“I told you,” Mr. Goodenough said, “that your skill with the blowgun would prove useful to you in shooting. You are as good a shot as I am, and I am considered a fair one. I have no doubt that with a little practice you will succeed as well with your double barrel. The shooting of birds on the wing is a knack6 which seems to come naturally to some people, while others, practice as they will, never become good shots.”
The ship touched twice upon its way down to the Gaboon. Once at the Malimba river, the second time at Botauga, the latter being the principal ivory port in equatorial Africa.
“Shall we meet with any elephants, do you think?” Frank asked his friend.
“In all probability,” Mr. Goodenough said. “Elephant shooting, of course, does not come within our line of action, and I should not go at all out of my way for them. Still, if we meet them we will shoot them. The ivory is valuable and will help to pay our expenses, while the meat is much prized by the natives, who will gladly assist us in consideration of the flesh.”
On the sixteenth day after leaving Fernando Po they entered the Gaboon. On the right hand bank were the fort and dwellings7 of the French. A little farther up stood the English factories; and upon a green hill behind, the church, school, and houses of an American mission. On the left bank was the wattle town of King William, the sable8 monarch9 of the Gaboon. Mr. Goodenough at once landed and made inquiries10 for a house. He succeeded in finding one, consisting of three rooms, built on piles, an important point in a country in which disease rises from the soil. At Bonny Mr. Goodenough had, with the assistance of the agent, enlisted11 six Houssas. These people live much higher up on the coast, but they wander a good deal and may be met with in most of the ports. The men had formed a guard in one of the hulks, but trade having been bad the agent had gone home, and they were glad to take service with Mr. Goodenough. They spoke12 a few words of English, and, like the Kroomen, rejoiced in names which had been given them by sailors. They were called Moses, Firewater, Ugly Tom, Bacon, Tatters, and King John. They were now for the first time set to work, and the goods were soon transported from the brig to the house.
“Is anything the matter with you, Frank?” Mr. Goodenough asked that evening.
“I don't know, sir. My head feels heavy, somehow, and I am giddy.”
Mr. Goodenough felt his pulse.
“You have got your first touch of fever,” he said. “I wonder you've been so long without it. You had better lie down at once.”
A quarter of an hour afterwards Frank was seized with an overpowering heat, every vein13 appearing to be filled with liquid fire; but his skin, instead of being, as usual, in a state of perspiration14, was dry and hard.
“Now, Frank, sit up and drink this. It's only some mustard and salt and water. I have immense faith in an emetic15.”
The draught16 soon took its effect. Frank was violently sick, and the perspiration broke in streams from him.
“Here is a cup of tea,” Mr. Goodenough said; “drink that and you will find that there will be little the matter with you in the morning.”
Frank awoke feeling weak, but otherwise perfectly17 well. Mr. Goodenough administered a strong dose of quinine, and after he had had his breakfast he felt quite himself again.
“Now,” Mr. Goodenough said, “we will go up to the factories and mission and try and find a really good servant. Everything depends upon that.”
In a short time an engagement was made with a negro of the name of Ostik. He was a Mpongwe man, that being the name of the tribe on the coast. He spoke English fairly, as well as two or three of the native languages. He had before made a journey some distance into the interior with a white traveler. He was a tall and powerfully built negro, very ugly, but with a pleasant and honest face. Frank felt at once that he should like him.
“You quite understand,” Mr. Goodenough explained, “we are going through the Fan country, far into the interior. We may be away from the coast for many months.”
“Me ready, sar,” the man answered with a grin. “Mak no odds18 to Ostik. He got no wife, no piccanniny. Ostik very good cook. Master find good grub; he catch plenty of beasts.”
“You're not afraid, Ostik, because it is possible we may have trouble on the way?”
“Me not very much afraid, massa. You good massa to Ostik he no run away if fightee come; but no good fight whole tribe.”
“I hope not to have any fighting at all, Ostik; but as I have got six Houssas with me who will all carry breech loading guns, I think we should be a match for a good sized tribe, if necessary.”
Ostik looked thoughtful. “More easy, massa, go without Houssas,” he said. “Black man not often touch white traveler.”
