BEFORE following Stanley in his last great expedition
for the relief
of Emin Pasha, an undertaking which has again drawn toward
him the eyes of the whole civilized world, we will turn
our atten-
tion to the extraordinary achievements and daring feats
of other
African travellers, whose renown is scarcely less than
that of Stanley
himself A brilliant galaxy of explorers shine resplendent
in the firma-
ment of modern discovery, and we come now to fresh tales
of heroism
and adventure worthy to rank with those already related.
We are deal-
ing with almost superhuman achievements, and the historic
pages on
which they are written have a fascination for every lover
of brave deeds,
heroic sacrifices, and deathless devotion to a great
cause.
Sir Samuel, then untitled Mr. Baker, was already an experienced
traveller and a practiced sportsman, when in March, 1861,
having resolved
to devote his energies to the discovery of one of the
sources of the Nile,
he set forth from England to proceed up the mysterious
river from its
mouth, inwardly determined to accomplish the difficult
task or to die in
the attempt. He had, however, shortly before married
a young wife.
She, with a devoted love and heroism seldom surpassed,
notwithstanding
'the dangers and difficulties she knew she must encounter,
entreated to
accompany her husband.
Leaving Cairo on the 15 th of April, they sailed up the
Nile. Soon
the discomforts of travel became almost unbearable, as
will be seen from
the following entry, early in May, in Baker's journal
:
" No air. The thermometer 104 degrees ; a stifling heat.
Becalmed,
we have been lying the entire day below the ruins of
Philse. These are
the most imposing monuments of the Nile, owing to their
peculiar situa-
tion upon a rocky island that commands the passage of
the river above
the cataract. The banks of the stream are here hemmed
in by ranges of
hills from 100 to 250 feet high ; these are entirely
destitute of soil, being
?composed of enormous masses of red granite, piled block
upon block
the rude masonry of Nature that has walled in the river.
Barren Rocks and Sandy Wastes.
" The hollows between the hills are choked with a yellow
sand, which,
drifted by the wind, has, in many instances, completely
filled the narrow
valleys. Upon either side of the Nile are vestiges of
ancient forts. The
land appears as though it bore the curse of Heaven ;
misery, barrenness,
and the heat of a furnace, are its features. The glowing
rocks, devoid
?of a? trace of vegetation, reflect the sun with an intensity
that must be
felt to be understood. The miserable people who dwell
in villages upon
the river's banks snatch every sandbank from the retiring
stream, and im-
mediately plant their scanty garden with melons, gourds,
and lentils, this
being their only resource for cultivation. Not an inch
of available soil
is lost ; but day by day, as the river decreases, fresh
rows of vegetables
are sown upon the newly-acquired land. At Assouan, the
sandbanks are
purely sand brought down by the cataracts, therefore
soil must be added
to enable the people to cultivate. They dig earth from
the ruins of the
ancient town ; this they boat across the river and spread
upon the sand-
bank, by which excessive labor they secure sufficient
mold to support
their crops.
" In the vicinity of Philaae the very barrenness of the
scenery possesses
a charm. The iron-like sterility of the granite rocks,
naked except in
spots where the wind has sheeted them with sand ; the
groves of palms
springing unexpectedly into view in this desert wilderness,
as a sudden
bend of the river discovers a village ; the ever blue
and never clouded
sky above, and, the only blessing of this blighted land,
the Nile, silently
flowing between its stern walls of rocks towards the
distant land of
Lower Egypt, form a total that produces a scene to be
met with nowhere
but upon the Nile. In this miserable spot the unfortunate
inhabitants
are taxed equally with those of the richer districts
about ten cents,
annually for each date palm."
When the party had been twenty-six days on the river they
reached
Korosko. At this wretched spot the Nile is dreary beyond
description,
as a vast desert, unenlivened by cultivation, forms its
borders, through
which the melancholy river rolls towards Lower Egypt
in the cloudless
glare of a Tropical sun. Whence came this extraordinary
stream that
could flow through these burning sandy deserts, unaided
by tributary
channels? That was the mysterious question as they stepped
upon the
shore now, to commence a land journey in search of the
distant:
sources. They climbed the steep sandy bank, and sat down
beneath a.
solitary sycamore.
