Transition Plan Chapter 33: First Homecoming Part 20 – Jungle Diplomacy
The next morning they arrived at the harbor of the main tribe of Nigerian Confederation, so they guided the Clipper into the bay and dropped anchor. It was essentially their capital and the tribal Council of chieftains convened there. The harbor was totally unlike Essex, as it was filled only with primitive dugout canoes and some very basic sailing boats. Tarzan's massive 'Destiny' dominated the bay. The village that bordered the bay was a forest of bamboo and palm huts cleared from the surrounding jungle.
Tarzan and Jane disembarked from the Destiny in full Count and Countess regalia. They wanted to make the maximum visual impact on these primitive people, despite how hot all those layers of formal clothing were. A wary group of Nigerians greeted them on the beach where their rowboat put ashore.
They spoke in broken English, "Who are you?"
"We are the Count and Countess of Greystoke - Jonathan and Jane Clayton. We would like to meet with the Council of Chiefs."
"Clayton? You are not the same Clayton our leaders know."
"I am not - that is why we are here."
It took awhile to assemble the Chiefs. A dozen brightly adorned, but mostly unclad, tattooed chieftains, brandishing spears, sat in wicker and wooden thrones before them. There were clear visual differences between the Igbo and Oyo tribal leaders, and they seemed somewhat uncomfortable together, as former foes before their alliance, organized to stand as one Nigeria united in negotiations with the European colonial nations that vied for power in Africa.
The principle Chief spoke first, "We understand you are of the Greystoke Tribe. But you are not John Clayton."
"I am not. He was my elder cousin by 12 years."
"We would speak to him instead of you. You are much younger. We speak only to the eldest in every tribe, Count Clayton. It is our way."
"You cannot. He is dead. I am head of the tribe now. I am oldest. You must deal with me."
A murmur came from the chiefs. Tarzan was a very young man.
"How did he die?" asked one.
"He died in the jungle over a year ago."
"By your hand?" they asked, stiffening their grips on their weapons.
"No. By his own. A dreadful accident. He died because of his carelessness and lack of respect of the jungle's dangers."
"You speak of something you know nothing about as if you have lived it."
He ignored their observation and simply stated, "My cousin was not a hard man to figure out. The deal has changed because of his death."
A great chatter arose among the chiefs, and they looked threateningly at Tarzan, brandishing their weapons.
Tarzan continued to speak calmly. It was unnerving to the Chiefs to see Tarzan's confidence unmoved even when faced with possible death. This man was not like John Clayton. His pregnant mate stood calmly nearby. She carried no fear either, nor did their merchant marine escorts. The chiefs were impressed with the courage of these new Claytons and continued to listen.
Tarzan explained, "John Clayton promised you riches that did not belong to him. He lied to you of wealth he did not possess. Nor can. He was an accomplished liar."
Mutterings among the chiefs grew to almost a level of alarm.
The chief of the smallest clan of the Oyo tribes jumped into the discussion to calm them, "This new Clayton speaks truth. John Clayton spoke of 'black gold' treasure hidden in the foothills. The English have been there for months. They have found nothing. My spies overhear their words in the darkness. They keep promising to give us what we want, but I increasingly doubt their words. They destroy the land and the animals to get what they want. The English grow desperate. It is not our way. The spirits of the jungle are uneasy."
Tarzan had his chance, "I would like to offer a new deal with you. One that you can see great wealth from immediately. In exchange for something of value I desire."
The principle chief raised an eyebrow, and offered, "Show us what you want, Count Clayton."
Tarzan threw down a scroll of the map of western Nigeria. The territory with the limits of his gorilla family wanderings around the river and mountain foothills was clearly drawn out. The map contained the destroyed grasslands occupied by the oil drilling machinery and its small bay.
The chieftains were silent, and gasped.
The principle Chief explained, "That place is the land of the Mangani – the gorillas in the mist. It is said a man-spirit walks in those wilds in fellowship with the animals. Some have said they have heard his call in the woods. What would you do with this land? Squander it as your cousin did? Beyond the grasslands where the English machines are, the land of the Mangani is not to be touched. We hold sacred that which belongs to the great apes."
