Sacred White Rocks

by Waggoner, Robert C.

  Sean helped Slim up and about that time a crowd formed around the car. Curious eyes observed the blond girl yelling it was obvious her fault. The passenger took the girl aside and whispered into her ear. Her face turned red and she had a major change of attitude. Slim was leaning on her car rubbing his leg. The girl came up to Slim and asked him if he was ok. Slim nodded his head, but everything was fuzzy looking to him. Sean suggested they go to the clinic and have him checked out by a doctor. The girl agreed and they put Slim in the back and the black passenger who was with her drove the car to the clinic.

  An hour later, checked out by the doctor and deemed fit, Slim with a limp walked out the door with Sean holding him by the arm and the now concerned girl following them. Slim sat in the front seat and seemed to have regained his senses. He asked the girl, ‘What is your name and what the hell were you doing driving like a bat out of hell down a crowded street in the dark?’

  She answered him by saying, ‘I was late for a meeting at the institute of anthropology where my father is giving a speech. My name is Clare Higgins.’

  Slim took stock of who tried to run him down and end his career as a big game guide and fortune hunter. She was short, blond and beautiful in a tom boy sort of way. Big blue eyes that danced around like chimp in a tree; never staying focused on anyone thing very long. Full lips and white teeth and hair the color of corn; and she was dressed head to toe in a brand new safari outfit complete with boots almost reaching her knees. Slim was totally confused. He had no idea what the hell an anthropologist was and further more he didn’t care. He was in love and tried to form a plan to capture this strange creature anyway he could.

  Clare asked them where they lived and she would drive them there. Slim, with a serious look on his face, said he would rather walk than ride with her. She laughed and her smile was infectious. Slim smiled through his early morning cleaning of his teeth and it appeared she was a little enthralled with him. Sean meanwhile was standing next to the back passenger/driver and he poked the black guy in the ribs. Both knew exactly what was going on. Slim said, ‘Let’s go and I will show you where our hotel is.’

  Driving and Slim firing questions at Clare, he found out she and her father were from England and were here to study the Massai. Specifically their religious practice and why they were so tall a culture much different from any other African tribe.

  Sean was listening as was Slim. Both were thinking the same thing: guides were needed who spoke English and knew how to form a safari with porters. Clare asked Slim what they were doing in Africa and he related the patent story of big game guides and they had been doing it for more than ten years. He went on to tell her that a movie star and his entourage had stood them up and they were now available for guides. He went on to tell her they were very familiar with the Massai and were on good terms with them. He was thinking of Jasmine.

  Clare was excited and wanted them to meet her father tomorrow morning at their hotel. They made a date and dropped them off at their shabby hotel where Jasmine awaited him. Before going in, Sean and Slim made a plan for Slim to talk Jasmine into going on the safari. Slim didn’t think it would take much persuasion as she wanted to go with him anywhere he went.

  Two hours later, trying to explain what they were doing guiding some white scholars on a trip to her village, Jasmine finally understood that is was for the white people to learn more of their culture. No one was going to ask about the white rocks. Purely a guided safari and that was all. Jasmine agreed to go with them and she asked when they would leave. Slim said he didn’t know for sure, but tomorrow they had a meeting with the big boss man.

  The next morning Slim and Sean stood in front of Clare’s hotel waiting for the clock to strike ten. They didn’t want to be too early and seem too anxious. What they didn’t know was the professor was a little absent minded and had no idea what time they would visit. Slim knocked and a moment later the door opened with Clare standing there looking more beautiful than yesterday.

  She asked them in and hats in hand, shaved heads and all; they followed Clare into a large room where a large table was set up in the middle of the room. Piles of papers and maps covered most of it and standing behind the table was a very short gray haired man with spectacles. No doubt this was her father the professor. Clare tried to get her father’s attention, but he was so wrapped up in what he was doing, he failed to see he had company. Clare spoke louder and told her father that the safari guides were here to see him. He turned to her and said, ‘Honey you take care of it for me, I have so many things to do with the government and such things that I can’t do everything.’ Clare told him she would take care of it and returned to Slim and Sean who were by now more confused than ever. Having never been in this kind of situation, they had no idea where to go from here.