A Wretched Place.
Korosko is not rich in supplies. A few miserable Arab
huts, with the
usual fringe of dusty date palms, compose the village
; the muddy river
is the frontier on the west, the burning desert on the
east. Thus hemmed
in, Korosko is a narrow strip of a few yards width on
the margin of the
Nile, with only one redeeming feature in its wretchedness
the green
shade of the old sycamore beneath which they sat.
Baker says : " I had a firman from the Viceroy, a cook,
and a drago-
man. Thus, my outfit was small. The firman was an order
to all Egyp-
tian officials for assistance ; the cook was dirty and
incapable ; and the
interpreter was nearly ignorant of English, although
a professed polyglot.
With this small beginning, Africa was before me, and
thus I commenced
the search for one of the sources of the Nile."
From Korosko the travellers crossed the Nubian Desert
on camels,
with the simoon in full force and the heat intense, to
Berber. Here Mr.
Baker, finding his want of Arabic a great drawback, resolved
to devote
a year to the study of that language, and to spend the
time in the com-
paratively known regions to the north of Abyssinia, while
he explored
the various confluences of the Blue Nile.
Berber is a large town, and in appearance is similar to
the Nile towns
of Lower Egypt, consisting of the usual dusty, unpaved
streets, and flat-
roofed houses of sun-baked bricks. It is the seat of
a Governor or
Mudir, and is generally the quarters for about 1,500
troops. Says Baker;
We were very kindly received by Halleem Effendi,
the ex-Governor,
who at once gave us permission to pitch the tents in
his garden, close to
the Nile, on the southern outskirt of the town. After
fifteen days of
desert marching, the sight of a well-cultivated garden
was an Eden in
our eyes. About eight acres of land, on the margin of
the river, were
thickly planted with lofty date groves, and shaded citron
and lemon trees,
beneath which we reveled in luxury on our Persian rugs,
and enjoyed
complete rest after the fatigue of our long journey.
Beautiful Garden.
" Countless birds were chirping and singing in the trees
above us ;
innumerable ring-doves were cooing in the shady palms
; and the sudden
change from the deadly sterility of the 'desert to the
scene of verdure
and of life produced an extraordinary effect upon the
spirits. What
caused this curious transition ? Why should this charming
oasis, teem-
ing with vegetation and with life, be found in the yellow,
sandy desert ?
Water had worked this change ; the spirit of the Nile,
more potent than
any genii of the Arabian fables, had transformed the
desert into a fruit-
ful garden. Halleem Effendi, the former Governor, had,
many years
ago, planted this garden, irrigated by numerous water-wheels
; and we
now enjoyed the fruits, and thanked Heaven for its greatest
blessings in
that burning land, shade and cool water."
The garden of Halleem Effendi was attended by a number
of fine,
powerful slaves from the White Nile, whose stout frames
and glossy
skins were undeniable witness of their master's care.
Here Baker and
his party received visits from their host and the governor,
as well as from
other officers, who expressed their astonishment when
they announced
their intention of proceeding to the head of the Nile.
" Do not go on such an absurd errand," exclaimed Halleem
Effendi,
" Nobody knows anything about the Nile. We do not even
know the
source of the Atbara. While you remain within the territory
of the
Pacha of Egypt you will be safe ; but the moment you
cross the frontier
you will be in the hands of savages."
Their host sent them daily presents of fruit by a charmingly
pretty
slave girl, whose numerous mistresses requested permission
to pay the
travellers a visit.
In the cool hour of evening a bevy of ladies approached
through the
dark groves of citron trees, so gaily dressed in silks
of the brightest dyes
of yellow, blue and scarlet, that no bouquet of flowers
could have been
more gaudy. They were attended by numerous slaves, and
the head
servant politely requested Baker to withdraw during the
interview.