“No, Ostik, that is true; but I must take with me trade goods for paying my way and hiring carriers, and if alone I should be at the mercy of every petty chief who chose to plunder19 and delay me. I am going as a peaceful traveler, ready to pay my way, and to make presents to the different kings through whose territories I may pass. But I do not choose to put myself at the mercy of any of them. I do not say that eight men armed with breech loaders could defeat a whole tribe; but they would be so formidable, that any of these negro kings would probably prefer taking presents and letting us pass peacefully to trying to rob us. The first thing to do, will be to hire one large canoe, or two if necessary. The men must agree to take us up into the Fan country, as far as the rapids on the Gaboon. Then we shall take carriers there, and the boat can return by itself. These are the things which will have to go.”
The baggage consisted of ten large tin cases, each weighing about eighty pounds. These contained cotton cloths, powder, beads20, tea, chocolate, sugar, and biscuits. There were in addition three bundles of stair rods, each about the same weight as the boxes. These were done up in canvas. There was also a tent made of double canvas weighing fifty pounds, and two light folding tressel beds weighing fifteen pounds apiece. Thus fourteen men would be required as carriers, besides some for plantains and other provisions, together with the portmanteaus, rugs, and waterproof21 sheets of the travelers. There were besides six great chests made of light iron. Four of these were fitted with trays with cork22 bottoms, for insects. The other two were for the skins of birds. All the boxes and cases had strips of India rubber where the lids fitted down, in order to keep out both damp and the tiny ants which are the plague of naturalists23 in Africa.
Four or five days were occupied in getting together a crew, for the natives had an abject24 fear of entering the country of the cannibal Fans. Mr. Goodenough promised that they should not be obliged to proceed unless a safe conduct for their return was obtained from the King of the Fans. A large canoe was procured25, sufficient to convey the whole party. Twelve paddlers were hired, and the goods taken down and arranged in the boat. The Houssas had been, on landing, furnished with their guns, which were Snider rifles, had been instructed in the breech loading arrangement, and had been set to work to practice at a mark at a hundred and fifty yards distance—the stump27 of an old tree, some five feet in height, serving for the purpose. The men were delighted with the accuracy of their pieces and the rapidity at which they could be fired. Mr. Goodenough impressed upon them that unless attacked at close quarters, and specially28 ordered to fire fast, they must aim just as slowly and deliberately29 as if using their old guns, for that in so long a journey ammunition30 would be precious, and must, therefore, on no account whatever, be wasted. In the boxes were six thousand rounds of ammunition, a thousand for each gun, besides the ammunition for the rifles and fowling31 pieces of Mr. Goodenough and Frank.
In order to render the appearance of his followers32 as imposing33 as possible, Mr. Goodenough furnished each of the Houssas with a pair of trousers made of New Zealand flax, reaching to their knees. These he had brought from England with him. They were all found to be too large, but the men soon set to work with rough needles and thread and took them in. In addition to these, each man was furnished with a red sash, which went several times round the waist, and served to keep the trousers up and to give a gay aspect to the dress. The Houssas were much pleased with their appearance. All of them carried swords in addition to the guns, as in their own country they are accustomed to fight with these weapons.
They started early in the morning, and after four hours' paddling passed Konig Island, an abandoned Dutch settlement. Here they stopped for an hour or two, and then the sea breeze sprang up, a sail was hoisted34, and late at night they passed a French guardship placed to mark the boundary of that settlement at a point where a large tributary35 called the Boqui runs into it. Here is a little island called Nenge Nenge, formerly36 a missionary37 station, where the natives are still Christians38. At this place the canoe was hauled ashore39. The Houssas had already been instructed in the method of pitching the tent, and in a very few minutes this was erected40. It was a double poled tent, some ten feet square, and there was a waterproof sheet large enough to cover the whole of the interior, thus preventing the miasma41 from arising from the ground within it. The beds were soon opened and fixed42, two of the large cases formed a table and two smaller ones did service as chairs. A lamp was lit, and Frank was charmed with the comfort and snugness43 of the abode44.
The men's weapons were fastened round one of the poles to keep them from the damp night air. Ostik had at once set to work on landing, leaving the Houssas to pitch the tent. A fire was soon blazing and a kettle and saucepans suspended over it. Rice was served out to the men, with the addition of some salt meat, of which sufficient had been purchased from the captain of the brig to last throughout the journey in the canoe. The men were all in high spirits at this addition to their fare, which was more than had been bargained for, and their songs rose merrily round the fire in the night air.
