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CHAPTER XVI

WE DISCOVER A PAIR OF NSHIEGO-NKENGOS – DESCRIPTION OF THEM – CAPTURE OF A YOUNG ONE – HE MAKES FRIENDS WITH NDOVA AND ANDEKKO – HIS SPEEDY DEATH

One day at daylight Rogala and I left our camp, I taking my light rifle, and Rogala his gun and a net. After we had climbed over our fence we could hear Andekko barking and Ndova's voice of discontent. They wanted to go with us and disliked being left behind.

After about four hours' tramp we came to the region of the pineapple, and we stopped there. At the end of about two hours more, we were startled by the voice of a "man of the woods." Rogala whispered to me: "Nshiego-nkengo! He is not very far from us." In the distance we heard the voice of his mate answering his call. They kept answering each other; but neither Rogala nor I could understand them, for they were speaking the language of the nshiego-nkengos. Rogala whispered to me: "The 'man' is telling his mate to come, for he has found pineapples. Let us go towards him and hide ourselves."

We went forward as noiselessly as a fish or a leopard. We advanced slowly, looking upon the ground each time we put down our feet, for fear of stepping upon some little dead branches of trees. We put aside most carefully with one of our hands the jungle that was in our way, for we knew that the least noise would make the animals suspicious.

On account of the great care we took to make no noise our advance was very slow, but forward we went, and nearer and nearer we came to the "men of the woods." At last we heard the rustling they made as they moved about in the jungle. We advanced with still greater care, when, lo! I saw the two creatures. I did not even dare to give a click of warning, for fear that their quick ears would hear it. Fortunately Rogala had seen them also. We looked at each other, and I made a sign to him that we must not fire at them, and to remain where we stood.

The two nshiego-nkengos had their backs turned towards us, so we could not see their faces. They were seated close together. Now and then they stretched out their arms to reach the pineapples before them. I could hear them biting them, uttering now and then a peculiar sound of contentment, showing how pleased they were with their food.

The hair covering their bodies was thin and black, and I could see that it grew over a yellow skin. I could also see the backs of the large yellow ears. That was all. There were many pineapples all round them.

I was much excited. Then the nshiegos turned partly round and I could see their profiles. I saw their pale yellowish faces, which reminded me of the color of the sunburnt Moor of the desert, but no sun had given them that complexion, for the sun does not penetrate the forest. I noticed that their ears were somewhat the shape of those of man, but much larger, and that the lobes were flattened. Their lips were so thin that the mouth seemed to have been made by the skin being cut transversely, but it was very large. They had long slender hands, with palms whiter than their faces; their feet were also very long and slender. Their legs had no calves, and were very short. Their arms were very long. They gradually turned right towards us. Their faces were wrinkled like those of very old people, some of whom have that peculiar colorless skin. Their eyes looked strange and had something human in them, and seemed to be all the time on the lookout.

The male got hold of a large yellow pineapple that was quite ripe, and the female took it away from him. He uttered a sort of guttural sound, as if to say, "All right, you are welcome to it," and he picked another. Then they began to pick them one after another, and four mouthfuls disposed of a large pineapple.

After a while they moved away. Rogala raised his gun, looking at me. I made a sign to him not to fire. I did not want to kill them. "Perhaps we shall meet them in the forest," I said to myself, "and I may have a chance to study their ways." I did not even shout to scare them. They moved off gradually, and we went back to our camp.

The following day we took Andekko with us. Towards noon we were startled by the fierce barking of the dog, and heard the shrill cry of a nshiego-nkengo. Soon we came to the place, and saw Andekko looking up a tree at a young nshiego which I thought to be about a year old, and barking fiercely. He was glaring at the dog, the hair of his body erect, and was uttering sounds of defiance, not of fear. He seemed to know that he was safe where he was, and that the dog could not climb the tree.

"Let us try to capture the baby nshiego-nkengo if we can," said I to Rogala.

In the meantime Andekko kept barking at the little fellow, who kept looking at him, uttering now and then a sort of "whoe, whoe." He seemed to say to the dog, "You cannot catch me." Here we were, Rogala, Andekko, and I, at the foot of the tree, and the young nshiego-nkengo looking at us from one of its branches.

We found that from a young tree with slender branches he had succeeded in reaching the tree where he was. The only thing to be done was to watch for the time when, driven by hunger, he would come down.

