It Was
Getting Rather Unpleasant; But Having My Revolver And A Double-Barrelled
Rifle In My Hands, There Was No Fear Of Their Being Stolen.
In reply to a question to the humpback, he asked me "Who I was?" I
explained that I was a traveller.
"You want ivory?" he said. "No," I
answered, "it is of no use to me." "Ah, you want slaves!" he replied.
"Neither do I want slaves," I answered. This was followed by a burst of
laughter from the crowd, and the humpback continued his examination.
"Have you got plenty of cows?" "Not one; but plenty of beads and
copper." "Plenty? Where are they?" "Not far off; they will be here
presently with my men;" and I pointed to the direction from which they
would arrive. "What countryman are you?" "An Englishman." He had never
heard of such people. "You are a Turk?" "All right," I replied; "I am
anything you like." "And that is your son?" (pointing at Mrs. Baker.)
"No, she is my wife." "Your wife! What a lie! He is a boy." "Not a bit
of it," I replied; "she is my wife, who has come with me to see the
women of this country." "What a lie!" he again politely re joined in the
one expressive Arabic word, "Katab." After this charmingly frank
conversation he addressed the crowd, explaining, I suppose, that I was
endeavouring to pass off a boy for a woman. Mrs. Baker was dressed
similarly to myself, in a pair of loose trowsers and gaiters, with a
blouse and belt - the only difference being that she wore long sleeves,
while my arms were bare from a few inches below the shoulder. I always
kept my arms bare, as being cooler than if covered.
The curiosity of the crowd was becoming impertinent, when at an
opportune moment the chief appeared. To my astonishment I recognised him
as a man who had often visited me at Gondokoro, to whom I had given many
presents without knowing his position.
In a few moments he drove away the crowd, screaming and gesticulating at
there as though greatly insulted; re serving the humpback as
interpreter, he apologized for the rudeness of his people. Just at this
instant I perceived, in the distance, the English flag leading the
caravan of camels and donkeys from the hillside into the valley, and my
people and baggage shortly arrived. The chief now brought me a large
pumpkin-shell containing about a gallon of merissa, or native beer,
which was most refreshing. He also brought a gourd-bottle full of honey,
and an elephant's tusk; the latter I declined, as ivory was not
required.
We were now within six miles of Ellyria, and by means of the humpback I
explained to Tombe, the chief, that we wished to start the first thing
in the morning, and that I would engage the humpback as interpreter.
This was agreed upon, and I now had hopes of getting through Ellyria
before the arrival of the Turks. My caravan having arrived, the interest
first bestowed upon the horses, as being a new kind of animal, was now
transferred to the camels. The natives crowded round them, exclaiming,
"that they were the giraffes of our country." They were amazed at the
loads that they carried, and many assisted in unloading.
I noticed, however, that they stuck their fingers through the baskets to
investigate the contents; and when they perceived twenty baskets full of
beads, and many of copper bracelets - the jingling of which betrayed
the contents - they became rather too eager in lending a helping hand;
therefore I told the chief to order his men to retire while I opened one
bag of beads to give him a present. I had a bag always in reserve that
contained a variety of beads and bracelets, which obviated the necessity
of opening one of the large baskets on the road. I accordingly made the
chief happy, and also gave a present to the humpback. The crowd now
discovered an object of fresh interest, and a sudden rush was made to
the monkey, which, being one of the red variety from Abyssinia, was
quite unknown to them. The monkey, being far more civilized than these
naked savages, did not at all enjoy their society; and attacking the
utterly unprotected calves of their legs, "Wallady" soon kept his
admirers at a distance, and amused himself by making insulting grimaces,
which kept the crowd in a roar of laughter. I often found this monkey of
great use in diverting the attention of the savages from myself. He was
also a guarantee of my peaceful intentions, as no one intending
hostility would travel about with a monkey as one of the party. He was
so tame and affectionate to both of us that he was quite unhappy if out
of sight of his mistress: but he frequently took rough liberties with
the blacks, for whom he had so great an aversion and contempt that he
would have got into sad trouble at Exeter Hall. "Wallady" had no idea of
a naked savage being "a man and a brother."
That night we slept soundly, both men and beasts being thoroughly
fatigued. The natives seemed to be aware of this, and a man was caught
in the act of stealing copper bracelets from a basket. He had crept like
a cat upon hands and knees to the spot where the luggage was piled, and
the sleepy sentry bad not observed him.
There was no drum-call on the following morning, that useful instrument
having been utterly smashed by the camel; but I woke the men early, and
told them to be most careful in arranging the loads securely, as we had
to thread the rocky pass between Tollogo and Ellyria. I felt sure that
the Turks could not be far behind us, and I looked forward with anxiety
to getting through the pass before them.
The natives of both Tollogo and Ellyria are the same in appearance and
language as the Bari; they are very brutal in manner, and they collected
in large crowds on our departure, with by no means a friendly aspect.
Many of them ran on ahead under the base of the rocks, apparently to
give notice at Ellyria of our arrival.
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