The Country of the Dwarfs 3

The Country of the Dwarfs 3

I had great trouble in knowing what quantity of ammunition to take,

for lead is heavy; but, then, what would a man do in a savage country

without powder and bullets?

 

The great difficulty with rifle muzzle-loaders is, that when the charge

has been driven home the bullets can not be easily withdrawn. So it is

with the revolvers; and a great deal of ammunition would be lost on

that account.

 

My ammunition consisted of 15,000 cartridges for my revolvers, in

soldered tin boxes of fifties; 15,000 bullets for my guns and rifles,

and lead for 20,000 more, for the practice of my men before starting

into the desert; 1000 pounds of small shot of different sizes, for

birds; 400 pounds of fine powder; 50,000 caps. I also took 200 10-pound

barrels of coarse powder for my body-guard and to give away to my

friends, or as presents.

 

So you see the warlike and hunting apparatus of the expedition was very

heavy, but we were to depend in a great measure on our guns for food.

Elephants, antelopes, hippopotami, gazelles, crocodiles, and monkeys

would be our chief diet. Then came the scientific instruments:

 

4 strong, splendid hunting-case watches, by Brock, London.

1 watch made by Frodsham, London.

48 spare watch-keys and 24 spare glasses.

3 sextants, 8, 6, and 4 inches radius.

1 binocular yachting-glass.

1 telescope.

1 universal sun-dial (a magnificent instrument).

1 aneroid.

2 compasses, prismatic, with stand, shades, and reflector three

inches in diameter, to take the bearings of land, etc., etc.

2 pocket compasses.

1 set drawing instruments (German silver).

2 dozen drawing-pens.

2 artificial horizons, folding roof, improved iron trough,

and bottles containing quicksilver, in sling case.

1 hypsometrical apparatus.

2 bull's-eye lanterns, copper boiler, three reservoirs for

spirits, oil, or candles.

3 thermometers for measuring heights and boiling water.

2 thermometers for the sun (to know its power).

2 thermometers graduated Fahrenheit and Centigrade.

1 thermometer graduated Centigrade and Reaumur.

1 powerful electro-magnetic machine, with 90 feet of

conducting wire or cord.

2 large magnifying-glasses.

7 pounds of mercury, in a bottle, as a reserve supply.

Parallel rule (German silver).

Protractor, circular, with compass rectifier, in a mahogany

box.

3 rain-gauges and spare glasses, to tell the amount of

rain falling at a given time.

Scale, 18 inches, metal, graduated to inches, and

sub-divided to tenths and hundredths, in a box.

Tape, 100 feet, to measure trees.

75 sheets of skeleton maps, ruled in squares, to mark

out in the rough my daily route as determined by

compass.

 

4 Nautical Almanacs, 1863, '4, '5, '6, to be used in my

astronomical observations; and several other scientific

books.

12 blank books for keeping my daily journal.

10 memorandum-books.

10 quires of paper.

Ink, pens, pencils, slates.

 

For illumination I provided 100 pounds of wax candles, 10 gallons of

spirits (alcohol) for lamps, thermometers, etc., etc.; 12 gross of

matches in boxes, each dozen boxes inclosed in a separate soldered tin

box. Though I had fire-steel and flint, the matches could light a fire

much quicker, and they were "big things" with the natives.

 

So you see I had a complete set of instruments, and in sufficient

number, so that in case of accident I could replace the injured one;

and accidents I knew were sure to happen.

 

If I did not explain to you why I took five watches, I am sure you

would say that I was foolish to spend so much money in watches. Then

let me tell you that I bought so many because I was afraid that if I

took only one or two, they might stop running, and in this event it

would have been impossible for me to know my longitude, that is to say,

how far east or west I might be, and to ascertain the day and month,

should illness have caused me to forget the calendar. No watch can be

safely depended upon to run for five years in such a climate without

cleaning. But as four of them had been made specially for the journey,

I felt assured that at least one or two out of the five would run till

my return.

 

But we have not yet done with my equipment. There were 18 boxes

containing photographic apparatus, with tent, and chemicals for 10,000

photographs. The transportation of these alone would require twenty men.

 

All that I have enumerated to you constituted but a small proportion of

the things that came on board, and were for my special use, with the

exception of the 250 common guns and a great part of the ammunition.

 

There are yet to be mentioned the presents for my old friends, who

had been so kind to me in my former journeys, and whom I hoped to see

again. These were the chiefs whose hospitality I had enjoyed, and my

dear hunters Aboko, Fasiko, Niamkala, Malaouen, Querlaouen, Gambo, dear

old Quengueza, Ranpano, Rikimongani, and Obindji, the Bakalai chief.

Presents, too, were indispensable for the people who were to take me

from tribe to tribe, and the right of way I knew would often have to

be bought. So more than two months had been spent by me in the London

clothing, hardware, and dry-goods establishments, finding what I wanted.