In the meantime we heard far away in the distance the calls of his mother. We kept a sharp lookout for her, for though nshiegos are very shy, we were not sure that she would not attack us. She evidently thought her young one was somewhere in the forest looking for her. We spoke loud to scare her.

At last I said to Rogala: "Watch here while I go to the camp to feed Ndova, for the probability is that we shall have to sleep at the foot of the tree to-night."

I went to the camp and fed Ndova, and returned with some food and two axes. Andekko was almost exhausted from his constant barking, which had become quite hoarse and indistinct. The yellow pale face of the little nshiego-nkengo with his big eyes looked at us from his tree. The evening came, and there was no prospect of his coming down.

We slept in the forest, the little nshiego-nkengo still on the tree. "The only thing for us to do, Rogala," said I in the morning, "is to cut the tree down. Then we will watch and throw the net over him."

"That is so, Oguizi," replied Rogala; "only we must see that Andekko does not get hold of him, for he will surely strangle him."

We set to work, and soon the young tree fell with the little nshiego, and before Andekko had time to nab him, Rogala had thrown the net over him. We had quite a job to keep Andekko away, and not before Rogala had shown him a stick he had great respect for, was he quieted.

We returned to the camp with our prize, and by daylight we heard the mother's loud calls. The little fellow responded with shrieks. Andekko barked furiously, and in an instant we were outside our palisades, leaving Andekko within. Shortly after we succeeded in approaching the old nshiego-nkengo unseen, and killed her.

Ndova did not seem to take to the addition to our family. The two looked at each other in a strange way. But the next day they were more friendly, and the third day they had become friends, and were trying to discover insects upon each other's bodies. It took a few days more to make Andekko and Nshiego friends. Finally, however, the great pleasure of Andekko was to lie down by Nshiego and let himself be scratched. In three days Nshiego had become quite tame, but in less than a week he died.

CHAPTER XVII

MY RECKONING LOST – ROGALA AND I GO TO AN ISLAND WHERE I CAN SEE THE HEAVENS – WE REACH IT BY A RAFT AND BUILD A HOUSE – TURTLE'S EGGS IN PROFUSION

I had been so long in the forest and had led such a life that I could not remember the day of the week and the date of the month. I was not sure whether I was at the end of July or at the beginning of August, nor could I tell if I was north or south of the equator.

The only way for me to find out these things was to make astronomical observations, to find out my latitude and longitude. While in that great and apparently boundless forest I compared myself to a mariner, all alone in a boat, without compass, in the middle of the ocean, having for days a cloudy and gray sky above his head which hid the sun, the moon, and the stars from his sight, so that he could not know in what direction to steer his boat. The foliage of the trees above my head took the place of the gray and cloudy sky.

I said to Rogala, Shinshooko, and Alapai: "It is a long time since I have seen the sun, the moon, and the stars, for when I look up I see nothing but leaves which hide the heavens from my sight. I wish to go to a large open place, to a river where I can see the sun, the moon, and the stars, for I want to speak to them and consult them."

When my hunters heard me speak in that manner, all three looked at me with wonder. Their eyes stood wide open with astonishment and seemed to be twice as big as before.

Rogala replied: "Oguizi, about two days' journey from our camp there is a river with a long sandy island which always comes out during the dry season when the water is low. On that island you will be able to see the sun, the moon, and the stars."

It was agreed that Shinshooko and Alapai should return to their home and tell the news about us to be sent to Chief Rotembo.

By daylight the following day we were ready to start. We hid the ladder at some distance from our camp, and bade one another farewell. Shinshooko and Alapai soon disappeared from our sight.

We took an old hunting-path that led to the river and sandy island. Rogala and I had each a heavy load to carry. Rogala carried the "precious box" on his back in an otaitai, some smoked elephant meat, his gun, ammunition, two axes, a machete, and some food. I carried "Bulldog," ammunition, and koola nuts. Andekko and Ndova had nothing to carry. Andekko seemed to know that we were on a journey and that he had to follow us. Ndova was tied on the "precious box" and stood on the top of it.

The hunting-path was almost obliterated, as it was so seldom used. Trees had fallen across it in many places. In some the jungle had grown over it. In others we had to pass under the branches of some fallen trees or walk on the roots.

Towards noon we stopped to eat and rest a little while, then we continued on our way. How silent was the forest! Not even the shrill cry of a monkey or of a parrot was heard. Once in a while we could hear the fall of a leaf or the gentle murmur of some little stream winding its way towards some unknown river.

