Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1866-02-09
NARRATIVE OF AN6FRICAN EXP
RER.
Adventures Among GerrlIIas and
PIgmies Maryel0uS Stories by
Du ChaIlIu. -

Du Unallius
M. Du Chaihathe African traveller.
whose recent ition from the west
coast of Africa Wvne hitherto unexplored
interior was not completed on account o. a
fight between his black attendants and the
native tribes. delivered an addresses on the
Sth inst before the Royal Geographical
Society in l.ondon. A large audience was
present. amonc them many eminent scien-
tifc men. In reviewing the earlier part
ofhis journey. that described in his veluins
already Published. NJ Du Chailln said that
when his party reached OIinda the old King
was very friendly to him. and called him
'shis sxeeiheart Still. he was 80 exacting
in bis demands that Nj. Du Chpllu told
him he thought he loved his goods most.
The chief replied that he "loved both"
fLaughier Here he had numerous offers
of marriage from the native ladies', all dress
cd in their best. but tthe whole were respect
fully oeclined From this place he visited
the Bakalai Fa Il, under difficulties. and
had an adventure with gorrillas on the
road. Al the time he was unwell, and not
strong enough to carry his gun. Thus
unarmcd, he was walking in advance Of his
party. when he heard noise among the
trees, and came upon ten gorrillas eating
berries. They quickly made for the eground
aud ran away, except one old male who
came toward him TO know what was the
matter, giving at the same time n loud roar
The approaA Of his men frightened the
auimal which then ran away
lie tha.af.,ro had raasn,. - ,.,Ad,f,, sooa
Of the opinions expressed in his book. and
he believed that gorrillaS arc sometimes
grcgariens. His negroes captured a full
grown female which they kept for several
days, butthe whole Of them were very much
frightened at 1t. lie had four live ones In
his possession at different times. lie saw
nothing 10 rotiact respecting their habits
from what he had previously stated.
A very curious custom prevails. When
person dies they cut Oh his head, aud put
IL In n box, surrounded with clay or chalk.
decays. The descendant of the deceased
rubs bis body with this clay or chalk, pray.
ing TO his sanco,tor at the same time to give
him luck When he receives guest, and
wants to make great friend Of him, he goes
10 the place where the heads OF his relatives
are kept, scratches u bitoirthe heskull of Que Of
his ancestors, and puts this bone powder
iNfhe dish intenhed Tor bis. friend who
having eaten Of il becomes 6f one blood
with himself, therefore must love him truly,
open bis heart and give him whatever he
desires. lie (M. du Chaillu) might have
eaten little Of that bone powder himself
but he hoped that he had not Laughter. !
The Napono tribes, whom he next visit
cd, were very warlike people, wearing
iron swords, which they made themselves.
ms the country contains iron-stone, spcci-
mems Of which he had brought to England.
The natives here are 80 quRrresome that
he did not see man who had not some
cuts about his body; moreover. they are
incorrigibe drunkards. They have three
intoxicating liquors, made respectively from
the sugar-cune, honey and the sap OF the
palm-tree. The Napono people treated
him we'll, never took anyihins from him
and he had nothing TO say against them.
From here the country rises rapidly
mountains, mountains, mountains, nothing
but mountains, up aud down for months.
One village j. reached from another by IA
path through the farest aud the said path
cannot be left. He believed the whole Of
Africa could be traversed by these little
paths. and in the direction he journeyed
they took toleiably straight line.
The Villages are large, sometimes con
tanning n thousand people, but situated n
considerable distance apart. The people
arc divided into clans, very much like the
Scotch-only man belongs to his moth
er's elan not to his fathers. At Mokena,
in the sugar country, people make very
good clothes; seme Of the natives dress
fashionably, swing their arms aristocratic.
ally, and are perfect dandies. The cloth l.
very good, much better than that obtained
from Manehester-not that Manchester
does not make good cloth. but the best OF
IL is never seen by the natives laughter
and not sold in Africa.
In the Ashangi country he saw little
huts four feet high. forming villages, gen.
eraily uninhabited, because the dwarfs who
sometimes live in them lead wandering
gypsy life. The aborigines seem to regard
these dwarfs with superstitious awe, anc
he could get few opportunities to examin,
them. The women were less afraid Of hin
than the men, who ran away; so on on,
occasion he had an opportunity of measur
ing them, and he found the average high
Of the women to be four feet four inches
to four feet five irehes.