On the border of the clearing stood a gigantic elimi tree; along its trunk came out a soft sticky whitish gum, which the people use to make torches with. The forest seemed to be made of three or four layers of trees growing on the top of each other, while here and there, towering above all, rose an immense one that seemed to look down on the great forest from its own lofty height. Under all the trees was the thick jungle, in which roamed wild and often ferocious beasts.
Rogala brought a stool and invited me to a seat under the veranda of his house. Towards sunset Rogala's wife returned with three boys, their children. She carried an infant in a sling on her back. She looked at me in fear and trembling, and she and the children ran to hide. This annoyed Rogala very much, and he called her back in an angry tone. Then he became milder, and told her and the children not to be afraid of his friend the Oguizi.
Soon after two men and their wives, loaded with two large bunches of plantain, and their children made their appearance. These men were Shinshooko and Alapai.
Rogala bade them approach. Shinshooko was over six feet two in height, very thin, and brown in color. He came from a country called Ashango. Alapai was short, thickset, and very black. He came from a tribe called Apono. These two tribes had the same language. Shinshooko and Alapai looked at me constantly, but avoided the glance of my eyes, of which they were afraid. But Rogala allayed their fears by telling them that I was a good Oguizi and a great friend of their master Rotembo, who sent word by him that they must go and hunt with me in the forest.
The three then went away to our canoe and brought back my things with them. Shinshooko and Alapai were eager to hear what had occurred since Rogala had left them, and how it happened that I came with him.
Rogala told all that had taken place, how his master Rotembo had given him to me, that I was a great hunter, and that I came to hunt with them.
Shinshooko and Alapai and their families listened in profound silence to the wonderful story of Rogala, and when he had finished it was the turn of Shinshooko and Alapai to tell what had happened during the absence of Rogala. Shinshooko was the speaker, and began thus: "Leopards have made their appearance in the neighborhood since you left, Rogala. What has brought the leopards so suddenly into our neighborhood we cannot tell, but it must be that the bashikouay ants have invaded and scoured a great part of the forest and driven them away, and they have fled towards us. We have seen many tracks of their big paws. We must look out for these leopards and make traps and catch them and hunt them. Fortunately our goat-house is so strong and so secure that leopards cannot break through. But we must do all we can to kill them, for fear that some one of them might be a man-eater and devour some of us or some of our children."
That night numerous fires were lighted to scare away the leopards. I went into my little hut, but kept awake with "Bulldog" by my side, for I thought a leopard might easily come through the thin roof of palm leaves over my head. We all hoped that there was no man-eater among the leopards, for if there were we were sure that he would lie in wait for some one. When once they have tasted human flesh, they like it better than anything else. But no leopard paid us a visit during the night.
CHAPTER V
WE BUILD A LEOPARD TRAP – A NIGHT ON THE WATCH – THE BEAST APPEARS AT LAST – CAUGHT IN THE TRAP AND SOON DESPATCHED – HER MATE KILLED THE FOLLOWING NIGHT – EXCITEMENT OF ANDEKKO AND NDOVA
Early the next morning the men went into the forest to cut poles, and after we had a sufficient number we built a trap to catch the leopard.
We constructed the trap in the following manner according to the plan of Shinshooko, who had the reputation of great skill and ingenuity in making all sorts of traps.
We built with the poles a long narrow funnel-like alley, which became gradually smaller and smaller towards the end, so that it was impossible for the leopard to go entirely through. At the entrance Shinshooko constructed a trap-door which was to fall after the leopard was fairly in. The end of this funnel-like structure communicated with the goat-house, which we surrounded with a double row of poles, so that the leopard could not get through. The roof was made entirely of poles strongly fastened together. The structure was about twenty feet long.
I said to Rogala, Shinshooko, and Alapai: "Tonight I shall not sleep, but will watch for leopards near the goat-house. Perhaps some of them will come when they scent the goats; so do not be afraid if you hear the detonation of a gun. I want all the dogs to be shut up indoors."
When evening came, I took a nap, for I knew that it was the habit of the leopards not to prowl before midnight, unless famished.
Towards eleven o'clock I awoke, and then made ready for the leopards. I took up a position opposite the goat-house under the veranda of a little house, where I was partly hidden from view. I surrounded myself with branches of trees I had gathered during the day. There I waited.
The moon, that was on the wane, rose and threw a dim light all around. It was an ideal night for lying in wait for a leopard.
One o'clock came and no leopard had made his appearance. Time went on slowly. Two o'clock, no leopard. I began to think that they would not call, when suddenly the goats began to bleat. They had scented the approach of a beast of prey and become terrified. Suddenly I saw from behind one of the houses and among three or four plantain trees something moving. It was the leopard. He was coming. His eyes shone as if they were burning coals. Then slowly he advanced towards the trap. I did not wonder that Rogala had admonished me to make no noise. The leopard was slowly crawling near, his belly almost touching the ground.
I watched him carefully to see what he was going to do. His long tail beat his flanks. He sniffed at the goat, and finding that he could not reach the frightened creature, he went round the trap. I watched with breathless attention.
Then he came to the opening, and entered. Soon after I heard the trap-door close behind him. That did not disturb him, for all he thought of was the goat. He went on until he got so jammed in that he could not advance further. Then he became excited as he tried to extricate himself, and roared with anger. He could not turn back, and I fired and killed him.
In an instant Rogala, Shinshooko, and Alapai were out of their cabins, guns in hand, running towards the goat-house. We lighted torches to frighten other leopards, and came out with them. The men gave a terrific war-cry, and shouted: "Leopard, you will not eat more of our goats!" In a short time everybody was around the leopard, looking at him.
I opened his mouth and looked at his terrible-looking canines. "These four canines," I said, "I will send to Rotembo. I hope we shall kill leopards enough to have canines for a big necklace for him."
"Yes," they all shouted, "let us kill all the leopards in the country."
Then all the people danced around the leopard, singing at the same time: "You wicked leopard, your days are over, you will not make any one now fear you. The antelopes and gazelles of the forest would be glad if they knew that you have been killed by the great Oguizi."
The dance lasted until daylight, when we skinned the beast. "Let us make a belt of his skin for Chief Rotembo," I said; and we accordingly did so. The tail I gave to Rogala. We divided the liver into several parts.
Later in the day Rogala, Shinshooko, and I went into the forest with Andekko in search of the lair of the leopard, which was a female, hoping to take the young ones. But we were not successful, and were obliged finally to return without accomplishing our object.
"When night comes," I said to my hunters, "I will lie in wait for the male leopard; perhaps he will come here in search of his mate."
To this the man replied: "Yes, a