 

I bought more than 5000 pounds of beads of different sizes and colors,

several hundred pieces of cotton goods, some pieces of silks, coats,

waistcoats, shirts, 2000 _red caps_, a few umbrellas, files, knives,

bells, fire-steels, flints, looking-glasses, forks, spoons, some

_stove-pipe_ hats for the kings near the sea-shore, straw hats, etc.,

etc.

 

Then, to impress the wild people with what I could do, I bought several

large Geneva musical boxes, one powerful electrical battery, several

magnets, and six ship clocks, etc., etc.

 

The abundant results of the sale of my "Adventures in Equatorial

Africa," and the proceeds arising from the disposal of my gorillas,

and my collection of beasts, birds, insects, and shells, alone enabled

me to undertake this new expedition, for not one dollar has ever been

given by any scientific society to help me in any of my travels or

explorations; but I was very happy in expending a part of my means in

the interest of science and for the enlargement of our knowledge of

unknown countries. I only wish now I could have done more, but really I

think that I did the best I could.

 

Years had passed away since I had gone first to Africa, my parents were

both dead, I was alone in the world and the world was before me, and I

thought I could do nothing better than make another exploration.

 

I had made up my mind, without confiding my purpose to any one, to

cross the continent of Africa near the equator, from the west to the

head waters of the Nile, and to set out from the Commi country. I knew

my old negro friends would help me. That was the reason my outfit was

on so large a scale.

 

The only thing that worried me before my departure was our civil war,

but then I thought it was soon to end.

 

[Illustration]

 

 

 

 

[Illustration]

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER II.

 

ON THE AFRICAN COAST.--MEETING WITH OLD FRIENDS.--CHANGES IN FOUR

YEARS.--THE CAPTAIN'S MISGIVINGS.

 

 

ON the 5th of August we sailed from London. I will not weary you with

a narrative of the voyage. The days passed pleasantly on board the

Mentor. By the end of the month of August we were not far from the

Tropic of Cancer. September glided away calmly, and on the 7th of

October Captain Vardon said that the following day we should come in

sight of land.

 

Accordingly, the next morning I heard from the main-top the cry of

"Land! land!" Two hours afterward from the deck I could discern the low

lands of the Commi country. Nearer and nearer the coast we came, until

we could see the white surf breaking with terrific force on the shore,

and hear the booming sound of the angry waves as they dashed against

the breakers. The country was so monotonous in its outlines that we

could not make out exactly where we were; we only knew that we were

south of Cape Lopez, and not very far from it. I thought it strange

that I could not recognize the mouth of the Fernand Vaz or Commi River.

 

No canoes could ride through the surf, so no natives could come on

board. In the evening we stood off the land and shortened sail, and

afterward we cast anchor.

 

[Illustration: DU CHAILLU MEETS HIS OLD FRIEND ADJOUATONGA.]

 

The next morning we sailed again in a southerly direction, and at

last we saw a canoe pass through the breakers; it came alongside, and

the negroes in it shouted in English, "Put down the anchor! Plenty of

ivory, plenty of every thing; load the ship in a fortnight."

 

We had passed the Fernand Vaz, having sailed too far south. The mouth

of the river itself is very difficult to discover. Perhaps you may

recollect my having formerly described it as discernible only by the

white surf combing over its bar, by large flocks of fish-eating birds

hovering in the air above it, and by a long, white sandy point forming

the extremity of the land on the left bank.[1]

 

[1] Explorations in Equatorial Africa.

 

As we approached the river, two canoes left the shore and made for

the vessel. In the first, as it neared us, I recognized my friend

Adjouatonga, a chief belonging to the clan Adjiéna, whose villages

occupied the mouth of the river. He climbed up the vessel's side, and

went to shake hands with the captain, and then advanced toward me to

do the same. I had not said a word, but upon my raising my hat, which

had been pulled down so as partly to conceal my face, and turning round

upon him, he stepped back in astonishment, and, recognizing me at

once, cried out in his own language, "Are you Chally, or his spirit?

Have you come from the dead? for we have heard you were dead. Tell me

quickly, for I do not know whether I am to believe my own eyes. Perhaps

I am getting a kendé" (an idiot, a fool). And I said, "Adjouatonga, I

am Chally, your friend!" The good fellow embraced me in a transport

of joy, but he hugged me so tight and so long that I wished his

friendship had been less enthusiastic. Four years had nearly gone by

since I had left the Commi country.

 

As the second canoe came nearer, I ordered Adjouatonga not to say a

word. My heart leaped for joy, for in it were my own people from the

dear, good old African Washington of mine. Sholomba, the nephew of

King Ranpano, was there, and my boy Macondai; all my former canoe-men,

Kombé, Ratenou, Oshimbo, were in that canoe. I longed for them to come

on board. I could hardly restrain myself; but I felt that I must appear

like as if I did not know them, and see whether they would recognize me.