How I found Livingstone : $b Travels, adventures, and discoveres in Central Africa, including an account of four months' residence with Dr. LivingstoneStanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)
History
How I found Livingstone : $b Travels, adventures, and discoveres in Central Africa, including an account of four months' residence with Dr. Livingstone
Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Livingstone, David, 1813-1873
Emerging again into the broad sunlight, I strolled further in search
of something to shoot. Presently, I saw, feeding quietly in the
forest which bounded the valley of the Mtambu on the left, a huge,
reddish-coloured wild boar, armed with most horrid tusks. Leaving Kalulu
crouched down behind a tree, and my solar helmet behind another close
by--that I might more safely stalk the animal--I advanced towards him
some forty yards, and after taking a deliberate aim, fired at his fore
shoulder. As if nothing had hurt him whatever, the animal made a furious
bound, and then stood with his bristles erected, and tufted tail, curved
over the back--a most formidable brute in appearance. While he was thus
listening, and searching the neighbourhood with his keen, small eyes,
I planted another shot in his chest, which ploughed its way through his
body. Instead of falling, however, as I expected he would, he charged
furiously in the direction the bullet had come, and as he rushed past
me, another ball was fired, which went right through him; but still he
kept on, until, within six or seven yards from the trees behind which
Kalulu was crouching down on one side, and the helmet was resting behind
another, he suddenly halted, and then dropped. But as I was about to
advance on him with my knife to cut his throat, he suddenly started
up; his eyes had caught sight of the little boy Kalulu, and were then,
almost immediately afterwards, attracted by the sight of the snowy
helmet. These strange objects on either side of him proved too much for
the boar, for, with a terrific grunt, he darted on one side into a
thick brake, from which it was impossible to oust him, and as it was now
getting late, and the camp was about three miles away, I was reluctantly
obliged to return without the meat.
On our way to camp we were accompanied by a large animal which
persistently followed us on our left. It was too dark to see plainly,
but a large form was visible, if not very clearly defined. It must have
been a lion, unless it was the ghost of the dead boar.
That night, about 11 P.M., we were startled by the roar of a lion, in
close proximity to the camp. Soon it was joined by another, and another
still, and the novelty of the thing kept me awake. I peered through
the gate of the camp, and endeavoured to sight a rifle--my little
Winchester, in the accuracy of which I had perfect confidence; but,
alas! for the cartridges, they might have been as well filled with
sawdust for all the benefit I derived from them. Disgusted with the
miserable ammunition, I left the lions alone, and turned in, with their
roaring as a lullaby.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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