could not -quite understand me, and was continually demanding explanations of me: -"Whence comes he, this man?" "Is he a soldier?" Hayes-Sadler explained -that I was not, but was travelling for the pleasure of seeing the -country. "Ah! you are a strange people, you English Effendis: how comes -it that he wears not the moustache even as the other Effendis?" He was -informed that I was of a slightly different ginss (tribe) to the others, -and was quite satisfied at the explanation. After that he referred to -me as "the Great White Effendi from the South." "He is a strange man, -and verily comes from afar; yet I like that man--I look upon him as the -apple of my eye," he informed his master. He was a splendid fellow, and -I much enjoyed his polite and gentlemanly attentions after the dirty -creatures with whom I had so long been in contact. - -At the northern end of the ford we found the steamer waiting for us, and -I first met Captain Gage and Dr. Milne, of whom I had heard so much. We -were a numerous and jolly party on board, and with the exception of a -morning's sand-grouse shooting, in the course of which eight guns bagged -something over one hundred and fifty brace in a couple of hours, we -arrived without further incident at Omdurman. Here we were bewildered -with true Egyptian Army hospitality, and our time was spent in wildly -flying from mess to mess. - -The Sirdar gave a great dinner, at which he invited all the British and -Egyptian commanding officers to meet the "tourists" from the south. Our -simultaneous arrival was an extraordinary coincidence: Milne and Gage -from the east, De Tonquedec, Bertrand, and Henri from the west, I from -the south, and Hayes-Sadler from the north, and that in what was almost -the uttermost end of the earth. After the dinner there was a great -Soudanese dance; all the battalions broke up into their tribes and -danced their tribal dances by torchlight: the spectacle was most weird. -Sir Francis Wingate kindly asked me to stay with him at the Palace, -which is already nearly completed. - -The Soudan railway soon carried us down to Wady Halfa, thence a steamer -to Assuan, and again the railway, and we once more stood in the roar of -multitudes at the station in Cairo. And now it is all over. A few -dangers avoided, a few difficulties overcome, many disappointments, many -discomforts, and those glorious days of my life are already dim in the -haze of the past. Here I stand, in the prosaic land of certainty and -respectability! But far, far away, on those Urema flats, where the -night-wind sighs to the grazing herds, my thoughts soar to the plaintive -wail of the fish-eagle, and my heart throbs in unison with the vast -sob-sob of the grandest of all created beasts, that mighty sound that is -the very spirit of the veld, the great untrammelled field of Nature, far -from all carking cares, pettiness, hypocrisy, and cant: where men may -stretch themselves in generous emulation, find their apportioned level, -and humbly worship at the great shrine of creation. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXIII.* - - *THE TRANS-CONTINENTAL RAILWAY.* - - -Of the railway as far as Tanganyika I will say little, as I did not -follow the route that has been selected. Its main scheme is already -laid down. - -But the route to be followed beyond the south end of Tanganyika is -another matter, and one that will need much discussion. - -Mr. Rhodes told me that he intended to take it across from Ujiji to the -south end of the Victoria Nyanza, where presumably it would connect with -Uganda and the rail-head of the Mombasa railway at Ugowe Bay by -steamers. Thence it would pass through the Lake Rudolph district and -along the western base of the Abyssinian highlands to the Blue Nile. -The arguments for this route are wood-supply, the supposed wealth and -the supposed comparative salubrity of the countries traversed. Before -offering my suggestion it win be advisable to inquire into the aims and -objects of the Cape to Cairo railway. As far as I have seen, no -individual of those who furiously denounce or optimistically uphold the -project has ever grasped the real essential of such a connection; they -have either sneered at it as a wild dream, or concluded that it is -intended to run as an opposition means of transport to the ocean liners. -This, of course, it will never do, nor yet is it a wild dream. The -railway and the telegraph are to be the vertebra and spinal cord which -will direct, consolidate, and give life to the numerous systems that -will eventually connect the vast central highroad with the seas. - -Building railways is a speculation, but one that up to date has proved -very satisfactory in Africa. There is a saying that "trade follows the -flag," but I think it would be more correct to say that "the flag -reluctantly follows trade," and I know that "trade hurries along in -front of the railway." The amount of small industries and unexpected -traffic that crop up on the advent of the railway is wonderful; I -suppose because there is no trade in virgin Africa strictly speaking, -and the line wakes it to life by opening up new possibilities and ideas -to the native. - -Until the railway comes no one can judge of the capabilities of the -country; it lies dormant. The appalling transport question, the -inaccessibility, and the high cost of living weigh too heavily upon the -land. The magic talisman, gold, alone will lead men far from touch with -civilization. - -But apart from all commercial considerations, on moral grounds alone the -railway or a through connection is an immediate necessity--in fine, a -duty inseparable from the responsibilities that we have assumed. Lord -Salisbury, in speaking of the Uganda railway, recognizes this when he -says: "That" (_i.e._ the completion of the railway) "means the -subjugation, and therefore the civilization, of the country. Nothing -but that railway could give us a grip of the country which would enable -us to take the responsibility of such a vast extent of territory." - -No other system than the through connection would have the same -wide-reaching influence for the same expenditure; and the start that its -completion will give to radiating enterprise is incredible. It is but -the vertebral principle in Nature, and applies as surely to a continent -as to a worm. - -The moral obligation, I repeat, is immediate and inseparable from our -bounden duty to develop the country, to "subjugate" and thereby -"civilize" the natives, and thus justify our assumption of rights in -Africa. - -But I also feel convinced that commercially the enterprise is sound. It -is, of course, well-nigh impossible to form estimates of returns in a -country that is absolutely stagnant, reposing in abysmal depths of -barbarism; but the soil is there, the climate is there, the wild -luxuriance of Nature is there, the labour is there, and it needs but the -magic touch of the railway to weld them all into one producing whole. -It is experimental, I allow, but all enterprise is based on experiment. -We are too apt to take things as they are, and not to inquire into what -things were before, and by analogy what things similarly placed are -likely to become. We reason--"Africa is a waste; India is a garden; and -India will remain a garden, and Africa will remain a waste." The day is -not far distant when Africa will pour out her wealth of cattle, grain, -minerals, rubber, cotton, sugar, copra, spices, and a thousand other -products to a grateful world. And over and above this, will give a home -of comfort to millions of Europeans now suffocated by lack of -breathing-space, and afford a field of investment for the pent-up -millions of capital that are crowding returns down to an impossible -minimum. What better advertisement to draw these millions into -circulation than a railway opening up the unknown! - -The extension of the railway northwards from Buluwayo through the -Mafungabusi, Sengwe, and Sangati coal-fields and the Bembesi, Lower -Sebakwe, and Lower Umfuli gold-finds is, of course, a commercial -certainty; and the second section through the notoriously wealthy Lo -Maghonda gold-field is equally assured. But beyond that, after it -crosses the Zambesi at the Victoria Falls, all estimates must be mainly -hypothetical. The Katanga copper-fields, the enormous quantities of -rubber, which are now giving such magnificent returns to the few traders -in the country, and the recently-reported gold-finds by Mr. George Grey -augur well for the future; but I cannot agree with Mr. Rhodes in some of -his contentions urged on an unresponsive Government as arguments for -their support of the northern extension. - -He urges the native labour question, hoping to bring large supplies of -natives south to work in the mines. This wholesale exportation and -importation of labour, I am sure, is most pernicious to the general -welfare of the country. It raises the cost of labour throughout the -districts affected, and, as I have attempted to show elsewhere, is bound -eventually to bring all labour up to the highest rate that has been -obtained. - -Say, for the sake of argument, that there are ten thousand natives in -Buluwayo working for L4 a month, and ten thousand natives are induced to -come south from Tanganyika, having contracted to work for so many months -at 10s. a month. The Tanganyika natives will discover the current rates -at Buluwayo, and will think that they have been swindled; if they do not -break out into open revolt, they will return to their homes and spread -the news, thereby prevent others from coming south at the 10s. figure, -and raise the price of labour in their country far above its original -level of 3s. a month. More may be induced to go at, say 30s. a month, -and thus by degrees the price of labour throughout Africa south of -Tanganyika will rise to L4. The original Buluwayo native will never -work for less than the L4, and if crowded out by the imported natives, -will form a most turbulent element in the country, and still the rate -will go on rising. Exactly this process is going on now, but gradually, -owing to the number of natives who come south being insignificant -compared to what it would be with the facilities offered by a railway. - -If the natives can be induced to settle, well and good. But it is not -right that other districts should be made to pay for the administrative -follies of districts which have not tackled the native question in the -beginning. But more than this, the natives whom Mr. Rhodes wishes to -bring to the mines do not exist; the country between the Zambesi and, -Tanganyika is not densely populated as a whole, and even now the labour -supply is not adequate to the demand on the Tanganyika plateau. - -Again, he urges that the line will benefit the British Central Africa -Protectorate by affording a means of transport of greater regularity and -efficiency than the present system of river transport. This will never -be. With organization and concentration the river route to Nyassaland -will have no equal in South Africa for cheapness. From Chickwawa to -Chinde at the mouth of the Zambesi there is an uninterrupted waterway of -two hundred and fifty miles. It is obvious that a railway, two thousand -miles long, with considerable haulage to the railway, can never compete -with a waterway of two hundred and fifty miles. But he touches the -right note again when he points out the necessity for providing against -a repetition of the horrors of the Matabele rebellion with the turbulent -tribes north of the Zambesi. The Angoni may yet, and the Awemba -certainly will, prove a most turbulent element in society in Northern -Rhodesia. - -Such are roughly the pros and cons of the question of the advisability -of a through connection. - -From Cape Town to Buluwayo, a distance of one thousand three hundred and -sixty miles, the railway is completed, and already giving handsome -returns for the capital invested. From Buluwayo there will be a line -passing through Gwelo to Salisbury to connect the Beira line, which, -owing to its comparatively short mileage, will tap much of the commerce -of Rhodesia. - -The main line will branch north-west from Buluwayo, pass through the -district of the Guay river, and cross the Zambesi at the Victoria Falls, -where the curious formation will offer but slight difficulty to the -construction of a bridge. Thence it will pass north to a point near -Sitanda on the Upper Kafukwe, and east along the Congo-Zambesi watershed -to a point near the Loangwa river, then again north along the watershed -till it crosses the Chambesi, and from there to Kituta at the south end -of Lake Tanganyika. - -Thus far is a practical certainty of the next few years, the distance -yet to be spanned amounting to eight hundred and sixty miles. - -Beyond Kituta there is room for discussion. A splendid waterway of four -hundred miles leads to the mouth of the Rusisi river, which might be -navigated for thirty miles. This, however, might be rendered -inadmissible by the existence of a bar which I consider probable, in -which case the lake steamer could not navigate the river, as -flat-bottomed boats cannot weather the seas on these lakes. Usambora -would be the most suitable port at the north end, and from here a light -railway could be laid for sixty miles along the flat bottom of the -Rusisi valley with no more difficulty than the Soudan railway was laid. - -From this point to Lake Kivu, which would be best touched at the loch -immediately to the west of Ishangi, the distance is thirty miles, and a -rise in level of 2,000 ft. has to be negotiated. But the configuration -of the eastern valley, which I have mentioned as the probable old course -of the Rusisi, would to a certain extent facilitate the sudden rise. - -From this point to the bay at the north-eastern corner of the lake there -is an excellent waterway of sixty miles. From this bay a light railway -would pass through the neck between Mounts Goetzen and Eyres, having to -rise a further 2,000 ft. to the highest point that the line would attain -to throughout its entire length. Thence by easy gradients it would drop -to the Albert Edward Plains, which lie 3,000 ft. below the crest of the -pass. Although this drop takes place in a distance of twenty miles, the -contours of the country offer every facility. The line would then pass -along under the eastern wall of the trough up the eastern side of the -Albert Edward, across the narrow neck of Lake Ruisamba, and thence to -Fort Gerry, or