CHAPTER FOUR.
WHEREIN WILL BE FOUND MUCH THAT IS PHILOSOPHICAL.
Having skinned the leopard and cut off as much of the buffalo meat as wecould carry, we started for the negro village at a round pace, for wehad already lost much time in our last adventure. As we walked along Icould not help meditating on the uncertainty of this life, and theterrible suddenness with which we might at any unexpected moment be cutoff. These thoughts led me naturally to reflect how important a matterit is that every one, no matter how young, should be in a state ofpreparedness to quit this world.
I also reflected, and not without a feeling of shame, on my want ofnerve, and was deeply impressed with the importance of boys being inuredfrom childhood to trifling risks and light dangers of every possibledescription, such as tumbling into ponds and off trees, etcetera, inorder to strengthen their nervous system. I do not, of course, mean tosay that boys ought deliberately to tumble into ponds or climb treesuntil they fall off; but they ought not to avoid the risk of suchmishaps. They ought to encounter such risks and many othersperpetually. They ought to practise leaping off heights into deepwater. They ought never to hesitate to cross a stream on a narrowunsafe plank _for fear of a ducking_. They ought never to decline toclimb up a tree to pull fruit merely because there is a _possibility_ oftheir falling off and breaking their necks. I firmly believe that boyswere intended to encounter all kinds of risks, in order to prepare themto meet and grapple with the risks and dangers incident to man's careerwith cool, cautious self-possession--a self-possession founded onexperimental knowledge of the character and powers of their own spiritsand muscles. I also concluded that this reasoning applies to someextent to girls as well as boys, for they too are liable through life tooccasional encounters with danger--such as meeting with mad bulls, beingrun away with on horseback, being upset in boats, being set on fire bymeans of crinoline; in all of which cases those who have been trained torisk slight mishaps during early life will find their nerves equal tothe shock, and their minds cool and collected enough to look around andtake hasty advantage of any opportunity of escape that may exist; whilethose who have been unhappily nurtured in excessive delicacy, andadvised from the earliest childhood to "take care of themselves andcarefully avoid all risks," will probably fall victims to their nervousalarms and the kind but injudicious training of parents or guardians.
The more I pondered this subject the more deeply impressed did I becomewith its great importance to the well-being of mankind, and I was soprofoundly engrossed with it that my companions utterly failed to engageme in general conversation as we walked briskly along through theforest. Jack again and again attempted to draw my attention to thesplendour of the curious specimens of tropical foliage and vegetationthrough which we passed; but I could not rouse myself to take interesttherein. In vain did Peterkin jest and rally me, and point out themonkeys that grinned at us ever and anon as we passed beneath them, orthe serpents that glided more than once from our path, I was fascinatedwith my train of meditation, and as I could not then give it up until Ihad thought it out, so now I cannot pass from the subject until I haveat least endeavoured to guard myself from misconception.
I beg, then, that it will be understood that I do not by any meansinculcate hare-brained recklessness, or a course of training that willfoster that state of mind. On the contrary, the course of trainingwhich I should like to see universally practised would naturally tend tocounteract recklessness, for it would enable a boy to judge correctly asto what he could and could not do. Take an illustration. A naturallybold boy has been unwisely trained to be exceedingly careful of himself.He does not know the extent of his own courage, or the power andagility of his own muscles; he knows these things to some extent indeed,but owing to restraint he does not know them fully. Hence he is liableboth to over and under estimate them.
This bold boy--we shall call him Tom--takes a walk into the country witha friend, whom we shall name Pat. Pat is a bad boy, but he has beenpermitted to train his muscles as he pleased, and his naturaldisposition has led him to do difficult and sometimes slightly dangerousthings.
"You can't jump over that river, Tom," says Pat.
"Perhaps not," replies Tom: "I never tried such a jump, because mymother tells me never to go where I am likely to tumble into the water."
"Oh, your mother's a muff!" cries Pat.
"Pat," says Tom, flushing with indignation and confronting his friend,"don't you ever say that again, else the friendship between you and mewill come to an end. I know you don't really mean what you say; but Iwon't allow you to speak disrespectfully of my mother."
"Well, I won't," says Pat, "but _you're_ a muff, anyhow."
"Perhaps I am," replies Tom.
"Of course you are, because you're afraid to jump over that river, andI'm not. So here goes."
Pat thereupon jumps the river (he is a splendid leaper), and Tomhesitates.
"Come along, Tom; don't be a hen."
Tom gives way, alas! to a disobedient impulse, and dashing at the leapcomes to the edge, when he finds, somehow, that he has not got theproper foot first for the spring--almost every boy knows the feeling Iallude to; his heart fails, and he balks.
