Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1866-02-07
DU CHALLIU's LAST EXPEDITION.

M. Du Challiu latley gave an account
Of his second journey into equatorial Af-
RIGA before the Royal Geographical So
ciety of London. In the part of Africa
he visited (the Ashira country, south of
the equator) there was row of noun
tains near the sea, and, although in a
tropical country, he found it very cloudy,
making astronomical observations diff
cult. The greatest heat experienced vas
ninety eight degrees in the shade and
one hundred and forty-eight degrees in
the sun. The coolest weather in July
registered sixty degrees and sixty -four
degrees. He found gradual decleas of
population as he went inward, showing
that some deeper cause for additional
mortality is 1T work than the fire water
Of the white man, and wherever he had
been he found nothing but vast jungle.
On reaching Oliuda he was we'll re-
ceived by the King and had many offers
of marriage from the native ladies, who
not unlikely were attracted by the goods
he carried to propitiate the sable mon-
archs whose dominioDs he visited. At
the Bahalai Falls he had an adventure
with gorillas At the time he was un.
we'll, and not strong enough to carry his
gun Thus unarmed, he was walking in
advance of his party, when he heard a
noise among the trees, and came upon
ten gorillas eating berries. They quick.
ly made for the ground and ran away,
except one old male, who came toward
him, giving at the same time loud roar
The approach of his men frightened the
animal, which then ran away. His ne.
groes captured full grown female which
they kept for several days, but were very
much frightened by it. Du Challiu had
four live ones in his possession at diff
times. While at Olinda the small pox
broke out among the natives, and some
of his own men were carried of by the
disease. The people plunderd him Of
his goods, and for day or two himself
and men were obliged to live on mon
keys, which they found good eating.
A curious custom prevails here. When
a person dies they cut off his head and
put it in box, surrounded with clay OF
chalk, the whole of which is saturated al
the head decays. The descendent of tn,
, deceased rubs his body with the clay pray
!; ing to his ancestor at the same time tt
give him uk.
When he receives guest, and wants tt
make a great friend OF him, be goes VI
| to the place where the heads of his rela
tives are kept, scratches bit off the skull
of one of his ancestors, and puts this bon
: powder in the dish intended for his friend
who having eaten of it becomes OF oil
blood with himself, therefore must low
him truly, open his heart and give hin
4 what ne desires.
The Napono tribes, whom he next Wis
: tied, were very warlke people, wearin
iron swords. which they made themselves
: as the country contains irnnstone speci
g mems of which he had brought to Eng
: land. The natives here are so quarrelsom
' that he did not see a man who had nc
some cuts about his body morever, the
are incorrigble drunkards They hav
g three in oxicating liquors, made respect
lively from the sugar-cane. honey and til
n sap of the palm tree. They treated hiu
d we'll Their country is exceedingly mour
o famous, He travelled for mouths throug
Q mmountains, path in the forest from Oh
II will age to anothe.
e The people are divided into clans, yer
'e much like the Scotch only one belong
1t to his mothers claps, not to his father
u At Mokena, in the sugar country, peop
l. make very good cloths, some of the n,
" tivcs dress fashlonably, swing their avn
f. aristocratically and are perfect dandie
IS In the Ashangi country he found vii
&c lage of dwarfs. ...... .... .t....
a At Monavo Kombo, the furthcst poll
y of his journey one of his men, in frir
v gun to please the natives. accidental
at shot two of them, whereupon the savag
D. set upon the party and they were ohlig'
i'd to flee to the forests, the natiues foile'
D. ing and shooting poisoned arrows at the
y one of which wounded Du Challiu, aft
" passing through thick woolen belt, ,whi
st perhaps saued his life. His men we
seized with panic. and threw away me
to Of his apparatus and specimens and aft
ne various mishaps he reached the ASH
n country. Here he was very i'll, and
ne one time believed the place would be /
a grave. Finally he reached the coast, a,
l. found ship bound to London.
ed