IN AFRICAN FOREST AND JUNGLE 



with it in dragging the snake ashore. Then we re- 

 turned to the camp. 



Soon after a large piece of the snake was boiling, and 

 Rogala was to have snake broth. I gave him a little 

 salt to mix with it, to his great delight. When very 

 hungry and having nothing else^ to eat, I often had to 

 be contented with a meal of snake, but that day I had 

 something else to eat. 



In the evening, as we were seated by a bright fire that 

 illumined our camp, my men filled their pipes with 

 tobacco, lighted them, and after a few puffs Rogala 

 broke the silence, and said : " Oguizi, while we are 

 hunting in the forest we must not talk, but call each 

 other's attention by a ^ click, click,' which means with 

 us poor black men to be on the lookout, to listen, as 

 we must be very sly, like wild beasts, and walk as 

 noiselessly as a leopard in search of prey. As we 

 walk along, our eyes must be everywhere, our ears must 

 listen. Unfortunately men have only two eyes ; it is 

 a pity they have not two other eyes at the back of their 

 heads. Often men hide themselves behind a tree, and 

 when you have passed they throw a spear at you. 

 Hungry leopards often watch at the dusk of the day 

 by the springs where women get their water and then 

 leap upon them. But above all, let us try to be as 

 noiseless when we go through the jungle as a fish 



70 