Tarzan was pleased these people would give his family a name of honor, and responded, "I would live on the land of the Mangani with my mate and future child, and commune with the apes. And with the man-spirit."
They laughed, "An Englishman communing with a Nigerian spirit and gorillas is nonsense."
Tarzan was dead serious, "There is no other reason. That is the truth."
They could see from his penetrating eyes that it was true.
"Why are you, Count Jonathan Clayton, any better than John Clayton? Why should we trust you over him? Kin do not often act differently in thought and action. Titles mean nothing. Actions speak truth in the jungle."
"They do indeed, wise Chiefs."
Tarzan motioned for the sailors to come forward, who opened a medium-sized box of gold and jewels and poured it on the map.
"My action is to provide you what I claim that I can in exchange for the land."
The chiefs gestured animatedly at the pile of treasure. John Clayton offered them money and promises. This Clayton gave them gold. Tarzan had their attention.
The principle Chief stated coldly, "That is not enough for the vast land you desire."
Tarzan replied, "There is more. Much more. And no promises of imagined wealth from the ground that will not produce it."
An elderly Igbo chief scoffed, "Why do you trust us? What makes you think we will not overwhelm your ship with our warriors and take all the rest of the gold and burn you and your wooden ship into the harbor? English wood burns just like our wood. You English are not so special."
Tarzan remained very calm as he stated, "I perceive that you are men of your word whom I can trust. Who of the English or the French have come among you unarmed and with their pregnant mate as proof of faith in our dealings?"
Jane silently squirmed at that, but knew the stature of women in most primitive societies was only as property, servants at the whim of men, mothers of offspring, or as sex objects. Or unfortunately, in 'civilization', for ransom, she noted ironically, based on personal experience. 'Civilization' was only different in the slightest degree from this primitive village.
"No one but you, Jonathan Clayton of Greystoke."
The chiefs conferred in their native tongue.
Their spokesman announced, "Count Clayton. We shall consider your offer. If you want this land in exchange for your gold, then come to us tonight to our Council fire. Our decisions are made there. We will consider your request to live on the land and honor it."
"And if I refuse to come?"
"Then there is no deal. Then you would be no better than your older cousin, who refused to sit at Council with us also, sending a subordinate instead. He reeked of fear of the night and lack of trust, but we still dealt with him, since the promise of black gold was substantial. There will be no weapons there. You have our word."
"I will be there. Mark my words," confirmed Tarzan.
Tarzan and Jane lingered and visited the village, making friends everywhere as they went. The pair felt more than a little overdressed, as most of the villagers were naked. None of that bothered them, and they considered joining them not only for fellowship between them as well as for comfort. But it was not yet the time for that. Jane knew Tarzan had a motive to socialize with the tribesmen, as with each new friendship, he established trust, and learned the Igbo and Oyo languages. Reports of this new Clayton husband and wife and their desire to make friendships with the people were all positive to the Chiefs.
They communed with the tribesmen, to everyone's great surprise they ate everything offered, especially the insect cuisine, having not had it for months in England. In fact, Jane showed several tribeswomen her favorite insect dishes. This greatly pleased the Nigerians, and made Tarzan very proud. The elder John Clayton only ate his own food, refusing the insectivore dishes, which had insulted the tribesmen. The gossip ran fast throughout the village about Jonathan and his mate Jane having enjoyable fellowship with the tribesmen, when no Englishmen, Belgian, Dutch, or French ever had before. Trust grew. Night fell. But Jane and Tarzan disappeared.
The Council fire further away from the village was convened nonetheless. Prior to the Council meeting itself, the women of the tribe danced in frenzy before the men and the fire. They were totally nude, as they normally were in the village, but for this dance, the women covered themselves completely in ceremonial dirt and mud with dark painted tattoo-like markings all over their bodies, and their hair was matted in mud and clay. They wore only a wicker g-string that was merely decoration. If anything, it emphasized their womanly features, which the Chiefs would enjoy immensely after the Council meeting concluded, as the females each danced for their unclad mates, to build their desire.
