All the members of my present caravan with the exception
of the Somali ate hippopotamus meat. According
to the Mohammedan religion, at least as interpreted
by the Arabs at Zanzibar and the Somali, there are certain
beasts which it is unlawful for good Mohammedans
to eat. I am not sure whether they are the same as
those mentioned in the Mosaic Law, but, as far as I
could learn, they are as follows: elephant, hippopotamus,
rhinoceros, horse, donkey, zebra, monkey, hawk,
vulture, and any beast of prey, such as the hyena, jackal,
or lion. The more devout of the followers of the faith
conform to this command; but under the stress of hunger
religion is often lost sight of, and all the men of a
trading caravan, composed of Arabs and their slaves,
have been known to subsist upon their own donkeys for
weeks at a time. Although the Soudanese were professed
Mahometans, I have yet to see them hesitate
for a moment between religious scruples and the attractions
of a hearty meal; for they love fat, and the meat
of a hippopotamus is as much covered in adipose tissue
as that of a hog.
We set all our men to work cutting the meat off into
long strips. We then built platforms of small sticks,
about three feet in height, upon which we placed the
strips and then beneath them started a roaring fire. As
the sticks were green, the platforms did not burn; and
after the meat had been scorched and smoked for three
hours it was thoroughly dried, and even in that hot
climate would keep in good condition for several days.
The quantity of this meat a porter is able to consume
seems incredible. On the road, these men ordinarily
eat but once a day, their hunger being satisfied only at