probably round the west of Ruwenzori and down the Semliki -valley to the Albert Lake. It will be seen that I ignore the waterway -afforded by the Albert Edward, although seventy-five miles long. I will -explain my reasons subsequently. The objection to utilizing the Semliki -valley is that, owing to the supineness of the British Government, it is -in the Congo territory. Why we should have deviated from our policy of -insisting on our rights in the Nile valley at this point I never could -imagine, unless the ministers or delegates responsible were ignorant of -the fact that the Semliki is as much a portion of the Nile as is the -Bahr-el-Djebel. It is the obvious route for the railway, being the -course of the huge rift valley that contains all these lakes, and -although there is a drop of 1,500 ft. before the level of the Albert -Lake is reached, it has immense advantages over the Fort Gerry route. -Passing by Fort Gerry, the line would have to climb 2,000 ft. and then -descend 3,000 ft. down the precipitous face that hems in the Semliki -valley north-east of Ruwenzori proper. Another most important point in -favour of the Semliki valley is that it is densely wooded, while to the -east there is very little wood. - -From the south end of Lake Albert to Dufile at the head of the rapids -there is a waterway of two hundred miles. From Dufile to Redjaf the -river is broken and rendered unnavigable by about one hundred miles of -shallows and rapids. This stretch would have to be spanned by another -light railway which would branch and tap the Shuli country to the east. -Finally from Redjaf there is an uninterrupted watenvay of one thousand -miles to Khartoum, whence there is rail and steamer communication with -Cairo. As an alternative to this, the Dufile-Redjaf line could be -continued at very trifling cost across country to the Sobat Junction, -which would perhaps be necessary to avoid the navigation and fuel -difficulties of the Bahr-el-Djebel waterway. The line could be carried -slightly to the east of my route through the swamps, and the hard, flat, -well-wooded bush country presents no difficulties to railway -construction. I was debarred from passing that way by the dearth of -water consequent on the extraordinary drought. Such is the route that -appears to me to have undoubted advantages. When once Kituta is -reached, now merely a matter of a few years, a further construction of -four hundred and ten miles of railway will render steam communication -between the Cape and Cairo an accomplished fact. The scarcity of fuel -on this route has been suggested as a difficulty. I will now return -once more to Kituta, and point out the fuel centres on the line I have -suggested. - -There are ample forests on both shores of Tanganyika, which will afford -an inexhaustible supply of fuel for ages. By utilizing the waterway both -shores are tapped, and the well-nigh insurmountable obstacles to railway -construction offered by the precipitous mountains that hem in the lake -are turned. - -From Tanganyika to Kivu there are no difficulties, with the exception of -the rise that I have mentioned just south of the Kivu Lake. Again, by -utilizing the Kivu Lake enormous difficulties are avoided in the -impossible country that surrounds the lake. The hills are very high, -very steep, very numerous, very erratic, and often disconnected by -ridges or any gradients that would assist construction. Immediately -north of the lake the country again becomes easy, and another -inexhaustible supply of fuel is found on the volcanoes, while the -country is extremely rich, and wonderfully healthy, and carries the -densest population that I have seen in Africa. - -The Rutchuru valley offers no difficulties, and another fuel country is -found at the south-eastern corner of the Albert Edward Lake, while the -country along the eastern side to Katwe is so easy and flat that it -would probably be worth while to ignore the waterway as I have already -indicated. - -Of the Semliki valley I can only speak from observation of the northern -half, which is as flat as a billiard-table; but as the drop is not very -considerable, the southern half should present no serious obstacle, -while it offers a magnificent fuel supply. The Semliki is a -well-defined river, and could be easily bridged. Thus the whole course -is free of natural obstacles, sufficiently provided with fuel, supplies, -and labour, and, over and above, being direct, taps all these lakes, -which in themselves are the foci of the trade of large districts. By -adopting this course, in an incredibly short space of time, and at a -figure many millions short of the estimated cost of a through line, the -first and most important objects of the connection will be attained: -namely, the consolidation of our influence--the strengthening of the -Administration, and thus the lessening of the numbers of soldiers -necessary to ensure order--immense cheapening of communication and of -the cost of telegraph up-keep. Even were the through railway cheaper, -this combination of rail and steamboat will be sufficient to feel the -pulse of the country, and if the results justify the further -expenditure, the line can easily be completed, while its main objects -have been attained years earlier than would otherwise be possible. As -all porterage has to be done by natives in Central Africa, a railway is -even more necessary than where wagon transport is available. Owing to -the impossibility of bringing anything heavy into the country, many -industries are debarred even from being experimented upon. There is -still a considerable amount of ivory in native hands throughout the lake -region, and the amount of rubber is stupendous; both these products will -bear heavy transport charges, and are in themselves sufficient to make a -beginning until a brisk trade has been stimulated in other products.[#] - - -[#] _E.g._ the Congo railway. - - -These lakes, and the vast rift valley that contains them, are the -natural highway which is fed by both sides of the continent. It must be -remembered that Africa differs from other continents in the paucity of -its outlets and means of outlet; no continent is so poorly endowed with -harbours and navigable rivers for its size, excepting, perhaps, -Australia, which is the antithesis of Africa in that its wealth lies -along the coasts, while the centre is the pearl of Africa. Hence any -route which offers natural advantages is of supreme importance. - -The chief argument against this combination of rail and boat is the -amount of handling that it will entail. I believe this is of no -significance:-- - -First, because, as I have pointed out, there will be no through traffic. -All the traffic will be local, in that it will be destined to feed the -nearest radius that leads to the coast, or for the interchange of local -produce. - -Secondly, because of the immense difference in the capital to be sunk, -and the cheapness of water transport compared to rail transport. - -Thirdly, because of the large area tapped. Much of the freight would -have to be brought in either case by water to the railway, and might as -well be brought to one point as to another. - -Fourthly, because labour is so plentiful, and as yet so ridiculously -cheap that the cost would be very trifling. - -Trade is allowedly conservative, but once it has been directed into a -certain channel it needs a huge effort to divert it. Let us, then, -establish a route as speedily as possible. - -Finally, I wish I could induce some of the numerous philanthropists at -home to see that by aiding enterprise of this description they strike at -the very root of the slave trade, Belgian atrocities, cannibal raids, -and the numerous other African diversions; and that in a few years they -will assist to educate, elevate, civilize, and perhaps eventually to -Christianize, the African natives more effectually than would be done in -centuries by spasmodic mission work. