CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
THE ENCAMPMENT AND THE SUPPER--DISCUSSIONS, POLITICAL AND OTHERWISE--KAMBIRA RECEIVES A SHOCK, AND OUR WANDERERS ARE THROWN INTO PERPLEXITY.
Turn we now to a more peaceful scene. The camp is almost quiet, thestars are twinkling brightly overhead, the fires are glimmering fitfullybelow. The natives, having taken the edge off their appetites, havestretched their dusky forms on their sleeping-mats, and laid theirwoolly heads on their little wooden pillows. The only persons movingare Harold Seadrift and Disco Lillihammer--the first being busy makingnotes in a small book, the second being equally busy in manufacturingcloudlets from his unfailing pipe, gazing the while with much interestat his note-making companion.
"They was pretty vigorous w'en they wos at it, sir," said Disco, inreference to supper, observing that his companion looked up from hisbook, "but they wos sooner done than I had expected."
"Yes, they weren't long about it," replied Harold, with an abstractedair, as he resumed his writing.
Lest the reader should erroneously imagine that supper is over, it isnecessary here to explain what taking the edge off a free African'sappetite means.
On reaching camp after the cutting up of the elephant, as detailed inthe last chapter, the negroes had set to work to roast and boil with adegree of vigour that would have surprised even the _chefs de cuisine_of the world's first-class hotels. Having gorged themselves to anextent that civilised people might perhaps have thought dangerous, theyhad then commenced an uproarious dance, accompanied by stentorian songs,which soon reduced them to the condition of beings who needed repose.Proceeding upon the principle of overcoming temptation by giving way toit, they at once lay down and went to sleep.
It was during this stage of the night's proceedings that Disco foolishlyimagined that supper had come to a close. Not many minutes after theobservation was made, and before the black cutty-pipe was smoked out,first one and then another of the sleepers awoke, and, after a yawn ortwo, got up to rouse the fires and put on the cooking-pots. In lessthan a quarter of an hour the whole camp was astir, conversation wasrife, and the bubbling of pots that had not got time to cool, and thehissing of roasts whose fat had not yet hardened, mingled with songswhose echoes were still floating in the brains of the wild inhabitantsof the surrounding jungle. Roasting, boiling, and eating wererecommenced with as much energy as if the feast had only just begun.
Kambira, having roused himself, gave orders to one of his men, whobrought one of the elephant's feet and set about the cooking of it atHarold's fire. Kambira and Disco, with Antonio and Jumbo, sat round thesame fire.
There was a hole in the ground close beside them which contained a smallfire; the embers of this were stirred up and replenished with fuel.When the inside was thoroughly heated, the elephant's foot was placed init, and covered over with hot ashes and soil, and another fire kindledabove the whole.
Harold, who regarded this proceeding with some surprise, said toKambira--through Antonio--"Who are you cooking that for?"
"For my white guests," replied the chief.
"But we have supped already," said Harold; "we have already eaten asmuch as we can hold of the elephant's trunk and tongue, both of whichwere excellent--why prepare more?"
"This is not for to-night, but for to-morrow," returned Kambira, with asmile. "The foot takes all night to cook."
This was a sufficient explanation, and in truth the nature of the dishrequired that it should be well done. When, on the morrow, they werecalled to partake of it they found that it was, according to Disco'sestimation, "fust-rate!" It was a whitish mass, slightly gelatinous andsweet, like marrow, and very palatable. Nevertheless, they learned fromexperience that if the effect of bile were to be avoided, a long marchwas necessary after a meal of elephant's foot!
Meanwhile the proceedings of the natives were food enough for ourtravellers for the time being. Like human creatures elsewhere, theydisplayed great variety of taste. Some preferred boiled meat, othersroast; a few indulged in porridge made of mapira meal. The meal wasvery good, but the porridge _was_ doubtful, owing to the cookery. Itwould appear that in Africa, as in England, woman excels in the culinaryart. At all events, the mapira meal was better managed by them, than bythe men. On the present occasion the hunters tumbled in the meal byhandfuls in rapid succession as soon as the water was hot, until itbecame too thick to be stirred about, then it was lifted off the fire,and one man held the pot while another plied the porridge-stick with allhis might to prevent the solid mass from being burnt. Thus it wasprepared, and thus eaten, in enormous quantities. No wonder thatdancing and profuse perspiration were esteemed a necessary adjunct tofeeding!
