This was the first Basé village we had come to, and ere we could go any further it was necessary that we should interview the Shiek of this village, and explain the object of our visit. We made an ostentatious display of our rifles and guns, twenty-four in number, and placed them against the bank ready for immediate use if necessary, whilst each of us sported a six-chambered revolver in our waist-belts. When we had—as we thought—taken sufficient precautions against surprises or treachery, we were curious to see these much-dreaded savages, whom report said were capable of any sanguinary deed (could, in fact, murder with a smiling face), and although their neighbours lived on their borders, they appeared to know little more about them than we did ourselves. Whilst we lunched within easy reach of our rifles, we sent forth one Beyrumfi, “our guide, philosopher, and friend” (and the only man who knew anything of the language) to the village. When we had finished our luncheon, we got our field-glasses, and on the very summit of the rocky mountain we saw all the women and children, and a few of the men, looking down on us. Half an hour afterwards, winding round by a circuitous pathway, on sloping ground, and occasionally hidden by trees, we could now see Beyrumfi, accompanied by seven or eight of the Basé, each carrying his spear and shield. When they appeared on the edge of the river-bed in single file, headed by Beyrumfi, the Sheik’s son (a fine, strapping, well-made fellow, who took his father’s place during his absence) dropped his shield, and, without stopping, drove his spear quivering into the sand; his example was followed by all the others. They all marched briskly across the river-bed, whilst we, in our English fashion, stood up and shook hands all round, which, under such circumstances, was much more agreeable than kissing all round. Sheik junior, if I may call him so, was about 5ft. 10in. in height, as straight as a dart, and not by any means over-dressed, for he wore nothing but a bit of soft leather, very much the shape and size of a man’s bathing drawers. He got the twig of a tree and broke it with us as a sign of friendship. All then squatted round on their haunches, with their knees under their chins (their customary mode of resting themselves), and Beyrumfi explained the object of our visit. This was satisfactory. The Sheik then borrowed a two-edged sword from Beyrumfi, placed it on the ground with the point directed towards us, put his naked foot on it, and delivered a short harangue, the purport of which was that we were in his country now, and as long as we remained neither he nor his people would harm, but do all they could to assist us, and that we were now his brothers. However, he could really only speak for his village. This is what is called making “Aman”—that is, swearing peace and friendship, and that we will trust one another; but we didn’t. On hospitable thoughts intent, we ordered a large bowl of cooked meat; our new acquaintances soon squatted round, and judging from the rapid disappearance of the food, I should imagine that a larger bowl would have done very well. We gave each of these fellows small presents, amongst other things an empty claret bottle each, which was much prized, but to the Sheik’s son we gave a few extra things, such as a tope or loin-cloth, a razor, a knife in sheath, needles, pins and thread, a velvet necklet, and a waistcoat striped yellow and black. He at once invested himself with the order of the tope and yellow and black waistcoat, to the great admiration of his friends, who continually made a clucking noise with the mouth, just as we do to urge on a horse; from their point of view it meant how wonderful, how nice, and what a swell you are. The claret-coloured lead-capping of bottles, which had been thrown on the ground, they gathered up, using them to decorate their hair with, or as an addition to their necklaces. Our rifles and guns were still leaning against the bank, just to show how well armed we were. Now, finding the natives were so friendly, and that they had left their spears on the other side of the river-bed, we ordered our rifles to be taken into our tents; still, however, retaining our revolvers. Of course a long pow-wow ensued. Whilst this was going on the women and children were not idle in the village, for they stood out on various places of vantage, looking down on their braves. We lent the Basé field-glasses to look at them, and it was most amusing to hear their expressions of surprise, with any amount of the clucking accompaniment, as they saw how near the glass brought their friends to view. After a while they returned to their village, upon which several of their friends, finding not only that we appeared reasonable beings, but that we had given several presents, paid us a visit, no doubt hoping that we would serve them in the same way. Of course the wonderful Ingelese exhibited to all these