HUNTING AND HUNTED IN BELGIAN CONGO 



I dared not drop my rifle for fear of a sudden rush. 

 There we stood, Salem Bega sucking vigorously at the 

 wound, in which he afterwards put permanganate of 

 potash, which I always carried with me in an old cart- 

 ridge case ; while I waited for my friend of the tree to 

 appear, which he suddenly did, in attempting to descend 

 on to a lower branch, thinking perhaps that I could not 

 see him. Up went the rifle, and I sent one more fiend to 

 account for his work. He fell with a loud splash into the 

 fast-flowing river to the accompaniment of yells from 

 some three hundred fellow cannibals on the opposite 

 bank, to say nothing of those concealed in the long grass 

 around the back of the square. It was an awful time, 

 and every moment I expected to feel myself getting faint 

 from loss of blood. Then they could have had us easily, 

 but as long as I could keep on my legs we were safe. 



Several attempts were made to rush us from behind, 

 as one or two would-be " braves " crept on their bellies 

 out of the grass. However, my boys informed me of all 

 movements behind while I attended to the dense crowd 

 that lined the opposite bank of the river, mad with rage 

 and excitedly waving aloft spears, bows and horrible 

 knives all flashing in the sunlight. Grass ropes and 

 game nets were all dragged out to the front of the mob 

 for my inspection, the whole countryside resounded 

 with their shrieking and yelling as they danced about 

 flourishing their weapons. Little children were held 

 shoulder high in order that they might see the whole 

 affair. 



Salem still stood by me staunching the wound that 

 was now rapidly becoming inflamed, but the per- 

 manganate was doing its work, and, fortunately, I could 

 still use my arm. Thank goodness these people were 

 ignorant of guns, because if I only pointed the -350 at 

 them it had the desired effect of keeping them at a safe 

 distance. We were kept in suspense for fully three 



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