WE LEAVE KOOLOOKOO, ACCOMPANIED BY A NUMBER OF THE BASé—THE MAGIC LANTERN—SEE BUFFALO AND GIRAFFE FOR THE FIRST TIME—TWO BUFFALOS KILLED—A BASé FEAST—CURIOUS BASé DANCE—THEY DRY THEIR MEAT ON LINES IN THE SUN—A WOUNDED BUFFALO—HOODOO, CHIEF SHEIK OF THE BASé, VISITS US—A COLUMN OF SAND—A LEPER—THE BASé SQUABBLE OVER THE MEAT—WE ARRIVE AT ABYSSINIA.
On the 3rd February we made a further advance, starting at 11 a.m., and encamping at 4 p.m., again on the river-bed, at Aibara. This day we marched for the space of five hours through a forest; the heat was very great, and the ground over which we travelled was full of large, deep cracks, often two or three inches wide, caused by the contraction of the earth, which had been subjected to a continuous baking by the hot sun since the rainy season. Oftentimes could be seen the great footprint of an[202] elephant, now quite a moulded one, having been there since the rainy season. On leaving Koolookoo we were accompanied by about 80 or 100 of the inhabitants, having nothing with them but spear and shield. We knew what this meant—that we should have to provide them with food—a rather large undertaking considering that our own party, including camel-men, horse-boys, and servants, numbered about 40 or 50. Accordingly a delicate hint was conveyed to our new body-guard, that our own people would first of all have to be provided with food; then if there was plenty of meat to spare they would be quite welcome to it. To this arrangement they amiably acceded. On terra firma we could have made a good stand with our rifles and revolvers in case of attack, but had these Basé thought proper, at a preconcerted signal, to make an onslaught on our long straggling caravan, I am afraid we should have fared very badly, notwithstanding our being well armed. However, I think their principal reason for coming with us was to have a continual feast of meat, an article of diet they were capable of stowing away as capaciously as a lion would do, and with as little ceremony. In the evening three sheiks paid us a visit, each going through the ceremony of “aman.” After dinner the magic lantern was exhibited, and this excited[203] their astonishment even more than it did that of the Beni-Amirs. I do not intend to go into a description much of hunting-scenes, as they would occupy too much space, and I do not think that the frequent repetition of such scenes would be interesting to the generality of my readers; besides which I have no doubt Mr. F. L. James has done this in his book. Suffice it to say that as there was abundance of game of every description, scarcely a day passed without plenty being brought into camp.
February 4th.—Off at 10.30 a.m., halt at 5 p.m.; pitch tents at Maissasser, on the bank of the Mareb, and quite close to jungle. About 12 o’clock, as our camels were slowly winding along the bed of the Mareb, a grand bull buffalo, an enormous beast, dashed right across in front of us, raising quite a cloud of dust. This was the first buffalo we had seen; at half-past 4 p.m. we saw three more, and just afterwards a giraffe. There was a good deal of chuckling now at the prospect of sport in store, and we resolved to encamp here for the next two or three days. To-day we saw miles of country on fire. The country looks much greener in this neighbourhood; trees and jungle abundant, and water much nearer to the surface.
February 5th.—Last night, about 11 o’clock, just as I had gone to sleep, I was considerably startled[204] by several rifle shots, one after the other. In an instant I was out of bed, rifle in hand, rushed out of my tent in my slippers and night shirt, not knowing what to think; the first idea naturally was that we were being attacked. Messrs. F. L. James and Phillipps, who slept in another tent, were also out, clad in the same airy costume as myself, and, like me, each with a rifle in his hand. All this was the work of a minute—we had scarcely time to say, “Whatever is the meaning of it all?” when close behind my tent, amongst the thick stems of the tall grass, there was a sound as of a rushing mighty wind. This was enough; the whole affair was explained at once; we knew directly that this was nothing less than a herd of buffalos, and I am very thankful that they just avoided my tent, which could as easily have been upset by them as a box of matches. It seems that just after we had gone to bed, the others, Messrs. Colvin, P. Aylmer, W. D. and A. James, “from information received,” took their rifles (it was a bright moonlight night) and stole out cautiously to the edge of the jungle. There they saw a herd of buffalos drinking, and into it they discharged their rifles with pretty good effect, for about 11 o’clock this morning one of the herd was found dead in the jungle pretty near to camp. A camel was sent to[205] the spot to bring home the quarters for food, and the head, of course, as a trophy. A great number of the Basé were pretty quickly on the spot; then there ensued such a scene as I had never before witnessed, and which almost baffles description. I will, however, endeavour to describe it, as some of my readers might like to be furnished with particulars. Invalids, persons of delicate organization and others, might, however, like to omit this little account of a Basé feast, which I assure them will not have an appetising effect. I may here say that there is not the least occasion for me to draw on my imagination and indulge in what some people facetiously call “crackers,” which I have not and shall not do, as there is no necessity for doing so, there being abundance of material of a strictly veracious character which I cull from my diary, written carefully down at the time. Incredible as some accounts may appear, I must ask my readers to accept these facts without the usual formula cum grano salis. Very well, then, I will write down, and you, reader, can read, mark, and inwardly digest (if you please) without the usual proverbial pinch of salt, a description of a scene that I was an eye-witness of, and if I should somewhat interfere with your enjoyment, when called from labour to refreshment, don’t blame me, but blame the Basé. All I can say is, that this is not[206] what incredulous people call “a traveller’s tale,” but a “true story.” Do not say, “It strikes me that he doth protest too much.”
I recollect to have seen somewhere or other a pamphlet entitled “The Stomach and Its Trials.” That useful organ in the human body of Basé does not appear to be subject to usual inconveniences, but accommodates itself to circumstances, not unlike an india-rubber bag. The only trials I saw them suffer was trying how much they could stow away without causing a rupture of that viscera.
Well, to continue. As soon as the animal was opened they fell upon the intestines like hungry wolves. Oh! such a scramble for tit-bits. There were our dusky friends very soon ankle-deep in the viscera, and about 20 pairs of hands clutching at them. Two would perhaps get hold of the same piece, and pull away like a couple of dogs, until a knife produced a solution of continuity. Another group could be seen hacking away at pieces of the liver, and cramming the warm, quivering morsels into their mouths. One could be seen stuffing a lump of fat into his mouth with one hand, the other at the same time would be industriously employed in rubbing this adipose tissue into his hair. Another appeared to have a predilection for kidneys; and so[207] this disgusting feast went on, until the whole interior of the animal was consumed, without such absurd preliminaries as cooking.
One would naturally suppose that I should be busy at my medicine-chest next day, but not one of them even so much as troubled me for a pill afterwards. They might truly say, “We are fearfully and wonderfully made;” and after this exhibition of digestive powers, I should be obliged to coincide with them. When they had gorged themselves like boa-constrictors, I should not exaggerate if I said that they presented a most filthy and disgusting spectacle. Their proportions were quite aldermanic, and their mouths, faces, and arms up to the elbows were smeared with fat and gore. Had this buffalo lived a month or two longer she would have become a mother.
We do not consider very young veal wholesome, but whether the Basé thought this very young buffalo would be a delicacy they must not touch I know not; at all events it was brought into camp. We gave it the Basé, who appeared quite pleased. In less than ten minutes afterwards we saw three of them engaged in tearing it limb from limb, and eating it without going through the formality of cooking. The quarters of buffalo, senior, were divided between our men and Basé; the hide was[208] cut up into sections and given to the sheiks and others to make into shields.
Messrs. Colvin and Aylmer shot to-day two mehedehét. This is a very beautiful antelope, possessing a very rough coat, a fine pai............