Richard Galbraith, Mariner Part 10

About an hour after we had lighted upon the first footprints, we reached an opening or glade within the bush, where through the tall tree-trunks we perceived about four or five elephants browsing. My lack of knowledge respecting hunting in Caffraria would speedily have finished me entirely had not Tugela had the forethought to advise me to take to a tree, and hurl my a.s.sagais from thence; for to an European, with a body not devoid of clothes, neither well oiled nor accustomed to the exercise, it would be impossible to penetrate the bush rapidly, as it would soon become necessary to do to avoid the enraged animal, which, when struck, always took to the forest in the direction of his a.s.sailants.

Accepting his advice, I speedily selected a tall tree, which, thanks to my nautical experience, I climbed with ease, and from its branches looked down upon the black, shining bodies of the hunters and the browsing elephants, as yet unconscious of the danger which was so near at hand.

Tugela had pointed out to me the beast which was to be the victim--a fine fellow truly--and I longed for one of our English rifles, when I could have picked him off in two twos, whereas I soon found the a.s.sagai wounded only to irritation, and finally killed by exhaustion, such as a man might die from on being p.r.i.c.ked to death by large pins. I have no doubt this is the reason which makes the Kaffirs, in a herd of these animals, attack one and one only. Looking down, I perceived that the hunters were approaching the edge of the bush, which yet concealed them, wriggling through it like snakes, with their a.s.sagais ready to hand. As they neared the open s.p.a.ce, I fancied the elephants became aware of our presence, for the one we had spotted threw up his trunk suddenly, stamped with its foot, and uttered one of their loud, peculiar, trumpet-like cries. The next moment some twenty a.s.sagais shot with unerring aim through the air, and penetrated the animal's thick leather-like hide.

His cry of fear and rage was terrible to hear. First he seemed confounded, then, while the rest fled in terror, conscious, no doubt, by his cries that danger was in their neighbourhood, he rushed blindly forward into the bush.

I now recognised the wisdom of Tugela's advice to such an amateur hand as I; for as the enraged beast dashed on, trampling the underwood beneath his feet, it was as much as the Kaffirs themselves could do to avoid being crushed by slipping out of the way. Like monkeys, they dodged about him, darting their a.s.sagais at every opportunity that presented itself, while I from my vantage-ground hurled one now and then with all the force I could command.

I must not forget to mention one very important auxiliary of the hunters. This was their dogs. These little wretches, now let loose, snapped and barked about the ponderous creature, irritating him to such a degree as to render him at times quite regardless of the sharp stings--for they appeared little more--of the spears.

I have said that I cast one of my a.s.sagais only occasionally. I did so for this reason: I now had always the thought of escape before my eyes, so I refrained from parting with all my weapons, thinking they might prove of greater use hereafter; so I merely acted as spectator, and looked on till I began to fancy the miserable creature--whose trumpet-like bellowings were growing fainter and fainter--never would fall. It truly was a cruel kind of hunting. His ma.s.sive body was covered with blood streaming from the many wounds, and he staggered on his thick legs; but he yet continued to dash at his a.s.sailants, maddened by rage and pain, and strove to turn sharply upon the snapping, barking dogs. At last, however, when his black hide resembled a lady's pincushion supplied with many pins, he gave a great reel, a final cry, and sunk slowly upon his knees, apparently dead.

A delighted shout issued from the throats of the hunters, as, swarming forward, they repossessed themselves of their weapons, then proceeded to place on the animal's tusks the mark of their owner, who, by hunters'

rules, was the one who had inflicted the first wound, after which they cut off its tail, that being, like the fox's brush in England, considered a great trophy.

Seeing no reason why I should remain longer in my private box, as it were, the drama having come to an end, I made haste to descend; but whether it was through being incommoded with the spears I carried, or from some other reason, certain it is that I had not got more than half-way down, when I fell--fell, as ill luck would have it, right into the extended branches of a hook plant. Instantly aware of my danger, I strove to free myself; but quickly found that what Mr Ferguson had said was true--that the more one tried to clear themselves, the more entangled they would get. The plant seemed endowed with life, and with its fingers fastened closer and closer about me at the least move; therefore I wisely remained motionless, only exerting my voice, which I did to the top of my lungs.

For some while no heed was paid to me, all the Kaffirs being too busily engaged with their prize; but after about a quarter of an hour, as far as I could judge, Tugela came to ascertain the cause of my shouting. On perceiving the fix I was in, he burst into a fit of laughter, for the Kaffir dearly loves fun, or anything verging on a joke. Seeing nothing I could do better, I joined him, till his face growing rather more serious, I put the question as to how I was to get free.

