Kitabı oku: «In African Forest and Jungle», sayfa 5

She was getting dangerously near, and we ran the risk of being discovered; then she might, in her fright, disappear in the jungle before we had time to take a good aim and shoot. Looking at Rogala, I raised "Bulldog" and fired. The big nshiego-mbouvé fell, and the little fellow ran up a tree, uttering shrill cries of terror.

I whispered to Rogala: "Now let us get our net ready to throw over the little nshiego when he comes down the tree to see his mother."

We kept perfectly still. Soon the baby nshiego-mbouvé came down the tree, and went up to his mother, who was lying dead on her back. He put his nose close to her face and moaned pitifully. He seemed to know that she was dead. Rogala ran up and threw the net over him. He shrieked fearfully. We took him in that manner to the camp, and having cut off the mother's head as a trophy, we took it with us. But our little captive died soon after. We could not keep him alive.

CHAPTER XIII

NDOVA'S THOUGHTFULNESS – HIS WINNING AND SPORTIVE WAYS – HE FEELS LONELY AND CALLS FOR OTHER MONKEYS TO COME TO HIM – A TROOP OF ELEVEN APPEAR – I FRIGHTEN THEM AWAY

I remained all alone in the camp one day while my hunters had gone hunting. Andekko had gone with them. Everything was very quiet.

Ndova was very still and was thinking. There was no mistake about it. His face showed it; his eyes showed it. He had a wonderful and thoughtful expression of sadness which went right to my heart.

I wondered if he was sorry for his lot among us; if he thought that he would be better off in the forest with his own folk. Perhaps poor Ndova wanted a mate to live with him. All I could tell, when I looked at him, was that he seemed supremely sorrowful. "What a pity," I said to myself, "that I cannot speak or understand the ndova talk, for I could then by talking to him find out what is the matter." Then I wished I could understand the language of all the monkeys of the forest. I knew about nine different kinds of monkeys living there; I could tell every species by hearing them, for no two uttered the same kind of sounds.

As I was thinking of these things, Ndova suddenly jumped upon my shoulders, uttering at the same time sounds of affection, and began at once to play with my hair, which was always a favorite pastime with him. When he got tired of this, he jumped down on my lap, and began to play with my hand and tried to get hold of two or three freckles I had upon them. He tried and tried in vain to pick them off; then he became excited, for he could not understand why he could not take them off. It always amused me to see Ndova vexed, for his eyes glared in such a peculiar manner. At last he gave up trying to pick off the freckles.

After this little outburst of temper he regained his equanimity, and began to be himself again, full of life and frolic. That made me feel happy, too, for I thought a good deal of my friend Ndova. I did not forget that he had sometimes saved me from hunger; then did not his capers, queer gestures, and comical grimaces amuse me many times? Was he not our companion in the great forest, one of us indeed? Andekko was a brave dog, but he had not the queer, amusing ways of Ndova, nor his human look. I sympathized always with Ndova when I thought he felt lonely – for I often felt lonely myself, and longed for friends and those of my kind.

Finally Ndova went to his cage, and began to eat the nuts, berries, and fruits I had put there for him in the morning. After he had satisfied his appetite he filled his two pouches to their utmost capacity, the skin of his cheeks being drawn quite tight over them. He looked comical enough, with a big lump on each side of his face.

When he came out of his cage, I tied him to the ring of his pole so that he might go up and down as he pleased. After he reached the top of the pole, he seated himself on the platform and then became thoughtful again. After a while he uttered that peculiar sound he always gave when he called for his species, the ndovas. When I saw this, I said to myself: "Yes; when Ndova has a sad face, it is because he feels lonely. That is the reason he calls for some of his kind to come and keep him company."

From time to time he called, but no answer came back; there were no ndovas around, but he was not disheartened and kept calling. Finally an answer came from far off. At this he grew excited, and went up and down his pole several times.

I hid, so that if the monkeys came into our camp they would not see me. I had a good hiding-place. I could hear the advance of the monkeys in the noise they made as they leaped from one flexible branch to another. Now and then they would stop and hold a conversation with Ndova. Soon after they perched upon a tree from which they could look into our camp. They remained silent for a while. The sight was unusual to them. I was glad that Andekko had gone with Rogala, for he would have barked at the monkeys and frightened them away.

