The Albert N'Yanza, Great Basin of the Nile, Samuel White Baker [inspirational novels .TXT] 📗

drums striking at certain periods with such

admirable precision, that the effect was that of a single instrument.

The dancing was most vigorous, and far superior to anything that I had

seen among either, Arabs or savages, the figures varying continually,

and ending with a “grand galop” in double circles, at a tremendous pace,

the inner ring revolving in a contrary direction to the outer; the

effect of this was excellent.

 

Although the men of Obbo wear a skin slung across their shoulders and

loins, the women are almost naked, and, instead of wearing the leather

apron and tail of the Latookas, they are contented with a slight fringe

of leather shreds, about four inches long by two broad, suspended from a

belt. The unmarried girls are entirely naked; or, if they are

sufficiently rich in finery, they wear three or four strings of small

white beads, about three inches in length, as a covering. The old ladies

are antiquated Eves, whose dress consists of a string round the waist,

in which is stuck a bunch of green leaves, the stalk uppermost. I have

seen a few of the young girls that were prudes indulge in such garments;

but they did not appear to be fashionable, and were adopted faute de

mieux. One great advantage was possessed by this costume,—it was always

clean and fresh, and the nearest bush (if not thorny) provided a clean

petticoat. When in the society of these very simple and in demeanour

ALWAYS MODEST Eves, I could not help reflecting upon the Mosaical

description of our first parents, “and they sewed fig-leaves together.”

 

Some of the Obbo women were very pretty. The caste of feature was

entirely different to that of the Latookas, and a striking peculiarity

was displayed in the finely arched noses of many of the natives, which

strongly reminded one of the Somauli tribes. It was impossible to

conjecture their origin, as they had neither traditions nor ideas of

their past history.

 

The language is that of the Madi. There are three distinct

languages—the Bari, the Latooka, and the Madi, the latter country

extending south of Obbo. A few of the words, most commonly in use, will

exemplify them :—

 

Obbo. Latooka. Bari.

 

Water. Fee. Cari. Feeum.

Fire. Mite. Nyeme. Keemang.

The Sun. T’sean. Narlong. Karlong.

A Cow. Decang. Nyeten. Kittan.

A Goat. Decan. Nyene. Eddeen.

Milk. T’sarck. Nalle. Le.

A Fowl. Gweno. Nakome. Chokkore.

 

The Obbo natives were a great and agreeable change after the Latookas,

as they never asked for presents. Although the old chief, Katchiba,

behaved more like a clown than a king, he was much respected by his

people. He holds his authority over his subjects as general rain maker

and sorcerer. Should a subject displease him, or refuse him a gift, he

curses his goats and fowls, or threatens to wither his crops, and the

fear of these inflictions reduces the discontented. There are no

specific taxes, but he occasionally makes a call upon the country for a

certain number of goats and supplies. These are generally given, as

Katchiba is a knowing old diplomatist, and he tunes his demands with

great judgment. Thus, should there be a lack of rain, or too much, at

the season for sowing the crops, he takes the opportunity of calling his

subjects together and explaining to them how much he regrets that their

conduct has compelled him to afflict them with unfavourable weather, but

that it is their own fault. If they are so greedy and so stingy that

they will not supply him properly, how can they expect him to think of

their interests? He must have goats and corn. “No goats, no rain; that’s

our contract, my friends,” says Katchiba. “Do as you like. I can wait; I

hope you can.” Should his people complain of too much rain, he threatens

to pour storms and lightning upon them for ever, unless they bring him

so many hundred baskets of corn, &c. &c. Thus he holds his sway.

 

No man would think of starting upon a journey without the blessing of

the old chief; and a peculiar “hocus pocus” is considered as necessary

from the magic hands of Katchiba that shall charm the traveller, and

preserve him from all danger of wild animals upon the road. In case of

sickness he is called in, not as M.D. in our acceptation, but as “doctor

of magic,” and he charms both the hut and the patient against death,

with the fluctuating results that must attend professionals even in

sorcery. His subjects have the most thorough confidence in his power;

and so great is his reputation that distant tribes frequently consult

him, and beg his assistance as a magician. In this manner does old

Katchiba hold his sway over his savage, but credulous people; and so

long has he imposed upon the public that I believe he has at length

imposed upon himself, and that he really believes he has the power of

sorcery, notwithstanding repeated failures. In order to propitiate him,

his people frequently present him with the prettiest of their daughters;

and so constantly is he receiving additions to his domestic circle that

he has been obliged to extend his establishment to prevent domestic

fracas among the ladies. He has accordingly hit upon the practical

expedient of keeping a certain number of wives in each of his villages:

thus, when he makes a journey through his territory, he is always at

home. This multiplicity of wives has been so successful that Katchiba

has one hundred and sixteen children living—another proof of sorcery

in the eyes of his people. One of his wives had no children, and she

came to me to apply for medicine to correct some evil influence that had

lowered her in her husband’s estimation. The poor woman was in great

distress, and complained that Katchiba was very cruel to her because she

had been unable to make an addition to his family, but that she was sure

I possessed some charm that would raise her to the standard of his other

wives. I could not bet rid of her until I gave her the first pill that

came to hand from my medicine chest, and with this she went away

contented.

