Samba: A Story of the Rubber Slaves of the Congo

by Herbert Strang

  CHAPTER XXXII

  The Dawn of Freedom

  It was a fortnight later. Ilombekabasi was the scene of greatactivity. Gangs of negroes were busy carrying, hauling, stones of allshapes and sizes from the dry bed of the stream that once flowed pastthe fort; other gangs were building a wall above the original northernwall of the fort, a few yards beyond the spring whence the water supplywas derived. On the cultivable land on the west and east men and womenwere digging, ploughing, planting, hoeing, for in some parts seed sownonly two weeks before was already sprouting. Barney O'Dowdsuperintended the mason work, sporting a red fez taken from one of theslain Askari and dry-cleaned by a process of his own. In his mouth washis old short clay pipe, in which, after long deprivation, he wassmoking a mixture made by himself from tobacco grown on a bed in frontof his hut. It was not shag, he said, nor twist, but it made a betthersmoke than cavendish, and sure 'twould give a man a little comfort tillthe rale thing could be grown. The agriculturists were directed byImbono. An air of cheerful industry pervaded the whole settlement.

  When the State troops under Lieutenant Jennaert had disappeared, Jackdetermined, after a breathing space, to enlarge the fort and to plantnew crops. The enlargement was prompted not merely by the wish to havethe source of the water supply within the wall, but by the expectationthat the defeat of Bula Matadi would cause an increase of thepopulation. And, in fact, within a week of Jennaert's departure,natives from distant parts to which the news had penetrated cameflocking into Ilombekabasi to join the community which looked up toLokolobolo as its invincible chief.

  Looking round upon the cheerful faces of the people; observing theirwillingness to work, and eagerness to please; watching the happy familylife they led when unmolested and free from anxieties, Jack felt thathis toil had not been in vain, and was immeasurably glad thatProvidence had laid this charge upon him. If only his uncle had livedto see this day!

  Jack found that his feelings were shared by Mr. Arlington and hisfriend the missionary. They had awaited the issue of his hazardousenterprise with more anxiety than they cared to admit, and while theyhailed his success with cordial congratulations, they were scarcelyless troubled about the future. The Congo State could not permit thisleaven of revolt to spread; it would certainly organize anexpeditionary force of sufficient strength to crush Jack and hispeople; and then would not their lot be infinitely worse than it hadever been?

  "Even so we shall have had some months of happiness, and set anexample," said Jack, talking things over with his friends the daybefore they left Ilombekabasi. "But I hope for better things. We mayhave the rains upon us any day now; the country for miles around willbe one vast morass; we shall be safe in our castle for six months,perhaps. And what may not be done in six months, Mr. Arlington?"

  "You mean?"

  "I mean if you and Mr. Dathan will hurry home and tell what you haveseen and know. Mr. Arlington, you are no longer a member ofParliament, I believe?"

  "No. The House of Commons is no longer what it was."

  "Surely it is what men like you choose to make it, sir. If you wouldgo home, stand at a bye-election, and return to the House, what animmense influence a man with your record might wield! Do you know whatI would do in your place, sir? You do not mind my speaking out?"

  "Not a bit. I am deeply interested."

  "Well, sir, I would badger the Foreign Secretary; I would move thecountry until England moved the world."

  "Go on the stump like Gladstone?"

  "Why not, sir? Isn't the cause of the negroes every bit as good as thecause of the Bulgarians or Macedonians or Armenians? Nay, ten timesbetter, because they're more helpless and suffer under a ChristianKing! And you would succeed, sir."

  "I haven't Gladstone's power of moving the masses."

  "What does that matter? The facts don't need any eloquence to backthem, sir. I don't mean that you are not eloquent," he added with asmile. "I haven't heard you speak, but I have read your speeches; andif you tell what you have seen here, the country must listen, andsomething will surely be done. Why, if you go to my old school andspeak to the fellows in the schoolhouse, I'll back there's not a boythere but will want to rush off here by the first train, to lend ahand!"

  "Upon my word, Mr. Challoner, I think you'd better come back with usand do the stumping yourself."

  "No, no," said Jack, his face flushing. "I cannot leave these people.My place is here, and here I'll stick until I'm driven out, or untilLeopold is brought to book."

  "Well, I'll do what I can. I promise you that. Perhaps I've ploughedthe lonely furrow long enough. What do you say, Dathan? Shall we joinhands in this? We rowed in the same boat at Trinity; we kept the headof the river. This boat's rather low down now, but d'you think wecould make a bump?"

  "We'll make a shot for it, George. And please God, we like BishopLatimer, will light such a candle in England as shall not be put outuntil this wrong is crushed and right is done."

  Jack felt more than satisfied. If his countrymen had not grownstrangely deaf, surely they would listen to these two--ay, and do morethan listen.

  "You leave to-morrow?" he said.

  "Yes. My leg won't carry me yet, but with a canoe and a litter I canmake shift to get along until we reach the Nyanza. Can you lend me aninterpreter?"

  "Lepoko is a good fellow. I think I can spare him now. We'll see whathe says."

  He sent for the man, and explained that he wished him to accompany thetravellers during the first part of their journey.