I counted eleven monkeys. One was much bigger than the rest, and seemed to be their leader. He was looking down intently at Ndova and the stockade. He was evidently trying to make out what all that new sight to him meant. He was suspicious of the place and did not move. The monkeys would not come to the palisades without his orders. They trusted in his wisdom. He was evidently their chief. I watched carefully his face, which seemed very sober.

After a while he talked to our monkey, all his followers remaining silent. Ndova answered, with sounds I had not heard before. "Oh dear," I said to myself, "why do I not understand the language of the ndovas, so that I might know what the old fellow says to him? I think he wants to entice Ndova away into the forest." I was almost sorry I had not my gun by my side. I think I should have shot him for daring to try to make Ndova run away.

Ndova kept moving up and down his pole, now and then running about on the ground, making great efforts to get to his kind the ndovas.

Suddenly all the monkeys joined in a chorus, which excited Ndova very much. Then they all came down the tree together, and soon I saw their heads peeping over the palisades and looking silently at Ndova, the big fellow being in the centre of them, his big human-like eyes glancing all round. Then they all uttered a peculiar sound, which probably meant "Come on, come on," for Ndova tried anew to go to them. But they did not dare to come inside towards him. All at once I emerged from my hiding-place, and at the sight of me they fled, uttering piercing cries of fright.

On the return of Rogala I told him what had happened.

He replied: "Oguizi, monkeys are a kind of human beings."

CHAPTER XIV

UNEASINESS OF ROGALA – HE FEARS THE NEW MOON MAY SEE AND BEWITCH HIM – HE BUILDS A SMALL HOUSE AND HIDES IN IT – HE HAS AN ATTACK OF FEVER, WHICH HE ASCRIBES TO WITCHCRAFT

Not long after this Shinshooko and Alapai went away, saying that they would return in three or four days and that Rogala would take care of me.

Rogala seemed to be in an uneasy frame of mind. Something seemed to be disturbing him. I said nothing on the subject, for I felt sure that he would tell me at the proper time.

One morning he left the camp all alone, and returned in the afternoon with a big load of palm leaves. The following day he went again into the forest by himself, and returned with a big load of bark. That afternoon he began to build a very small house, and roofed it with the palm leaves, and then made a sliding door of bark. I wondered at his doings, and I asked him why he made such a small house.

He answered: "Oguizi, two days from now will be the day of the new moon, and though we cannot see the moon, on account of the trees, her eyes can penetrate everywhere. The new moon is especially angry and hungry on that day. She looks down over our country and seeks whom she can devour, and we poor black men are very much afraid of her on that account, and we hide ourselves from her sight on that night." After a pause he continued: "From the time of the new moon to that of the full moon many people die, and many amongst those are the ones whom the new moon saw on her appearance in spite of all the precautions they may have taken.

"So the night of the new moon I will go into the little house I have just built, and remain silent all that night, for if I spoke the new moon would know where I was. I am going to bring plenty of firewood for you." Then, with great earnestness and imploring eyes, he said: "Please, Oguizi, put the wood yourself on the fire, and do not call me out of the house, for if I come out the moon is sure to see me and I shall be a doomed man." And as he uttered these last words he shuddered with fear, and then added: "Rogala, if seen by the new moon, could not be with you the next moon, for he would surely die before then."

The following morning Rogala collected a large quantity of firewood, enough to last a few days. Towards noon he spoke to his "ogana," or idol, thus: "You know that I love you with all my heart. I believe in you. Protect me from the spears, arrows, and guns of my enemies. Let all those who try to bewitch me and afflict me with illness or bad luck in hunting and fishing, die. Let our people find out the witches and sorcerers that cause sickness and death amongst us."

Towards noon on that day he took his gun and went hunting, leaving Ndova and Andekko behind. Two hours afterwards he returned with a gazelle, or "nchombee," on his back, and laid the animal at my feet, saying: "I have killed this. Please take all you want for yourself."

Andekko was looking with a hungry eye towards the nchombee, but the long stick of Rogala kept him at a proper distance. I cut off one of the forelegs and threw it to the dog. Ndova was chattering at the same time, looking searchingly at Rogala. The sounds he uttered seemed to mean, "Have you brought me no berries, fruits, or nuts?" Rogala had brought him nothing, and he was very much disappointed.