Above in the tree canopy Jane and Tarzan balanced on a branch, watched the dancing carefully, and he asked, "Are you sure you want to do that?"
"You know I need to. There are at least three other pregnant women dancing. Don't you want me to?" she asked.
Tarzan hesitated with all the Chiefs gawking at their women in the intensely erotic dance, "Well… you being naked in front of me and the family is one thing, but being naked in front of the Chiefs and the men of the whole village looking on lustfully at their women is another matter."
Jane was fascinated that having been among the English and their cultural norms, Tarzan was sensitive to her revealing herself in public and was being sweetly protective of her, "All of the women of the village are nude together, Tarzan, and each one dances only for their husbands. What better way for me to be unified with the tribe's women than to do this with them? How is this different than wanting to be natural in fulfillment of our bond of kinship with our gorilla family?" and she joked, "Besides, I will dance for you. Would you be any less desirous of me dancing alone, watching me dance like that?"
Jane was right, and Tarzan agreed, nodding his head in agreement with her logic, "It is all true. All right, Jane dear. Do this."
She smiled, as she removed the last bit of her clothing and loincloth, stuffing it in the backpack they brought, and joked with a sly grin, "Just don't forget what we are really here for, ape man. I am supposed to distract the chiefs, not the Count."
He grinned at Jane and kidded, "Well, at least not distract the Count too much!"
She giggled, kissed him, and she dropped below on a vine outside of the village to prepare her body with the dirt and mud 'body paint' for the group dance from the mud pit the other women had used. Tarzan admired her three-month pregnant figure. She was becoming delightfully shaped with their child. The tribe would not miss that.
The Chiefs conferred while their women danced and chanted to the primal drumbeat and pipes, as the principle chief reflected, "Perhaps our trust of the new Englishman Clayton was premature. This will be an easy decision after the dance."
From out of the shadows of the trail back to the empty village huts, another dancer appeared, nearly identical to the others, and just as naked. Though covered as the other women were in dirt and clay, she was bigger and taller, much more endowed, had wider hips, and was clearly pregnant. She didn't miss a beat as she merged with the dance line of the tribal women, and flung her long mud-caked hair in time with her moves just like the others. The rest of her body flowed with her with each motion. The women dancers admired that she matched them step for step, and smiled at her. They knew exactly who this was.
It took only a short time for the Chiefs to notice that Jane joined the dance line, and quickly the remaining tribesmen recognized her too. The entire tribe was impressed how Jane kept pace with the dancers, and she was chanting and trilling with the rest. They applauded for her as she honored the tribe's traditions. No English woman had ever danced with or displayed themselves unembarrassed like their women did on a daily basis. They appreciated everything that this young couple had done all day to immerse themselves into and honor their culture. This surprising, simple gesture indicated their desire for true fellowship with the Nigerians they would be neighbors to in the land of the Mangani.
Not all the chiefs agreed, however. One of the lesser Chiefs started to signal the dancers to stop, but the principle Chief smiled and admonished the others,"Let her dance with us. It is a good sign for her to be among us, and be like our women. The Englishman's wife is beautiful and dances like a gazelle, despite bearing his child. She dances for him, so he is here somewhere. Let us see what happens next."
High in the trees Tarzan did not let his eyes stray from her, but he concentrated on what he had to do. The dance got more and more intense, and finally it stopped. Jane was barely winded. It was noted. She had not missed a step, thanks to her years of dance training as a girl. She was amused that this was a lot different than wearing a gauzy tutu. Her mother would have been aghast. But she was not her mother, and the situation demanded what she and her husband must do.
The Chief stood to say something in Jane's praise, but was interrupted. From high above the tree canopy, from out of the darkness, swung a figure directly into their midst before the Council of Chiefs.
