Binky and the Hyena Trail
Mahmoud’s Story
This Land of Fire lies at
the end of the “Hyena Trail” which is so called because of the dangers of
travelling the route. The lack of
water and hunting as well as the hostility of the tribes along the route causing
the death of almost all who dare go there.
He was told of the fierce Gaasai who herd cattle and kill everyone who
enters their land. The tales they
told of how prisoners were treated and done to death were horrific and probably
exaggerated.
The king was described to
Mahmoud as living in a land protected by a wide river, a salt desert and a road
of skulls paved with the victims of demonic monsters.
This combination, Mahmoud also thought exaggerated as if it was so
difficult why were the slavers going there?
Part of the reason is that this land is reputed to teem with elephant
herds, have gold nuggets as large as a man’s hand and gems as bright as the sun
waiting to be picked up in such abundance that even the poorest tribesman uses
the gems to weigh down the skins of his travelling tent.
The King is said to be a white man and his fortresses are on high flat
topped hills.
On
the afternoon before the fight on the hill the cruel Great Slaver called Tchibu
Tchib had left the camp with his slaves and a strong party of Arabs, Ruga Ruga
and a couple of white men as well as his porters and slaves.
These white men spoke in a different language from Binky Bwana and were
looking for another white man who had gone before them in search of greatness
and riches. These white men had a
few well armed black riflemen with them.
He
had told and the
Portuguese is a well known trader Loadzi Bravadho to follow with the white women
being
brought by Sayyid (Lord) Maqa Buqattu from Zohme el Ohle and Sheikh Gizan Udah
Wann from the Sultan of Marzibar.
As
far as he can see from the tracks
Loadzi Bravadho and the white
women are being rushed along by some of the well armed Ruga Ruga.
One
of the white men had been out hunting a couple of days ago and he had strayed a
little way from his bearer.
Suddenly a Cape Buffalo bull charged from a thicket and before he could fire
even a single shot he was thrown into the air and the beast caught him on its
horns and ran off with the screaming and mortally wounded man spread out on its
back. The bull took about an hour
to kill the man almost as if it was playing with him deep in the thorn thicket.
The body was found soon after gored through and through.
This man was buried near the hill but Mahmoud does not know where.