visitors their rifles and revolvers, accompanied by an elaborate explanation of their killing powers. Beyrumfi explained all this amidst a shower of cluckings. We had been told by Sheik Ahmed that the Basé were no better than beasts, that they lived in holes in the ground and in caves; we resolved to see for ourselves, and so told the Sheik that we would pay him a visit on the morrow, which we did. They don’t absolutely live in holes in the ground like rabbits, but where the rocks lean against one another, or project out, forming an awning, they utilize these accidents to convert such a place into a dwelling; they also have many well-made huts. In these particulars they differ from wild beasts, but I think in most other particulars they very much resemble them. As for their being the ferocious savages represented to us, I must say that they appeared more afraid of us than we were of them. I formed an idea that they had a cowed, hunted look, and well they may have, as the Egyptians squeeze all they can out of them on one side, and the Abyssinians on the other, and the reason they live in such places amongst rocks difficult of access is that if attacked, they can roll these rocks down on their assailants. The attire of both men and women is extremely simple and scanty. The women wear a short skirt reaching from the waist to the knees, most of them a large ring in one nostril. Many of them are not bad looking; their black hair is not profuse, but inclined to be frizzly; this is plaited down, whilst bits of metal, brass rings or beads, are frequently interlaced. All have lovely teeth. In stature they are rather short and when young possess rather graceful, well-formed figures. Either beads, metal, or some other ornament surrounds the neck, the arm, just above the elbow, the wrists and ankles. Very many, both men and women (the Arabs as well), have the scars of burns about the size of a shilling. I do not know whether it is so in all cases, but in very many, if they are in pain in any part of the body, they apply a hot iron button (technically known as the actual cautery). A very common custom is to decorate the chest, abdomen, and back (sometimes one of these, sometimes all of them) with a series of little cuts, into which a dye called kohl is rubbed in. Kohl is also, much used by the Basé to stain their eyelids all round, which produces a bluish-black stain. Whilst speaking of this dye, I may say that it is supposed this was the very thing which Jezebel used to improve her personal appearance. The difference between the Basé men and women in the matter of dress and ornaments is that the men, instead of a short tope or skirt, wear a bit of thin leather round their loins (like a rather scant pair of bathing drawers), and a scratcher in their hair. I saw some moderately big boys attired in the most inexpensive suit conceivable; namely, an anklet and bracelet of metal, and a bit of a porcupine’s quill in the left nostril.
Speaking generally, the men are well-formed, agile-looking fellows. These Basé people are quite hemmed in in their small country, on the one hand by the Abyssinians and on the other sides by different tribes of Arabs, with whom they appear to have little or no communication or dealings, and if they venture out of their own country they are hunted down by the Arabs just like wild animals. The Arabs of the Soudan are darker than the Abyssinians, but the Basé are much darker than the Arabs and speak a different language. The Basé are quite a different race to their neighbours, and more nearly approach the negro type. They are blacker than the Arabs, but not the coal-black of the negro; their hair is shorter, more crisp and woolly, than the Arabs, but not the absolute wool of the negro. The Arabs have good regular features, lips and noses like our own; the Basé are the contrary, and more resemble the negro in this respect and their high cheek-bones, but they are not nearly so pronounced as the negro. Their foreheads, as a rule, are rather narrow and receding. I was obliged perforce to depend on Sheik Ahmed, and more particularly on Beyrumfi, for all the information I could glean respecting these people. They say they have no religion. Sheik Ahmed, speaking very contemptuously of them, says “that they have a rain-maker who promises rain, when it is pretty sure to come; but if he makes several promises and the rain does not come, he goes”—to that bourne from whence no traveller shall return. In the little matter of marriage, their laws and ceremonies are extremely simple, for they marry their sisters, their daughters, their cousins, and their aunts, possibly their mothers and grandmothers. Courtship is brief and primitive. A Basé man fancies a Basé girl (presumably not his own daughter); he tells the nearest male relatives so, father or brother—good; he then presents him with a few yards of calico or some skins, the same also to his bride, and she becomes his.
