the chime-bird
with his deep double note; or the bell-bird tolling like a cathedral in
the blackness of the forest; or the bottle bird that apparently pours
gurgling liquid gold from a silver jug. As the jungle is exceedingly
populous of these feathered specialists, it follows that the early
morning chorus is wonderful. Africa may not possess the soloists, but
its full orchestrial effects are superb.
Naturally under the equator one expects and demands the "gorgeous
tropical plumage" of the books. He is not disappointed. The sun-birds
of fifty odd species, the brilliant blue starlings, the various parrots,
the variegated hornbills, the widower-birds, and dozens of others whose
names would mean nothing flash here and there in the shadow and in the
open. With them are hundreds of quiet little bodies just as interesting
to one who likes birds. From the trees and bushes hang pear-shaped
nests plaited beautifully of long grasses, hard and smooth as hand-made
baskets, the work of the various sorts of weaver-birds. In the tops of
the trees roosted tall marabout storks like dissipated, hairless old
club-men in well-groomed, correct evening dress.
And around camp gathered the swift brown kites. They were robbers and
villains, but we could not hate them. All day long they sailed back
and forth spying sharply. When they thought they saw their chance, they
stooped with incredible swiftness to seize a piece of meat. Sometimes
they would snatch their prize almost from the hands of its rightful
owner, and would swoop triumphantly upward again pursued by polyglot
maledictions and a throwing stick. They were very skilful on their
wings. I have many times seen them, while flying, tear up and devour
large chunks of meat. It seems to my inexperience as an aviator rather a
nice feat to keep your balance while tearing with your beak at meat held
in your talons. Regardless of other landmarks, we always knew when we
were nearing camp, after one of our strolls, by the gracefully wheeling
figures of our kites.
IX. THE FIRST LION
One day we all set out to make our discoveries: F., B., and I with our
gunbearers, Memba Sasa, Mavrouki, and Simba, and ten porters to bring
in the trophies, which we wanted very much, and the meat, which the men
wanted still more. We rode our horses, and the syces followed. This made
quite a field force-nineteen men all told. Nineteen white men would be
exceedingly unlikely to get within a liberal half mi
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