To Pass The Night Half-Way Was Now Imperative, As We Had Been The
Whole Day Travelling Without Making Good Much Ground.
From the
Gani people we had, without any visible change, mingled with the
Madi people, who dress in the same naked fashion as their
neighbours, and use bows and arrows.
Their villages were all
surrounded with bomas (fences), and the country in its general
aspect resembled that of Northern Unyamuezi. At one place, the
good-natured simple people, as soon as we reached their village,
spread a skin, deposited a stool upon it, and placed in front two
pots of pombe. At the village where we put up, however, the women
and children of the head man at first all ran away, and the head
man himself was very shy of us, thinking we were some unearthly
creatures. He became more reconciled to us, however, when he
perceived we fed like rational beings; and, calling his family in
by midnight, presented us with pombe, and made many apologies for
having allowed us to dine without a drop of his beer, for he was
very glad to see us.
Chapter XX
Madi
Junction of the Two Hemispheres - The First Contact with Persons
Acquainted with European Habits - Interruptions and Plots - The
Mysterious Mahamed - Native Revelries - The Plundering and Tyranny
of the Turks - The Rascalities of the Ivory Trade - Feeling for the
Nile - Taken to see a Mark left by a European - Buffalo, Eland, and
Rhinoceros Stalking - Meet Baker - Petherick's Arrival at
Gondokoro.
After receiving more pombe from the chief, and, strange to say,
hot water to wash with - for he did not know how else to show
hospitality better - we started again in the same straggling
manner as yesterday. In two hours we reached the palace of
Piejoko, a chief of some pretensions, and were summoned to stop
and drink pombe. In my haste to meet Petherick's expedition, I
would listen to nothing, but pushed rapidly on, despite all
entreaties to stop, both from the chief and from my porters, who,
I saw clearly, wished to do me out of another day.
Half of my men, however, did stop there, but with the other half
Grant and I went on; and, as the sun was setting, we came in
sight of what we thought was Petherick's outpost, N. lat. 3§ 10'
33", and E. long. 21§ 50' 45". My men, as happy as we were
ourselves, now begged I would allow them to fire their guns, and
prepare the Turks for our reception. Crack, bang, went their
carbines, and in another instant crack, bang, was heard from the
northerners' camp, when, like a swarms of bees, every height and
other conspicuous place was covered with men. Our hearts leapt
with an excitement of joy only known to those who have escaped
from long-continued banishment among barbarians, once more to
meet with civilised people, and join old friends. Every minute
increased this excitement. We saw three large red flags heading
a military procession, which marched out of the camp with drums
and fifes playing.
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