Life in the Soudan by Josiah Williams

Author:Josiah Williams [Williams, Josiah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781986139113
Google: xKljswEACAAJ
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2018-03-03T00:38:11+00:00

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CHAPTER XV.

PATIENTS AT HEIKOTA—LEAVE HEIKOTA—GAME IN THE BASÉ COUNTRY—SEE OUR FIRST LION—A LION INTERVIEWS THE AUTHOR—TETÉL, NELLUT, AND OTHER GAME KILLED ON THE MARCH.

On the 22nd January we were up in good time, as there was a good deal to be seen to ere we continued our march. We intended to return to Heikota after exploring the Basé country, which we thought would occupy about four or five weeks. It would not, therefore, be necessary to take all our baggage with us; accordingly, a considerable quantity was left behind in Herr Schumann’s zareeba until our return—assuming that we should do so. I was, as usual, busily occupied after breakfast in attending to my patients, who not only came from close by, but from long distances on camels. It had got noised abroad from Kassala that there was a “Hakeem Ingelese” travelling with these gentlemen, and whenever we encamped anywhere for a day or two many patients came to visit me. They appeared inordinately fond of my pills, and would swallow them with as much avidity as boys in our country swallow lollipops. To judge from what was expected of me, they must have thought that I was endowed with almost supernatural powers. One boy was brought to me whose hip had been dislocated a year or so before; another person who had been positively blind from ophthalmia two years, hoped I could let in a stream of welcome light: Alas! poor fellow, I could not make the blind see, or the lame walk, under such circumstances. However, I was often able to effect cures in some and relief in other cases, and when we returned to Heikota many grateful patients came to thank me; one would give me some dhurra, another a skin of milk, an Arab knife, a spear, a sheep, and so on. Gratitude even is pleasing to a doctor, although sometimes a scarce commodity. We did not succeed in making a start until 4 p.m.; halted at six. The Sheik, who came part way with us, on returning to his tribe, said he would join us in the morning, and see us well on the way ere he interviewed the Basé at Sarcella, whom he had an account to settle with. During our various conversations with him he informed us that we should find abundance of shooting of every kind in the country—elephants, lions, leopards, porcupines, wild cats, hyænas, buffaloes, jackals, giraffes, ostriches, rhinoceros, antelopes of different kinds, gazelles, oterops, ariels, maarifs, mehedehét, tetél, nellut, dick-dick, baboons and monkeys; all kinds of birds; falcons, Egyptian hawks, rollo-birds, paroquets, eagles, vultures, doves, quail, partridges, sand-grouse, guinea-fowl, and I don’t know what besides—all of which was quite true; there was really enough of shooting of every description to satisfy the most ardent sportsman. He also advised us, when we got into the Basé country, not to have our guns, rifles, and revolvers in cases, but ready at a moment’s notice, night and day, and this advice we strictly followed during the whole of our journey.

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