The next day we heard Andekko barking in the forest not very far off. He seemed to bark at the same spot all the time, and Rogala said: "Let us go where he is and find out what is the matter."
So we went towards the spot where he was barking, and at last came to it. No wonder he remained in the same place. He was barking at a porcupine, that had rolled himself into a ball and had all his quills standing erect.
Andekko was in a perfect rage, his hair was erect on his back, but I knew that it was impossible for him to bite the porcupine, and he feared his terrible quills. He would not leave the porcupine until we called him away, and the porcupine as long as Andekko was near him kept his quills erect.
Andekko disappeared again the following morning. In the evening he returned with a scar on his back and with a bloody muzzle. He had had an encounter with some wild animal. Evidently some sharp teeth had bitten him. But in the end he had had the best of the conflict, as his muzzle testified; it was clear he had fed on his victim.
Rogala put some balsam on his wounds. The dog was manifestly very tired, for in a short time he was stretched full length near the fire, and after a while he was dreaming. His legs moved as if he were running, and he barked softly. The following morning Andekko was nowhere to be seen. The punishment he had received the day before had not scared him in the least. He had gone hunting again.
FIGHT BETWEEN MONKEY TRIBES, NKAGOS AND MONDIS--MY GUN PUTS BOTH SIDES TO FLIGHT--A VISIT FROM THE BASHIKOUAY ANTS--EVERYTHING FLIES BEFORE THEM--WE DRIVE THEM OFF WITH FIREBRANDS AND BOILING WATER
I LOVED to walk by myself in the great forest, taking my smooth-bore gun for birds, with which I always took a few bullets in case I should meet some large animals.
One day as I walked along looking at the butterflies that were very plentiful on both sides of the path, I thought I heard, at some distance, a noise among the trees ahead as if monkeys were feeding. Cautiously I went in the direction of the noise. I had to leave the path and go through the jungle. I had to walk slowly, with my body bent, in order to be hidden from the monkeys and not to frighten them.
When I got near the trees, I found that they were nkagos feeding and uttering grunts of satisfaction, so pleased were they. I could recognize the leader of the troop on the lookout. Suddenly he gave a peculiar cry or sound. The nkagos became very much excited. Their hair became erect on their backs; the sounds or words they uttered were quick and showed anger. They seemed as if getting ready for a fight.