The figure was very tall and more muscular than any tribesman, and only wore his loincloth, which actually was more than any of the women and Chiefs wore because of their cultural traditions and the oppressive heat. He first stood as a man, but quickly assumed the unmistakable stance of a mountain gorilla. Jane moved from the dance line to be behind him, and placed her arms on his shoulders in the tribe's body language to designate him as hers. With her pregnant belly pressed against his neck and back to claim her man, she felt their tiny baby flutter again, who was really not happy with his mother's dancing and twirling about. She knew their child would be awake all night because of this, but she didn't mind.
The principle Chief stood in complete astonishment, pointed at Tarzan, and exclaimed, "You! Count Jonathan Clayton of Greystoke. You are the man-spirit of the Mangani!"
The Nigerian Council and the entire tribe were totally silent in awe and trepidation. Tarzan's feral gaze bored into every chieftain.
Tarzan stood with his legs spread shoulder-wide in a slight gorilla-like crouch, arched his back, pounded his chest like his father Kerchak, and proceeded to emphasize each word he spoke in their sign language and in their tongue thunderously, moving smoothly about in both human and gorilla stances to emphasize his dual heritage.
"I am Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, adopted son of the late Mangani Chief Kerchak. English is my parentage, but I am as Nigerian as all of you," he announced, and pounded his chest again for emphasis, "It is I who have walked this jungle for nearly twenty three rainy seasons, raised by the Mangani as one of their own after the deaths of my English parents, ship-wrecked by pirates on your shores."
He let the impact of that soak in that he was raised by the gorillas, and continued, "I seek to buy the land for my tribe, the Mangani, so that no outlanders may walk there or lay claim to anything ever again. We Mangani wish to live alone, and for peace and trust to be established between our tribes. Thus says Tarzan of the Apes, great Chieftains. Do you accept my proposal?"
No one spoke a single word. They were thunderstruck knowing the truth.
He was indeed the man-spirit who lived with the apes for two decades. Jane could not be prouder of this moment. If only his ancestors of Clan Greystoke could see him now. He ruled commandingly in two worlds.
On Tarzan's cue, his sailors walked in from the darkness, and dropped eight heavy chests, dumping more than two tons of gold and jewels before the Council.
Tarzan stood atop the gigantic pile of treasure, cut loose his jungle yell, and pounded his chest like his father Kerchak. It was ear-splitting, and all bowed in respect. It was the haunting yell that few had heard, but all knew of from the legends. From all around them, the creatures in the jungle called back to him in respect. The tribe shuddered at the unbridled power of the animal world he clearly controlled.
The Council of Chiefs looked at the mountain of gold and jewels before them all, looked at each other, unanimously agreed, and the principle chief expounded, "We accept your generous offer. The land of the Mangani is yours to be forever untouched, Tarzan, Lord of Greystoke and Lord of the Apes. May blessings be upon you, the Mangani, your mate, and your offspring."
They signed the documents Tarzan laid before them giving him the land in perpetuity. He rolled and inserted all the documents in a metal map tube.
Jane patted her belly, smiled, and whispered to the child in her womb in gorilla speech, "Be proud of your daddy, little one. He has just secured our home forever."
The principle Chieftain and Tarzan gripped arms to conclude the agreement, and smiled at each other in respect. Cheering erupted from the tribe. Tarzan whispered something to the Chief and he enthusiastically agreed. Tarzan took the map tube with the documents and left the gold for the Chiefs. Quickly, Tarzan took Jane in his arms as she clung to him, seized a vine, and disappeared into the night.
It took a very long while for the Council and the tribe to recover from their experience with Tarzan. The legend of the man-spirit of the Mangani came to life right in front of them, and the real Lord of the Apes was even more awe-inspiring than the legends foretold. Several of the tribe's women dreamed that they had been the chosen mate of the handsome Ape Lord and had been the lucky ones to conceive his child with them. They were no less impressed with Jane, his mate, who danced as one with their women, proving their unity with their tribe and their ways. These two English would always be welcome here.
Swinging on the vines with Tarzan on the way to the harbor, he cradled Jane because he didn't want her to strain herself with the baby on their way to the beach. They kissed.
