Chapter 5

Ben was unable, in the short time remaining before they left, to make arrangements for a guide. They therefore agreed to try again once they arrived in Brazzaville. The transatlantic flight was uneventful and two days later the two couples were quartered at a small but comfortable hotel in the Congolese capital.

The jet lag had been especially hard on Renee who had slept the clock around after their arrival, but who still sported dark circles under her eyes. Martin could see almost daily degeneration in his wife's condition.

"Honey, don't you think it best if you stayed here and rested."

"No. I told you I was coming on this trip and I meant all the way. I'll turn in early. One more night's rest and I'll be ready."

"Are you sure, Renee?" asked Ben. "The last few kilometers are going to be slow going. We'll probably have to cut our way through jungle and there are hills to climb."

"Trying to scare me off?" asked Renee.

"Frankly, yes. I just don't think you're in any kind of shape for what's ahead. Christine, would you mind staying with..."

"Never mind! Christine and I are coming with you and that's that!" Renee interrupted.

Ben and Martin looked at each other. Neither agreed with the industrialist's wife, but neither was going to match wills with her either.

Ben did manage to find a local tribesman who spoke Mabuka and although his English was fractured at best, Ben thought it was far better than his Mabuka, so he had contracted for the native to accompany them as translator and guide. Ben also made contact with the helicopter pilot who would fly them out in the morning.

Renee and Christine did a bit of shopping but Renee soon tired so they returned to the hotel where Christine amused Renee by stripping and masturbating with a wooden phallic symbol they had bought at the market.

After supper they all turned in early, for tomorrow the real journey would begin.

Christine took an instant dislike to Raluu the guide/Interpreter as he kept leering at her with a lecherous grin accentuated by two missing front teeth. When she complained to Ben, he did rearrange the seating so the guide was separated from Christine as far as possible, but basically told her to ignore him. The helicopter pilot was a white South African, an ex-military chopper pilot who was now doing free lance contract flying for hunters and tourists, sort of an African equivalent to the Alaskan bush pilot except for the fact that he was also known to smuggle contraband in and out of the country on occasion when the money was right.

The flight from Brazzaville to Ewo was noisy as the old converted Huey did not afford much luxury. However they were all glad to see that Renee weathered the trip without too much fatigue. While the chopper was being refueled and additional supplies taken aboard, Ben and Martin checked again with both the chopper pilot and their guide to pinpoint the location of the village, their drop point and schedule for return.

"Looks to be about ten klicks," Ben said to Martin estimating from the map the distance from the drop off point to the village.

"Yeah, not quite as far as we expected. That's good news. Any walking we can save Renee will be welcomed."

"I wish we could get closer, but there just are no clearings large enough to set the chopper down in, plus I don't want to spook the villagers. This is a very primitive tribe. My first visit was the first whites they had ever encountered in their village. They seemed friendly enough and I left on good terms with them, but I would rather walk in, giving them plenty of time to know we are coming. They probably don't like strangers dropping in unannounced any better than we do."

Martin nodded agreement. The five passengers once again strapped themselves in and the helicopter ascended to deliver them into the jungle.

As the whomp, whomp whomp of the rotor blades faded in the distance, the two husbands conferred with the guide, strapped on the backpacks and canteen belts and, agreeing on direction, set out for the Mabuka village. The going was easy at first, fairly even ground and underbrush which was easily brushed aside or walked over, but within thirty minutes they were into the jungle hacking their way through growth that impeded their every step. The guide went ahead to scout and establish the better routes through the dense undergrowth with Ben and Martin trying to make the trek a bit easier for the women who followed.

They took frequent breaks for Renee who, despite her fatigue, insisted she did not want to hold them up. As the day wore on however, their pace slowed considerably as the wife of the industrialist simply could not keep up. Christine held her hand and led her. Sometimes the blonde would put her arm around Renee's waist to steady her as she teetered.

By nightfall, Ben estimated their progress had been only three to four kilometers, but while not as much as they would have hoped, it still meant only an extra day or two beyond their original estimate. The camp was sparse. They built a fire and the meal was spartan but nourishing. Renee was asleep within minutes of finishing the meal. Christine was not so lucky however, as she spent a great portion of the night restless with the knowledge that Raluu was looking at her constantly with that lecherous grin.

They got an early start the next morning and despite the fact that there were ravines and some hilly areas, their progress was quite good. Renee was in good spirits and actually urged them on. Christine had spoken to Ben again and he in turn had had words with the guide who proclaimed his innocence, but twice Christine caught him stealing glimpses of her and remained uncomfortable. The afternoon was a different story as a jungle storm dumped over two inches of rain before swiftly moving out of the area. They were able to take shelter under the canopies of the huge densely leaved trees, but the ground became soaked which made footing difficult. Renee was beginning to tire as well and twice she slipped and fell despite Christine's best efforts to help. Yet by sundown, the three men were agreed they would make the Mabuka village by tomorrow afternoon.

It was mid afternoon of the following day when they first made contact. The three native men appeared from nowhere and confronted them, spears held at the ready. Ben had the guide explain who he was and that he had brought friends to visit with his tribal brothers. This seemed to put them at ease as the men with coal black skins smiled and offered to show them the way to the village. The tribesmen, much to the chagrin of Christine, gave her the same looks she had been afforded by their guide and seemed quite animated on the walk back to the village, talking and gesturing rapidly and turning to look at her frequently.

An hour later they entered the primitive village composed of about two dozen bamboo and thatch huts arranged in a roughly circular pattern around a cleared central area where a communal fire was kept ablaze. It was obvious that making fire was either beyond them (perhaps they would "preserve" fire from lightning strikes) or at best was difficult, so the communal fire was kept constantly ablaze. It served for cooking and as a means to ward off dangerous animals of the jungle.

