1880. The Congo, Africa

The long steam boat ride up the Congo River proved to be long and difficult. Running out of coal to fire the boiler and getting stuck on a sand bar for 2 days put the expidition behind schedual. Sir Arthur Becket leaned over the ships rail watching the mooring dock draw closer. He could see standing on the pier Dr Waddsworth and their guide Jacques Reneaux waiting patiently. His ears pitched up the gentle steps of his wife Annie coming up the stair well to the main deck. Turning he watched her arrise from below deck, her peach umbrella protecting her dove white skin from the merciless African sun. Long golden locks of hair flowed from under her lace trimmed white hat. A vail of light silk covered her face added to her protection from the sun. Becket remarked how beautiful her body looked even clothed in a heavy cotten and silk white dress, for he know her pettie coats and corsette must be causing her to suffer in the summer's heat.

Stepping out On the deck he could hear the muffed sounds of her high button boots as she neared him. "Well, good morning my love. I see you finally woke up this moring."

Annie, made a mused look seeing her husband standing there near the boat rail. Her dark blue eyes looked him over seeing his short stature, dark black hair slicked down with oil which the breeze could not knock out of place. She noted for all his wealth he hadn't found an attire that fit his slender build. Still despite her disapproving eye she thought it was a good match. Hers was not a marriage of love but neccessity; her father lost what little fortune they had on a business scheme, and in order to keep her family's station and respectablitiy in British society married Becket and his money. That was 4 years ago when she was 17. "Good morning husband," she said with a forced smile. In the 4 years of marriage her distain for her husband was compounded from the fact they had not children yet.

"I am so sorry to have made you come along my sweet, but I couldn't live without you leaving you in England alone." He reached over and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "Besides both Dr Waddsworth and Reneaux assure me that a month or two out and we'll find diamonds." He looked up at her, fact being his 5'3 made him have too look up at most adults. His dull brown eyes shined at the mention of diamonds and more wealth.

Indeed, that what particularly upset Annie, she had to look down at him being at 5'8 herself. Still adding to her fowl mood was the near unbearable swelter of the sun and heat of Africa. "Husband, I do wish I had stayed in England." Yet she had to admit the adventure of traveling abroad made her smile, just not today.
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Three weeks pass, Annie thought an eternity of torture and misery. Eventhough she rode in a make shift porter with some pillows for comfort, it was total misery dealing with the flies, the heat and the dust. The ground became more rough making every bump and stumble of the porters themseves more painful. It was at night when she could find relief from her tormenters.

Walking into the main tent, Annie caught the men in deep discussion. Reneaux could easily have been mistaken for being French, but his Belgium herritage and having grown up in this part of African made me well sought after for leading Europeans deep into the contenent. "Boys, we well by mid morning reach the Aurri tribe and it is there we will set up base camp." Reneaux pointed to a spot on a map where Dr Waddsworth and her husnand strained for a look. "The Aurri tribe are the last of the Mandangose, Small Pox having carried most of these heathen bastards to Hell." His tone in his voice giving way to typical Europena superiority over natives. "Though they have had some civilization come to them, they are completely barberious and totally lacking in Christain morals."

"Reneaux, Can we expect any trouble from these natives," Dr Waddsworth asked rubbing his chin in thought.

"Not likely, yah they are war like and heathens, but I assure you the presents Sir Arthur brought ought to be enough to buy their good will."

"Good! Perhaps some of these bruts can help in our quest," Becket offered cheerfully tilting back a cup of his favorite Sherry.

Looking over at the table Reneaux offered, "I hope so, our porters and other guides are nearly spent and we'll need new ones to make it to Galango River."

Turning around heading for her tent, Annie left then men to their discussion. She had a cool bath waiting for her and anything to get out of her cloths and cool down as well as revoe the dust from her face was more appealing to having to deal with the swill of Sherry and smell of tabacco smoke.
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Near to noon the arrived in a small encampment of large grass huts. Surprisingly large these huts where near the size of a European cottage. Annie looked at the villagers and was amazed at what see saw. The villagers where larger and better fed then the porters that carried her. Darker in skin tones, but glistening in the sun from some sort of oil, their hair colored orange. Each adult male, larger then Europen male packed a long thrusting spear. Brutish faces watched emotionalless as their caravan came into camp. Advance scouts had ready annouced their coming arrival. Standing at a larger hut adorn with giant elepahnt ivory tusks was a middle aged black male. Clearly, the chief wrapped in lion skins adorned with a crown of feathers and ivory looked upon unimpress as the Europeans made their way to him. Village elders sat in a semi-circle at the chiefs feet sporting their zebra skin clokes and holding short decorative spears.

"welcome to you King Kawii," Reneaux yelled, "we bring you many gifts." Whispering back to both the Doctor and Becket, "Now let me do the talking, King Kawii speaks good English and French, and if there isn't a worst heathen you couldn't find him in all of Africa." The two other men nodded in aggree ment.

"Bon, Sa Reneaux, Vous cumm a durren hot times. What vous you cumm h'ers?" The chief's voice more a rumble then actual speech. "Bings more white menz to ma lands tu hunzs lions oui bings t'am h'ers for them pebbles?"

"Pebbles great king," Becket chimmed up gleefully, "and I bring great wealth for payment for those 'pebbles' and for your help in finding them." Becket bowed and pointed to several large chest the porters had slung to thier backs.

