Tom Robertson
Veteran Expediter
This one takes a while.... so hang in there!
In a remote area of northern Africa about 30 miles from the Mediterranean Sea, a very small ancient tribe continues a centuries old tradition. The tribe has been successful in keeping a pair of Porpoise alive with a daily feeding of newborn gulls.
For centuries specially designated tribe members have had the responsibility of going to the beaches of the Mediterranean to gather these newborn gulls and to return to the salt water lake, in the center of their village. Tradition dictated that unless the porpoise were fed at precisely 9am, the centuries old mammals would perish.
In the beginning, this task was split between six tribe members, each running a 5 mile leg of the journey passing the newborn gulls from one member to the next. The direct route involved a very dangerous area of jungle inhabited by some of the most amazing specimens of the African lion in existence. The tribe would lose an average of two “keepers” each year to the lions, but the route around the area added an additional 30 miles, making the task near impossible.
At some point in history the tribe was able to purchase horses and the selected and honored position of the keepers of the porpoise, shrank from 6 to two. One would gather the gulls at dawn and have the gulls in a basket for the rider. By keeping largely to the open areas the riders managed to avoid the lions.
Only a couple of decades ago the tribe was able to purchase a Jeep. The keeper of the Porpoise now numbered only one. About the same time the Jeep was purchased, Africa designated the dangerous area as a “State Wildlife Sanctuary” to protect the lions from being killed for sport. They also banned vehicles from traveling through this area. Since the jeep could travel at speeds that exceeded the speed of the horse, the decision by the tribe elders was that only one “keeper” was needed. This became the most revered position a tribe member could hold. Each year a new “keeper” was chosen.
In 1984 Bani, an 18 year old young man was chosen as the keeper. Bani took his responsibility very seriously and purchased a battery operated alarm clock to awaken him at 3 am each day.
Bani was very efficient and until the morning his batteries died. He awakened at four and in a panic decided to save time by crossing through the “State Wildlife Sanctuary”. He crossed successfully saving just enough time that by repeating the shortcut he would make it back to the village by 9am. After gathering the gulls, he sped back across the sanctuary and ran over one of the lions. Feeling very badly about harming the lion, Bani knew his arrival could not be delayed or the porpoise would surely die. Bani continued on to the village and arrived just in time for the 9am feeding. None of the tribe members suspected anything.
Later that afternoon members of the “State Wildlife Sanctuary” police arrested Bani and he remains in jail to this day...
He was found guilty of
“Transporting young gulls over State Lions for Immortal Porpoises !
In a remote area of northern Africa about 30 miles from the Mediterranean Sea, a very small ancient tribe continues a centuries old tradition. The tribe has been successful in keeping a pair of Porpoise alive with a daily feeding of newborn gulls.
For centuries specially designated tribe members have had the responsibility of going to the beaches of the Mediterranean to gather these newborn gulls and to return to the salt water lake, in the center of their village. Tradition dictated that unless the porpoise were fed at precisely 9am, the centuries old mammals would perish.
In the beginning, this task was split between six tribe members, each running a 5 mile leg of the journey passing the newborn gulls from one member to the next. The direct route involved a very dangerous area of jungle inhabited by some of the most amazing specimens of the African lion in existence. The tribe would lose an average of two “keepers” each year to the lions, but the route around the area added an additional 30 miles, making the task near impossible.
At some point in history the tribe was able to purchase horses and the selected and honored position of the keepers of the porpoise, shrank from 6 to two. One would gather the gulls at dawn and have the gulls in a basket for the rider. By keeping largely to the open areas the riders managed to avoid the lions.
Only a couple of decades ago the tribe was able to purchase a Jeep. The keeper of the Porpoise now numbered only one. About the same time the Jeep was purchased, Africa designated the dangerous area as a “State Wildlife Sanctuary” to protect the lions from being killed for sport. They also banned vehicles from traveling through this area. Since the jeep could travel at speeds that exceeded the speed of the horse, the decision by the tribe elders was that only one “keeper” was needed. This became the most revered position a tribe member could hold. Each year a new “keeper” was chosen.
In 1984 Bani, an 18 year old young man was chosen as the keeper. Bani took his responsibility very seriously and purchased a battery operated alarm clock to awaken him at 3 am each day.
Bani was very efficient and until the morning his batteries died. He awakened at four and in a panic decided to save time by crossing through the “State Wildlife Sanctuary”. He crossed successfully saving just enough time that by repeating the shortcut he would make it back to the village by 9am. After gathering the gulls, he sped back across the sanctuary and ran over one of the lions. Feeling very badly about harming the lion, Bani knew his arrival could not be delayed or the porpoise would surely die. Bani continued on to the village and arrived just in time for the 9am feeding. None of the tribe members suspected anything.
Later that afternoon members of the “State Wildlife Sanctuary” police arrested Bani and he remains in jail to this day...
He was found guilty of
“Transporting young gulls over State Lions for Immortal Porpoises !
