They Had Brought A Large Party
To Eat Their Half, And They Divided It With Us In A Friendly Way.
My Men Were Delighted With The Feast, Though, By Lying Unopened A Whole Day,
The Carcass Was Pretty Far Gone.
An astonishing number of hyaenas
collected round, and kept up a loud laughter for two whole nights.
Some of them do make a very good imitation of a laugh.
I asked my men
what the hyaenas were laughing at, as they usually give animals credit
for a share of intelligence. They said that they were laughing
because we could not take the whole, and that they would have plenty to eat
as well as we.
On coming to the part where the elephant was slain, we passed through grass
so tall that it reminded me of that in the valley of Cassange.
Insects are very numerous after the rains commence. While waiting
by the elephant, I observed a great number of insects,
like grains of fine sand, moving on my boxes. On examination with a glass,
four species were apparent; one of green and gold preening its wings,
which glanced in the sun with metallic lustre; another clear as crystal;
a third of the color of vermilion; and a fourth black. These are probably
some of those which consume the seeds of every plant that grows.
Almost every kind has its own peculiar insect, and when the rains are over
very few seeds remain untouched. The rankest poisons,
as the Kongwhane and Euphorbia, are soon devoured; the former
has a scarlet insect; and even the fiery bird's-eye pepper,
which will keep off many others from their own seeds, is itself devoured
by a maggot. I observed here, what I had often seen before,
that certain districts abound in centipedes. Here they have
light reddish bodies and blue legs; great myriapedes are seen
crawling every where. Although they do no harm, they excite in man
a feeling of loathing. Perhaps our appearance produces a similar feeling
in the elephant and other large animals. Where they have been much disturbed,
they certainly look upon us with great distrust, as the horrid biped
that ruins their peace. In the quietest parts of the forest
there is heard a faint but distinct hum, which tells of insect joy.
One may see many whisking about in the clear sunshine in patches
among the green glancing leaves; but there are invisible myriads
working with never-tiring mandibles on leaves, and stalks,
and beneath the soil. They are all brimful of enjoyment. Indeed,
the universality of organic life may be called a mantle of happy existence
encircling the world, and imparts the idea of its being caused
by the consciousness of our benignant Father's smile
on all the works of His hands.
The birds of the tropics have been described as generally wanting
in power of song. I was decidedly of opinion that this was not applicable
to many parts in Londa, though birds there are remarkably scarce.
Here the chorus, or body of song, was not much smaller in volume
than it is in England.
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