"O Tom, what a nimini-pimini muff you are, to be sure!"
Tom, as I have said, is a bold boy. His blood boils at this; he rusheswildly at the bank, hurls himself recklessly into the air, barelyreaches the opposite side with a scramble, and falls souse into theriver, from which he issues, as Pat says amid peals of laughter, "like ahalf-drowned rat."
Now, had Tom been permitted to follow the bent of his own bold impulses,he would have found out, years ago, how far and how high he could leap,and how far exactly he could depend on his own courage in certaincircumstances; and he would either, on the one hand, have measured theleap with an accustomed eye, and declined to take it with agood-humoured admission that it was beyond his powers, or, on the otherhand, he would calmly have collected his well and oft tried energies forthe spring. The proper foot, from long experience, would have come tothe ground at the right time. His mind, freed from all anxiety as towhat he could accomplish, would have received a beneficial impulse fromhis friend's taunt. No nervous dread of a ducking would have checkedthe completeness of his bound, because he would have often been duckedbefore, and would have discovered that in most cases, if the clothes bechanged at once, a ducking is not worth mentioning--from a hydropathicpoint of view is, in fact, beneficial--and he would have cleared theriver with comfort to himself and confusion to his friend, and without aducking or the uneasiness of conscience caused by the knowledge that hehad disobeyed his mother. Had Peterkin not been trained to encounterdanger, his natural boldness alone would never have enabled him to standthe charge of that buffalo bull.
There are muffs in this world. I do not refer to those hairy articlesof female apparel in which ladies are wont to place their hands,handkerchiefs, and scent-bottles. Although not given to the use ofslang, I avail myself of it on this occasion, the word "muff" beingeminently expressive of a certain class of boys, big as well as little,old as well as young. There are three distinct classes of boys--namely,muffs, sensible fellows, and boasters. I say there are three distinctclasses, but I do not say that every boy belongs to one or other ofthose classes. Those who have studied chemistry know that nature'selements are few. Nearly all kinds of matter, and certainly allvarieties of mind, are composite. There are no pure and simple muffs.Most boasters have a good deal of the muff in them, and many muffs areboasters; while sensible fellows are occasionally tinged with a dash ofboth the bad qualities--they are, if I may be allowed to coin a word,_sensible-boasto-muffers_! Still, for the sake of lucidity, I willmaintain that there are three distinct phases of character in boys.
The muff is a boy who from natural disposition, or early training, orboth, is mild, diffident, and gentle. So far he is an estimablecharacter. Were this all, he were not a muff. In order to deserve thattitle he must be timid and unenthusiastic. He must refuse to
ventureanything that will subject him to danger, however slight. He must beafraid of a shower of rain; afraid of dogs in general, good and badalike; disinclined to try bold things; indifferent about learning toswim. He must object to the game called "dumps," because the blows fromthe ball are sometimes severe; and be a sworn enemy to single-stick,because the whacks are uncommonly painful. So feeling and acting, hewill, when he becomes a man, find himself unable to act in the commonemergencies of life--to protect a lady from insolence, to guard hishouse from robbery, or to save his own child should it chance to fallinto the water. The muff is addicted to boasting sometimes, especiallywhen in the company of girls; but when on the playground he hangs on theskirts of society, and sings very small. There are many boys, alas! whoare made muffs by injudicious training, who would have grown up to bebold, manly fellows had they been otherwise treated. There are alsomany kinds of muffs. Some are good-hearted, amiable muffs; others arepetty, sneaking muffs.
With many of the varieties I have a strong sympathy, and for theircomfort I would say that muffs may cure themselves if they choose to tryenergetically.
Courage and cowardice are not two distinct and entirely antagonisticqualities. To a great extent those qualities are the result oftraining. Every courageous man has a slight amount of cowardice in hiscomposition, and all cowards have a certain infusion of courage. Thematador stands before the infuriated bull, and awaits its charge withunflinching firmness, not because he has more courage than his comradesin the ring who run away, but because long training has enabled him tomake almost certain of killing the bull. He knows what he has donebefore, he feels that he can do it again, therefore he stands like ahero. Were a doubt of his capacity to cross his mind for an instant,his cheek would blanch, his hand would tremble, and, ten to one, hewould turn and flee like the rest.
