The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-12
EQUATORIAL AFRICA.
Aecsure BY b. p. Du Chaillu at the Breoklyn
Academy OF Music.


d Music Brooklyn. The unpropitious state Of the
weather prevented large audience being present
would doubtless have been in attendance under
favorable circumstances, but yet the intelligence and
respectabiity Of Brooklyn were we'll represented.
In the rear Of the platform were exhibited number
81 diagrams pictures skeletons &C. which the lecturer
referred to frequently in the course OF his address
which throughout listened to with marked atten.
sion, and at its conclusion rewarded with considerable
applause. The President OF the Long Island Historical
Society introduced Mons Du Chaillu with few appro-
pirate remarks when the latter gentleman spoke fol-
lows
Long Island Historical Society address you this
ing and give you brief account Of my travels in Equa
eerai Africa To speak frankly, feel somewhat in
doubt where Begin for it is impossible for me IN the
abort space OF lecture to bring before you the labor
Of ten years. the the country have explored
" entirely new to the white man. The countries seen
by me are situated under the equator In the
western part Of Africa 1t is remarkable tor its natural
nary but peculiar In this comparatively narrow belt,
extending either side OF the equator, Is found that
onstrous and ferocious ape the gorilla Here, too. is
uoglodytes calvus the ushiego mboune Of the ma
uves; also OF the hitherto unknown kooo kamba
another ape less remarkable than the chimpanzee
Thus will be that this region forms peculiarly
rich field for naturalist Game'is not found in such
plenty the vast plains of South Africa there 10 less
butchering but II the larder is so supplied the
half starved explorer experiences many happy days
when the discovery OF an unknown animal or OF q
bird rewards him for his trials dangers and suerngs
Not only does the fauna OF this region contain very
unusual number Of species peculiar to ITSELF but
some of these animals which il has in common with the
other regions OF Africa seemed TO me varieties The
elephant is a variety distinct in several particulars
from his South African brother. Doubtiess the
exceptional condition Instead OF the vast,
thinly wooded and sparsely watered plains Of
Ands very densely wooded country, where rains are
very abundant From the coast made several axpedi-
slavery and witchcraft we're the main features or He
social system. Polygamy is very prevalent Men marry
~ every opportunity, and at all ages The chief bus-
Of African is TO get wives No matter how old
man may be, he will continue to marry. and get as
great number Of young wives as he can. IL very
amusing to old men. such my old friend Quen-
queza walking to and fro in the street OF the village
and ordering their wives TO love them Obedience is
the first duty OF WIFE, and is enforced without mercy
and whip is considered very important piece OF house,
hold furniture 1t made Of the hide Of the hppopota
mus a barbarous weapon. This is laid on with no
same time "RascaI do you think paid my slaves for
you for nothng2" The women cultivate the sell and il
- the duty q every woman to feed her husband. There
10 no ceremony whatever at the marriage. The young
wives placed under the Of the husbands chief
wife, who teaches them how behave. Their religious
notions OF the looses kind and two persons are
found agree in any two particulars about which the
traveller seeks information. am unable present to
You array Of items from which the reader make
countries to have run wild. They believe In good and
sv spirits especially the evil spirits They fear the
il the forest and At their graves for them,
and return from time to time with other
ss thew Rs sp
In whose honor they have been killed During the sea-
appointed for mourning the dead are remembered
prolonged existsnc, Of the spt Of the departed man.
the giving Of food becomes less and esg vut the spirit
10 lon TO sarve Each clan possssses an idol or m6uiti
which s kept in the village where the father or head or
the clan resides and when the people start for hnntInQ
fishing trading expedition they dance round Il and
AsrSs looking and would fsh.sn any child Mex Next IN
order the charms fettchca In their fettches
they seem 20 have explicit faith and no negro In the
are called generally around the neck or waist
Of crocodes leopards OF the dry flesh and brains
Of animals suakes Of the feathers Of BIRDS and
snd bones Of ssrpens, &c, &C Every charm has sns
4sTDcia poSer-one protects from sickness, another
aakas she heart Of the warrior Or hunter fear no dan.
5es against wachcraft; Others make the individuals
.se Yss.sss them sa "a. q sps.r Pross Z man !.
ss x S sss'F Sc ss gree. =
As' ,s = n '1s mS,. ,s%SysS
undsssakines : doctor 10 consulted, and no
Psstsnds 70 fore.e events Il happens sometimes too
nool thai the devil In In his body and the possessed
esss about in Wild way, seeing visions, dreaming and
psssending future events gaining sometimes
nsvers in wtchcraii which, indeed Is the groaest curse
- slave trade Of the world ever did. Tho African
nrmly believes death 10 be always violence He can
nos imagine tbas man who was well two weeks ago
sould now be lying deaths door with disease unless
sone potent wizard bad nterfered and by witchcraf
broken the thread Of lie and inflicted sick
~ pslisf that he Is bewitched his whole nature
seems 70 change, and he becomes suspicious of his
as: friends an, md rs,on .a The lathe. , dread, his
wives, and the wives their husbands. BY night he
fascses himself surrounded by evil spinss, he covers
food 10 the spirts and full OF wonderful and frghfu
Srsams These all point 10 the fact that the village full
Of sorcsrers, and gradually becomes Injected BY bis
sometimes turns their suspicious on some unucky midi
viduals Who supposed 10 owe the bewcbed sTudge
Finally the excitement becomes high be restrained
ana ofsn without waiting for the death Of the sufferer
sheg commence TO butcher those whom public sus
90 or two persons killed. ofsn many more but
not generally when women or children slaves die
me law Of witchcraft makes distinction regards It's
victans between PRINCE slave freeman, male or
female In such the influence OF the onganga or
neanga, DOCTOR Is always potent for evil He gains
srs9ore TO further rather than restrain the excite
wonI His lamentations waited upon with breathess
sno have soss
Who thought TO be possessed OF the auiemba From
the Doctors decision that OF the multitude there
appeal bot thai OF the mboundou The doctor per-
sonage whose chief power lies IN his ability (which 10
ssaD 70 drink great quantity OF the mboundou
p0on, and AFTER inst 70 pee& Tue power Of discover
ne sorcerss He is also supposed 70 confer power on
CHARMS, which, without his manipulation, wosthess
rhs mbondou beonss TO natural order OF plant that
contains arychnine Hence you may judge of its deadly
erect But have seen u drunk without any serious
consequences have also person fall down dead
sftsr drinking H. with blood gushing from his mouth
syss and nose, i've minutes after taking the dose when
Iyrsted . village called Geumbi q second time, was
ssksd 70 20 and old friend OF mine Mpomo who
was III They had spent the night before drumming
about his bedside 10 drive out the devil that him
The noise they made round him enosah kill any
eas but they hoped BY making such noise 70 disturb
She evil spirit, and that he would depart,
Mpomo would get veil ] saw that member drumming
nor nv medicines would help the poor fellow. The m OF
san was already eye, and knew he could scarce
hive through the approaching night He held out his
hand 20 me welcome and ieebly said, sChaillu
ma for 1 am dying He was then surrounded by hun
drcds OF his people. explained 70 them that | had
power 70 save him; that my life aud his were alike In
me hands OF God But they could no, understand ths
and still followed sent him restorative, but at
the same time | warned them that he would die. and
that they must blame my medicine for his death.
the next morning was awcke by the mournfui wall
winch proclaimed that poor Mpomo had gone 70 his long
rest Ia the afternoon heard talk Of wlchcraft The