  Slim said to Clare, ‘Does this mean we are hired to guide you to the Massai?’

  She laughed and said, ‘Well I guess so. Let’s sit down and discuss your fee and how many porters we will need. Also, I need to know how long it will take to get there and back to Mombasa where we will catch a boat back to England.’

  Slim and Sean huddled up in a corner and then Slim walked back to Clare. ‘We’ll need five hundred to start with and that should provide us with forty porters and all the necessary equipment for the trip. We’ll give you a more detailed account in two days time. Meanwhile, when do you want to leave?’

  She said, ‘We’d like to leave here in two weeks if at all possible.’ Slim told her that date should not be a problem and they would leave now to make the preparations.

  She went to a desk and took out a check book and wrote out the amount requested. ‘Take this to the bank across the street and they will give you the money.’ Slim took the check and smiled into her blue eyes and nearly backed into the door on the way out saying how pleased he was to have been hit by her last night. Sean hit him on the head with his hat and out the door they went.

  Once on the street headed for the bank, Slim and Sean hooted into the air and thanked the diamond gods for their good luck. Unknown to them, hiding and watching were two men. One was Red and the other guy was known as Too Tall Toby. Red was known throughout the territory as Red River Red. Both men were evil and cunning. Last night Red overheard Slim talking to Jasmine and when they retired to her room, Red followed them listening at the door discussing diamonds; then the next morning he followed Slim and his partner to the hotel. He gave the door man half a guinea and found out who they were meeting and why.

  If Slim and Sean had known what the future held for them, maybe they would have reconsidered heading up the safari. Too late now, the die was cast. A few minutes later the partners came out of the bank so happy one would have thought they had struck it rich in the gold mines of South Africa.

  Back at Jasmine’s room they told her what the plan was and the first thing they would do, is move from this dump to a better hotel with real beds. Jasmine was excited and packed her things up and soon they were ensconced in a medium price hotel with two rooms. Slim would have a room for him and Jasmine and another room for Sean. Sean usually handled the money and this safari was no different. He had a head for math and Slim was good at finding porters and equipment. Slim gave Jasmine some money and told her to buy some clothes for the safari. Then, the partners sat down and made a list of things to do. Sean went to make the food arrangements and Slim headed out to find some porters. Tomorrow they would line up the rolling stock and outfit the camp with tents and the rest of the necessary items for camping out each night.

  They would need rifles and ammunition because they would be heading into lion country; and kerosene lamps for night time. A thousand items needed for the six month journey to Mt. Kenya and back to Mombasa.

  Later that evening, tired and wore out from working, the guys and Jasmine went down to dinner. At the table, Jasmine made the men a deal. She wanted in for a full share and she would take care of the cooking and food. She wanted to take her friend and she would pay her salary out of her
share and hire the cooks and dish washers. Slim looked at Sean and Sean shrugged his shoulders leaving it up to Slim. What the hell he thought there should be enough for everyone. It was time for a new life anyway; besides he kind of had a hankering for Jasmine’s girlfriend.

  The partnership formed, they ate well for the first time in many moons. After dinner they went upstairs and went to bed exhausted. Slim and Jasmine never touched each other until daylight when she stretched her arms and he woke up to a smiling face. He reached for her and she jumped on top of him and a short time later, they were dressed for the day. Slim banged on Sean’s door and went down for breakfast. Sean arrived with a sleepy face, but a smile broke through when he had a cup of coffee. The coffee was the best in Africa: Kenya bean. They made a list of things they would each do and would meet back here at the hotel for lunch. If not lunch, then dinner would be the next meeting.

  Slim, thought it prudent to stop by Clare’s hotel and report in. He knew it wasn’t necessary, but he wanted to look at her again. Her smile would stop a wildebeest migration. His report would be factual, but the meeting would be all his pleasure. He couldn’t believe his good luck being with her for six months. He knew Jasmine would be a problem, but then life is full of problems.