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXIV.* - - *NATIVE QUESTIONS.* - - -The enormous extent of Africa, and the consequent infinity of tribes -widely divergent in origin, character, and habits, make it almost -impossible to generalize on this most abstruse subject. - -Still some principles may be laid down for the great negroid population -of Africa which, as far as my experience goes, apply in most instances. -I will ignore platitudes as to the equality of men irrespective of -colour and progress, and take as an hypothesis what is patent to all who -have observed the African native, that he is fundamentally inferior in -mental development and ethical possibilities (call it soul if you will) -to the white man. - -He approaches everything from an entirely different standpoint to us. -What that standpoint is, what his point of view is, by what mental -refraction things are distorted to his receptive faculty, I cannot -pretend to explain. I have failed to find any one who could. But the -fact remains, that if a native is told to do anything, and it is within -the bounds of diabolical ingenuity to do it wrong, he will do it wrong; -and if he cannot do it wrong, he will not do it right. I can but -suggest as an explanation that he is left-minded as he is generally -left-handed. The following anecdotes will illustrate my meaning. They -all came under my personal observation, and tend to show the -impossibility of following a native's reasoning, if he does reason. - -When I engaged the Watonga on Lake Nyassa, I informed them of all the -salient features that they would see on the road, such as lakes, -mountains that spat fire, mountains so high that the water became as -stones, etc. As we passed each of these features I reminded them of what -I had said, showing them that I had not lied, as they had imagined -before starting. When the journey was nearly finished, I pointed out -that everything had appeared as I had said, and asked them what they -thought of it. Then spake the headman: "Lord, you are a wonderful lord. -You told us of the four lakes, and how many days' journey it would take -to pass them; you told us of the smoking mountains and the great -mountains of the white water; of the elephants and the meat with necks -like trees (giraffe); yet you have not been there before, as we well -know. And as you would not have us, your servants, think you a liar, -_you put them there_." - -Again, I had told them of the size of the white man's houses; and when -we arrived at Khartoum I showed them the palace as an example. They -smiled and said: "Yes, it is very wonderful; but that is no house, _it -has been dug out of a hill_." - -When travelling up the Zambesi, I gave Sharp's Somali boy a Van Houten's -cocoa-tin to open, telling him to make cocoa. He disappeared for a -time, and returned with a tin-opener with which he proceeded to tear off -the bottom of the tin. Having successfully accomplished this, he thrust -a spoon in and pushed the lid off, with the result that all the cocoa -fell out on to the ground. Then he looked at me with an expression of -supreme contempt, as though to say: "I always thought the white men -fools, but not quite such fools as to make a thing like that." He must -have opened hundreds of tins before, both hermetically sealed ones and -ordinary ones. Yet to this day he thinks me an idiot. - -The small boy who was responsible for arranging my tent had been -carefully instructed always to place my belongings in a certain order. -Occasionally, through his having put my bed on an uneven piece of -ground, I would tell him to change it to the other side, which meant -reversing my boxes and table to bring them into the correct relative -position. In doing this he was never satisfied till he had also -reversed the square mat, and when I laughed at him for doing so he left -the mat and put the boxes wrong, nor could he put them right till he had -reversed the mat. This was most curious, and I could never grasp to my -satisfaction what his train of reasoning was. - -One day, when hauling a canoe up a very shallow tributary of the Nile, -one of my boys, finding that he could not pull to advantage from the bed -of the river, climbed inside and made superhuman efforts to drag it -along. He quite failed to see the cause of my laughter, sulked, and -refused to pull any more. - -The answers of some natives who had been taken to England after a trip -across Africa were instructive as showing the trend of a negro's mind. -Questioned as to what appeared most wonderful to them, one replied: "The -white man, when he wants anything, goes to the wall; then he obtains -what he requires, light, drink, servants--in fact, everything." Another -replied: "The selling-houses with rows and rows of meat, countless sheep -and lumps of meat." And the third replied: "The little houses that run -about the roads with horses." Of all the marvellous sights of -civilization, three impressions stuck--bells, butchers' shops, and -omnibuses. These few instances are sufficient to indicate in what -unexpected channels the native's thoughts flow. His character is made -up of contending elements, and is best explained by saying that he has -no character at all. It is a blend of the child and the beast of the -field. He is swayed by every wind that blows, yet may seize upon an -idea and stick to it with remarkable tenacity, in spite of the most -cogent arguments to and obvious advantages involved in the contrary. - -He is as imitative as a monkey, and consequently is very apt at picking -up crafts, gestures, and styles that are new to him, but is so bound -down by tradition and custom that he never applies the improved methods -of the white man to anything that he is accustomed to do in his own way. - -His mind is so inactive and blank that he can carry for miles loads that -he cannot pick up from the ground, by merely sinking his entity. He -becomes mentally torpid, with the result that the effort is solely -physical. A white man, though physically stronger, would fret himself -into a state of utter fatigue in a quarter of the time. - -In trifles he is impatient, yet will argue a question for a week till it -is threshed out to the bitter end, and will accomplish with unceasing -thoroughness a piece of carving or basket-work that takes months to -perfect. - -In debate he is extremely subtle, and in politics differs materially -from the white man in that he can hold his tongue. On principle he -never tells the truth, and consequently never expects to hear it. He is -extremely suspicious, and his maxim is, "Mistrust every one." Yet a -judicious laugh will inspire him with complete confidence. "When in -doubt laugh," I have found a safe maxim in dealing with natives, and a -well-timed laugh saved many ugly situations during our sojourn in the -land. - -He hates to be hurried; with him there is no idea of time. "Do not the -days succeed one another?