  "Me plenty sorry, massa," said Lepoko. "Me no fit to go. What for?Me comfy heah! No lib for go talk talk for nudder massa. What for?Nando go to Boma with old massa; what den? He come back, get cotched,chicotte, feel plenty bad. No, no, sah; Lepoko know all 'bout dat.Lepoko go long long, do anyfing for massa; he lib for lub Lokolobolo,no nudder massa dis time. Why, me hab got wife in Ilombekabasi; whatfor leabe wife? No good at all; dat what Bula Matadi make black mando, leabe wife, leabe pickin, go 'way all 'lone 'lone. Make black mansick inside, sah; feel awful bad. No, no, I tell massa. Nando go. Heknow Inglesa plenty fine; he hab no got wife; he die of shame 'cos heleabe Samba in fire hut; no one lub Nando now. Oh yes, sah! Nando go:me tell him one time."

  After this breathless speech, Lepoko ran off to find his brother.Nando at first was by no means disposed to leave the fort on so longand hazardous a journey. But at last he was persuaded, though onbidding Jack good-bye he said earnestly--

  "Me nebber, nebber, nebber lib for hab nudder brudder what talkInglesa: oh no!"

  One afternoon a few days after this, one of the look-outs on thesouth-eastern blockhouse reported that he saw a crowd of peopleemerging from the forest a couple of miles away. Hurrying to the spot,Jack took a long look through his field-glasses and made out that theapproaching throng was composed of natives, men, women, and children,the women being laden with babies and bundles. When the crowd camewithin earshot of the fort, a negro stepped forward, and, lifting hishands to his mouth, vociferated--

  "Yo! Yo!"

  "Answer him, Lianza," said Jack to the man of the brazen throat.

  "I am here," shouted Lianza.

  "Is that Ilombekabasi?"

  "It is Ilombekabasi."

  "And Lokolobolo?"

  "And Lokolobolo."

  "I am Lokua. My chief is Makole. We come from Limpoko to seeLokolobolo."

  "Lokolobolo says that Makole and Lokua may enter, but no more."

  "I am going."

  "Are you going?"

  "O!"

  The negro returned to his company, who were now squatting in a seriesof circles just above the site of Elbel's ruined camp. He presentlyreturned with a negro in chief's array, a head taller than himself.

  The two negroes were admitted. Makole stood before Jack, a bundle ofpalm leaves in one hand. They exchanged greetings.

  "I am proud to see Lokolobolo," said Makole. "I come from Limpoko.All my people have come with me, my four wives, my children, all myp
eople. We have heard of the great things done by Lokolobolo inIlombekabasi, and how he beat Elobela and Mutela and other servants ofthe Great White Chief who eats up the black men. We come to askLokolobolo to let us be his people. I am Makole, the chief; I havefour wives and many children; but I say I will be Lokolobolo's servant;all my people shall be his servants, if he will take us intoIlombekabasi and let us live in peace."

  "Why do you wish to leave Limpoko?" asked Jack.

  "We do not wish to leave Limpoko. But what can we do, O Lokolobolo?The rubber is done; we have no more of it; day by day the servants ofthe Great White Chief beat us and kill us because we cannot fill ourbaskets; Limpoko will soon be a wilderness. We come before we are allgone, and we beg Lokolobolo to hear our entreaty."

  "Shall we admit Makole?" asked Jack of Imbono, who had come to his side.

  "Makole is a tall man, a great chief. We will be blood brothers andlive together."

  "You may bring your people in, Makole. But I warn you it may not be tolive in peace. We have offended Bula Matadi; Bula Matadi will comewith a great host to destroy us. All who live in Ilombekabasi must notlook for ease and peace, but for work and war. Your people must sharewith the rest; they must build their own huts, till the fields, repairthe walls, learn to scout and to fight in our way. It is not peace,Makole."

  "I praise Lokolobolo! I trust Lokolobolo! I will do all he says, andmy people shall learn all that he teaches," cried the chief, slappinghis thighs. Then, unwrapping the bundle of palm leaves, he displayed ashrivelled hand, and said--

  "This is my gift to Lokolobolo."

  "What is this, Makole?" asked Jack, shuddering.

  "It is the hand of Boloko, who whipped us and killed us, who can sayhow many? We met him as we came through the forest, and my young menkilled him, and I bring his hand to Lokolobolo to show that he is dead,and will trouble us no more."

  "But we do not deal with our enemies thus," said Jack.

  The chief looked surprised.

  "It is the way of the servants of the Great White Chief," he said."They kill us, and cut off our hands, and take them to their chiefs,and the chiefs are pleased and pay brass rods for them. I thoughtLokolobolo would be pleased."

  "Lokolobolo is Inglesa," said Lepoko. "It is only Bula Matadi thatpays for the hands of black men. Give it to Mboyo; he is Boloko'sbrother. Boloko hated Mboyo, he hated Samba; Mboyo will be pleased."

  "Bury it at once, out of sight," said Jack, "Bring your people in,Makole. Lepoko, take him to Mr. Barney; he will show him where tobuild his huts."

  All Ilombekabasi flocked to the gates to see the entrance of this newcontingent. They came in laughing, singing, dancing, the motherseagerly asking where was Lokolobolo that they might point him out totheir little ones. But Lokolobolo was not to be seen.