Let muffs, therefore, learn to swim, to leap, and to run. Let themwrestle with boys bigger than themselves, regardless of being thrown.Let them practise "jinking" with their companions, so that if even theybe chased by a mad bull, they will, if unable to get out of his way byrunning, escape perhaps by jinking. Let them learn to leap offconsiderable heights into deep water, so that, if ever called on to leapoff the end of a pier or the side of a ship to save a fellow-creature,they may do so with confidence and promptitude. Let them even put on"the gloves," and become regardless of a swelled nose, in order thatthey may be able to defend themselves or others from sudden assault. Sodoing they will become sensible fellows, whose character I have thus tosome extent described. Of course, I speak of sensible fellows only withreference to this one subject of training the nerves and muscles. Letit never be forgotten that there are men who, although sensible in thisrespect, are uncommonly senseless in regard to other things of farhigher moment.
As to boasters, I will dismiss them with a few words. They are tooeasily known to merit particular description. They are usually loud andbold in the drawing-room, but rather mild in the field. They aredesperately egotistical, fond of exaggeration, and prone to depreciatethe deeds of their comrades. They make bad soldiers and sailors, andare usually held in contempt by others, whatever they may think ofthemselves. I may wind up this digression--into which I have beentempted by an earnest desire to warn my fellow-men against the errors ofnervous and muscular education, which, in my case, led to the weakconduct of which I had been guilty that day--I may wind up thisdigression, I say, by remarking that the boys who are most loved in thisworld are those who are lambs, _almost_ muffs, in the drawing-room, butlions in the field.
How long I should have gone on pondering this subject I know not, butPeterkin somewhat rudely interrupted me by uttering a wild scream, andbeginning to caper as if he were a madman. I was much alarmed as wellas surprised at this course of conduct; for although my friend was aninveterate joker, he was the very reverse of what is termed a buffoon,and never indulged in personally grotesque actions with a view to makepeople laugh--such as making faces, a practice which, in ninety-ninecases out of a hundred, causes the face-makers to look idiotical ratherthan funny, and induces beholders to pity them, and to feel veryuncomfortable sensations.
Peterkin's yells, instead of ceasing, continued and increased.
"Why, what's wrong?" I cried, in much alarm.
Instead of answering, Peterkin darted away through the wood like amaniac, tearing off his clothes as he went. At the same moment Jackbegan to roar like a bull, and became similarly distracted. It nowflashed across me that they must have been attacked by an army of theBashikouay ant, a species of ant which is so ferocious as to prove aperfect scourge to the parts of the country over which it travels. Thethought had scarcely occurred to me when I was painfully convinced ofits accuracy. The ants suddenly came to me, and in an instant I wascovered from head to foot by the passionate creatures, which hit me soseverely that I also began to scream and to tear off my garments; for Ihad been told by the trader who accompanied us to this part of thecountry that this was the quickest method of getting rid of them.
We all three fled, and soon left the army of Bashikouay ants behind us,undressing, as we ran, in the best way we could; and when we at lengthcame to a halt we found ourselves almost in a state of nudity. Hastilydivesting ourselves of the remainder of our apparel, we assisted eachother to clear away the ants, though we could not rid ourselves of thepainful effects of the bites with which we were covered.
"What dreadful villains!" gasped Peterkin, as he busied himself inhastily picking off the furious creatures from his person.
"It would be curious to observe the effect of an army of soldiersstepping into an army of Bashikouays," said Jack. "They would be routedinstantly. No discipline or courage could hold them together for twominutes after they were attacked."
I was about to make some reply, when our attention was attracted by ashout at no great distance, and in a few seconds we observed, to ourconfusion, the trader and a band of negroes approaching us. We hurriedon our clothes as rapidly as possible, and were a little morepresentable when they arrived. They had a good laugh at us, of course,and the naked blacks seemed to be much tickled with the idea that we hadbeen compelled to divest ourselves, even for a short time, of what theyconsidered our unnecessary covering.
"We thought you were lost," said the trader, "and I began to blamemyself for letting you away into the woods, where so many dangers may beencountered, without a guide. But what have you got there? meat of somekind? Your guns seem to have done service on this your firstexpedition."
"Ay, that they have," answered Jack. "We've killed a buffalo bull, andif you send your black fellows back on our track for some hours they'llcome to the carcass, of which we could not, of course, bring very muchaway on our shoulders, which are not accustomed yet to heavy loads."
"Besides," added Peterkin, "we were anxious to get back in time for yourelephant-hunt, else we should have brought more meat with us. But Jackhas not mentioned what I consider our chief prize, the honour ofshooting which belongs to my friend Ralph Rover.--Come, Ralph, unfastenyour pack and let them see it."
Although unwilling to put off more time, I threw down my pack, anduntying it, displayed my leopard skin. The shout of delight andsurprise which the sight of it drew from the negroes was so enthusiasticthat I at once perceived I was considered to have secured a great prize.