---then why hurry?" is his idea. He cannot -understand at all the hurrying man. - -His stage of evolution, which is but slightly superior to the lower -animals, is the explanation of many of the seemingly inexplicable traits -in his character, traits which are conspicuous in the bees and ants, and -in varying degrees remarkable in other animals that have attained to -some more or less complete communism. For instance, a native will share -as a matter of course the last bite with any one of the same clan (a -relationship that is expressed by the word "ndugu"), yet he will watch -starve with the most perfect equanimity another native who, even though -of the same tribe, does not come within that mystic denomination. -Should, however, even his "ndugu" become very sick or otherwise -incapable of taking his part in the battle of life, he is left to take -care of himself as best he can, and everything is devoted to the -sustenance of those who are still capable. In this respect the native -is inferior to the elephant, who will at considerable risk to themselves -endeavour to assist a wounded comrade from the field of battle. The -fundamental basis of native society is local communism and disregard for -all outside that commune; though at times the various communes that -constitute a tribe will combine for some object of equal benefit to all. -The rarity, however, of this combination for a purpose is what -constitutes the essential weakness of all African peoples. The old Zulu -_regime_, and the till recently remarkable cohesion of the Ruanda -people, are the conspicuous exceptions, and are proof of what -possibilities lie to the hand of dusky Napoleons in Africa. The Arabs -fully realized and availed themselves of this inherent lack of -combination amongst the tribes. The success of their policy of -disintegration should serve as a useful example for our African -statesmen. Many of our failures are to be attributed to our not having -grasped the dominant fact that every chief who is left in possession of -his power is a source of strength to ourselves, to be used as a -counterpoise to every other chief similarly placed. It stands to reason -that several definite units--to wit, clans consolidated under the aegis -of responsible men--can be more easily brought to focus than a -heterogeneous mass, incomplete in itself, and which will be bound to -gravitate to any adventurer who may acquire a temporary hearing. The -great mass, strangled as it is by innate superstition, hidebound by -tradition, and so situated as to be incapable of enlightenment other -than the most microscopically gradual, can never be brought thoroughly -under white rule. It must be ruled by its constituted and therefore -accepted chiefs, who alone can be made responsible to the -Administration. How to bring these chiefs under our influence without -lessening their local prestige, and how to infuse the necessary element -of competition _inter se_, are the problems the solution of which will -materially facilitate the thorny path of African administration. A -curious quality, and one in some degree referable to this low stage of -evolution, is their inability to grasp the idea of a natural death. If a -man's head is smashed, they can associate the obvious cause and effect, -but any death less easily explained is attributed to some such factor as -the "evil eye." This is invariable with the Soudanese tribes, and is a -source of unending trouble to the officers in command of Soudanese -troops. Again, the utter disregard for the future would argue a social -stage inferior to the bees. No native can be induced to look to the -morrow. Over and over again we served out rations to our men, for, say, -a week, and informed them that by no possible means could they obtain -food during that week; yet on every occasion they ate it all the first -day or threw away what they could not eat, trusting, in their -characteristic optimism, that something would turn up. Nor do they ever -learn from experience. Every year that the rains fail or their crops -are for some reason deficient, they are caught and philosophically -starve, yet two days more of work would place them beyond all -possibility of famine. - -Another very essential factor has to be taken into consideration in an -endeavour to grasp the native character. That is the lack of the two -sentiments, gratitude and pity, which enter so largely into the workings -of the European mind. As far as I am aware, in all the Bantu dialects -there is no word that remotely suggested either of these virtues. In -the Swahili tongue the word asanti (thank you) has been borrowed from -another language for the benefit of the mixed Hindu-Persian and Arab -elements who constitute Swahili society. A few anecdotes will exemplify -this lack. - -I was paddling across the Shire river to Chiromo, when a native asked me -to give him a lift across. I did so, and no sooner had he landed, than -he asked me for a present for having done so. - -Another boy, who had been bitten by a deadly snake, came to me for -treatment. With considerable difficulty, and the expenditure of my last -bottle of whisky, I saved his life. Having completely recovered, he -helped himself to such of my movables as he could conveniently annex, -and absconded. - -Their lack of the sense of pity is shown in their brutal treatment of -animals, of the sick, and of those who are too old to work. Even the -Portuguese or Spanish treatment of animals is Christian compared to a -native's method. They are impervious to the sufferings of others, and -rather regard them as a joke. On one occasion several boys were -standing under a tree, when a snake dropped from a branch, and bit one -of the boys on the cheek, causing the most intense pain which ended only -in death. The other boys thought it great fun, and were distorted with -laughter at the agonized convulsions of the unfortunate. - -A further proof of the lack of these senses is their utter inability to -understand them in others. - -An amusing case that came to my notice is a proof in point. An official -had engaged a cook at 10s. a month, who for three months gave complete -satisfaction. At the end of that time he called the native before him, -and explained that as he had done his work so well, his wages would be -raised to 15s. a month. The cook appeared to be rather puzzled, and -went away. The following morning he returned and demanded 15s., arguing -that he was the same now as he had been before and that therefore he -ought to have 5s. more for each of the three months which he had spent -in his service. From that day he became useless, and eventually left, -firm in the conviction that he had been swindled out of 15s. - -Another man of my acquaintance saved a small child from a crocodile. -The child's hand was badly torn, but after careful tending, with the -help of a doctor brought at considerable