Binky and the Hyena Trail

Mahmoud’s Story

 After Bwana Adrian left on the steamer for Egypt and then Britain he stayed at the port for a while with the other bearers before making the return.  On the way back they met Lucille and her escort.  Mahmoud was most surprised to find them so far off the route and Lucille seemed very strangely subdued.  Mahomoud found out later that she had been drugged.  Her escort and bearers were not the men and women that Mahmoud recognised.  When Lucille did not recognise him he pretended that he did not know her.  He was most suspicious.  During the night the Arabs arrived and the “escort” handed over everyone to them as slaves.  Mahmoud was among the slaves but his skill as an interpreter allowed him better treatment and he soon discovered that Lucille was drugged and had been earmarked for sale or maybe a gift to the Great King in the Land of Fire deep in the interior. 

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. 

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Mahmoud's story

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