At the close of the second edition of supper, which went into four orfive editions before morning, some of the men at the fire next to thatof Kambira engaged in a debate so furious, that the curiosity of Discoand Harold was excited, and they caused Antonio to translate much ofwhat was said. It is not possible to give a connected account of thisdebate as translated by Antonio. To overcome the difficulty we shallgive the substance of it in what Disco styled Antonio's "lingo."
There were about a dozen natives round the fire, but two of themsustained the chief part in the debate. One of these was a large manwith a flat nose; the other was a small man with a large frizzy head.
"Hold 'oos tongue," said Flatnose (so Antonio named him); "tongue toolong--far!"
"Boh! 'oos brains too short," retorted Frizzyhead contemptuously.
An immense amount of chattering by the others followed these pithyremarks of the principals.
The question in debate was, Whether the two toes of the ostrichrepresented the thumb and forefinger in man, or the little and ringfingers? But in a few minutes the subject changed gradually, andsomehow unaccountably, to questions of a political nature,--for, strangeto say, in savage Africa, as in civilised England, politics are keenlydiscussed, doubtless at times with equal wisdom in the one land as inthe other.
"What dat 'oo say?" inquired Flatnose, on hearing some muttered remarksof Frizzyhead in reference to the misgovernment of chiefs. Of coursethere, as here, present company was understood to be excepted.
"Chiefs ob no use--no use at all!" said Frizzyhead so vehemently thatthe men at several of the nearest fires ceased to talk, and began tolisten.
"Ob no use?" cried Flatnose, with vehemence so superior that theattention of the whole camp was arrested.
"No!" replied Frizzyhead, still more energetically, "ob no use at all.We could govern ourselves betterer, so what de use of 'um? The chief'ums fat an' hab plenty wife, but we, who do all de hard work, habhunger, an' only one wife, prehaps none at all. Dis is bad, unjust,wrong."
There was a general shout of "eehee!" from all quarters, which wasequivalent to our "hear, hear."
"'Oo know noting at all," retorted Flatnose, who was a loyal subject."Is not de chief de fader of de peepil? Can dere be peepil widout afader--eh? God made de chief--who says dat chief is not wise? He _is_wise, but um's child'n am big fools!"
Kambira nodded his head and smiled at this, and there was a generalinclination on the part of most of the audience to applaud, for there,as elsewhere, men have a tendency to be blown about by every wind ofdoctrine.
It was amusing to observe the earnestness and freedom with which men ofthe lowest grade assaulted the opinions of their betters on thisoccasion. Unable at other times, or in any other way, to bringthemselves into importance, they were glad of the opportunity to do sowith their tongues, and, like their civilised types, they assumed an airof mock modesty.
"Oh!" cried one of these, in reply to Flatnose, "we is littil infants;we is still holdin' on to de boosums ob our moders; we not able to walkalone; we knows notin' at all; but on _dis_ point, we knows that you oldmen speak like de ignorint peepil. We nebber hear such nonsense--nebber!"
No notice was taken of this, but Frizzyhead, whose passion was rising towhite heat in consequence of the glibness of his opponent's tongue,cried out--"'Oo cannot prove
wat 'ou says?"
"Oh yes, can prove it well 'nuff," replied Flatnose, "but 'oos no' gotbrain for onerstand."
This last was too much for poor Frizzyhead, who leaped up, stuttered,and cried--"Can 'oo outrun me, then?"
"Ye--ye--yes!" gasped Flatnose, springing up.
Away they went like two hunted springboks, and ran for a mile, thenturned and came back into camp streaming with perspiration, littleFrizzyhead far ahead of the big man, and rejoicing in the fact that hecould beat his opponent in a race, if not in an argument. Thus waspeace restored. Pity that civilised arguments cannot be terminated inthe same way!
