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Paul B. Du Chaillu
In African Forest and Jungle
Published by Good Press, 2019
EAN 4064066233754
Table of Contents
IN AFRICAN FOREST AND JUNGLE
CHAPTER I
A CANOE-VOYAGE TO THE COUNTRY OF ROTEMBO THE CHIEF—A TOILET OF CEREMONY—ROTEMBO's GROTESQUE COSTUME—A FORMAL RECEPTION—SPEECHES OF ROTEMBO AND MYSELF—A DANCE IN MY HONOR—MY PRESENTS TO THE CHIEF—WE BECOME GOOD FRIENDS
The canoe that took me from King Mombo to Rotembo the Chief was a dug-out made of a huge tree, and was of great length. On its prow was carved the head of a growling leopard. It was paddled by forty men. Rikimongani, the nephew of King Mombo, steered, and had the stick Omemba (the snake) with him to show that he carried the message of his uncle King Mombo to Rotembo the Chief.
Near the prow were two men who beat two tomtoms furiously almost all the time, which was to show that they were on an important mission.
The sun was very hot, and the heat was intense. The black oily skins of the men shone as if they had been eelskins. The river banks were lined with mangrove trees, supported on their tall roots, and as the tide was low, we could see multitudes of oysters growing round them.
We passed at last the region of the mangrove trees, which only grow where the tide is felt and where the banks of the rivers are flat. Then the banks of the Ogobai river became hilly and clad with the trees of the forest to their very top. Here and there a flock of gray parrots with red tails were feeding on fruits, or a troop of monkeys was seen.
The following day, as we were approaching the village of Rotembo the Chief, we landed, and the men made their toilet so as to appear at their best when they arrived at the village of Rotembo.
Rikimongani put a shirt on, and a high silk hat—this was the costume he wore on state occasions. He was the best dressed man of the company.
Then we re-embarked, and as we paddled the men began to sing, and to beat the tomtoms furiously. Soon the village of Rotembo came in sight. Then the men sang louder than before, and their song was—
"We come with the great Oguizi,
The great friend of King Mombo,
To Rotembo the great Chief;"
and they repeated these words over and over. They began to fire guns, thus showing that they were on a great mission and that it was an occasion worth wasting powder for.
As we came opposite the village of Rotembo, we suddenly turned towards the land, with the head of our canoe facing the village. Rikimongani stood up now so that the people on shore could recognize him. We landed in the midst of singing, tomtom-beating, and gun-firing.
As my paddlers jumped out of the canoe, they shouted to the great number of people that had come to look at us: "We are men! We are men! We have come with the great Oguizi." Then all became silent, and we passed through the people walking until we came to a large structure with a roof supported by pillars. There we waited for Rotembo the Wise, surrounded by hundreds of villagers.
Soon we heard the noise of the kendo, a rude iron bell, the emblem of chiefs. Rotembo was coming. As he rang it, he invoked the spirits of his ancestors to be