New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-08-27

u
unSroksn fore-t; hostile tribes Of Africans. WHO
lad never seen " bite man. ~selng frequent wars
whose Institution. ere slagery. witchcraft aud
csnnibalism, are its people aud, though 1t Is filled
with all the ravishpg beauty and grand subulity of
tropical vegetation and scenery, its possession Is
disputed with its sayagc int,bitsnt. BY ferocous
bessts, and venomous reptiles and insects unac-
compared AID unsttended By any white compan-
ior, but trusting TO native servants alone for gud-
snce and aid. 30 far as he needed any other thsn
that given him b. bis own indouitable courage and
energy, young man of slight stature, apparently
with no great powers of endurance, and not
yet thirty years Of age, has, on foot and in rude
canoes. trayersed its rivers plunged into Its for
eats. scsled its mountains, and feariessl5 enc0un-
tered all ia savage natives whether best or human
On one Of these excursions be WAS absent eighteen
months in the bust and mad he periihed then, or,
indeed at suy other time, be would have fallen a
MARTYR, unknown, except te few personal friends,
to his love Of knowledge In our weekday and
money making age, when to be enthusiastic Is to be
almost ridiculous, ard there seems to young men,
nothing rev left to be done in the world Il strikes
us that this young explorer is entitled TO admlra-
ton, aud that such courage and de7oton msy sug-
ee,t some profitable reflections.
We have had the pleasure Of several interviews
with Mr. du Chailu, and it il not improper TO say
that his simplicity and modesty impress US as much
ss bis intelligence and courage. He is stored full
OF curious information in relston TO the various
tribes which ne has visited, AID much 10 their
manners their habits, their religions, and the con-
dOn they have reached in the art Of living, is Illus
tIated BY variety of manufactures, OF utensils, OF
aims, of musical instruments, and of idols 1t Is
new evidence Of the deleterious influence OF the
first Spprosch of civilization to barbarsn, tina: the
further Mr. du Chaillu went from the coast, the
lpher be found the moral and intellectual condition
the natives 1t s true, they esteach other, but In
this OILY they were than the seacOast tribes;
while in their rude manufactures they are more
Ingenious, and are therefore a more seli-rellant
people Nor are we altogether just in designating
their manufactures as rude. Their cloth made OF
grass is Of fire texture and the sewing with
which the pieces are stitched together, for they
cannot apparently, weave beyond certain length,
is as even as civilized housewives hemning Their
pottery. if exhibited as Etruscsn vases, would be
admired for beauty of form and material Their
Knives AID spear heads are made of iron, and the
wonder is that people who could so smelt the
ore. and manufacture the metsl with such remark
able skill should have proceeded no further IN the
arts.
But i is not bis curious museum Of native pro-
auctions QaIge IS it isl that Dir. du ChalIlu ed
teens the most precious of his acquisitions. lie
has treasures for the Cabinets of Natural History
for which he has right to feel both pride and en-
thusiasm. He has settled the question of the
character, dimensions, and habits of that gigantic
and ferocious monkey, the TTogiodysS Gorilla,
several prepared specimens of which, OF his own
shooting he has with him. lie brings, also, prep
aratons of the Koulam Kamb0, which he thinks is
a new species between the gorilla and the Chin
panzee OF birds he has several new varieties.
And thus the earth and the air, the human and the
brute creation have all contributed, through this
courageous explorer, to the enlargement of knowl-
edge. Ii is fortunate for science that be has re-
turned safely; but, though safe returned, it is a
singular commentary on that return to Christian
and civilized land, that, though he passed unframed
and unwroDged through three years of Life among
bepilbted cannbals he had DO sooner entered the
Bay of New York than he was robbed of two rare
and valuable birds, which be lad brought with him
alive from that savage country.
MIR Du Challlu will, in due time, lay before
the resders Of THE TRIBUNE some further details
of his adventures and discoveries; and he will pro-
badly afterwsrd employ MS ample notes in the
preparation of an elaborate work, for which his
treasures OF natural history, his collections OF
African utensils and manufactures, and bis numer-
GUS drawings of scenery and persons, will fur
nish an admirable variety of materials.