"Why, Mr Rover, you're in luck," said the trader, examining the skin;"it's not every day that one falls in with such a fine leopard as that.And you have already made a reputation as a daring hunter, for theniggers consider it a bold and dangerous thing to attack these critters;they're so uncommon fierce."
"Indeed I do not by any means deserve such a reputation," said I,refastening my pack, "for the shot was entirely accidental; so I prayyou, good sir, to let the negroes know that, as I have no desire to gounder a false flag, as my friend Peterkin would say--"
"Go under a false flag!" exclaimed Peterkin, in contempt. "Sail underfalse colours, man! That's what you should have said. Whatever you do,Ralph,
never misquote a man. Go under a false flag! ha, ha! Why, youmight just as well have said, `progress beneath assumed bunting.'"
"Well, accidental or otherwise," said the trader, "you've got credit forthe deed, and your fame will be spread among the tribe whether you willor not; for these fellows are such incorrigible liars themselves thatthey will never believe you if you tell them the shot was accidental.They will only give you credit for some strange though unknown motive intelling such a falsehood."
While the trader was speaking I observed that the negroes were talkingwith the eager looks and gesticulations that are peculiar to theAfricans when excited, and presently two or three of them came forwardand asked several questions, while their eyes sparkled eagerly and theirblack faces shone with animation as they pointed into the woods in thedirection whence we had come.
"They want to know where you have left the carcass of the leopard, andif you have taken away the brains," said the trader, turning to me. "Idaresay you know--if not you'll soon come to find out--that all thenigger tribes in Africa are sunk in gross and cruel superstitions. Theyhave more fetishes, and greegrees, and amulets, and wooden gods, andcharms, than they know what to do with, and have surrounded themselveswith spiritual mysteries that neither themselves nor anybody else canunderstand. Among other things, they attach a very high value to thebrains of the leopard, because they imagine that he who possesses themwill be rendered extraordinarily bold and successful in hunting. Thesefellows are in hopes that, being ignorant of the value of leopardbrains, you have left them in the carcass, and are burning with anxietyto be off after them."
"Poor creatures!" said I, "they are heartily welcome to the brains; andthe carcass lies not more than four hours' march from this spot, Ishould think,--Is it not so, Jack?"
My friend nodded assent, and the trader, turning to the expectant crowdof natives, gave them the information they desired. No sooner had hefinished than with loud cries they turned and darted away, tossing theirarms wildly in the air, and looking more like to a band of scaredmonkeys than to human beings.
"They're queer fellows," remarked Peterkin.
"So they are," replied the trader, "and they're kindly fellows too--jovial and good-humoured, except when under the influence of theirabominable superstitions. Then they become incarnate fiends, and commitdeeds of cruelty that make one's blood run cold to think of."
I felt much saddened by these remarks, and asked the trader if themissionaries accomplished any good among them.
"Oh yes," he replied, "they do much good, such of them at least asreally are missionaries; for it does not follow that every one who wearsa black coat and white neck-cloth, and goes abroad, is a missionary.But what can a few men scattered along the coast here and there, howeverearnest they be, do among the thousands upon thousands of savages thatwander about in the interior of Africa? No good will ever be done inthis land, to any great extent, until traders and missionaries go handin hand into the interior, and the system of trade is entirelyremodelled."
"From what you remark," said I, feeling much interested, "I shouldsuppose that you have given this subject a good deal of attention."
"I have. But there are people in this world who, supposing that becauseI am a trader I am therefore prone to exalt trade to an equality withreligion, do not give me credit for disinterestedness when I speak.Perhaps you are one of these."
"Not I, in truth," said I, earnestly. "My chief desire in conversingwith mankind is to acquire knowledge; I therefore listen with attentionand respect to the opinions of others, instead of endeavouring to assertmy own. In the present instance, being ignorant, I have no opinions toassert."
"I wish there were more people in your country," replied the trader,"who felt as you do. I would tell them that, although a trader, Iregard the salvation of men's souls as the most important work in thisworld. I would argue that until you get men to listen, you cannotpreach the gospel to them; that the present system of trade in Africa isin itself antagonistic to religion, being based upon dishonesty, andthat, therefore, the natives will not listen to missionaries--of course,in some cases they will; for I believe that the gospel, when trulypreached, is never preached in vain--but they will throw every possibleimpediment in their way. I would tell them that in order to make thepath of the missionary practicable, the system of trade must beinverted, the trader and the missionary must go hand in hand, andcommerce and religion--although incomparably different in their natureand ends--must act the part of brother and sister if anything _great_ isto be done for the poor natives of Africa."
Conversing thus we beguiled the time pleasantly while we proceededrapidly on our way, for the day was drawing to a close, and we werestill at a considerable distance from the native village.