"Pretty persuasive speech there, ape man, especially in their languages," she praised her husband happily.
He snickered back, "You too, 'Jungle Woman'. What an impression you made with the chiefs and the women with those dance moves. How about decorating yourself and dancing like that for me, sometime?"
"You know you would never let me finish that dance dressed like this. Besides I was dancing for you. Weren't you watching?" she winked.
"I didn't miss a step, especially those high spread kicks directed right at me," he grinned, recalling the inviting views her moves had presented to him. No amount of dirt covering could hide his favorite parts of her. Nor did she want it to.
She giggled back at him, "Well… I must be losing my attractiveness being pregnant. I danced like that and you still got business done without sweeping me up in your arms and bedding me instantly?"
He grinned, "You underestimate yourself. You need to clear your busy English social calendar for me later tonight," he teased.
"Oh, my goodness!" she chuckled in feigned surprise, playing along with her husband. They always had so much fun bantering with their pillow talk.
They laughed, and entered the harbor waters. The dirt and caked mud washed away from her in a hurry.
"It's a shame for you to lose your dirt covering and those tribal marks. I could get used to that."
"Maybe," she suggested, "I will do more of that for you, Tarzan."
They swam to the Destiny, which had already left the simple harbor, waiting offshore for them. D'Arnot greeted them and pulled them aboard. Jane was a little tired, but did not overtax her pregnant body. Swimming was actually good exercise for her and the baby within. The Captain was surprised by Jane's state of undress, not originally part of the plan, as he and his men tried to look away from her uncovered body as they climbed the rope ladder from the water. He wrapped her with a rain slicker as the pair went below to their quarters. It covered her poorly. With only a few unavoidable glances, he noted that her beauty was stunning, even as pregnant as she was.
Not really concerned about his inadvertent look, she touched d'Arnot's forearm to reassure him, seeing his discomfort, and smiled, "It's all right Captain. This was necessary. You had no idea that I needed to dance with the women like this to help Tarzan secure our land. It's the way of the jungle. We must be 'of the jungle' to be respected by those in the jungle. Our countrymen do not understand that, and they will fail to win the hearts of these people if they do not comply with that simple truth."
D'Arnot nodded at her, understanding her logic, but he switched the subject to take his mind off seeing her. They had made the full conversion to jungle life; he was in the process of learning and accepting their ways. She was still the Countess, Jonathan's young wife.
"I understand, Lady Jane. It does appear that everything worked out as planned, with a few improvisations," the Captain noted, interjecting a little humor in response to Jane's reassurances.
Tarzan and Jane chuckled at that, knowing they had surprised d'Arnot and his men, as they headed to their cabin to prepare for their short sail back to their jungle homeland, "Yes it did. Better than expected. Let's go home, Captain."
He proudly showed the Captain the deed and trust papers to the Mangani lands that he held in the waterproof map tube, "This needs to go to Judge Preston Rutherford, who rules on my affairs of state, as soon as you get back."
Captain d'Arnot noted, "I will lock this in the safe immediately. And now Lord and Lady Clayton, with the family's land now yours both here and in England, you deserve a rest until morning. We will anchor over the horizon from the expedition and bring you ashore after dawn, then remain hidden until the freighter arrives. There is still the final matter of evicting 'the expedition'."
He could see that the pair was not really paying attention to anything he was saying. He chuckled, seeing the gleams in their eyes only for each other, realizing their sleep would be some time away. "Ah. Well. Don't worry about all that now, celebrate. After all these months, you've earned it. I always sleep soundly. Especially after today's proceedings."
The couple blushed. But they couldn't help what they felt for each other and how they showed it behind closed doors, especially in the face of tonight's pinnacle victory. With their Suite door locked, Jane let the raincoat drop, and permitted Tarzan to see all of her and he gave her a broad smile, which she acknowledged. In Tarzan's eyes, she was even more alluring pregnant, especially when she repeated the erotic Nigerian women's dance, to his total delight.
