Lost in the Jungle

i are hard at work, and the question is, which of these three flies will bite us the hard

trunks of huge trees. We had left the village of Goumbi, where my good friend Que

hought we were going to make war, for the canoes were full of men who were covered with all their war fetiches; their faces were painted, and they were loaded with implements of war. Th

rp, pointed teeth. This was emblematic, and meant that it would swallow all the enemies of the king. In our canoe there were more than sixty paddlers. At the stern was seated old Quengueza, the

OYAL

es, into the water, and also my umbrella, for, I tell you, the sun seemed almost as hot as

or creek called the Niembouai, and on what I may call an African picnic; that is to say, we were going to build a camp on the banks of that river, and then we were to hunt wild beasts of

s stream the strong current ceased; the water became sluggish, and seemed to expand into a kind of lake, covered in many places with a queer kind of long tufted reed

the chief, whom I had known, was dead, and the people had fled for fear of the evil spirits. Not

red high mountain peaks, which I hoped to explore. They rose blue against the sky, and seemed, as I looked at them through my telescope, to be covered with vegetation to their very

mbouai. Canoe after canoe closed upon us, until at last the whole fleet of King Quengueza were abreas

land and build our camp. Soon afterward we reached the place, and found the land dry, covered with huge t

s; others went to collect palm-leaves to make a kind of matting to be used as roofing. The

we were in the month of March. By sunset the storm was all over; it cooled the air deliciously, for the heat had

re to fish, and were also to cook for the people. The harpoons were we

he night, for the canoes we had were not

palm wine, from which he took a drink from time to time, until he began to feel the effects of the beverage, and became somewhat jolly. Hi

inst the swarms of musquitoes, then laid myself down under it with one of my gun

eared to make them merry, and after each one had told his neighbor how much he could eat if he had it, and that he could eat more manga

t warrior. After the king came Rapero Ouendogo, Azisha Olenga, Adouma, Rakenga Rikati Kombe, an

the tribe. Among them was Etia, the mighty and great slayer of gorillas and elephants. Etia provided game for Quengueza's table; he was one o

an thus: "Years ago, I remember it as well as if it were but yesterday, I was in a great forest at the foot of a high hill, through which a little stream was murmuring; the jungle was dense, so much so that I could hardly see a few steps ahead of me; I was walking carefully along, very carefully, f

s quick." But Etia was not to be hurried faster than he chose. After a short pause, he continued: "I do not know why, but a feel

ing for animals to come and drink. It was the dry season, and water was very scarce, and many animals came to that spring to drink. I can see, even to this day, its glittering eyes. Its color was almost id

gle; the folds of the snake became tighter and tighter round the body of the poor animal. I could see how slowly, but how surely the snake was squeezing its prey to death. A few smothered cries, and all was over; the animal was dead. Then t

shouted one man, "and then you would have had t

ut the big creature to pieces. That night I slept near the spot. I light

on 'my belly,' and soon I could see the great beast tearing down the lower branches of a tree loaded with fruit. Suddenly he stopped, and I shouted to him, 'Kombo (male gorilla), come here! come here!' He turned round and gave

ed. The big beast tottered, and, as it fell, one of his big hands got hold of one of my legs; his big, thick, huge fingers, as he gave his death-gasp, contracted themselves; I gave a great

t the body of the gorilla in the woods, but took its head with me, and that head I have still in my plantation; and at times," added Etia, "its jaws open during the night, and it roars and says, 'Etia, why have you killed me?' I am sure that goril

eat hunter, that Etia had been bewitched before he started that time, and that if it had no

nds were sharp-pointed, and, when loaded, with two men, did not draw in the water, I am sure, half an inch. They glided over the water, causing scarcely a ripple. There was no seat, and a man had to paddle standing up, t