Later In The
Year, When He Could Be Well Spared, He Went Down The River To Take Up
An Appointment
He had been offered in Madagascar; but unfortunately
was so severely tried by illness while detained at the coast, that
For nearly two years he was not able to turn his abilities as a
naturalist to account by proceeding to that island. We have no doubt
but he will yet distinguish himself in that untrodden field.
On the 16th of June we started for the Upper Cataracts, with a mule-
cart, our road lying a distance of a mile west from the river. We
saw many of the deserted dwellings of the people who formerly came to
us; and were very much struck by the extent of land under
cultivation, though that, compared with the whole country, is very
small. Large patches of mapira continued to grow, - as it is said it
does from the roots for three years. The mapira was mixed with tall
bushes of the Congo-bean, castor-oil plants, and cotton. The largest
patch of this kind we paced, and found it to be six hundred and
thirty paces on one side - the rest were from one acre to three, and
many not more than one-third of an acre. The cotton - of very
superior quality - was now dropping off the bushes, to be left to rot-
-there was no one to gather what would have been of so much value in
Lancashire. The huts, in the different villages we entered, were
standing quite perfect. The mortars for pounding corn - the stones
for grinding it - the water and beer pots - the empty corn-safes and
kitchen utensils, were all untouched; and most of the doors were
shut, as if the starving owners had gone out to wander in search of
roots or fruits in the forest, and had never returned. When opened,
several huts revealed a ghastly sight of human skeletons. Some were
seen in such unnatural positions, as to give the idea that they had
expired in a faint, when trying to reach something to allay the
gnawings of hunger.
We took several of the men as far as the Mukuru-Madse for the sake of
the change of air and for occupation, and also to secure for the
ships a supply of buffalo meat - as those animals were reported to be
in abundance on that stream. But though it was evident from the
tracks that the report was true, it was impossible to get a glimpse
of them. The grass being taller than we were, and pretty thickly
planted, they always knew of our approach before we saw them. And
the first intimation we had of their being near was the sound they
made in rushing over the stones, breaking the branches, and knocking
their horns against each other. Once, when seeking a ford for the
cart, at sunrise, we saw a herd slowly wending up the hill-side from
the water. Sending for a rifle, and stalking with intense eagerness
for a fat beefsteak, instead of our usual fare of salted provisions,
we got so near that we could hear the bulls uttering their hoarse
deep low, but could see nothing except the mass of yellow grass in
front; suddenly the buffalo-birds sounded their alarm-whistle, and
away dashed the troop, and we got sight of neither birds nor beasts.
This would be no country for a sportsman except when the grass is
short. The animals are wary, from the dread they have of the
poisoned arrows. Those of the natives who do hunt are deeply imbued
with the hunting spirit, and follow the game with a stealthy
perseverance and cunning, quite extraordinary. The arrow making no
noise, the herd is followed up until the poison takes effect, and the
wounded animal falls out. It is then patiently watched till it
drops - a portion of meat round the wound is cut away, and all the
rest eaten.
Poisoned arrows are made in two pieces. An iron barb is firmly
fastened to one end of a small wand of wood, ten inches or a foot
long, the other end of which, fined down to a long point, is nicely
fitted, though not otherwise secured, in the hollow of the reed,
which forms the arrow shaft. The wood immediately below the iron
head is smeared with the poison. When the arrow is shot into an
animal, the reed either falls to the ground at once, or is very soon
brushed off by the bushes; but the iron barb and poisoned upper part
of the wood remain in the wound. If made in one piece, the arrow
would often be torn out, head and all, by the long shaft catching in
the underwood, or striking against trees. The poison used here, and
called kombi, is obtained from a species of strophanthus, and is very
virulent. Dr. Kirk found by an accidental experiment on himself that
it acts by lowering the pulse. In using his tooth-brush, which had
been in a pocket containing a little of the poison, he noticed a
bitter taste, but attributed it to his having sometimes used, the
handle in taking quinine. Though the quantity was small, it
immediately showed its power by lowering his pulse which at the time
had been raised by a cold, and next day he was perfectly restored.
Not much can be inferred from a single case of this kind, but it is
possible that the kombi may turn out a valuable remedy; and as
Professor Sharpey has conducted a series of experiments with this
substance, we look with interest for the results. An alkaloid has
been obtained from it similar to strychnine. There is no doubt that
all kinds of wild animals die from the effects of poisoned arrows,
except the elephant and hippopotamus. The amount of poison that this
little weapon can convey into their systems being too small to kill
those huge beasts, the hunters resort to the beam trap instead.
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