  Chapter 3

  Slim was seen by Red and his crony Toby swaggering down the street headed for Clare’s hotel. Red had called a meeting of his gang last night behind the bath house. A small fire was still burning from the day’s water heating. The men could be seen huddled around the fire as an unusual cool breeze was blowing off Mt. Kenya. Red was laying out his plan for the gang to steal all of the safari’s equipment and sell it in Mombasa. He figured it would only take four men and when the takeover was complete, he would hire the same porters to transfer the stolen stuff to the coastal city for a nice profit. Split four ways, he told the gang, they would get upwards of five hundred quid each would be had from a buyer he knew.

  Red went on to tell them how they would follow behind at least a day. He told Toby to locate a truck that could carry their gear and four men. Pack up the rifles and make sure they had plenty of ammunition. To the other two gang members, which Red could not remember their names, he assigned food provisions. His plan was to eliminate the two no names as soon as the takeover was complete. He kept the diamonds a secret even from Toby.

  Out of sight but within their sharp hearing, the two blind bath girls listened to every word that was said by the gang of thieves. After the meeting broke up the girls went to the house and told the old lady and the old man what they heard from Red and his gang. The old lady said not to say anything to anyone. She would take care of the gang in her own way.

  Meanwhile, Slim skipped up the steps to Clare’s hotel. Stopped at the top and took a deep breath and headed up the stairs to her third floor room. He knocked softly and after a minute or two, the door opened by a black man who was as tall as Jasmine. Brown hair and face paint adorned his solemn look. He stepped aside and Slim walked in as Clare walked across the large living room to greet him. She looked striking as usual. Again she was dressed up in her safari clothes with the knee high boots. In addition, her hair was up with some stick pins of some sort. Slim wasn’t too sure how or why her hair stayed up, but she looked lovely that way. His face turned red and with his hat in hand, said, ‘Madam I’ve come to give you a report on our progress yesterday.’ Clare kept smiling and told him to sit down and tell her all about it.

  Now, Slim was never one to stutter, but talking to this lovely girl made his tongue twist up like cork screw tree. She knew he was crazy about her, but she remained attentive with a small smile on her face. She never asked him a question because he would have trouble telling her through his tied up tongue. She thanked him and he got up to leave. The professor was deep in conversation with the tall black Massai man as they poured over some maps on the table. The professor looked up and said to Slim, ‘Young man when can we depart for the bush?’ Slim stuttered an answer and quickly left begging their forgiveness that he had an appointment with a guy about hiring porters.

  Back on the street Slim headed towards the market where he would meet a guy who had some porters for hire. He was followed by Too Tall Toby at a safe distance dodging from hiding spot to hiding spot. Those folks that were passing on the dusty street thought that Toby was some kind of crazy white guy touched in the head. The hardware owner was standing in his doorway watching the short fat Toby waddle around from place to place always looking left and right. He shook his head and turned around and went into his store muttering to himself what damn fools most white people were.

  Slim was seeing nothing but corn silk hair and white teeth in his head. A truck could have run over him and he would never have known what hit him. He was moon struck with love and the next thing he knew, he walked into a vegetable cart being pushed by an old man. Some vegetables fell off and Slim helped him pick them up and gave the old buzzard half a crown.

  Slim met with the guy and made arrangements to hire ten porters who were proven reliable. One thing Slim knew about was porters. Ten plus years of safari guiding and he knew when some guy was jerking him around.

  On the other side of town, Sean was making deals for transportation and supplies. Some had to be shipped up from Mombasa and would take a week or more to get there. He told the dealer to make it quicker or he would buy from someone else. The dealer said the supplies would be here in five days. Satisfied, Sean moved on to check on some rolling stock. Their old truck would not do, too damn old, he thought to himself. We need two trucks, he said to nobody, and they must be good ones. Some spare parts too, such as tires, fan belts, fuel pump and water pump.