expense from the nearest -station, he was sent home completely cured. Thereupon the child's -father and mother arrived on the scene, and demanded a large present -because the child had been kept so long. - -Gratitude or pity in others they attribute to fear, or the desire to get -the better of them. They look upon kindness as a thing suspicious, a -move to cloak some ulterior design. Nor can they understand leniency, -but consider it weakness. They themselves are either abject grovellers -or blustering bullies. The Arab understands this, and rules with a rod -of iron; the natural result of which is that natives prefer Arab service -to British, the philanthropy of which they do not understand, and either -mistrust or despise. Strict justice they do understand; but it must be -based on the "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" school. The -unreasoning philanthropy which is the latest phase of our "unctuous -rectitude" is as pearls before swine, and, as with other nations, so -with natives, merely renders us objects of pity. - -I trust that these few points are sufficient to indicate the -difficulties that lie before the student of native character. Yet in -spite of this, there exists a certain section of the community at home -who presume to dictate the methods to be adopted in dealing with -natives. Strong in their magnificent ignorance of the local -requirements, racial characteristics, and the factors that make society, -men are found who will condemn such acts as the desecration of the -Mahdi's tomb. These individuals, unless specialists, would never dream -of discoursing on the treatment of horses, spectral analysis, or any -other subject requiring special study, yet, with a confidence sublime in -its assurance, they will launch forth into the still more abstruse -subject of native administration. Nothing is more to be deprecated than -this meddling on the part of the stay-at-homes, in the methods adopted -by the men specially selected to undertake the difficult task of ruling -these peoples. We select the men whom we think most capable of -promoting the prosperity of the countries in question, and instead of -allowing them to find out by experience the methods most productive of -good, we cramp their efforts by well-intentioned but fatal limitations -on points of which we are necessarily profoundly ignorant. If, as a -section of the press would lead us to believe, we are compelled to -assume that every man who leaves this country _ipso facto_ becomes an -abandoned ruffian, the sooner we shut up our branch shops, and retain -our servants under the watchful eye of the man in blue, the better for -all concerned. But if, on the other hand, we are confident that we are -promoting the welfare of the community at large by assuming these -responsibilities, and believe that we can find reliable men to carry on -the work, the least that we can do is to allow those men to profit by -and regulate their methods on the experience that they must necessarily -acquire, and which is necessarily denied to us. The fact that the -method most productive of good in Africa is not the same as the method -most productive of good at home is no evidence of the inadvisability of -its adoption. A thousand and one factors known only to the man on the -spot must be assumed. In the halcyon days that are no doubt coming, no -one will be allowed to hold an important position in the Government who -has not gone through the mill of travel. "What do they know of England -who only England know?" What indeed! In an empire like ours, of which -the British isles are already but the viscera, it is inconceivable that -men who are largely responsible for the administration of that empire -should display the gaping ignorance of the elements of which it is -composed, which daily passes without comment. This external -interference is of paramount importance. It is crushing all our African -ventures, and with the rapidly-increasing facility of communication -attendant on telegraphic construction, its effect is becoming daily more -conspicuous. In the old days men were bound to act on their own -initiative; now the tendency is to shirk responsibility by appealing to -headquarters. This paralyzes decisive action, which alone is effective -in dealing with natives. A general outline of policy should be adopted -on the recommendation of the best available experts, but every possible -detail should be left to the discretion of the local official. Many of -the ridiculous restrictions that are made are nothing short of insults -to the men affected by them. Imagine placing one man in charge of a -district such as Toro--Toro is larger than Ireland, and consequently the -position is one of enormous responsibility--and telling that man that he -must not give more than twenty-five lashes to a native. It is grotesque. -Twenty-five lashes would kill an average Toro native, but a hundred -lashes barely make the dust fly off a Manyema porter. Surely details of -this description should be left to the judgment of the man who can weigh -the facts of the case. - -But few people at home realize what an alarming and ever-growing -difficulty has to be faced in the African native problem. It is a -difficulty that is unique in the progress of the world. In Australia, -Tasmania, New Zealand (in a minor degree), and America the aborigine has -faded out of existence before the irresistible and to him insufferable -advance of the white man. But not so the African, who in this sense -differs entirely from other savages. Under the beneficent rule of the -white man he thrives like weeds in a hot-house. Originally, the two -great checks on population were smallpox and internecine strife. These -have been minimized by the advent of white rule, and the resulting rate -of increase is one to stagger the statistician. The stately Maori, the -wild Australian, the chivalrous Tasmanian, and the grim Redskin have -given up the struggle, and are fast going the way of the mammoth and the -dodo, but in white-teethed content the negro smiles and breeds apace, -mildly contemptuous of the mad Englishman who does so much for him and -expects so little in return. What is to be done with this -ever-increasing mass of inertia? We have undertaken his education and -advancement. When we undertake the education of a child or beast we -make them work, realizing that work is the sole road to advancement. But -when we undertake the education of a negro, who, as I have endeavoured -to show, is a blend of the two, we say, "Dear coloured man, thou elect -of Exeter Hall, chosen of the negrophil, darling of the unthinking -philanthropist, wilt thou deign to put thy hand to the plough, or dost -prefer to smoke and tipple in undisturbed content? We, the white men, -whom thy conscience wrongly judges to be thy superiors, will arrange thy -affairs of state. Sleep on, thou ebony idol of a jaded civilization, -maybe anon thou wilt sing 'Onward, Christian Soldiers!'" - -A good sound system of compulsory labour would do more to raise the -native in five years than all the millions that have been sunk in -missionary efforts for the last fifty; but at the very sound of -"compulsory labour," the whole of stay-at-home England stops its ears, -and yells, "Slavery!" and