A little before dark we stopped, and made our camp for the night. We collected a large quantity of dead branches of trees that had fallen on the ground for our fires, and lighted many, and after a hearty meal of boiled elephant meat we fell asleep.

By daylight we were up and continued our journey. We slept again in the forest, though we were near the river. The following morning we stood upon its bank, and I saw in the middle of the stream a long sandy island.

Rogala, pointing out the island to me, said: "Oguizi, this is the island of which I spoke."

Putting our loads on the ground, we took our axes, and cut down trees to build a raft.

When the raft was ready, Rogala put upon it the "precious box," Ndova, and Andekko, and then crossed to the island. Ndova was very much afraid of the water, and clung to Rogala, who, after landing the box, the monkey, and the dog, came back for me.

An exclamation of joy arose involuntarily to my lips as I landed. How lovely was the blue sky, in the midst of which transparent white clouds were moving slowly! How cheerful was the sunshine! It felt so good to tread upon the soft white sand, to be in a place where there was not a tree, not even a blade of grass. In a word, the island was beautifully bare of vegetation. I was so tired of trees and of the forests. I rolled in the sand, lay on my back, and looked at the blue sky.

"We will remain on this island for a few days," I said to Rogala, "and to-morrow we will build a shelter for ourselves. During the day we will go into the forest to hunt and seek food. In the evening we will return to the island."

We crossed the river again on our raft, leaving Andekko and Ndova in possession of the island.

We collected building material, cut poles and sticks, gathered large leaves to be used instead of slates or shingles for roofing, and for walls wide pieces of bark; also much firewood. After a few trips all our material was landed on the island.

First I measured the ground, and decided that the house should be about ten feet long and seven feet wide. We planted sticks about one foot apart, reaching a height of about five feet above the ground. Then we fastened the bark along these sticks, and left an opening to be used as a door, and made a few loopholes so that we could fire from them in case we were attacked by the natives. I always took great precautions, though I was not afraid of the people. My guns, rifles, a certain amount of ammunition were always near my bed. I slept dressed and with my shoes on. "Always be ready in case of a sudden attack," I said to Rogala, and he replied: "You are right, Oguizi."

Then we placed a beam upon two big forked sticks to support the roof, and covered our roof with the large leaves, arranging them on the top of one another just like shingles. We also built a platform in case we should need it for smoking meat.

Then I walked all over the island, and discovered buried in the sand a number of turtle's eggs, to my great joy, for turtle's eggs are very good to eat. There were so many of them that we should not have starved had we remained quite a while on the island, for not only did we find many eggs but we captured a number of turtles. When I returned from my tour of investigation, Rogala was talking to his idol.

We boiled a number of turtle's eggs, and having salt with us we enjoyed them immensely. If I had had some oil or wild boar's fat, what delicious turtle's-egg omelette we could have made! After breakfast we fished, and were lucky enough to catch some fish, to our great delight. These we broiled on charcoal for our dinner. The day passed rather slowly, for I was anxious for the night to come.

CHAPTER XVIII

APPEARANCE OF THE SOUTHERN HEAVENS AT NIGHT – HOMESICKNESS – I TAKE SEVERAL OBSERVATIONS – ASTONISHMENT OF ROGALA – FIND THAT I AM NINETY MILES SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR

At last the sun set behind the trees. Darkness came on, and the stars made their appearance one by one. Soon the heavens glittered with them. The murmur of the wind passing through the top of the trees and the gentle noise of the river gliding along the shores were all that disturbed the absolute silence of the night. I was happy to see the stars again. How beautiful they were in the blue heavens!

I gazed upon them silently for quite a while, then I said to them: "I love you, dear twinkling stars, for you are my friends and companions of the night. Without you I should be lost in this great forest. You and the moon tell me where I am. I miss you ever so much when I am without you. I feel lonely without you."

But I missed many of the stars that I loved at home. The little ship that had carried me across the ocean to those southern latitudes had taken me away from them. Many stars that were unknown to me had taken their place, and though they were beautiful and I admired them, I did not love them. The stars that twinkle and look down upon the bright glittering snow, the Mississippi, the Rocky Mountains, the Alleghanies, upon our great lakes, prairies, dales, and hills, upon the pine, the oak, the beech, the elm, and the birch, upon the violets, buttercups, and goldenrods, were those I loved the best.

An uncontrollable fit of sadness seized me as I missed them. I thought of home, of friends. Tears filled my eyes, I could not help it. Fortunate was it that Rogala was not near me. He might have thought that the Oguizi was, after all, a human being.

