Through the Semliki Valley 203 



sight of an animal slain by pygmies would have to satisfy our 

 ambitions, and therefore left no stone unturned at least to attain 

 this object. Dazzling promises of baksheesh spurred on the 

 Wambutti to great zeal. All day long they roamed alone 

 through the forest. Tracks were found, but nothing else. 



The Wambutti hunt the okapi chiefly in the rainy season. In 

 the morning they search for a fresh trail left in the night. This 

 they follow up through thick and thin, through all kinds of 

 foliage and liane creepers. As the okapi ramble far and wide, 

 the chase spins out for days. The incredibly keen scent and 

 sagacity of these pygmies alone make it possible to keep on 

 the trail of this strange species of game ; they can follow almost 

 imperceptible indications which entirely escape the eyes of 

 Europeans. As the okapi nervously avoids the sun's rays, the 

 hunters have to seek it in the densest brushwood. They are 

 nearly always successful in creeping noiselessly up to it within 

 a few paces, when they slay the animal by hurling poisoned 

 spears. 



The name by which this large antelope is known varies 

 according to the district. " Okapi " and " kwapi " are mostly 

 used, and we also heard " alabi " once. It was, too, very often 

 called "kenge." At Mawambi, on the Aruwimi, I showed a 

 coloured representation of the okapi Joh?istonii to the Wambutti. 

 They knew it at once, and unanimously said "kenge." The 

 expressions "okapi" and "kwapi," as well as "alabi," were 

 entirely unknown there. The pygmies at Beni, on the contrary, 

 only used the designation " okapi " and " kwapi," and generally 

 knew no other. 



At Sindano we were successful in acquiring a skin, in good 

 preservation, with the skeleton complete ; also another at Songola, 

 and three more at Irumu. These were the first brought home 

 by any German expedition. I am not aware either of there being 

 any other skull existent in Germany. 



Even to-day we know but little of the habits of the okapi. 

 All that has been made known so far is limited to tracking 

 methods. From this we know that the creature finds its way 