I chose half of the nchombee; then Rogala broiled the other part on charcoal, and when it was cooked took almost all of it and went into the forest, whither I followed him. He walked but a short distance, and then stopped before some very large leaves. He plucked a few, and put them together on the ground, and laid the meat of the nchombee upon them, saying: "Olombo and Mombo, this nchombee is for you. You know that I love you, and that I always give you the best part of the game I kill." After this sacrifice we returned to the camp.

Soon after he entered the little house he had built, taking his bag with him, and shut the door behind him. I heard him speak to his idol. When he came out, his body was painted here and there. In the hollow of his chest was a white spot, in the middle of his forehead a white line between his eyes, and there were long white stripes along his arms. He wore all the mondahs his bag contained. He came towards me, and looking at me, said: "Oguizi, sunset is soon coming, and I must go into the little house, and I shall remain there until after sunrise. You have plenty of firewood. You have meat. There is plenty of water in the spring, so you will be neither thirsty nor hungry."

Before entering the house, he called aloud on the spirits of his ancestors to watch over him, said good-night to me, then disappeared into his little hut, and shut the door so that the new moon could not possibly see him.

I found myself alone in the camp. Ndova and Andekko were my companions. Ndova entered his house and soon after was asleep. Andekko stretched himself by the fire. I wondered at all I had seen and the wonderful animals I had killed since I had been in that great forest; then putting lots of wood on the fires, I lay down to sleep. In the middle of the night Ndova uttered several shrill cries of fear which resounded strangely. I jumped out of my bed, revolver in hand, lighted a torch quickly, and went to his house, followed by Andekko, who had been lying by my side. Ndova's eyes glared, his hair stood erect. He gave several grunts, and jumped from one part of his house to the other. Something had evidently disturbed him. Looking carefully on the ground, I saw the trail of a huge snake.

While all this was going on within his hearing, Rogala did not dare to say a word. All was perfectly silent in his little house. When he came out in the morning, he said to me: "The new moon did not see me."

In the afternoon Shinshooko and Alapai made their appearance. They had gone into the forest to hide, fearing that the moon would mark them also for destruction.

The following day Rogala went hunting and returned with a very high fever. He had had a sudden chill on the way. His skin was very hot, and he had a very violent headache. I made him lie down, and lighted several fires round him to act as blankets. I was afraid he had an attack of malignant fever, which carries off people very quickly, sometimes in less than twelve hours. I gave him a very large dose of quinine, and bathed his burning head with cool water from the spring. I watched over him all night.

He was better the next day, and said to me: "Oguizi, some persons have bewitched me; they are jealous, for you are my friend, and you love me, a poor slave, and they say, 'Why should the great Oguizi love Rogala?' and they want me to die."

I replied, "Rogala, nobody wants you to die."

"Yes," he replied very earnestly, "somebody wants me to die, but fortunately I have a powerful mondah which is stronger against witchcraft than the machinations and incantations of the sorcerers or witches."

While he was talking, I said to myself: "I suppose that if Rogala should die while with me, the people would say that I had caused his death; that I wanted his spirit to follow me when I left the country because I loved him." I remembered that a man had died the day after I had left a village, and the people there to this day believe that I caused his death for this reason.

So I was very anxious about Rogala, for not only should I regret his death, but I could not foretell what would happen afterwards.

But he got quite well soon, though his face began again to show signs of anxiety. He seemed almost afraid of our camp, and even suggested that we might build another camp at some other place. He hinted that the place had been bewitched.

"By whom?" I asked, laughing.

"I do not know," he answered.

"Only your friends Shinshooko and Alapai have been here. You do not mean to say that they wish you to be ill and die? Do not be afraid," I said earnestly, in order to convince him. "You will not die; the Oguizi will keep you with him."

These words seemed to reassure him somewhat, but I could see that he was still anxious.

CHAPTER XV

ROGALA LEAVES THE CAMP – NON-APPEARANCE OF SHINSHOOKO AND ALAPAI – WHAT HAPPENED TO ROGALA ON HIS JOURNEY – HE RETURNS AFTER FOUR DAYS WITH A POWERFUL MONDAH WHICH HE BURIES BEFORE THE CAMP

The next day after our talk Rogala, bending low and taking one of my feet in both his hands, said with great fervor: "Oguizi, I want to go home, and if you let me go I will be back in four days. Yes," he repeated, "I will be back in four days. Shinshooko and Alapai will remain with you."