Some of these ladies were very young and pretty, and
of course exercised
a certain influence over their husbands ; thus, on the
following morning
the travellers were inundated with visitors, as the male
members of the
family came to thank them for the manner in which their
ladies had been
received ; and fruit, flowers, and the general produce
of the garden were
presented them in profusion. However pleasant, there
were drawbacks
to their Garden of Eden; there was dust in their Paradise
sudden
clouds raised by whirlwinds in the desert, which fairly
choked the ears
and nostrils when thus attacked. June is the season when
these phe-
nomena are most prevalent. At that time the rains have
commenced in
the south, and are extending toward the north; the cold
and heavier air
of the southern I'ain-clouds sweeps down upon the overheated
atmos-
phere of the desert, and produces sudden, violent squalls
and whirlwinds
when least expected, as at that time the sky is cloudless.
Guard of Turkish Soldiers.
After a week spent at this pleasant spot, they commenced
their journey,
attended by a guard of Turkish soldiers, who were to
act in the double
capacity of escort and servants. Their dragoman was called
Mahomet,
and the principal guide Achmet. The former, though almost
black,
declared that his color was of a light brown. As already
stated, he spoke
very bad English, was excessively conceited, and irascible
to a degree.
Accustomed to the easy-going expeditions on the Nile,
he had no taste
for the rough sort of work his new master had undertaken.
The jour-
ney across the desert tract was performed on donkeys,
the luggage as
well as some of the travellers, being carried on camels
or dromedaries.
In two days they reach the junction of the Atbara river
with the
Nile. Here, crossing a broad surface of white sand, which
at that season
formed the dry bed of the river, they encamped near a
plantation of
water-melons, with which they refreshed themselves and
their tired don-
keys. The river was here never less than four hundred
yards in width,
with banks nearly thirty feet deep. Not only was it partially
dry, but so
clear was the sand-bed that the reflection of the sun
was almost unbear-
able.
Fine River and Forest Game.
They traveled along the banks of the river for some days,
stopping by
the side of the pools which still remained. Many of these
pools were
full of crocodiles and hippopotami. One of these river-horses
had lately
killed the proprietor of a melon-garden, who had attempted
to drive the
creature from his plantation. Mr. Baker had the satisfaction
of killing
one of the monsters in shallow water. It was quickly
surrounded by
Arabs, who hauled it on shore, and, on receiving his
permission to take
the meat, in an instant a hundred knives were at work,
the men fighting
to obtain the most delicate morsels. He and his wife
breakfasted that
morning on hippopotamus flesh, which was destined to
be their general
food during their journey among the Abyssinian tributaries
of the Nile.
Game abounded, and he shot gazelles and hippopotami sufficient
to keep
the whole camp well supplied with meat.
One day in June they were nearly suffocated by a whirlwind
that
buried everything in the tents several inches in dust.
The heat was
intense ; the night, however, was cool and pleasant.
About half-past
eight, as Mr. Baker lay asleep, he fancied that he heard
a rumbling like
distant thunder. The low uninterrupted roll increasing
in volume, pres-
ently a confusion of voices arose from the Arabs' camp,
his men shout-
ing as they rushed through the darkness : " The river
! the river ! "
Mahomet exclaimed that the river was coming down, and
that the
supposed distant roar was the approach of water. Many
of the people,
who had been sleeping on the clean sand of the river's
bed, were quickly
awakened by the Arabs, who rushed down the steep bank
to save the
skulls of two hippopotami which were exposed to dry.
Sudden Rise of tlie Nile.
The sound of the torrent, as it rushed by amid the darkness,
and the
men, dripping with wet, dragging their heavy burdens
up the bank, told
that the great event had occurred. The river had arrived
like a thief in
the night. The next morning, instead of the barren sheet
of clear white
sand with a fringe of withered bush and trees upon its
borders, cutting
the yellow expanse of desert, a magnificent stream, the
noble Atbara
river flowed by, some five hundred yards in width, and
from fifteen to
twenty feet in depth. Not a drop of rain, however, had
fallen; but the
current gave the traveller a clue to one portion of the
Nile mystery.
