Chapter XII:
West African Funeral Rite
As they approached the middle they found a space cleared of trees and vegetation, in the center of which was a tall black man, wearing a long white robe, over which were hung numerous charms and jujus. He wore his hair in numerous small plaits of about 6 inches long, to the end of each was attached a small horn, leopard claw, leopard tooth and other charms and fetiches. His face was covered with a long beard which terminated in a plait and a small leopard tooth.
In his hand he held a long torch, which he flourished as he danced and performed other mystic rites. Around him, in the twilight, were about a score of young maidens wearing only white waist draperies as they whirled in a most phantasmic dance, clapping their hands and singing in loud but plaintive soprano voices.
The musicians kept step also as they shook the sassas (gourds with beads on them) and beat the drums.
They were paying their respects to their dead chief so as to start him upon the road to the mysterious regions, with a lighted taper and the sound of music.
Passing on, a town was sighted down on the plains. Kahn re la Hun is a large and prosperous town of the Mendi country and is composed of pagan and Mohammedan natives.
The mud huts are circular, clean and roomy. Numerous lilies abound back of the huts in the rear of the village. The chief assigned quarters for the party and informed Oliver of the death of the chief.
"Oh, Miss Eva," Yanga said, "tell de master to turn back; dis will bring bad luck to us all."
"What are you talking about, Yanga?" said Eva, who was also in a very uncomfortable mood.
"Come to new town meet dead man be no good, I tell you."
"Come now, Yanga, don't be silly. Lucretia will hear you soon and there will be trouble sure enough."
Oliver, who had been seeing to the quartering of his carriers and the stowing away of supplies, returned, and they soon were lost in a well earned sleep upon the bamboo cots within the huts.
The next morning the new chief, a young man of Mohammedan faith, clothed in white robe and dress, sat in the open kitchen and received his guests.
Oliver presented him with the usual piece of white cloth, handkerchief cloth, rum and tobacco.
He in turn presented a goat, piece of ivory and fowls, but his countenance did not express the goodwill that the king of Pendembu had shown.
"Me wan some powder and gun all same one you get," this chief Quirlebah made known to Oliver the dash was insufficient.
"Well, you will have to send to Europe and order the gun if you desire a duplicate of this, and my powder is not for dashes but for work I am going to do in the country. Sorry I cannot oblige you, chief," Oliver replied, as he started to summon his carriers.
Chief Quirelbah's eyes flashed. "I must hab gun powder for shoot gun to hurry de Chief," he called out to Oliver.
Turning back Oliver approached him and said, "What would you have done for salutes if I had not arrived? Don't try any of your tricks with me. Governor Row will see that you pay for any annoyance you may cause my party."
"Governor Row, foh, foh! (pshaw) dis country no belong to English, I be chief here, me be free people, no fear Governor."
Oliver soon realized the truth of this taunting boast when he left the audience court. His carriers crowded around him clamoring for their pay and refused to proceed. It seems as if they had been informed that war was on the pathway they had planned to traverse.
Oliver found himself helplessly tricked by Quirlebah and decided to offer a compromise of gun powder so as to leave the unhappy town.
This restored order, the chief dashed Lucretia a canine pup and the carriers resumed the burdens. The caravan started interiorward about 1 p.m.
Passing through a dense bush of wild coffee, ferns, etc., they entered a marshy forest. Oliver was taken upon the shoulders of one of the carriers and they waded the small ponds; sometimes the carriers' feet sank so deeply in the mud that they had to be relieved of some of their heavy burdens in order to be extricated. They made very slow progress and the night shadows approached just as they landed upon the dry ground, amid the dense forest.