not knowing what "slavery" is, yells -"Slavery!" again, nor ever looks at home nor realizes that we are all -slaves. Have we not compulsory education, taxes, poor-rates, compulsory -this and compulsory that, with "jail" as the alternative? Nor are we -paid by the State for being educated. Then let the native be compelled -to work so many months in the year at a fixed and reasonable rate, and -call it compulsory education. Under such a title, surely the most -delicate British conscience may be at rest. Thereby the native will be -morally and physically improved; he will acquire tastes and wants which -will increase the trade of the country; he will learn to know the white -man and his ways, and will, by providing a plentiful supply of labour, -counterbalance the physical disadvantages under which the greater part -of Africa labours, and thus ensure the future prosperity of the land, -whereby, with the attendant security of tenure and of the rights of the -individual, he will have that chance of progressive evolution which -centuries of strife and bloodshed have denied him. Inducements might be -offered to chiefs to make plantations of wheat, rice, coffee, and other -suitable products, by exempting a number of their men, proportionate to -the area cultivated, from the annual educational course. - -This perpetual wail of "slavery," which is always raised to combat -legitimate and reasonable discussion, is due to ignorance, to the -inability to discriminate between the status of slavery and -slave-raiding. Slave-raiding was a curse beyond belief, and is now, -happily, to all intents a nightmare of the past, but the status of -slavery is still widespread, and with many peoples is necessary and -beneficent. The line between slavery and freedom is a very nice -distinction. We can all be called upon to fight or to give up our goods -for the common weal, or, as we phrase it, for the cause of progress. -Then why should not other peoples be called upon to work for the cause -of progress? There is a sound maxim in the progress of the world: "What -cannot be utilized must be eliminated." And drivel as we will for a -while, the time will come when the negro must bow to this as to the -inevitable. Why, because he is black and is supposed to possess a soul, -we should consider him, on account of that combination, exempt, is -difficult to understand, when a little firmness would transform him from -a useless and dangerous brute into a source of benefit to the country -and of satisfaction to himself. - -I invariably had trouble with my natives when they were not occupied. -The native has no means of amusing himself, nor idea of making -occupation, and consequently, like women similarly situated, has -recourse to chatter and the hatching of mischief. Work, I am convinced, -is the keynote to the betterment of the African; and he will not work -for the asking. No amount of example will assist him. What are the -results of several hundred years' communication with the Portuguese? A -few natives wear hats, and the women's morals have deteriorated. Africa -labours under many disadvantages--remoteness from markets, -inaccessibility, dearth of waterways, and in parts a pestilential -climate; but it has one great advantage in an inexhaustible supply of -potential labour, which, if properly handled, should place it on terms -of equality with countries more favourably endowed by Nature. - -The first essential in opening up new country in Africa is for the -Administration to fix a rate of pay, and to make that rate a low one. -If it is left to competition the rate is bound to be forced up by -contending trading companies. The first profits from new country are -usually large, and the difficulty of obtaining labour very great before -the native has gained confidence. Hence the rate dependent on -competition is a fictitious one, and cannot be sustained under the -conditions that will prevail subsequent to the harvesting of the -first-fruits of the land. But it will be well-nigh impossible ever to -lower the rate to meet diminishing profits. At first sight this seems -severe on the native, but in reality it is not so. As he is, he has -every necessary of life, and everything that we give him is a luxury. -The taste for pay is a cultivated taste, and three shillings really -gives him as much satisfaction as three pounds. The native on the -Tanganyika plateau works more cheerfully for his three shillings a month -than the Rhodesian native does for his two pounds, and yet beads and -cloth are much more costly on the plateau than in Rhodesia. There is a -short-sighted inclination amongst British officials to give the native -more than he requires or even asks for, presumably simply because he is -a native. - -At one station I required a certain amount of labour, and as there was -no precedent to go upon, we called up some of the local natives, and -asked them for what sum they would be willing to do the work in -question. They mentioned a figure which they evidently considered -preposterous, but which, as a matter of fact, was very small. The -official thereupon told them that they would get more. This naturally -aroused their suspicions, and some of those who had at first been -willing failed to turn up. It must always be remembered that the -untutored native will work as readily for three shillings as he will for -three pounds; and if he does not want to work, he will not do so for -thirty pounds. The actual rate of pay carries no weight with him. It -is merely a matter of whether he is in the mood. But, of course, if he -has once received a certain figure he will never work for less, even if -he is in the mood to do so. Were he to do so he would imagine that he -had been swindled. - -The Portuguese, for the simple reason that they themselves practically -never pay their natives at all, failed to grasp the necessity of -controlling the labour market in the Beira district, with the result -that the wages of an ordinary carrier or labourer are one pound a month, -and of an untrained house-boy from two pounds to three pounds a month. -These sums were gladly paid in the original days of boom and prosperity, -but in these days of comparative gloom they are feeling the pinch. Large -supplies of labour are brought down from the Zambesi to minimize the -difficulty, but with the sole result that this fictitious rate is spread -to the regions that are being tapped when the labourers return to their -homes. By this means the evil is gradually working up the Shire river -to British Central Africa. Rhodesia has, to a considerable extent, -blighted her prospects by not grappling with the subject, in spite of -the hysteria of those whose knowledge of natives, their ways, and of the -best methods of dealing with them appears to be derived from week-end -studies of the becollared fraternity who affect Margate and Brighton -sands. - -The name of Englishman is held high throughout Africa, and the Union -Jack is the surest passport in the land. Let this be the answer to -those who casually assume that because a man goes to Africa he -necessarily becomes a brute, no matter what his social status, -education, or previous mental condition. It is obviously to the -interest of men who live as an infinitesimal