I said: "You can go, Rogala." I did not wish to ask him why he wanted to go home, but I suspected that he wanted to consult the big idol about the illness from which he had recovered, and to try to find out who had bewitched him.

Early the following morning he departed, and I followed him for a short distance and bade him an affectionate farewell.

I had learned to love Rogala, for he was thoughtful, affectionate, and brave. When with me I always felt that he would never leave me in the lurch.

Strange to say, Shinshooko and Alapai did not come back that day or night. Were they lost, or had they been killed by gorillas or elephants?

Andekko seemed to know that I was left all alone, and was watching most carefully, walking constantly around our fence and sniffing to find out if there were intruders near. When he had gone round two or three times, he would come back and lie at my feet. Twice during the day he growled, but a few words addressed to him prevented him from barking. We had taught him not to bark when within the camp, but at every growl he gave I listened attentively. Perhaps he had heard the footsteps of Shinshooko and Alapai. Each time the noise had probably been made by some passing antelope or other animal. At any rate, my ladder was inside, and no enemy could reach me unawares.

I did not go out that day. I cleaned "Bulldog" and my other guns, and mended my clothes.

At night I lighted two extra big fires. How strange was the glare of the flames among the big trees that surrounded me! The wind was blowing very hard, for I could hear the rustling of the leaves on the top of the trees. Twice I heard the piercing cries of owls.

I hardly slept. Andekko was wide awake, his ears pricking up at the least noise. Now and then he would go round and round, and when he had made sure that there was nothing, he would return and lie by the fire. At last morning came.

After my breakfast I left the camp, leaving the premises in charge of Andekko, after giving him a good meal and providing more food for him. As I marched along, Ndova, who accompanied me, was looking for something to eat. I heard him utter the chuckle that always meant he had found something good. I went towards him, and found him regaling himself. Looking round, I saw growing on the trunk of a tree large grape-like bunches of a beautiful fruit of a bright scarlet color. Each fruit was of the shape of a very large olive. There were about ten of these bunches on the trunk, and each was about fifteen to eighteen inches long. The seed was large, but the pulp was quite juicy and somewhat acid, with a very pleasant flavor. I petted Ndova to show him that I appreciated his discovery.

If I could have followed Rogala with my eyes on his way from the time he left the camp, I could have seen him (as I afterwards learned from his own account, when he returned) the first day tramping along as fast as he could, now and then stopping and taking his idol from his bag and putting it on the ground, and then talking to her as he would to an old trusted friend; asking her to protect him against witchcraft, to kill his enemies, and to let him go back safe to the Oguizi. When the evening came, he lighted several fires, and took again his little idol from his bag, and made numerous invocations to her. Poor Rogala was very unhappy, for he was fully persuaded that somebody had bewitched him. During the night he heard an owl, and he thought some of his enemies had taken that shape and were following him.

The following day, at daybreak, Rogala left the place where he had slept, and walked as fast as his legs could carry him; then he came to a small plantation where lived a great medicine man, and promised him three brass rods which I had given him if he would follow him. The medicine man assented; then they went to a place where years before Rogala had buried a powerful mondah to drive away witchcraft from the place.

The medicine man made many incantations over the mondah before Rogala dug it out. The mondah was composed of several skulls of nshiegos and bones of other animals. When he had dug up all the relics, Rogala packed them carefully in the otaitai he had with him, then rose and retraced his steps towards our camp, carrying with him the powerful mondah which was to drive away witchcraft from our camp. He was now happy.

The morning of the day that Rogala had promised to return I went into the forest without taking Ndova or Andekko with me. I had "Bulldog," – not that I wanted to use it, but I thought it was prudent to have my most powerful weapon with me; "for, who knows?" said I to myself, "somebody might come into our camp and steal my best friend 'Bulldog.' It is better to be on the safe side in case something unforeseen should happen." I also took with me a hundred steel-pointed bullets.