 

Katchiba was so completely established in his country, not only as a

magician, but as “pere de famille,” that every one of his villages was

governed by one of his sons; thus the entire government was a family

affair. The sons of course believed in their father’s power of sorcery,

and their influence as head men of their villages increased the prestige

of the parent. Although without an idea of a Supreme Being, the whole

country bowed down to sorcery. It is a curious distinction between faith

and credulity;—these savages, utterly devoid of belief in a Deity,

and without a vestige of superstition, believed most devotedly that the

general affairs of life and the control of the elements were in the

hands of their old chief, and therefore they served him—not with a

feeling of love, neither with a trace of religion, but with that

material instinct that always influences the savage; they propitiated

him for the sake of what they could obtain. It is thus almost

unconquerable feeling, ever present in the savage mind, that renders his

conversion difficult; he will believe in nothing, unless he can obtain

some specific benefit from the object of his belief.

 

Savages can be ruled by two powers—“force,” and “humbug;” accordingly,

these are the instruments made use of by those in authority: where the

“force” is wanting, “humbug” is the weapon as a “pis aller.” Katchiba

having no physical force, adopted cunning, and the black art controlled

the savage minds of his subjects. Strange does it appear, that these

uncivilized inhabitants of Central Africa should, although devoid of

religion, believe implicitly in sorcery; giving a power to man

superhuman, although acknowledging nothing more than human. Practical

and useful magic is all that is esteemed by the savage, the higher

branches would be unappreciated; and spirit-rapping and mediums are

reserved for the civilized (?) of England, who would convert the black

savages of Africa.

 

Notwithstanding his magic, Katchiba was not a bad man: he was remarkably

civil, and very proud at my having paid him a visit. He gave me much

information regarding the country, but assured me that I should not be

able to travel south for many months, as it would be quite impossible to

cross the Asua river during the rainy season; he therefore proposed that

I should form a camp at Obbo, and reside there until the rains should

cease. It was now May, thus I was invited to postpone my advance south

until December.

 

I determined to make a reconnaissance south towards the dreaded Asua,

or, as the Obbo people pronounced it, the Achua river, and to return to

my fixed camp. Accordingly I arranged to leave Mrs. Baker at Obbo with a

guard of eight men, while I should proceed south without baggage,

excepting a change of clothes and a cooking pot. Katchiba promised to

take the greatest care of her, and to supply her with all she might

require; offering to become personally responsible for her safety; he

agreed to place a spell upon the door of our hut, that nothing evil

should enter it during my absence. It was a snug little dwelling, about

nine feet in diameter, and perfectly round; the floor well cemented with

cowdung and clay, and the walls about four feet six inches in height,

formed of mud and sticks, likewise polished off with cowdung. The door

had enlarged, and it was now a very imposing entrance of about four feet

high, and a great contrast to the surrounding hut or dog-kennel with two

feet height of doorway.

 

On the 7th of May I started with three men, and taking a course south, I

rode through a most lovely country, within five miles of the base, and

parallel with the chain of the Madi mountains. There was abundance of

beautiful flowers, especially of orchidaceous plants; the country was

exceedingly parklike and well wooded, but generally overgrown with

grass then about six feet high. After riding for about fourteen miles,

one of the guides ran back, and reported elephants to be on the road a

little in advance. One of my mounted men offered to accompany me should

I wish to hunt them. I had no faith in my man, but I rode forward, and

shortly observed a herd of ten bull elephants standing together about

sixty yards from the path. The grass was high, but I rode through it to

within about forty yards before I was observed; they immediately dashed

away, and I followed for about a mile at a trot, the ground being so

full of holes and covered with fallen trees concealed in the high grass,

that I did not like to close until I should arrive in a more favourable

spot. At length I shot at full gallop past an immense fellow, with tusks

about five feet projecting from his jaws, and reining up, I fired with a

Reilly No. 10 at the shoulder. He charged straight into me at the sound

of the shot. My horse, Filfil, was utterly unfit for a hunter, as he

went perfectly mad at the report of a gun fired from his back, and at

the moment of the discharge he reared perpendicularly; the weight, and

the recoil of the rifle, added to the sudden rearing of the horse,

unseated me, and I fell, rifle in hand, backwards over his hindquarters

at the moment the elephant rushed in full charge upon the horse. Away

went “Filfil,” leaving me upon the ground in a most inglorious position;

and, fortunately, the grass being high, the elephant lost sight of me

and followed the horse instead of giving me