Again Christine seemed to garner the rapt attention of virtually every villager as they entered the small tribal community. Most seemed to first stare at her blonde, almost white hair, then at her body which made her all the more uncomfortable and actually raised a pang of jealousy or two in Renee.

The men and women of the village worn loincloths of crude fibrous material, the women's breasts swinging freely as they walked. They were led to a hut slightly larger than the others and told to wait outside.

In a few moments a small, elderly women, perhaps in her eighties, appeared. As she did, the other villagers fell back in reverence. It was obvious this was the village chieftess. Her eyes too, widened as she caught sight of Christine's hair but when she saw Ben, she broke into a wide grin and spoke rapidly in tones of welcome which needed no translator.

Ben uttered a few phrases introducing Renee, Christine and Martin to the woman as he reached into his back pack. He withdrew a box of chocolate candy and presented it to her, having the guide translate more precisely that this was a special treat he had brought to her from his village. She immediately tore into the box and tasted one of the delights.

A grin spread across her face, then she unexpectedly gave the box of candy to the several children who were watching the visitors with much interest. They quickly devoured the candy, but not before equally dividing it among themselves.

"They are a society built on the concept of sharing," Ben told the others. "They share everything including each other. There are no marriages here. They live with each other until they feel the need for someone else. They trade huts as well as bed partners frequently. Only the Chieftess has her own hut. The children are raised by the entire village. Their infant mortality rate is extremely high, so they procreate with great regularity."

Renee and Christine saw what Ben meant as every woman in the village was in some stage of pregnancy or nursing.

"Tell her I have brought other gifts for my friends the Mabuka," Ben said to the guide.

The native's phrases were followed by those of the Chieftess. Raluu then turned back to Ben.

"She is pleased you have brought gifts, but first she wishes you and your friends to eat with them."

Ben knew enough Mabuka to thank her for her hospitality.

The meal was simple and without ceremony. They all sat around the central fire and partook of a meat that, while quite good, Renee and Christine both agreed they did not want identified.

During the meal Ben asked if they might talk with the chieftess about something of great importance. She agreed and as soon as the meal was finished she led them to her hut.

She sat on a mat of leaves, the same as they, facing the five visitors.

"I first have a question," Ben asked her through Raluu. "The Mabuka seem very interested in my wife. Why is that?"

Raluu listened to the old woman's reply and translated.

"She say there is old tribal story from long ago. Many Mabuka babies sicken and die, but Wannoo, the Mabuka God will some day send woman of white skin and hair to please the men of the tribe and bear many healthy babies for the Mabuka. For every baby she makes, there will be three years of good hunting and happiness for the people. It will be her first born daughter who will become the next Chieftess."

"No wonder you got so many stares," Renee smiled, " they figure you for the village whore and baby maker."

"Stop it, please." implored Christine.

"How do you explain "wife" to people who have no such concept?" mused Martin.

Ben tried to have Raluu explain that Christine was simply a visitor just like the rest of them and that she too would be leaving when their visit was over, but after an animated conversation, the guide informed them that the Chieftess had finally said it was in the hands of Wannoo.

Ben produced several pairs of walking shorts and skirts of various sizes. He had also brought some brightly colored dresses which seemed to please the old woman. Ben also produced a medallion which he ceremoniously placed around her neck and informed her was reserved only for those of high honor. She smiled again and then asked what was obviously a question.

"She thank you for the many fine gifts but wonders what has brought you back among the Mabuka" said Raluu.

"Tell her," said Ben, motioning to Renee, "that my friend is very sick and will die unless we can find a magical tree called the Luaki which can restore her to health."

Again there was an animated conversation in Mabuka. Finally the guide turned to them.

"She say the Luaki tree is sacred and is only for the use of the tribal Chieftess. However, she also say that it is time for the "renewal" ceremony and although you may not participate, she will allow you to observe."

"When is this ceremony?" asked Ben.

"She say it can be held any time she wishes, so in your honor she will hold it tomorrow night."

"Thank her for her kindness in letting us observe her sacred ceremony," directed Ben.

"But..." started Renee.

"Quiet, Renee," said Ben in a quiet but firm voice, "let's take this one step at a time. We know the tree exists. Let's find out what part, if any, of the story is true. We can go from there."

"Yes, of course," responded Renee as they thanked the old woman again for her invitation and retreated from her hut.

The next day there seemed to be great activity in the village. Although Christine still received many admiring glances, especially from the Mabuka men, it was a young village girl who seemed to be the focus of the village. She appeared to be eighteen or nineteen and quite attractive. Renee thought to herself that under different circumstances she wouldn't mind sharing a hut with the girl for a few nights. Renee and Christine watched as the other young girls of the village led the teenager to the river and leisurely bathed her, scented her body with the sweet essence of orchids and adorned her hair with flowers. Although the others girls were laughing and exhibiting a gala atmosphere, the young girl who was the center of attention seemed pensive, almost melancholy. They brought her back to the village where she disappeared into one of the huts and did not reemerge throughout the rest of the day.

While Martin spent the day presenting small gifts to the villagers and their children, Ben was with the Chieftess learning more about the tribe, the Luaki tree and the ceremony they would witness that evening. He left her only when it was time for her ceremonial bath similar to that which the young girl had been given.

As the four sat around the fire and again partook of the evening meal with the villagers, Renee and Christine tried to pump Ben for information.

"It's just too incredible to describe. I think it best if we all just watch the ceremony," he said.

"Then there is some truth to the story?" asked Martin.

"I'm not sure. Oh, the Chieftess claims she is approaching two hundred years old and that her youth is restored by the tree via the ceremony we will see tonight, but how much is true and how much just sensational storytelling remains to be seen."

"Have you thought about how we can use this tree for Renee if it does turn out it can make her better?" asked Christine.