The rains were pouring down in Abyssinia these were
the sources of
the Nile.
The rainy season, however, at length began, during which
it was
impossible to travel. The Arabs during that period migrate
to the
drier regions in the north. On their way they arrived
in the neighbor-
hood of the camp of the great Sheikh Achmet Abou Sinn,
to whom Mr.
Baker had a letter of introduction. Having sent it forward
by Mahomet,
in a short time the sheikh appeared, attended by several
of his principal
people. He was mounted on a beautiful snow-white dromedary,
his'
appearance being remarkably dignified and venerable.
Although
upwards of eighty years old, he was as erect as a lance,
and of herculean
stature ; a remarkably arched nose, eyes like an eagle's,
beneath large,
shaggy, but perfectly white eyebrows, while a snow-white
beard of great
thickness descended below the middle of his breast. He
wore a large
white turban, and a white cashmere robe reaching from
the throat to the
ankles. He was indeed the perfect picture of a desert
patriarch. He
insisted on the travellers accompanying him to his camp,
and would hear
of no excuses. Ordering Mahomet to have their baggage
repacked, he
requested them to mount two superb dromedaries with saddle-cloths
of
blue and purple sheep-skins, and they set out with their
venerable host,
followed by his wild and splendidly-mounted attendants.
Cordial Welcome of a Great Sheikh.
As they approached the camp they were suddenly met by
a crowd of
mounted men, armed with swords and shields, some on horses,
others on
dromedaries. These were Abou Sinn's people, who had assembled
to do
honor to their chief's guests. Having formed in lines
parallel with the
approach of their guests, they galloped singly at full
speed across the
line of march, flourishing their swords over their heads,
and reining in
their horses so as to bring them on their haunches by
the sudden halt.
This performance being concluded, they fell into line
behind the party.
Declining the sheikh's invitation to spend two or three
months at his
camp, Mr. and Mrs. Baker travelled on to the village
of Sofi, where they
proposed remaining during the rainy season. It was situated
near the
banks of the Atbara, on a plateau of about twenty acres,
bordered on
either side by two deep ravines, while below the steep
cHff in front of the
village flowed the river Atbara. Their tents were pitched
on a level
piece of ground just outside the village, where the grass,
closely nibbled
by the goats, formed a natural lawn. Here huts were built
and some
weeks were pleasantly spent. Mr. Baker found an abundance
of sport,
sometimes catching enormous fish, at others shooting
birds to supply his
larder, but more frequently hunting elephants, rhinoceros,
giraffes, and
other large game.
He here found a German named Florian, a stone-mason by
trade, who
had come out attached to the Austrian mission at Khartoum,
but prefer-
ring a freer life than that city afforded, had become
a great hunter. Mr.
Baker, thinking that he would prove useful, engaged him
as a hunter,
and he afterwards took into his service Florian's black
servant Richarn,
who became his faithful attendant. A former companion
of Florian's,
Johann Schmidt, soon afterwards arrived, and was also
engaged by Mr.
Baker to act as his lieutenant in his proposed White
Nile expedition.
Poor Florian, however, was killed by a lion, and Schmidt
and Richarn
alone accompanied him.
Mr. Baker's skill as a sportsman was frequently called
into play by the
natives, to drive off the elephants and hippopotami which
infested their
plantations. One afternoon he was requested to shoot
a savage old bull
hippopotamus which had given chase to several people.
He rode to
the spot, about two miles off, where the hippopotamus
lived in a
deep and broad portion of the river. The old hippopotamus
was at
home.