In the morning, after breakfast, they again took their places in the canoe. For twelve miles they paddled, the tide at first assisting them, but after this the water from the mountains ahead overpowered it. Presently they arrived at the first Fan village, called Olenga, which they reached six hours after starting. The natives crowded round as the canoe approached, full of curiosity and excitement, for never but once had a white man passed up the river. These Fans differed widely from the coast negroes. Their hair was longer and thicker, their figures were slight, their complexion45 coffee colored, and their projecting upper jaws46 gave them a rabbit mouthed appearance. They wore coronets on their heads adorned47 with the red tail feathers of the common gray parrot. Most of the men had beards, which were divided in the middle, red and white beads being strung up the tips. Some wore only a strip of goatskin hanging from the waist, or the skin of a tigercat, while others had short petticoats made of cloth woven from the inner bark of a tree. The travelers were led to the hut of the chief, where they were surrounded by a mob of the cannibals. The Houssas had been strictly48 enjoined49 to leave their guns in the bottom of the canoe, as Mr. Goodenough desired to avoid all appearance of armed force. The chief demanded of Ostik what these two white men wanted here, and whether they had come to trade. Ostik replied that the white men were going up the river into the country beyond to shoot elephants and buy ivory, that they did not want to trade for logwood or oil, but that they would give presents to the chiefs of the Fan villages. A score of cheap Birmingham muskets50 had been brought from England by Mr. Goodenough for this purpose. One of these was now bestowed51 upon the chief, together with some powder and ball, three bright cotton handkerchiefs, some gaudy52 glass beads, and two looking glasses for his wives. This was considered perfectly satisfactory.
The crowd was very great, and at Mr. Goodenough's dictation Ostik informed the chief that if the white men were left quiet until the evening they would show his people many strange things. On the receipt of this information the crowd dispersed53. But when at sunset the two travelers took a turn through the village, the excitement was again very great. The men stood their ground and stared at them, but the women and children ran screaming away to hide themselves. The idea of the people of Central Africa of the whites is that they are few in number, that they live at the bottom of the sea, and are possessed54 of great wealth, but that they have no palm oil or logwood, and are, therefore, compelled to come to land to trade for these articles. They believe that the strange clothes they wear are manufactured from the skins of sea beasts.
When night fell Mr. Goodenough fastened a sheet against the outside of the chief's hut, and then placed a magic lantern in position ten paces from it. The Fans were then invited to gather round and take their seats upon the ground. A cry of astonishment55 greeted the appearance of the bright disk. This was followed by a wilder yell when this was darkened, and an elephant bearing some men sitting on his back was seen to cross the house. The men leaped to their feet and seized their spears. The women screamed, and Ostik, who was himself somewhat alarmed, had great difficulty in calming their fears and persuading them to sit down again, assuring them that they would see many wonderful things, but that nothing would hurt them.
The next view was at first incomprehensible to many of them. It was a ship tossing in a stormy sea; but some of those present had been down to the mouth of the river, and these explained to the others the nature of the phenomenon. In all there were twenty slides, all of which were provided with movable figures; the last two being chromatropes, whose dancing colors elicited56 screams of delight from the astonished natives. This concluded the performance, but for hours after it was over the village rang with a perfect Babel of shouts, screams, and chatter57. The whole thing was to the Fans absolutely incomprehensible, and their astonishment was equalled by their awe58 at the powers of the white men.
The next two days they remained at Olenga, as word was sent up to Itchongue, the next town, asking the chief there for leave to come forward. The people had now begun to get over their first timidity, and when Frank went out for a walk after breakfast he was somewhat embarrassed by the women and girls crowding round him, feeling his clothes and touching59 his hands and face to assure themselves that these felt like those of human beings. He afforded them huge delight by taking off his Norfolk jacket and pulling up the sleeves of his shirt to show them that his arms were the same color as his hands, and so elated were they with this exhibition that it was with great difficulty that he withstood their entreaties60 that he would disrobe entirely61. Indeed, Ostik had at last to come to his rescue and carry him off from the laughing crowd by which he was surrounded.
After dinner Mr. Goodenough invited the people to sit down in a vast circle holding each other's hands. He then told them that he should at a word make them all jump to their feet. Then taking out a small but powerful galvanic battery, he arranged it and placed wires into the hands of the two men nearest to him in the great circle.
“Now,” he said, “when I clap my hands you will find that you are all obliged to jump up.”