Now with regard to their diet. I cannot help thinking that this admits of considerable improvement. As they are not possessed of large flocks and herds like their neighbours, the Beni-Amirs, they have not much milk or meat, neither have they so much dhurra as an article of diet. They obtain meat occasionally when they can ensnare an animal; the kind of meat is rather a secondary consideration for they will eat the meat of lion, panther, elephant monkeys, lizards, or giraffes with as much gusto as that of antelope or buffalo. They are not so particular, either, as they ought to be, for they consume all except the skin and bones. They also eat the roots of young palm trees, the outer covering of the dhoum palm nut, nebbuck, and hegleek nuts, the fruit of the baobob, wild honey, and a certain, or rather an uncertain, quantity of milk and dhurra. They do not indulge in baked baby, and I am quite sure that their carnal longings are never satiated with cold or roast missionary, as there are no missionaries there, but it has occurred to me that this place is virgin soil for missionary enterprise, as there does not appear to be any religion that requires eradicating from their minds.
In the evening of the 2nd February a dirty-looking old fellow (a sheik from Aidaro), paid us a visit, bringing with him a gourd of wild honey as a peace offering, made “aman” with us, and of course received his presents.
I was much struck when visiting the village with their beautifully made baskets; so closely woven are they as to enable them to carry milk or water in them without a drop oozing through.
CHAPTER XVII.
WE LEAVE KOOLOOKOO, ACCOMPANIED BY A NUMBER OF THE BASÉ—THE MAGIC LANTERN—SEE BUFFALO AND GIRAFFE FOR THE FIRST TIME—TWO BUFFALOS KILLED—A BASÉ FEAST—CURIOUS BASÉ DANCE—THEY DRY THEIR MEAT ON LINES IN THE SUN—A WOUNDED BUFFALO—HOODOO, CHIEF SHEIK OF THE BASÉ, VISITS US—A COLUMN OF SAND—A LEPER—THE BASÉ SQUABBLE OVER THE MEAT—WE ARRIVE AT ABYSSINIA.
On the 3rd February we made a further advance, starting at 11 a.m., and encamping at 4 p.m., again on the river-bed, at Aibara. This day we marched for the space of five hours through a forest; the heat was very great, and the ground over which we travelled was full of large, deep cracks, often two or three inches wide, caused by the contraction of the earth, which had been subjected to a continuous baking by the hot sun since the rainy season. Oftentimes could be seen the great footprint of an elephant, now quite a moulded one, having been there since the rainy season. On leaving Koolookoo we were accompanied by about 80 or 100 of the inhabitants, having nothing with them but spear and shield. We knew what this meant—that we should have to provide them with food—a rather large undertaking considering that our own party, including camel-men, horse-boys, and servants, numbered about 40 or 50. Accordingly a delicate hint was conveyed to our new body-guard, that our own people would first of all have to be provided with food; then if there was plenty of meat to spare they would be quite welcome to it. To this arrangement they amiably acceded. On terra firma we could have made a good stand with our rifles and revolvers in case of attack, but had these Basé thought proper, at a preconcerted signal, to make an onslaught on our long straggling caravan, I am afraid we should have fared very badly, notwithstanding our being well armed. However, I think their principal reason for coming with us was to have a continual feast of meat, an article of diet they were capable of stowing away as capaciously as a lion would do, and with as little ceremony. In the evening three sheiks paid us a visit, each going through the ceremony of “aman.” After dinner the magic lantern was exhibited, and this excited their astonishment even more than it did that of the Beni-Amirs. I do not intend to go into a description much of hunting-scenes, as they would occupy too much space, and I do not think that the frequent repetition of such scenes would be interesting to the generality of my readers; besides which I have no doubt Mr. F. L. James has done this in his book. Suffice it to say that as there was abundance of game of every description, scarcely a day passed without plenty being brought into camp.