There was but one method. Like the sheep in the fable, which got into a thorn bush to shelter itself from the storm, to quit it I was compelled to leave my fleece, or clothes, behind me. This, considering the state they were in, I found but little difficulty in doing, and when once extricated, with Tugela's help, I managed to recover my rags by cutting them from the thorns. On donning them, however, I became aware that I should very speedily have to adopt the native dress entirely unless I intended to go without any costume, at all. This was the first time I had come in close contact with the unfriendly grasp of the hook plant, but, I am sorry to say, it was not the last. I shall have to recount a similar event farther on, when I was not so fortunate in getting so speedily extricated, but really believed that, after all my hair-breadth escapes, death had seized me indeed. But to return to the hunting party.

Metilulu had by this time arrived, and was waiting in the glade for the next ceremonies to begin. I had now of necessity to make my appearance before him, and did so with some trepidation, but to my great relief found that he welcomed me with a smile, and by a sign invited me to sit down by him. I instantly obeyed, and, as a natural consequence on such instances, Tugela took his place close at hand. I knew by his expression that the first remark the chief made was respecting my torn garments, the reason for which seemed to amuse him as much as it had the interpreter, for he laughed heartily; in fact, to my satisfaction, he appeared in the best of tempers; perhaps it arose from the prospect of the feast he was going to enjoy, and the joila or beer he had drunk, for a jar of that much beloved liquor stood within reach, and of which he condescendingly invited me to partake. He then, through Tugela, asked me what I had thought of the hunt, and how it was conducted in our country. I replied that we had no such animals in England, or even in Europe, but when our people settled in or visited Africa, or another great country called India, they used a rifle which killed the elephants in a quarter of the time the a.s.sagais did. This seemed much to astonish him, though he had heard of and even seen guns; the Boers had them, he said, and some travellers who had once stayed at the kraal a few days had carried such weapons.

My readers may imagine how my heart leaped at this last news, which showed that white men did occasionally come there, and were permitted to leave unmolested. I drew hope for my own deliverance from it, and the landscape, with its candelabra-looking _euphorbia_ trees and parasitical monkey-ropes, seemed to put on a far brighter aspect to my eyes than they had the moment before.

So elated was I at the intelligence I had just heard, that I determined to win Metilulu's good opinion as much as I possibly could, for which purpose I gave Tugela enough to do to interpret the enthusiastic praises I expressed for everything--omitting the wizard affair, of course--which I had witnessed in Caffraria; while I also gave the chief long accounts upon any subject respecting my own land that I thought would amuse him.

During our conversation the hunters had been engaged with the slain elephant. Having cut a large hole in its side, they removed the intestines, which in their opinion is the finest part; then as they were to camp out, and the feast to be held there, two of the animal's ma.s.sive feet were severed, and prepared to be baked with some slices of the trunk.

The method of baking is as follows:--A large hole is dug in the ground, which is filled with wood and dry moss; this is ignited, and kept supplied till the cavity is filled with bright glowing embers; these are removed by the Kaffirs with large poles--for the heat is intense,--then the large elephant's foot is rolled into the burning hole, and immediately covered with fresh branches, which are lighted--a bonfire is made, indeed, and when it has burnt itself out the cooking is considered complete.

The foot presents when done a most gelatinous appearance, and, as I was honoured by dining with the chief, I suppose I was regaled with the best parts. I must own, whether it was hunger acting as an excellent sauce or not, that I thought it extremely good, and enjoyed the repast.

The feasting lasted some time; for when a Kaffir gets an opportunity of eating flesh _ad libitum_, he makes good use of it, and their capacity of consumption is _immense_, as will be seen when I state that, on looking round at the conclusion of the meal, I perceived the skeleton of the elephant alone remaining. Save a few strips hung over the branches of the trees to dry for the morrow--called "biltongue" in the native language--every atom of the flesh had been consumed.

The hunters, and especially Metilulu, having eaten and drank till nature could receive no more, rolled themselves in their karosses, and, having first placed a guard to keep up the fires, so as to scare off the wild beasts, extended themselves on the ground to seek the sleep which speedily comes to them.

With a fervent prayer that Metilulu might always keep in the same good humour that he had been in that day, I thought I could not do better than follow the excellent example of my companions; and I remember I fell asleep wondering how it was that the chief had never referred to the handsome present of a wife which he had wished to make me.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

UNPLEASANT NEWS--DEATH OF ANZUTU--FUNEREAL RITES.