The river, about two hundred and fifty yards wide, had
formed by an
acute bend a deep hole. In the centre of this was a sandbank
just below
the surface. Upon this shallow bed the hippotamus was
reposing. On
perceiving the party he began to snort and behave himself
in a most
absurd manner, by shaking his head and leaping half way
out of the
water. Mr. Baker had given Bacheet and other attendants
rifles, and had
ordered them to follow on the bank. He now directed one
to fire several
shots at the hippopotamus, in order if possible, to drive
the animal
towards him. The hippo, a wicked, solitary, old bull,
returned the insult
by charging towards Bacheet with a tremendous snorting,
which sent
him scrambling up the steep bank in a panic. This gave
the brute con-
fidence ; and the sportsman, who had hitherto remained
concealed, called
out according to Arabic custom : " Hasinth I JiasintJi
f the Arabic for
hippopotamus. The brute, thinking no doubt that he might
as well
drive the intruder away, gave a loud snort, sank, and
quickly reappeared
about a hundred yards from him. On this Mr. Baker ordered
Bacheet
to shoot to attract the animal's attention. As the hippopotamus
turned
his head, Mr. Baker took a steady shot, aiming behind
the ear, and im-
mediately the saucy old hippo turned upon his back and
rolled about,
lashing the still pool into waves, until at length he
disappeared.
Famous Arab Hunters.
His intention of engaging a party of the Hamran Arabs,
celebrated as
hunters, to accompany him in his explorations of the
Abyssinian rivers
having become known, several of these men made their
appearance at
Sofi. They are distinguished from the other tribes of
Arabs by an extra
length of hair, worn parted down the centre and arranged
in long curls.
They are armed with swords and shields, the former having
long, straight,
two-edged blades, with a small cross for the handle,
similar to the long,
straight, cross-handled blades of the crusaders. Their
shields, formed
of rhinoceros, giraffe, or elephant-hide, are either
round or oval. Their
swords, which they prize highly, are kept as sharp as
razors. The length
of the blade is about three feet, and the handle six
inches long. It is
secured to the wrist by a leathern strap, so that the
hunter cannot by any
accident be disarmed.
These men go in chase of all wild animals of the desert
; some are
noted as expert hippopotamus slayers, but the most celebrated
are the
Aggageers, or elephant hunters. The latter attack the
huge animal
either on horseback, or on foot when they cannot afford
to purchase
steeds. In the latter case, two men alone hunt together.
They follow
the tracks of an elephant which they contrive to overtake
about noon,
when the animal is either asleep or extremely listless
and easy to approach.
Should the elephant be asleep, one of the hunters will
creep towards its
head, and with a single blow sever the trunk stretched
on the ground, the
result being its death within an hour from bleeding.
Should the animal
be awake, they will creep up from behind, and give a
tremendous cut at
the back sinew of the hind leg, immediately disabling
the monster. It is
followed up by a second cut on the remaining leg, when
the creature
becomes their easy prey.
When hunting on horseback, generally four men form a party,
and
they often follow the tracks of a herd from their drinking-place
for
upwards of twenty miles. Mr. Baker accompanied them on
numerous
hunting expeditions, and witnessed the wonderful courage
and dexterity
they displayed.
After spending three months at Soft, he set out for the
Settite River,
he and his wife crossing the Atbara River on a raft formed
of his large
circular sponging bath supported by eight inflated skins
secured to his
bedstead.
An Old Arab's Trap for the River-horse.
A party of the Aggageers now joined him. Among them was
Abou
Do, a celebrated old hippopotamus hunter, who, with his
spear of trident
shape in hand, might have served as a representative
of Neptune. The
-old Arab was equally great at elephant hunting, and
had on the previous
day exhibited his skill, having assisted to kill several
elephants. He now
divested himself of all his clothing, and set out, taking
his harpoon in
hand, in search of hippopotami.
This weapon consisted of a steel blade about eleven inches
long and
three-qarters of an inch in width, with a single barb.
To it was attached
a strong rope twenty feet long, with a float as large
as a child's head at
the extremity. Into the harpoon was fixed a piece of
bamboo ten feet
long, around which the rope was twisted, while the buoy
was carried on
the hunter's left hand.