While these discussions were going on, Disco observed that hyenas wereoccasionally to be seen prowling near the verge of the bushes aroundthem, as if anxious to join in the feast, which no doubt was the case.
"Don't they do mischief sometimes?" he inquired of Antonio.
"No; him a cowardly beast. Him come at mans when sleepin' or dyin', butnot at oder time. 'Oo like see me catch um?"
"Why, yes, if 'ee can do it," answered Disco, with a slight look ofcontempt at his friend, who bore too much resemblance in some points tothe hyena.
"Come here, den."
They went together into the jungle a little distance, and halted underthe branch of a large tree. To this Antonio suspended a lump of rawflesh, at such a height from the ground that a hyena could only reach itby leaping. Directly underneath it he planted a short spear in theearth with its point upward.
"Now, come back to fire," he said to Disco; "'ou soon hear sometin'."
Antonio was right. In a short time afterwards a sharp yell was heard,and, on running to the trap, they found a hyena in its death-agonies.It had leaped at the meat, missed it, and had come down on the spear andimpaled itself.
"Well, of all the fellers I ever know'd for dodges," said Disco, onreseating himself at the fire, "the men in these latitudes are thecleverest."
By this time dancing was going on furiously; therefore, as it would havebeen impossible to sleep, Disco refilled his pipe and amused himself bycontemplating the intelligent countenance of Kambira, who sat smokingbang out of a huge native meerschaum on the other side of the fire.
"I wonder," said Harold, who lay stretched on a sleeping-mat, leaning onhis right arm and gazing contemplatively at the glowing heart of thefire; "I wonder what has become of Yoosoof?"
"Was 'ee thinkin' that he deserved to be shoved in there?" asked Disco,pointing to the fire.
"Not exactly," replied Harold, laughing; "but I have frequently thoughtof the scoundrel, and wondered where he is and what doing now. I havesometimes thought too, about that girl Azinte, poor thing. She--"
He paused abruptly and gazed at Kambira with great surprise, not unmixedwith alarm, for the chief had suddenly dropped his pipe and glared athim in a manner that cannot be described. Disco observed the changealso, and was about to speak, when Kambira sprang over the fire andseized Harold by the arm.
There was something in the movement, however, which forbade the idea ofan attack, therefore he lay still.
"What now, Kambira?" he said.
"Antonio," cried the chief, in a voice that brought the interpreter tohis side in a twinkling; "what name did the white man speak just now?"
"Azinte," said Harold, rising to a sitting posture.
Kambira sat down, drew up his knees to his chin, and clasped his handsround them.
"Tell me all you know about Azinte," he said in a low, firm voice.
It was evident that the chief was endeavouring to restrain some powerfulfeeling, for his face, black though it was, indicated a distinct degreeof pallor, and his lips were firmly compressed together. Haroldtherefore, much surprised as well as interested, related the little heknew about the poor girl,--his meeting with her in Yoosoof's hut;Disco's kindness to her, and her subsequent departure with the Arab.
Kambira sat motionless until he had finished.
"Do you know where she is gone?" he inquired.
"No. I know not; but she was not in the boat with the other slaves whenwe sailed, from which I think it likely that she remained upon thecoast.--But why do you ask, Kambira, why are you so anxious about her?"
"She is my wife," muttered the chief between his teeth; and, as he saidso, a frown that was absolutely diabolical settled down on his features.
For some minutes there was a dead silence, for both Harold and Discofelt intuitively that to offer consolation or hope were out of thequestion.
Presently Kambira raised his head, and a smile chased the frown away ashe said--"You have been kind to Azinte, will you be kind to herhusband?"
"We should be indeed unworthy the name of Englishmen if we said no tothat," replied Harold, glancing at Disco, who nodded approval.
"Good. Will you take me with you to the shores of the great salt lake?"said Kambira, in a low, pathetic tone, "will you make me your servant,your slave?"
"Most gladly will I take you with me as _a friend_," returned Harold."I need not ask why you wish to go," he added,--"you go to seek Azinte?"