minority amongst hordes of -savages, to find out what means are most conducive to the proper control -of those hordes, and to inspire them with that respect and assurance of -justice, without which they will be in continual revolt, as has been the -case with the natives of the Upper Congo since the substitution of -Belgian and polyglot officials for the original staff of British and -Americans. However, the damage is done, and I think the proposed remedy -of importing "the teeming millions" of Lake Tanganyika (who, by the way, -do not exist) a false and dangerous one. The imported natives, finding -that they obtain less pay than the natives of the country, although they -have come far from their own homes, break out in discontent, and, maybe, -open revolt (as did the Angoni police, recruited and sent to Salisbury -by Major Harding, C.M.G.), and when they return home spread the feeling -of dissatisfaction far and wide. The Yaos who were sent to Mauritius -were even a greater failure, and cannot but have the most pernicious -influence on their return. Uganda has been similarly doomed as an -agricultural country by the chaotic incompetence that supervened after -the Lugard _regime_. British Central Africa alone of the young African -States has steered a straight course through the stormy seas of labour -questions. But British Central Africa has profited by its hitherto -comparative insignificance, and, under the able guidance of Sir Harry -Johnston, has found the right channel unruffled by the whirlwinds of -adverse criticism, which have played with such unceasing ferocity upon -Rhodesia. It seems hardly reasonable that one district should be called -upon to pay for the mistakes made in another. - -The establishment of native locations on a large scale in the districts -that require labour will tend to ameliorate the labour scarcity and -maintain wages at a reasonable level. On farms and plantations there is -comparatively little difficulty in obtaining labour. The native is -useless without his women-folk, but is easily induced to settle down in -any spot required, if allotted so much land and allowed to bring his -family, while at the same time a fillip is given to production when he -finds that his women can add to his income by cultivating the various -requirements of the white man. - -To summarize; the questions of paramount importance are:-- - -1. _To make the Administration the sole labour agents_. - -By this means the supply of labour can be evenly distributed through the -year, or according to the country's requirements. The rate of pay can -be fixed and maintained at a rational level. Undesirable people can be -prevented from obtaining labour, and thereby adversely influencing the -native. The native is protected against the employer, and guaranteed -proper treatment by knowing that he has a court of appeal where he can -obtain information and air his grievances. - -2. _To rule through the chiefs, and refrain from injuring their -prestige_. - -Centuries cannot give the white man the power over the individual native -that the recognized chief holds without question. The substitution of -one chief for another is of no use unless the original chief is killed -and his rightful heir instated. These matters are religion with -natives. "Once a chief always a chief, even when dead," is their -belief. To get a grip on an important chief and yet leave him his power -is a difficult matter; and as these preliminary questions will affect -the whole future of the country, the first step in administration should -be entrusted to really able men, and not, as is too often the case, to -any trader, hunter, or out-of-a-job who happens to be in the -neighbourhood and to know a little of the language. By leaving the -chiefs their power, administration is greatly facilitated by the -resulting concentration of responsibility. All the petty questions and -difficulties (which are often such dangerous ground, until the local -customs are fully understood) devolve on the chief, and if there is any -serious trouble the responsibility can be instantly located. - -The prestige of the chiefs should be maintained in every possible way, -such as exempting them from the hut-tax, allowing them a small armed -escort, etc. - -I realized the immense importance of this ruling through the chiefs when -in the Chambesi district of Northern Rhodesia. Two chiefs of -considerable influence, namely, Makasa and Changala, really administer -the country under the direction of the collector. A criminal was -wanted, and Changala handed him over in thirty-six hours; had he not -done so, all the police in the district might have hunted for a year -without success. - -3. _More attention must be paid to maintaining the prestige of the white -man_. - -This is of paramount importance. There is rather a tendency amongst the -officials to lower the non-official in the eyes of the native. This is -fatal. The prestige must be maintained at all costs, as it is the sole -hold that we have over the native. The rabble that is inseparable from -a mining community is a great difficulty. But still much harm is caused -by the ignorance of the youthful officials who are in positions for -which they are in no wise fitted. - -4. _Officials should be forced to acquire a knowledge of the language_. - -The Germans set us a good example in their East Coast Protectorate, -where a man must go through a preliminary course at the coast before -being admitted to any position in the interior. I have seen much harm -done by the employment of interpreters, who are invariably bribed, and -only say what they wish to be said. This destroys the confidence of the -native. I have always remarked the eagerness with which the native -appeals to the white man who can converse direct with him. - -5. _The constant moving of officials from place to place should be -avoided_. - -The native requires a long time to learn to know a white man and to feel -confidence in him. In many places a game of general post with the -officials seems to be the chief occupation of the Administration. - -6. _The official should be enabled and encouraged to travel round his -district_. - -This is the surest means of inspiring confidence. At present most of -the officials whom I met were tied to their stations by such -statesmanlike duties as weighing out beads, measuring cloth, and copying -out orders; all of which might be cheaply and effectually done by an -Indian clerk. Travelling round and learning the natives is usually -severely repressed at headquarters. - - - -[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE "FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO" (northern half -of map)] - - -[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE "FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO" (southern half -of map)] - - - -[Transcriber's note: larger versions of these maps (img-380.jpg and -img-382.jpg) have been provided, but they are not linked into this -etext.] - - - - PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN AT - THE PRESS OF THE PUBLISHERS - - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45396 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. 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