But there were stars that were old friends. The Pleiades were there, the stars of the constellation of the Great Bear. Vega, that I loved so much at home, seemed to be right above me; so were Aldebaran and the stars of the constellation of Orion. Here the position of the stars made the sword perfectly straight.

The sky of the southern hemisphere was very unlike that of the northern. One of the most striking sights was the constellation of the Cross, commonly known by mariners as the Southern Cross, composed of four brilliant stars. The three brightest stars in the heavens, Sirius, Canopus, Centaur, filled a part of the heavens with their light.

Mars, Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter were looking upon me. That part of the Milky Way between the stars Sirius and Centaur was so rich in stars and crowded nebulæ that it seemed a perfect blaze of light.

There were the Magellanic clouds, white-looking patches, made up of countless stars unseen to the eye, and nebulæ, – stars in formation, – shining brilliantly and revolving round the starless South Pole.

Then, looking northward, I saw the constellation of the Great Bear, which reaches its meridian altitude at about the same time as the constellations of the Cross and of the Centaur.

I gazed upon the heavens almost all of the night. I was perfectly oblivious of everything else. Stars appeared and disappeared. They were like a succession of guests coming and going.

At last I said good-night to the stars, and pulling my old panama hat over my head, to protect my eyes from the rays of the moon, I soon fell asleep on the sand, under the blue heavens and the stars twinkling over me. I dreamt of friends, of boys and girls at home, of the North Star, of snow, of strawberries, peaches, and jam. I was suddenly awakened by the sharp barking of Andekko. It was broad daylight. Rogala was cooking turtle's eggs. Ndova was looking at me. All the stars had disappeared, and the sun had risen to give life and food to the sons of men, for without the sun there would be no life, no vegetation upon the earth. I spent the day quietly, waiting impatiently for the night to take astronomical observations.

After sunset I said to Rogala: "Bring me the 'precious box.'" After he had laid it at my feet I opened it.

Rogala stood up close to me, looking on with mingled feelings of curiosity and fear. First, I took from the box two sextants – one was to determine the altitude of the stars, planets, and moon; the other the distance between them from east to west, or vice versa. Then I took out a trough, which I filled up with quicksilver to be used as an artificial horizon, on which the stars were to be reflected.

From a little copper-screwed water-tight box I took two watches out of four which all marked the seconds, a bull's-eye lantern, and other objects that excited the wonder of Rogala. Before taking the observations, I thought I would have some fun with Rogala. I placed my telescope in position for Jupiter and said to him: "In the land of the Oguizi this star is called Jupiter. Do you see little stars round it?" I meant the satellites.

"No," he replied.

"There are stars near it," said I, "but your eyes cannot see them. I will show them to you."

Then I made him look with the telescope towards Jupiter, and he saw the satellites. He looked at me with awe, then with wonder. Fortunately he knew I would not harm him, but throwing himself at my feet, he took hold of them and exclaimed: "You are a great Oguizi. My eyes have seen what no other black man's have seen before;" then he got up and in a loud voice invoked the spirits of his ancestors to protect and watch over him, and shouted, "Great indeed is the Oguizi."

When I was ready to take observations, I seated myself cross-legged before the artificial horizon. On my right was a sextant to take the distance between the moon and the lunar stars that were in position. Close by was one of the watches; also the magnifying-glass to help me to read the degrees, minutes, and seconds on the sextant.

On my left was the sextant for taking altitudes, near which was the slate with pencil to write down the figures, and the bull's-eye lantern was lighted to help me to read the sextant. Also a thermometer for ascertaining the temperature.

The most important thing was to make the observations as quickly as possible and read from the watch the space of time between them.

After spending four hours in making observations I stopped. I looked at Rogala. He was fast asleep, for he was very tired and had worked hard during the day. I awoke him, and we went to our little hut and lay down to sleep. We knew that if natives came up or down the river Andekko would warn us in time.

When I awoke, Rogala was still asleep. Ndova had his eyes shut and his head was hanging down on his breast. Andekko lay across the door, apparently asleep, but as soon as he heard me he wagged his tail and followed me to the river and remained by me until I had had a good bath.

For three days and three nights I worked very hard. I took many observations, and made calculations which showed my latitude, longitude, the day of the month and of the week, and gave me the month in which I was. I found that it was Wednesday, the 17th of August, that I was ninety miles south of the equator, and two hundred and ten miles in the interior.