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All my work was completed; and I could do nothing until the
reinforcements should arrive from Gondokoro。 The natives paid their
trifling corn…tax with great good humour; and they generally arrived in
crowds of several hundreds; singing and dancing; with large baskets of
tullaboon upon their heads; with which they filled our rows of
granaries。
The grass was fit to burn; and the bunting season had fairly commenced。
All the natives now devoted themselves to this important pursuit。 The
chase supplies the great tribe of Shooli with clothing。 Although the
women are perfectly naked; every man wears the skin of an antelope slung
across his shoulders; so arranged as to be tolerably decent。 The number
of animals that are annually destroyed may be imagined from the amount
of the skin…clad population。
Although the wilderness between Unyoro and Fatiko is uninhabited; in
like manner with extensive tracts between Fabbo and Fatiko; every
portion of that apparently abandoned country is nominally possessed by
individual proprietors; who claim a right of game by inheritance。
This strictly conservative principle has existed from time immemorial;
and may perhaps suggest to those ultra…radicals who would introduce
communistic principles into England; that the supposed original equality
of human beings is a false datum for their problem。 There is no such
thing as equality among human beings in their primitive state; any more
than there is equality among the waves of the sea; although they may
start from the same level of the calm。
In a state of savagedom; the same rules of superiority which advance
certain individuals above the general level in civilized societies will
be found to exert a natural influence。 Those who become eminent will be
acknowledged by their inferiors。 The man who is clever and wise in
council will be listened to: the warrior who leads with courage and
judgment will be followed in the battle; the hunter who excels in
tracking up the game will be sent to the front when the party are on the
blood…track。 In this way superiority will be generally admitted。
Superiority of intellect will naturally tend to material advancement。
The man of sense will gather more than the fool。 That which he gathers
becomes property; which must be acknowledged by society as an individual
right that must be protected by laws。
In tribes where government is weak; there is a difficulty in enforcing
laws; as the penalty exacted may be resisted; but even amidst those wild
tribes there is a force that exerts a certain moral influence among the
savage as among the civilized: that force is public opinion。
Thus; a breach of the game…laws would be regarded by the public as a
disgrace to the guilty individual; precisely as an act of poaching would
damage the character of a civilized person。
The rights of game are among the first rudiments of property。 Man in a
primitive state is a hunter; depending for his clothing upon the skins
of wild animals; and upon their flesh for his subsistence; therefore the
beast that he kills upon the desert must be his property; and in a
public hunt; should he be the first to wound a wild animal; he will have
gained an increased interest or share in the flesh by having reduced the
chance of its escape。 Thus public opinion; which we must regard as the
foundation of EQUITY; rewards him with a distinct and special right;
which; becomes LAW。
It is impossible to trace the origin of game…laws in Central Africa; but
it is nevertheless interesting to find that such rights are generally
acknowledged; and that large tracts of uninhabited country are possessed
by individuals which are simply manorial。 These rights are inherited;
descending from father to the eldest son。
When the grass is sufficiently dry to burn; the whole thoughts of the
community are centred upon sport; but should a person set fire to the
grass belonging to another proprietor; he would be at once condemned by
public opinion; and he would (if such establishments existed) be
certainly expelled from his club。
There was no more work undone in my charming Fatiko station。 The roads
from the three gates were so far completed as to form respectable
approaches。 The gardens had produced abundantly; and the troops were all
in excellent health and good discipline。 On Mondays and Fridays they
were exercised at light…infantry drill for several hours。 Every man had
his post; which he occupied like lightning when the bugle suddenly
sounded the alarm。 The 〃Forty Thieves〃 held the rock citadel; as they
could fire over the heads of those in the camp without fear of accident。
The night alarm sounded unexpectedly; and as I went the rounds; every
man was at his quarters without a whisper。 The cleanliness and general
order of the camp were perfect。
I now associated with the natives as a hunter。 It was in this capacity
that I had first won their hearts many years ago。 We were so short of
meat that I began to feel the necessity that first turned the hand of
savage man against the beasts of the forest。
The chase throughout the Shooli country was carried on as a profession;
and was conducted by general rules under an admirable organization。
The favourite method of hunting was by means of nets。 Every man in the
country was provided with a net of strong cord。 This was twelve yards
long; and about eleven feet deep; if stretched to its maximum。 The
meshes were about six inches square。 There was no promiscuous
net…hunting; but the chief of the district organized the chase in the
following manner:
The big nogara was sounded; and the news rapidly spread that an assembly
was desired at the village of their headman。 At Fatiko the chief was
Wat…el…Ajoos Omare。 A few hours after the drum had summoned the headmen;
natives might be seen approaching from all sides to the appointed spot
at which the council was to be held。
After much talking; it was at length decided that the hunt should take
place upon the manors of certain individuals whose property was
contiguous。 The day of the hunt was arranged; and the headmen of the
villages retired to make the necessary arrangements。
Should a chief be hospitably disposed; he would frequently give a grand
entertainment prior to the meet。 On such occasions upwards of a thousand
natives would arrive from different villages; in their full…dress
costume; consisting of plumes of ostrich feathers; leopard…skin mantles;
and their faces painted a frightful colour with fresh cow…dung。 On these
occasions a large quantity of merissa was consumed; and one or two oxen
were slaughtered; according to the wealth of the person who gave the
festivity。
The sorcerer was an important personage at such entertainments; as it
was necessary to assure good luck by a variety of magic ceremonies; that
would not only protect the hunters from accidents; but would also bring
the wild animals direct into their nets。
At length the day of the hunt had arrived; when several thousand people
would collect at a certain rendezvous; about nine miles distant from
Fatiko; on the Fabbo road; which is the best neighbourhood for game。
At a little before 5 A。M。 I started on my solit