After proceeding a couple of miles, a herd of hippopotami
were seen in
a pool below a rapid surrounded by rocks. He, however,
remarking that
they were too wide-awake to be attacked, continued his
course down the
stream till a smaller pool Was reached. Here the immense
head .of a
hippopotamus was seen, close to a perpendicular rock
that formed a wall,
to the river. The old hunter, motioning the travellers
to remain quiet,
immediately plunged into the stream and crossed to the
opposite
bank, whence, keeping himself under shelter, he made
his way directly
towards the spot beneath which the hippopotamus was lying.
Stealthily
he approached, his long thin arm raised, with the harpoon
ready to
strike.
The hippopotamus, however, had vanished, but far from
exhibiting sur-
prise, the veteran hunter remaining standing on the sharp
ledge, un-
changed in attitude. No figure of bronze could be more
rigid than that
of the old river king, as he thus stood, his left foot
advanced, his right
hand grasping the harpoon above his head, and his left
the loose coil of
rope attached to the buoy.
Three minutes thus passed, when suddenly the right arm
of the statue
descended like lightning, and the harpoon shot perpendicularly
into
the pool with the speed of an arrow. In an instant an
enormous pair of
open jaws appeared, followed by the ungainly head and
form of a furious
hippopotamus, who, springing half out of the water, lashed
the river into
foam as he charged straight up the violent rapids. With
extraordinary
power he breasted the descending stream, gaining a footing
in the rapids
where they were about five feet deep, thus making his
way, till, landing
from the river, he started at a full gallop along the
shingly bed, and dis-
appeared in the thorny jungle. No one would have supposed
that so
unwieldly an animal could have exhibited such speed,
and it was fortu-
nate for old Neptune that he was secure on the high ledge
of rock, for
had he been on the path of the infuriated beast, there
would have been
an end of Abou Do.
Tremendous Snorting and Roaring.
The old man rejoined his companions, when Mr. Baker proposed
going in search of the animal. The hunter, however, explained
that
het hippopotamus would certainly return after a short
time to the
water. In a few minutes the animal emerged from the jungle
and
descended at full trot into the pool where the other
hippopotami had
been seen, about half a mile off. Upon reaching it, the
party were
immediately greeted by the hippopotamus, who snorted
and roared
and quickly dived, and the float was seen running along
the surface,
showing his course as the cork of a trimmer does that
of a pike when
hooked.
Several times the hippo appeared, but invariably faced
them, and, as
Mr. Baker could not obtain a favorable shot, he sent
the old hunter
across the stream to attract the animal's attention.
The hippo, turning
towards the hunter, afforded Mr. Baker a good chance,
and he fired a
steady shot behind the ear. The crack of the ball, in
the absence of
any splash from the bullet, showed him that the hippopotamus
was hit,
while the float remained stationary upon the surface,
marking the spot
where the grand old bull lay dead beneath. The hunter
obtaining assis-
tance from the camp, the hippopotamus, as well as another
which had
been shot, were hauled on shore. The old bull measured
fourteen feet
two inches, and the head was three feet one inch from
the front of the
ear to the edge of the lip in a straight line.
Though hippopotami are generally harmless, solitary old
bulls are
sometimes extremely vicious, and frequently attack canoes
without
provocation.
Many of the elephant hunts in which Mr. Baker engaged
were
exciting in the highest degree, and fraught with great
danger.
Among the Aggageers was a hunter, Rodur Sherrif, who,
though his
arm had been withered in consequence of an accident,
was as daring as
any of his companions.
Furious Combat.
The banks of the Royan had been reached, where, a camp
having
been formed, Mr. Baker and his companions set out in
search of
elephants. A large bull elephant was discovered drinking.
The country
around was partly Moody, and the ground strewed with
fragments of
rocks, ill adapted for riding. The elephant had made
a desperate charge,
scattering the hunters in all directions, and very nearly
overtaking Mr,
Baker. He then retreated into a stronghold composed of
rocks and
uneven ground, with a few small leafless trees growing
in it. The scene
must be described in the traveller's own words :
" Here the elephant stood facing the party like a statue,
not moving a
muscle beyond the quick and restless action of the eyes,
which were
watching on all sides. Two of the Aggageers getting into
its rear by a
wide circuit, two others, one of whom was the renowned
Rodur Sherrif,
mounted on a thoroughly-trained bay mare, rode slowly
toward the ani-
mal. Coolly the mare advanced towards her wary antagonist
until within
about nine yards of its head. The elephant never moved.