I found a place where there was a kind of berry I had not seen before, but I did not dare to eat any before Ndova had tasted of them. I took a few of them with me to give them to him on my return. If they were good, then I would come to get more the following day. I continued to go further, thinking that I might find a koola tree, when, to my terror, I found that I had been on the point of stepping over a huge snake, my heel almost brushing it as it touched the ground. The snake lay across the path, and was just the color of the dead leaves. I ran instinctively from the reptile, then stopped. I could not help it, but every time I came unawares upon a dangerous snake my first impulse was always to move away quickly. Then, when I thought I was out of danger, I took my hunting-knife and cut a long, somewhat slender stick, then retraced my steps and looked at the snake. It was thick and short, with a triangular head. I could see by the shape of its head that it was poisonous. Raising my stick, I let it fall heavily upon its spine, breaking it and thus preventing the ugly reptile from turning upon me and from retreating or advancing. But the breaking of his spine did not prevent him from hissing at me when I faced him. Another blow crushed his head; his fangs could not possibly do any more harm, and how big these were! I cut his head off and threw it away. Then I saw that he had swallowed a tiny little gazelle that was not yet digested. I cut the snake into several pieces to take with me to the camp, for I knew that my hunters were very fond of snakes. Then I retraced my steps towards the camp.

As I approached, I thought I saw through the jungle a man by the fence just at the foot of the ladder. I was astounded. I could not believe my eyes. Had any one discovered our abode? Was the inside of our fortress full of enemies waiting for Rogala, Shinshooko, Alapai, and me? How was it that Andekko did not bark? Had they killed dear Andekko? Ndova's voice was not to be heard. Was he killed also? I looked at "Bulldog," then lay flat on the ground and crawled, like a snake, on my stomach towards the man. I lost sight of him for a few seconds, and I thought he had gone. "Then," said I to myself, "our abode has been discovered, and this man has gone to tell the news to his people, who will surely come and attack us."

Fortunately I got sight of the man again. I stood perfectly still, watching him through the jungle. Suddenly it occurred to me that his skin was of the same color as that of Rogala. I looked and looked. Yes, it was Rogala. There was no mistake about it. I recognized his body, though at first I could not recognize his face, for it was so disfigured by being painted with ochre. One side was yellow, the other side white, and his forehead was red.

But what was he doing? I came nearer and watched. I saw his idol by his side, and near it skulls of animals, pieces of broken plates from the white man's country, and some large sea-shells. I recognized the skulls as those of nshiegos and two or three as those of monkeys. I saw Rogala bury them at the foot of the ladder; then he covered them with earth, put dead leaves upon the spot, and tried to make it as natural-looking as it was before. Then he went to the place where we hid the ladder, and came back with it. Taking a monkey he had killed, he climbed the ladder, and soon after was inside. I heard Andekko's bark of joy and Ndova's muttering of contentment.

I remained still awhile, then went hunting again, so that when I returned Rogala could not possibly suspect that I had seen him, and about two hours afterwards I returned to the camp.

Dear Rogala was very happy to see me again. Immediately after his arrival he had made a big fire to get charcoal in order to roast the monkey he had killed on his way back to the camp. In the meantime I presented him with the pieces of the snake I had killed. The berries I had gathered were good, for Ndova ate them, and when I tasted them I found them very palatable. Then Rogala lighted his pipe and looked at me.

His body had been cut very badly by the sword-grass; so he washed himself with warm water, then rubbed himself with oil, and lay flat on a mat by the fire. He was very tired. As he saw that I was looking at him, he said:

"The reason I am so cut by the sword-grass is because I travelled a part of the night. I had told you that I would be back on the fourth day and I wanted to keep my word. I walked with a torch which I made from the gum of an elimi tree I found on the way, but though the torch gave a good light, once in a while I found myself entangled in the midst of long sword-grass." Then he added: "If I had not found that elimi tree, I could not have walked in the dark, for if I had been without a torch a prowling leopard in search of prey might have pounced upon me, and then you would never have seen your friend Rogala again."

Before we went to sleep I said: "Rogala, I know where you have been, I know why you left me." Rogala's face began to appear frightened, for he evidently thought I knew what he had done. Without giving him time to reply, I continued: "You went to dig up an old mondah from the ground, and you brought it here; you have buried it where we hang our ladder."

Rogala looked at me with a sort of dread, then taking hold of my feet, he said: "Oguizi, you know everything." Then he told me what I have just recounted to you, and concluded: "Now no witchcraft can come here."

Shortly afterwards Shinshooko and Alapai, who had gone to see if any animals had been caught in their various traps, returned, but without game.