136 In the Heart of Africa 



The individual families have a particular range, or parish, 

 which they are unwilling to leave. Early at sunrise, and in the 

 evening when dusk is approaching, their clamour is heard far 

 away, setting in faintly but swelling gradually and terminating 

 in shrill screechings, which last only a few moments. This is 

 repeated at irregular intervals, and the Batwa attribute the 

 outcries to dissensions and quarrels amongst the " family." Such 

 moments are opportune for the hunter to step in and attempt to 

 get close to them. 



A broad, deep ravine yawned immediately below our camp, at 

 the bottom of which rushed a spring, which separated us from the 

 mountain slope opposite, and from which we used to hear most of 

 the screeching apes. 



An attempt made by me one evening by failing light to stalk 

 up close to a sleeping-tree I had to abandon as impracticable, as 

 the almost impenetrable brushwood could only be crawled through 

 on hands and knees, and this took so long that darkness set in. 

 So I had to wait until the morrow. 



Next morning before daybreak the three of us sat ready 

 outside our tents, each with our guide, awaiting the first screech- 

 ings of the creatures. I had picked out a Mutwa as my only 

 companion. He had raised difficulties at first, for, unfortunately, 

 it was just the impundu Chat the Batwa had selected for their 

 uniuziniu or totem. However, on my representing to him that he 

 would take no part himself in the killing, but that that would be 

 entirely my own business, and that all he had to do was to lead 

 me to the right spot, he eventually agreed to be my assistant. 



It now grew gradually lighter. Certain parts of the forest 

 gorge began to be visible through the breaking dawn, but dead 

 silence still prevailed everywhere. Soon the first call of a waking 

 bird could be heard here and there. Then, at last, when the 

 glorious red of the morning sky heralded the rising of the sun, a 

 flight of grey parrots flung themselves with a stiff flapping of 

 wings shrieking on to the branches of a neighbouring tree. As 

 by a stroke of magic, everything grew alive all round us. The 

 birds began to chirp and twitter louder and louder with the 