Not a word
was spoken. The perfect stillness was at length broken
by a snort from
the mare, who gazed intently at the elephant, as though
watching for the
moment of attack. Rodur coolly sat with his eyes fixed
upon those of
the elephant.
"With a shrill scream the enormous creature then suddenly
dashed on
him like an avalanche. Round went the mare as though
upon a pivot,
away over rocks and stones, flying like a gazelle, with
the monkey-like
form of Rodur Sherrif leaning forward and looking over
his left shoul-
der as the elephant rushed after him. For a moment it
appeared as if
the mare must be caught. Had she stumbled, all would
have been lost,
but she gained in the race after a few quick bounding
strides, and Rodur,
still looking behind him, kept his distance, so close,
however, to the
creature, that its outstretched trunk was within a few
feet of the mare's
tail.
" The two Aggageers who had kept in the rear now dashed
forward
close to the hind quarters of the furious elephant, who,
maddened with
the excitement, heeded nothing but Rodur and his mare.
When close to
the tail of the elephant, the sword of one of the Aggageers
flashed
from its sheath as, grasping his trusty blade, he leaped
nimbly to the
ground, while his companion caught the reins of his horse.
Two or
three bounds on foot, with the sword clutched in both
hands, and he
was close behind the elephant. A bright glance shone
like lightning
as the sun struck on the descending steel. This was followed
by a dull
crack, the sword cutting through skin and sinew, and
sinking deep into
the bone about twelve inches above the foot. At the next
stride the ele-
phant halted dead short in the midst of his tremendous
charge. The
Aggageer who had struck the blow vaulted into the saddle
with his
naked sword in hand. At the same moment Rodur turned
sharp round
and, again facing the elephant, stooped quickly from
the saddle to pick
up from the ground a handful of dirt, which he threw
into the face of
the vicious animal, that once more attempted to rush
upon him. It was
impossible ; the foot was dislocated and turned up in
front like an old
shoe. In an instant the other Aggageer leaped to the
ground, and again
the sharp sword slashed the remaining leg."
Nothing, could be more perfect than the way in which these
daring
hunters attack their prey. " It is difficult to decide
which to admire
more whether the coolness and courage of him who led
the elephant,
or the extraordinary skill and activity of the Aggageer
who dealt the
fatal blow."
Thus, hunting and exploring, Mr. Baker, accompanied by
his heroic
wife, visited the numerous river-beds which carry the
rains of the moun-
tainous regions of Abyssinia into the Blue Nile, and
are the cause of the
periodical overflowing of the mighty stream, while its
ordinary current is
fed from other far-distant sources, towards one of which
the traveller now
prepared to direct his steps.
Speke and Grant were at this time making their way from
Zanzibar,
across untrodden ground, towards Gondokoro. An expedition
under
Petherick, the ivory-trader, sent to assist them, had
met with misfortune
and been greatly delayed, and Mr. Baker therefore hoped
to reach the
equator, and perhaps to meet the Zanzibar explorers somewhere
about
the sources of the Nile.
Proceeding along the banks of the Blue Nile, Mr, and Mrs.
Baker
reached Khartoum oh the nth of June, 1862, which they
found to be
a filthy and miserable town.
CONTINUED IN CHAPTER XX.
THE FAMOUS VALLEY OF THE NILE.
http://www.erbzine.com/mag60/6099_20.html
BACK TO
INTRODUCTION
:: CONTENTS
William
Hillman
Visit
our thousands of other sites at:
BILL
and SUE-ON HILLMAN ECLECTIC STUDIO
ERB
Text, ERB Images and Tarzan® are ©Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.-
All Rights Reserved.
All
other Original Work ©1996-2017 by William Hillman and/or Contributing
Authors/Owners
No
part of this web site may be reproduced without permission from the respective
owners.