The sun had not risen very high before the hunting party was astir and preparing to return to the kraal. The head of the elephant was left where it was to decompose, which, under such a sun, it would not take long doing, when the tusks could easily be removed. It may appear strange that so valuable a portion of the animal should be left unguarded in the bush; but there is a great amount of honour between Kaffir hunters, and each strictly respects the mark of the other. The Kaffir whose property they had become by right of the first wound-- though the chief being present I found they were to be presented to him--was a great hunter, as could be seen by the leopard tails which formed his ap.r.o.ns and the teeth of wild beasts of which his necklaces and bracelets were composed; for in Caffraria, if a man wants to dress in these much-prized ornaments, he cannot purchase them, but must first slay their natural possessors. So proud is the hunter of these trophies of his prowess, that he will rarely part with them save to his chief or the exacting witch-doctor.

On nearing the kraal I remarked a sudden change in my companions'

manner, which I could not but attribute to the appearance of, or signs made by, some Kaffirs who stood at the entrance to the huts, evidently watching for our return, for no sooner did we come in sight than they advanced towards us. As they approached, I saw that they were divested of all ornaments, while they wore the oldest ap.r.o.ns and karosses they possessed. Guessing there must be some cause for this, I awaited the result with much curiosity.

The two parties had now advanced near enough to exchange sentences, and no sooner were the first uttered than a mournfully dolorous cry arose from the hunters, who frantically began tearing off their ornaments, even to the Chief Metilulu, who, instantly taking the lead, hurried on as fast as his obesity would permit.

Remembering how the Jews of old, on the illness or death of those dear to them, rent their garments and cast dust upon their heads, I could not help fancying that this removal of all decorations, accompanied by the cries of sorrow, must be occasioned by the same cause, and making my way to Tugela, I put the question as to the reason of the sudden change in the hunters to him.

He answered that during our absence Anzutu had been taken much worse, and was not expected to recover. He told me this in a round-about way, for the Kaffir avoids the word "death" as an Englishman might the plague, and it is not considered etiquette to mention it ever in a chief's presence. Though a Kaffir has no idea of time, and regards his life as not his own, but his chief's, who may order his execution at, any moment he please yet they, greatly dread death when it comes naturally, and would give anything, to conceal those precursors to old age--grey hairs.

When I heard that Anzutu would probably die after all, I could not help thinking that the death of the wretched wizard had not done much good.

Whether Tugela had divined my thoughts I do not know, but when he spoke again he certainly answered them.

"Had Metilulu applied to the witch-doctor sooner," he said, "this might not have been; the wizard had got too much power before he was stopped."

We had now entered the kraal, where I found both men and women attired in their oldest ap.r.o.ns, without ornament, and all betraying the deepest signs of grief. Metilulu, attended only by his chief warriors, had hurried to his own hut to await further bulletins, which soon came, for we had not returned an hour before the news spread through the community that Anzutu was dead.

Never shall I forget the tremendous noise that then arose. Shriek after shriek--howl after howl--groan after groan. Had Pandemonium broken loose it could not have been worse. Work was suspended entirely, and, stranger still for a Kaffir, eating and drinking also. There they sat howling. Feeling myself, as a spectator, rather out of place in such a scene, I retired to my hut, and watched proceedings from the entrance.

Soon the news that Metilulu's favourite wife had ceased to exist travelled to other kraals, and, to my consternation--for I was almost deafened by the noise already--fresh parties kept arriving all day, and, taking their places, added their voices to the rest; for it appeared Metilulu was a powerful chief among the tribes. The whole day and night they still kept coming, and the noise continued, while never did I see one of the people seek refreshment. Fortunately for myself, I had some dried eland flesh in my hut, with which I stayed my hunger, and so the most miserable twenty-four hours I had yet spent in Caffraria.

In the morning the cries had not ceased; but I went forth, feeling sure that some ceremony--perhaps the burial--would take place after such an uproar, as they could scarcely support it longer. I had seen a wedding--I had seen a Kaffir baby just after birth, and found it to be almost as white as an European's, the skin darkening rapidly afterwards,--and now I desired to witness a funeral.

Proceeding towards Metilulu's huts--that is, his own and those of his wives--I found him outside, dressed in full warrior costume, as were those who stood about him. They were engaged in singing a wild native song; then the chief issued some orders. I had no need to understand the language to learn what they were, as they were instantly followed by the execution of several of the tribe, this evidently being a custom.

The poor fellows received their fate without a murmur; for, as before stated, in Caffraria the chief's word is law, and one which his people obey even on some occasions with rejoicing. Indeed, as the miserable beings were now being executed, I perceived by the expression of their faces that they were uttering praises of the fat despot.

