by Malcolm Henderson
Don't Kill The Cow Too Quick
An account of my first
six years of settling in
Panama
|
Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama
Kenya 1972
The Cape buffalo presented a perfect shot. A bull in his prime, he was potentially more
dangerous than any lion or elephant.
"Remember an inch below the boss" Tab Hanson breathed the words. Then, "God
damn it Mike; Get a grip of yourself. Stop shaking." For the past fifteen years, Tab had
wondered what he had done to deserve such a child.
Kiprotich, Kenyan professional hunter and guide, stood three feet from Mike, his own
rifle, a magnum 4.5, aimed at the vital spot. So quick was Kip's reaction that to the
inexperienced ear it sounded as though there was only one shot. The buffalo sank to its
knees, took one last look at its killers and fell to on its side.
Moments later Tab took photographs of Mike and his prize; photographs that back home
in Cleveland would share space with similar photos of his son standing over the body of
a lion and beside the hulk of a dead elephant.
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Teribe Territory , Panama 1992
(Note. The Teribe Indians live along the river of the small name which runs from the
mountains to join the Changuinola river at El Silencio.)
The motor sounded different, different from any Hiedo had ever heard. All outboard
engines belonging to the Teribe Indians were Yamahas, either 15hp or 25hp two
strokes. Whoever was coming up the River was not using a Teribe cayuco (canoe).
That was cause enough for Hiedo to warn Amanzio, the head of his village.
Any visitor to the Teribe must first obtain permission from the tribe's heredity King. If a
stranger had been expected, Hiedo would have been told before being sent to the
lookout post at Panajungle, the camp on the escarpment that until last year had been the
jungle training school for Noriega's special forces.
From escarpment Hiedo could observe the approaches to Bun-di. With no roads
leading into the territory, the river provided the only access.
Hiedo kept his eyes focused on the spot half a mile down river where the jungle gave
way to the base of the escarpment and waited for the cayuco to come into sight. From
that point the course of the river curved around the escapement and led to his
community. With two stretches of shallows to navigate, it took Teribe boatman ten
minutes to round the towering cliff. Someone with a lesser knowledge of the river would
make much slower progress.
The cayuco appeared. A man in police uniform stood in the front using a pole to fend
the bows from striking rocks in the shallow waters. Behind in line sat three others and
the cayuco's driver. The policeman and the boatman were black. The other three were
fair skinned, dressed in khaki and wearing broad brimmed hats. Turning, Hiedo ran to
the other side of the escarpment and with the speed of a mountain lion descended to his
village.
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Village headman, Amanzio, was shaping an arrow out of pifa wood as Hiedo climbed
the notched tree trunk forming the ladder to the elder's house.
The old man listened to Hiedo's report and then spoke.
"Let them come to me. I will not go to the river to welcome those who come without
invitation. Go bring them to me"
It was mid day before the engine sound died and Amanzio knew the visitors were
close. He continued to work the rock hard wood fashioning an arrow head capable of
penetrating the shield of an armadillo. As always, when he shaped an arrow he relived
the hunts of his youth, the days when he was Hiedo's age and his legs were strong and
without pain.
From the shadow of his porch Amanzio watched the strangers slowly climb the path from
the river. At this hour all animals were resting in the shade. It was no wonder the jackets
of these strangers were soaked in sweat.
Hiedo led the way. Behind him came a tall overweight white man. Amanzio guessed his
age to be close to sixty. He was breathing heavily and stopping every twenty paces to
wipe the sweat from his face. A hunting rifle was slung from his shoulder. Next was the
policeman wearing the insignia of a sergeant and then a white woman, petite and frail,
and behind her the other man, who like the woman, seemed out of place in the jungle.
----------------------------------
Tab stopped at the edge of the level ground facing the eleven houses of the community.
Looking about he saw no person and no movement.
"Go find the headman and bring him here." He ordered the policeman.
The policeman crossed the open space to the shade of the largest house. Looking up
at the porch, he spotted Amanzio.
"Buenas Tardes, Jeffe. The Gringo wants to speak to you." The policeman said.
"Who gave you permission to be here?" Amanzio asked.
"This is a letter from the Governor." The policeman climbed the notched trunk and
handed the paper to Amanzio, then realizing the old man could not read explained. "See
here is the governor's signature and here is his stamp. It says that the Gringo has
permission to shoot a jaguar in the Teribe territory."
"Tell him I say no. The animals belong only to the Teribe."
"Please! It will be to your good if you come down and speak with him." The policeman
pleaded.
"Let him to come up to me. I will not go down to him" Amanzio responded.
Tab climbed up the notched log with considerable difficulty, his large feet barely finding
purchase on the shallow cuts.
Sat on a wooden bench opposite the hawk nosed face of the village elder, Tab felt ill at
ease. Used to having his own way, he found it distasteful to have to negotiate with this
Indian. Moreover the Indian was looking him in the eye with an intensity that made Tab
fear the man was reading his mind.
Looking away Tab called the policeman to join them and translate.
"I need a guide to take us to the place where the jaguars are." The policeman
transalated.
Amanzio made no answer. Tab's anger grew and he fought to keep his temper.
"I have five hundred dollars for you when I have my jaguar skin."
The Indian gave no acknowledgment of having heard the offer.
Tab turned to the policeman. "Damn it! How much does he want for a jaguar?"
Before the policeman could put the question to Amanzio, the chief said "I do not offer
you the hospitality of my village because you have come here with evil intention. Go
back down the river."
When the strangers left Amanzio said to Hiedo, "That letter didn't come from the
governor. I have an agreement with him that no one harms the jaguars. I have promised
to protect them. Go follow these people and take your bow and arrow. You are to protect
the jaguars."
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From behind the plantains at the river's edge, Hiedo saw the big man and the policeman
in conversation with Rito, the one nobody trusted. When Rito joined the others in the
cayuco, Hiedo hurried to the top of the escarpment.
From the cliff edge he watched the cayuco make its way down river. When it
disappeared from sight, he followed the noise of its engine and when the noise suddenly
stopped, he set off to investigate.
He soon came upon the fresh tracks of the strangers and had no difficulty in following.
They were headed in the direction of the rocks where the jaguar family was often to be
found.
The sun was already in its last quarter when the group slowed and moved forward at the
pace of a stalker. Rito leading, signaled the party to halt. A male and female jaguar
and a single cub were lying on an outcrop of rock fifty yards up wind and unaware of
danger. The male presented a reasonable target.
Tab beckoned his son forward.
"Now steady Mike. We do this together." He whispered. "I will count three. Fire on
three."
Hiedo's arrow struck the big man's shoulder on the count of two. Tab screamed, the
jaguars fled and Hiedo turned to report back to Amanzio.
Darkness began to close on the jungle.
