The Bafut Beagles

The next day was, if anything, slightly worse than the preceding one, for the Bafutians started to arrive before I had finished attending to the collection. There is nothing quite so nerve-racking as struggling to clean and feed several dozen creatures when twenty or thirty more have arrived in airless and insanitary containers and are crying out for attention. As I watched out of the corner of my eye the pile of calabashes and baskets growing on the veranda, so the number of cages that I had still to clean and attend to seemad to multiply, until I felt rather as Hercules must have felt when he got his first glimpse of the Augean stables.

When I had finished the work, before buying any fresh specimens I made a speech to the assembled Bafutians from the top of the steps. I pointed out that in the last couple of days they had brought me a vast quantity of beef of all shapes, sizes, and descriptions. This proved that the Bafutians were by far the best hunters I had come across, and I was very grateful to them. However, I went on, as they would realize, there was a limit to the amount of beef I could purchase and house in any one day. So I would be glad if they would desist from hunting for the space of three days, in order that my caging and food supply might catch up with them. There was no sense, I pointed out, in my buying beef from them if it was going to die for lack of adequate housing; that was just simply a waste of money. The African is nothing if not a business man, and at this remark the nodding of heads sent a ripple over the crowd, and a chorus of arrrrr! arose. Having thus driven the point home, and, I hoped, given myself three days respite, I purchased the animals they had brought and once more set about the task of cage-building.

At four o'clock the caging was under control, and I was having a break for a cup of tea. As I leant on the veranda rail I saw the arched doorway in the red brick wall fly open and the Fon appeared. He strode across the great courtyard with enormous strides, his robes fluttering and hissing as he moved. He was scowling worriedly and muttering to himself. As it was obvious that he was on his way to pay me a visit, I went down the steps to meet him.

I see ya, my friend, I said politely as he reached me. My friend! he said, enveloping my hand in his and peering earnestly into my face, some man done tell me you no go buy beef again. Na so? no be so, I said.

Ah! Good, good I he said in a relieved voice. Sometime I fear you done get enough beef an you go lef dis place.

no, no be so, I explained. people for Bafut saway hunting too much, and dey done bring me so many beef I no get box for put um. So I done tell all dis people dey no go hunt for three days, so I get chance for make box for put all dis beef.

ah I saway, said the Fon, smiling at me affectionately. I tink sometime you go lef us.

no, I no go lef Bafut.

The Fon peered anxiously round in a conspiratorial fashion, and then, draping one arm lovingly round my shoulders, he drew me down the road.

Ma friend, he said in a hoarse whisper, I done find beef for you. Na fine beef, na beef you never get.

What kind of beef? I asked curiously.

beef, said the Fon explicitly, you go like too much. We go catch um now, eh?

you never catch um yet?

no, my friend, but I saway which side dey de hide.

all right. We go look um now, eh?

yes, yes, foinel said the Fon.

Eagerly he led me across the great courtyard, through a maze of narrow passages, until we reached a small hut.

wait here small time, my friend, I go come, he said, and then disappeared hurriedly into the gloom of the hut. I waited outside, wondering where he had gone to and what kind of beef it was that he had discovered. He had an air of mystery about him which made the whole thing rather intriguing.

When he eventually reappeared, for a moment I did not recognize him. He had removed his robes, his skuUVcap, and his sandals, and was now naked except for a small and spotlessly white loin-cloth. In one hand he held a long and slender spear. His thin, muscular body gleamed with oil, and his feet were bare. He approached me, twirling his spear professionally, beaming with delight at my obvious surprise.

you done get new hunter man, he said, chuckling; now you fit call me Bafut Beagle, no be so?

I tink dis hunter man be best for all, I said, grinning at him.

I saway hunting fine, he said, nodding. Sometime my people tink I get ole too much for go bush. My friend, if some man get hunting for e eye, for e nose, an for e blood, e never get ole too much for go bush, no be so?

you speak true, my friend, I said.