Since I saw this, I have read that, upon the death of persons of rank, frequently a general ma.s.sacre will take place, not only by the chief's direct orders, but rather as if by it the people wish to show their sympathy with him.

When the executions were over, the cries continued, till I beheld many fall down insensible from exhaustion; and glad enough I was when that day and night also came to an end, for I hoped it would be the last of it, as the following morning the remains of Anzutu were to be consigned to the earth; for it is a singular fact that the custom of burying the dead is prevalent all over the world, save in India with the Pa.r.s.ees, where the funeral pyre is raised and the body consumed by fire.

While speaking upon this subject, I may as well say a few words upon the ordinary rite of burial; for it must be remembered that I am here recounting the death and interment of a person of rank, and in that case the show ceremonies are as different in Caffraria as in our own land, where the plain hea.r.s.e and mourning coach tell of a poor person's demise, and waving feathers, velvet trappings, a long string of carriages, men with gilt-tipped rods, announce that of a rich man, who, even in death, cannot surrender the pomp and vanities of this world, but would, as it were, strive to prove the falsity of the saying, "In death all are equal." But to return to the Kaffirs. On the death of a chief, the people mourn and fast, as above described, till the dead man is buried in the isibaya, where only the head men are permitted to be interred, and where women are never permitted to enter, dead or alive.

The commoners are buried in a hole outside the kraal. A hole too, is the proper word to use, for it is small and deep, the body not lying horizontally, but in a sitting position, with the knees close up to the chin. By its side are buried the weapons it used in life, the points being bent to render them useless; while if it be a chief, and rich, oxen are at times killed at the grave.

The next morning all turned out to attend the funeral, I, of course, making one of the number, though I did not mingle with the chief mourners.

A very large hole had been made--about seven feet square,--which caused me to think, if it were for Anzutu, she must have far exceeded her husband in bulk; but my horror was again excited when I found that, as Metilulu desired to show every possible honour to his departed wife, he had issued an order that half-a-dozen young girls were to be buried _alive_ with her.

I had often heard of the custom of immolating victims at the grave of a chief in savage countries, and I had read the adventures of that Marco Polo of Eastern romance, Sinbad, wherein he had, according to the custom of the country, been buried with his dead wife; but I had never known till now that the terrible rite of interring the living with the dead existed in Caffraria.

As I have, I believe, previously stated, female beauty in that part of the world where I then was is anything but prepossessing to European eyes; yet I felt my flesh creep, and my pulses throb with impotent rage, as any Englishman's would, at the sight of these young girls being, without the least resistance, buried alive. The thought was too horrible, and, starting up, I determined to expostulate with Metilulu, regardless of the consequences, upon the performance of such a barbarous rite.

Hastening on, I came across Tugela, to whom, as I should require his a.s.sistance, I naturally confided my intention. He looked at me first in surprise; then most earnestly persuaded me, for my own safety, to refrain from such an absurd proceeding, affirming that, whatever I might say, Metilulu, in his present state of grief, would not listen, but, on the contrary, would very likely have me executed too for trying to insult the memory of his wife. Despite these a.s.sertions, I was yet persisting in my plan, when Tugela put a stop to it entirely by saying that if I was resolved, so was he not to interpret correctly a sentence of my request.

Therefore I had to give up my attempt, consoling myself with the belief--which was no doubt correct--that my words would have had little if any effect upon the despotic ruler. Meanwhile the rites went on, the awful burial took place, a special guard was placed over the spot to watch there for one year, and the mourners returned to the kraal, where another ceremony consequent upon a death took place, which again reminded me of the Jewish laws regarding cleansing and purification.

The prophets, or doctors, of the kraal, on the people's return, sent them to bathe in an adjacent stream, and afterwards administered medicine to each, while those who had actually touched the body had to undergo this purification twice before they could resume their usual every-day's labour; for a Kaffir has a great repugnance to touch a corpse. It is only their love which will make them do so at all, and cases are frequent, where the affection has not been great, that the relations of the dying person, not waiting for their demise, have cast them into a river, to save the necessity of handling the dead body a few hours later.

Oxen were now killed and prepared for the funereal feast, during the preparation of which the company unceasingly bewailed the loss of the departed; then, having heartily partaken of the meal, all repaired to their different kraals.

I was no little pleased to see an end of it, and, when all at last seemed quiet, I set out for a saunter, hoping to come across Tugela.

This I soon did, and, after a little while, put to him the question which my curiosity--that feeling which, since the time of Mrs Bluebeard, has so often led both men and women into danger--urged me to.

This was, why Metilulu had taken my refusal so indifferently, never, indeed, having noticed it.