“These ‘men of the woods’ do not have to go into the forest and collect firewood; they do not have to carry big loads on their backs; they do not have to cook food. There are a number of things we can do and they cannot. They cannot make fire. They cannot make intoxicating drinks and get drunk. They cannot smoke. They have no idols, no ‘mondahs,’ no witchcraft. They do not sell each other into slavery. They do not beat their mates, as we do our wives.
“These ‘men of the woods’ look so much like human beings that there are tribes of men who do not eat them, for to them it would seem like eating people. But there are many tribes who eat them, just as there are tribes of men who eat people as they eat game.
“The monkeys,” he continued, “are the relations of the ‘men of the woods.’ What human faces they have! When they are travelling in the woods, they have their leaders and follow them. They all understand each other. When we walk in the forest, they look down upon us as if they were human beings. When we shoot and kill them with our bows and arrows, they look at us with their dying eyes as if to say: ‘Why did you hurt me? Have I ever done you any harm?’ But how angry they look when in captivity if we do something that does not please them. Strange to say, Oguizi, we can trap monkeys, but can never trap the ‘men of the woods.’ I do not know that a ‘man of the woods’ has ever been caught in a trap.
“Oguizi, do you remember this morning, how the baby nshiego mbouvé moaned after his mother,—how he walked over her dead body; he knew that she was dead.
“There is a great difference between the baby human being and the baby of a nshiego mbouvé and of the other ‘men of the woods.’ Almost as soon as a baby of the ‘men of the woods’ is born, his fingers can clutch and cling to his mother. Our babies cannot; they are helpless.”
It was late when our talk ended. The slaves rose and bade me good-night. The dear slaves were my only companions.
CHAPTER XVIII
ANGOOKA, THE MEDICINE-MAN—HIS STRANGE APPEARANCE—EAVESDROPPING—I OVERHEAR THE CONVERSATION OF THE SLAVES—THEY TALK AMONG THEMSELVES ABOUT THE OGUIZI.
Early the next morning all the slaves on the plantation gathered near Regundo’s house, for I had gone hunting by myself, and they thought I was far away. Suddenly I changed my mind and returned. As I approached the village, I heard voices. I approached cautiously, and when I got a glimpse of the talkers I hid myself in order not to be seen.
Angooka was easily recognized, for he was dressed in the garb of the medicine-man. He wore a headdress of gaudy red feathers from the tails of gray parrots. Among these were also eagles’ and hawks’ feathers. On his neck was a necklace made of the beaks of eagles between which were leopards’ claws, while as a pendant hung four leopards’ teeth. Round his waist was a belt to which were fastened cowry shells filled with charmed powder. His body was painted all over with white ochre (chalk), over which were scattered round yellow spots. Upon each of his cheeks were two flaming red spots. In his hand he held several charmed skins tied together, holding precious and powerful powders.