He gave the signal. Frank turned on the battery, and in an instant the two hundred men and women, with a wild shriek62, either leapt to their feet or rolled backward on the ground. In another minute not a native was to be seen, with the exception of the chief, who had not been included in the circle. The latter, at Mr. Goodenough's request, shouted loudly to his subjects to return, for that the white men would do them no harm; but it was a long time before, slowly and cautiously, they crept back again. When they had reassembled Mr. Goodenough showed them several simple but astonishing chemical experiments, which stupefied them with wonder; and concluded with three or four conjuring63 tricks, which completed their amazement64. A long day's paddling took them to Itchongue, where they were as well received as at Olenga. Here they stopped for two days, and the magic lantern was again brought out, and the other tricks repeated with a success equal to that which they had before obtained. As another day's paddling would take them to the rapids Mr. Goodenough now set up a negotiation65 for obtaining a sufficient number of carriers. After great palaver66, and the presentation of three guns to the chief to obtain his assistance, thirty men were engaged. These were each to receive a yard of calico or one brass67 stair rod a day, and were to proceed with the party until such time as they could procure26 carriers from another tribe.
The new recruits were taken up in another canoe. Several villages were passed on the way. The river became a mere68 rapid, against which the canoes with difficulty made their way. They had now entered the mountains which rose steeply above them, embowered in wood. Two days of severe work took them to the foot of the falls. Here the canoes were unloaded. The men hired on the coast received their pay, and turned the boat's head down stream. The other canoe accompanied it, and the travelers remained with their bodyguard69 of Houssas and their carriers.
“Now,” Mr. Goodenough said, “we are fairly embarked70 on our journey, and we will commence operations at once. I have heard the cries of a great many birds which are strange to me today, and I expect that we shall have a good harvest. We may remain here for some time. The first thing to do is to find food for our followers. We have got six sacks of rice, but it will never do to let our men depend solely71 upon these. They would soon come to an end.”
“But how are we to feed forty people?” Frank asked in astonishment.
“I pointed72 out to you today,” Mr. Goodenough said, “the tracks of hippopotami in various places. One of these beasts will feed the men for nearly a week. There were, too, numbers of alligators73' eggs on the banks, and these creatures make by no means bad eating. Your rifle will be of no use against such animals as these. You had better take one of the Sniders. I have some explosive shells which will fit them. My own double barrelled rifle is of the same bore.”
After dinner Mr. Goodenough told two of the Houssas to accompany them with their rifles, together with three or four of the Fans. He made his way down the stream to a point where the hills receded74, and where he had observed a great many marks of the river horses. As they approached the spot they heard several loud snorts, and making their way along as quietly as possible they saw two of the great beasts standing75 in the stream. At this point it widened a good deal and was shallow and quite near the bank. The Fans had been told to stay behind directly the snorting was heard, and Mr. Goodenough and Frank, rifle in hand, crept forward, with the Houssas as still and noiseless as cats close behind them.
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1
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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cockroaches
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| n.蟑螂( cockroach的名词复数 ) | |
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mattresses
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| 褥垫，床垫( mattress的名词复数 ) | |
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accustoming
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| v.（使）习惯于( accustom的现在分词 ) | |
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knack
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| n.诀窍，做事情的灵巧的，便利的方法 | |
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dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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sable
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| n.黑貂；adj.黑色的 | |
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monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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10
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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enlisted
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| adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持） | |
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12
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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13
vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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emetic
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| n.催吐剂；adj.催吐的 | |
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draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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waterproof
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| n.防水材料；adj.防水的；v.使...能防水 | |
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cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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naturalists
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| n.博物学家( naturalist的名词复数 )；（文学艺术的）自然主义者 | |
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abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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fowling
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| 捕鸟，打鸟 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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miasma
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| n.毒气；不良气氛 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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snugness
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44
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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enjoined
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| v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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muskets
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| n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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51
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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54
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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55
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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elicited
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| 引出，探出( elicit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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58
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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61
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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63
conjuring
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| n.魔术 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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negotiation
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| n.谈判，协商 | |
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66
palaver
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| adj.壮丽堂皇的；n.废话，空话 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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68
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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bodyguard
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| n.护卫，保镖 | |
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embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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alligators
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| n.短吻鳄( alligator的名词复数 ) | |
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74
receded
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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