"Yes," cried the chief, springing up wildly and drawing himself up tohis full height, "I go to seek Azinte. Ho! up men! up! Ye have feastedenough and slept enough for one night. Who knows but the slavers may beat our huts while we lie idly here? Up! Let us go!"
The ringing tones acted like a magic spell. Savage camps are soonpitched and sooner raised. In a few minutes the obedient hunters hadbundled up all their possessions, and in less than a quarter of an hourthe whole band was tracking its way by moonlight through the pathlessjungle.
The pace at which they travelled home was much more rapid than that atwhich they had set out on their expedition. Somehow, the vigorous tonesin which Kambira had given command to break up the camp, coupled withhis words, roused the idea that he must have received information ofdanger threatening the village, and some of the more anxious husbandsand fathers, unable to restrain themselves, left the party altogetherand ran back the whole way. To their great relief, however, they foundon arriving that all was quiet. The women were singing and at work inthe fields, the children shouting at play, and the men at their wontedoccupation of weaving cotton cloth, or making nets and bows, under thebanyan-trees.
Perplexity is not a pleasant condition of existence, nevertheless, toperplexity mankind is more or less doomed in every period of life and inevery mundane scene--particularly in the jungles of central Africa, asHarold and his friends found out many a time to their cost.
On arriving at the native village, the chief point that perplexed ourhero there was as to whether he should return to the coast at once, orpush on further into the interior. On the one hand he wished very muchto see more of the land and its inhabitants; on the other hand, Kambirawas painfully anxious to proceed at once to the coast in search, of hislost wife, and pressed him to set off without delay.
The chief was rather an exception in regard to his feelings on thispoint. Most other African potentates had several wives, and in theevent of losing one of them might have found consolation in the others.But Kambira had never apparently thought of taking another wife afterthe loss of Azinte, and the only comfort he had was in his little boy,who bore a strong resemblance, in some points, to the mother.
But although Harold felt strong sympathy with the man, and would havegone a long way out of his course to aid him, he could not avoidperceiving that the case was almost, if not altogether, a hopeless one.He had no idea to what part of the coast Azinte had been taken. For allhe knew to the contrary, she might have been long ago shipped off to thenorthern markets, and probably was, even while he talked of her, theinmate of an Arab harem, or at all events a piece of goods--a"chattel"--in the absolute possession of an irresponsible master.Besides the improbability of Kambira ever hearing what had become of hiswife, or to what part of the earth she had been transported, there wasalso the difficulty of devising any definite course of action for thechief himself, because the instant he should venture to leave theprotection of the Engl
ishmen he would be certain to fall into the handsof Arabs or Portuguese, and become enslaved.
Much of this Harold had not the heart to explain to him. He dwelt,however, pretty strongly on the latter contingency, though withoutproducing much effect. Death, the chief replied, he did not fear, andslavery could easily be exchanged for death.
"Alas! not so easily as you think," said Harold, pointing to Chimbolo,whose sad story he had heard; "they will try _every_ kind of torturebefore they kill you."
Chimbolo nodded his head, assenting, and ground his teeth togetherfiercely when this was said.
Still Kambira was unmoved; he did not care what they did to him. Azintewas as life to him, and to search for her he would go in spite of everyconsideration.
Harold prevailed on him, however, to agree to wait until he should havespent another month in visiting Chimbolo's tribe, after which hepromised faithfully to return and take him along with his party to thecoast.
Neither Harold nor Disco was quite at ease in his mind after making thisarrangement, but they both agreed that no other course could be pursued,the former saying with a sigh that there was no help for it, and thelatter asserting with a grunt that the thing "wos unawoidable."
On the following day the journey of exploration was resumed. Kambiraaccompanied his friends a few miles on the road, and then bade themfarewell. On the summit of an elevated ridge the party halted andlooked back. Kambira's manly form could be seen leaning on his spear.Behind him the little village lay embosomed in luxuriant verdure, andglowing in the bright sunshine, while songs and sounds of industryfloated towards them like a sweet melody. It was with a feeling of keenregret that the travellers turned away, after waving their hands inreply to a parting salute from the stalwart chief, and, descending tothe plain, pushed forward into the unknown wilderness beyond.