"Vee see if vous bings ma what Ee vants fur payment to cumm tr'ue ma lands. If dee payment ma not..." Kawii's threat dying in his throat.

Annie nolonger able to endure sitting in her litter stepped out on to the ground. The cramped feeling in hre back quickly left her. Finally able to take a deep breath she looked up and saw the whole of the village looking upon her. Silience over took the village.

"Obbe sa nettawa dus a mora." A voice comming from an old man sitting in the corner of the village. Plainly from his body paint of white and red swirls patterns he was a man of importance. He blowed low to the earth stretching out his arms. Quickly the chief went to one knee out strerching his arms as did the rest of the villagers.

"Za wise one say vous 'Nettawa' vous is welcumm sa payment be mooze enough." "Cumms all vous entire ma dobbie, all vous drinks avec us."
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The morning passed quickly into afternoon and into evening when they got settled in a hut the chief provided them.

"God's blessing on these heathen bastards for being so ignorant." Reneaux exclaimed. "Couldn't have asked for greater blessing even after you stupidly spoke out to the chief there mr Becket."

"Thats Sir Becket to you frog, and all I wanted to do was make a good impression." Becket grumbled back at the guide. "Last I looked I'm the one paying for this little adventure and ought to have some say in things."

"Lossing your head is your business, keeping mine is my business. Your damn fool speech could have cost us our skins. And by the way I am not French."

"Gentleman, peace! I doubt we are out of the woods yet and getting at each other's throats would make it all the easier for these natives to do us in," Dr Waddsworth said throwing down his pack.

"Not with Nettawa standing over there," Reneaux pointing to Annie. "Never been so glad to have a woman along as before."

Annie mused, "And what is Nettawa there Mr Reneaux?"

"Simply my dear lady its a goddess, the locals here have their women go to the Nettawa River to the south of the village to get blessings to have children. It would seem you bear a striking simularity to their heathen God."

Laughing loadly Becket roared, "Hell I knew I married a goddess."

Annie mused with the idea of being a goddess. But Reneaux interrupted her thoughts. "Well to these ignorant savages, their goddess of fertility is a pale white women of godden hair. Its just dumb luck we have one of those with us."
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"I know you don't want to be left behind my sweet. But the trip is nearly a month to the Galango River and its though some rough hills and a small mountain range." Becket was already dressed and putting the last items in his pack.

"Arthur, then why did you bring me here just to leave me behind. I could have stayed in England among civilized people and not these savages."

'Now, Now Annie," kissing her forehead,"its only for a few days and besides Jacques reassures me you'll be fine."

"I just think you care more for those damn diamonds then me," she weeped.

"You know thats not true. I love you more then the whole world. I jsut got to make a fortune like my father did; its a family pride sorta of thing...."
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No amount of pleading could get her husband Becket to take her along. Never in her whole life of being with Arthur did she ever feel sorry to seem him leave her presents till now. The villagers where certainly kinda to her and very respectful. Yet she feared them, their strangness, there lack of mannors, them in being.
No sooner then a week passed when Annie noticed the heat of the day getting worst and the nights where not cooling off. Her cloths keep the heat trapped against her body and walking in her boots made her feet feel they were walking on hot coals. The very sun she knew would blister her skin if she dared to walk in it without her umbrella.

Finally, Unable to bare the heat one afternoon, she started to underss. tactifully, she thought what garments to wear that would keep her a respectiful woman. Her mind immediately choose the pettie coats and corsette to go. She hald plenty of dressess along but desided the litter colors to wear. Her only real decision was whether or not to wear her sil stockings and garters. half a day longer wearing those changed her mind and she consignred them to the trunk along with her pettie coats and corsette.
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Night started to fall 6 days after the departure of her husband when Kawii came to her hut.

"Vous sa ve invite vous to celibration of ma daughter's wedding." He stood nearlly 6'4 tall. Though having a pounch stomack, he stood on powerful and well defined legs, and great burrley arms crossed his chest. His was more a command to attend then an invitation.

'Your pardon King Kawii, but its not considered polite or acceptible to attend asocial function unescourted by ones husband," Annie Lied. She hoped he would take her refusal. More hoped that being a goddess would work in her favor.

"Anh vous et cumm anz bless ma daughter's wedding. Ee insiss." He spoon around and left before she could utter another refusal. Fear crept into her mind. To not attend could insult him and his tribe; to attend was not proper for a civilzed woman to take part in. The waining light and the distant sound of drums told her that the webbing party was about to begin. She looked at her drunk and said, "I just can't bare to wear those garments, not in this heat. Please forgive me God." Stepping out she headeed for the center of the village.

Depite her misgivings Annie for the most part enjoyed seeing the festival. Thankfully she thought the shadow and poor lite of the bonfire head her blushing. Nearly naked men danced around the fire, chantting and dancing in rythm to the drums, thrusting their spears into the air on cue. It didn't take a naturalist to tell her the symbolism of the act. But more embarashing was that then men worn just a bit of cloth around their waist and the spastic motions of their bodies made their penis visable; politely she turned her head when she saw it.

When the ladies came out, they entered the circle, naked from the waist up. There breast bounced with each step. They where powerfully built women with strong frames. Annie was sure the weakest among them where twice her strength. Yet she was amazed and entertained from the atmophere of the gathering. Shocked and rendered dumb founded she froze when two of the women grabbed her and pulled her into the dancing circle.