  Sean saw an old friend of his walking towards him. He was a friendly gent who had been a very successful guide in his day and had saved his money for a rainy day. He commanded respect around town. Sean put a smile on his face and shook Matt’s hand. Matt suggested a cup of coffee and Sean readily agreed. They strolled to an outdoor café protected by small palm trees from the sun and dust. They were the only customers and the waiter knew who Matt was and recognized Sean from seeing him around throughout the years. He knew a tip was coming from Matt and he gave them his best service. Coffee and biscuits arrived as if by magic. The waiter slobbered over Matt and then backed away with a yellow toothy smile.

  Sean knew Matt, with his big Aussie ears and keen grey eyes, knew more about what was going on with the professor and his daughter than they did. Nothing that went on in town escaped the much liked Aussie. He had saved his money, unlike the rest of them for a rainy day. Now he was pretty much retired and dabbled in a scheme or two as it presented itself. He was the man to talk to if you really needed something, be it supplies or information. However, his price for his generosity was not cheap. Quite the contrary, he demanded a pound of flesh and delighted in receiving it. It was a fool who crossed him. More than one foolish guide had thought to stiff him and was never heard from again. The savannah swallowed more than one stupid safari guide. The only thing the search discovered was their bones where lions had feasted.

  Matt leaned back and asked Sean, ‘Well, old friend, you going to tell me about your trip planned with the professor and his daughter?’

  ‘Of course, Matt, I’ve been looking for you this morning,’ he lied.

  Matt laughed and leaned forward with his arms on the table and looked Sean in the eye and said, ‘Why are you really going into Massai country?’

  Sean held a steady look and replied, ‘Honest Matt, this is only a guide trip to lead the expedition and that is all.’

  Matt chuckled and said with a keen eye, ‘Okay, Sean have it your way. I will wait patiently for you to tell me the real reason.’ Sean sat there drinking his coffee and looking at Matt. He was thinking about his relationship with Matt.

  Some years ago, while on safari with an Earl from Sussex, they were on a hunt for Cape buffalo. It was a very dangerous animal that hid out in the scrub trees and tall grass and would charge at the slightest provo
cation. The Earl was an expert hunter and followed Sean’s advice to the letter. The night before, Matt drove into camp after scouting for some bull elephants for his safari he was leading. He and Sean sat around talking about their respective safaris. Matt cautioned Sean and Slim to be careful as one of his porters told him that a particularly mean Buffalo was out there with a gunshot wound from a few months earlier.

  Remembering this warning the next morning, Sean and the Earl, with one of Africa’s best trackers leading the way, came to an abrupt halt. The tracker whispered into Sean’s ear that he could smell the buffalo not far off. Sean told the Earl to be alert as it was evident that soon they would hear a crashing sound coming and before you would know it, a black ton and half mean buffalo would be on you with his head down. Sean motioned Slim to move off to their right and he told the Earl he would go to the left and that the Earl would get the first shot. After that, both he and Slim would finish off the Buffalo. A good plan, but as it turned out, they lost their fine black African tracker in the melee. In addition, Matt had sensed some trouble was brewing and followed them at a distance downwind from the Buffalo. Matt the old hand at hunting wild game, stationed himself behind the Earl and just off to the side.

  Seconds later all hell broke loose. The buffalo came crashing through the brush snorting and grass and dirt was flying off his hooves. The black tracker was off to the side of the Earl on Slim’s side and when Slim raised his rifle to take a shot, the black man was directly in the way. In a flash the black tracker was thrown in the air by the buffalos lowered head and horns. The Earl took the shot and hit the buffalo in the upper front leg slowing it down a bit, but the buffalo was hell bent on rage headed for the finely dressed Earl. Sean took a shot and so did Slim. Both hit the animal, but still it kept coming when Matt took a head shot just above the eyes and dropped the buffalo watching the animal rolling over and over coming to a stop not far from the paralyzed Earl.