"Just for you, Jonathan, as you requested," she said and started her silent dance, whispering the trills and chants as she performed. The only thing missing was her dirt and mud body cover, and Tarzan was just fine with that omission.
Their tiny child within her stirred and tickled her within her womb, not pleased a bit with his mother dancing again, but it made her feel even happier. She was alone with the two people she loved the most. Even though one she had not even met yet.
Tarzan could hear the beat of the jungle drums replaying in his head. The remembrance of the primal throbbing coursed throughout his body. Jane's dancing had exactly the effect she wanted her husband. Neither Jane nor Tarzan had to suppress now what they felt earlier that night in order to carry out their plan to save the Mangani. This was all about them.
"Je t'aime, Jonathan," whispered Jane to Tarzan when she completed the dance, removed his loincloth, and leaned in to enjoy Jonathan's lips against hers, followed quickly by his familiar delicious taste.
Of all the languages he had yet learned, that French phrase was the most intimate of the multitude of ways humans could ever say 'I love you'. They eased into their bed with her straddling him to avoid squeezing her baby bump, and he repeated the phrase for her, as their intimacy deepened.
They were ecstatic from their clear victory with their friends against so many odds. Cedric was finally gone, his minions captured or scattered, and there would be no more threat to them. Agnes turned out to be an unexpected ally, had actually saved their lives, and had promised to unite the broken family in peace. Their estate was safe, and they had just secured their homeland in Africa. Their way of celebrating good things from the beginning was to be physically united because all they had was each other. The bed faced the beautiful night sky and ocean view, and the feeling of closeness was exhilarating.
He reached up toward her. She winced a little as she said, "Be careful, Jonathan, those are getting more sensitive as they get bigger."
He softened his touch, "Like that?"
She cooed, "Yes… more like that dear…"
From d'Arnot's cabin, quiet laughter could be heard next door.
"The Count and Countess are home again, no matter where home is," the Captain observed to himself, and with amusement, wondered just how many children this couple would eventually be blessed with.
It was delightfully pleasant to know a couple who were in such a deep loving relationship that they truly couldn't be without each other for any amount of time and showed their affection constantly. There were pleasant consequences to doing that so often, and she already carried their first.
While the conservative English might consider their sexuality extreme, he found them refreshing, and more expressive about their relations like French couples. He finally realized that what they did nearly every night was very natural for them, as members of Tarzan's gorilla family, since Professor Porter had shared much with him about previously unknown knowledge about gorilla behaviors. It occurred to d'Arnot that as members of a nomadic gorilla family that moved every few days, and whose beds were the literally the grass on which they slept each night, anywhere they laid their heads was actually their home and their love nest. So tonight was no different for Jonathan and Jane.
And yet they were as civilized among people as any other European noble couple.
Tarzan and Jane's ability to exist effortlessly in the world of men and the world of animals simultaneously constantly astounded d'Arnot.
"Remarkable," he said to himself.
Philippe lit up his pipe, and poured a fifty year old cognac he'd promised himself for this occasion, knowing now that the really hard part of the plan was finished. He remembered in a bittersweet way similar nights of passion with his dear sweet wife, who was wrenched from him far too early by the consumption disease, taking their unborn son with her into the next world.
…
Authors Notes: In this story, we bring into this story some original ERB Tarzan canon by the Igbo and Oyo human tribes (which existed historically) by them calling his gorilla family name - the Mangani. And I hope you noted 'gorillas in the mist' is a direct tip of the hat to the movie about the first successful observation of gorillas. Tarzan got to really got 'strut his stuff' as Tarzan Lord of the Apes to the Igbo and Oyo chieftains in his full human/ape persona, much to the pride of Jane. I have put our favorite characters through a great deal of trauma in the past few episodes. Now, before the final showdown with the oilmen, it's just time for some fun getting reacquainted with the Mangani, and the couple adjusting to the middle stages of being pregnant. Several readers have asked specifically for them to have time with their ape family, so the next two to three chapters covers that time together.