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Lukumbi to Liwapokpi; fishing |
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Short march from Lukumbi. 5 miles. Lexie's toe very sore. Coolies helped us down slippery slope from bungalow by sticking their walking sticks in to give us a grip. Lexie very lame, & we went slow, letting coolies go ahead. Very slow, slippery march through dense bamboo jungle. Reached bridge about 11.30. (38) (Jeff went on ahead to fish). Lex ate some tiffin, and said she would go on slow up the road, while I took coolie & tiffin basket & went to find Jeff. Staggered down river-bed for 1/2 mile, waded river, & then had to turn back. Found Jeff had gone on by road. Went on with tiffin coolie, Lex following with lumbu, and found group of men on road, Jeff fishing below. After some time Lex arrived, & interpreted (the language difficulty had been considerable) & we were told to go along and Jeff would meet (39) us. Presently we saw him on the shore, and one of the locals (tastefully attired in beads, dao & loincloth, & carrying the Tiffin-box) cut a way through the underbrush down to the shore. Had tiffin on shore. Jeff pointed out tiger-tracks, & told me marks I had seen near bridge were wild elephant. Went on with Jeff, wading rapid with aid of shikari. Jeff caught 3lb mahseer. Went up along bank with shikaris and Nagas, but caught nothing more, though we scrambled through bamboo jungle in large quantities. Walked in, & were met by (40) Christian deputation who had erected arch and sang "God save the King" rather in the Gaelic manner. Pagan coolies vastly curious in us & are now peering through the window. Jeff said there were monkeys by river, & we went down but saw none. As Christian choir were singing felt touch on leg, found Naga scraping leech off leg with dao; did it most delicately with razor-sharp blade. Photographed river group with fish, |
