The following morning Rogala, with Ndova tied by a rope, and I set out for the forest. Once in a while Ndova would call for his friends, the monkeys of his species; but there came no answer to his call,—there were no ndovas in that part of the forest.
We kept on further and further; but though Ndova called for those of his species, there came no answer back, and finally we deemed it time to return home, as otherwise we should have to sleep in the forest.
On our way back Ndova began to chatter in his own language. What he meant we of course could not tell at first, but soon we found out that through some peculiar gifts only belonging to monkeys, perhaps with his keen sense of smell, he knew that there were monkeys of his own tribe near. His voice or utterances were answered by other sounds made by a troop of monkeys which Rogala and I knew to be ndovas, and before we realized their presence, they were all upon a tree above our heads. Ndova became dreadfully excited. I took aim at the biggest monkey, fired, and he fell on the ground with a great crash. The others gave a cry of alarm, and in less than twenty seconds were out of sight.
The next day I said to Rogala: "Let us go into the forest with Andekko. I want to see how he hunts, and if he drives the game within gunshot of the place where we are waiting for it."
"He will surely do that," replied Rogala.
The next morning, at dawn of day, we started for the forest, Andekko ahead of us. Suddenly he disappeared. Once in a while Rogala shouted to let the dog know where we stood. Then we waited and waited, Rogala now and then calling Andekko at the top of his voice. After a few hours we heard the barking of Andekko. The barking became louder, and Rogala said: "Oguizi, let us make ready, for Andekko is probably driving an antelope towards us."
In another instant a large antelope with long spiral horns passed near us, but not near enough for us to fire. Then the barking of Andekko died away in the distance, and Rogala said: "We must not go away. I think Andekko will bring back the antelope towards us." He was not mistaken. A short time afterwards we heard Andekko again in the distance; the barking became louder and louder, and at last seemed very near. An antelope came bounding by us. We fired and brought him down.
We returned home with our spoil, and the following afternoon I said to Rogala: "Where is Andekko? I have not seen him to-day. Has he perhaps been devoured by a prowling leopard?"
Rogala smiled at my question, and replied: "Andekko is a wide-awake dog, and seeing that we did not go into the forest with him, he has gone to hunt by himself, and I should not wonder if we heard his barking soon, telling us that he is pursuing game towards our little settlement and warning us to be ready for it."