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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 imfundu that the Batwa had selected for their 
umuzimu 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 
