Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-30
ABOUT AFRICA.
Scenes and incidents The Honey
Bird-A Fertile COuntry-A Bridge
of Water Plants, etc.

Bfro-A Fertile COuntry-A bridge
of Water Plants, etc.
One of the most interesting letters which
the Herald has published descriptive of its
correspondents famous search for Living
stone, is Stanley's description of the tolls
aud incidents of his forced march from
Kwihara to Ujiji. Men do not daily
endure such trials in ssuch
cause, and the heart of grace Which rose
supreme above all obstacles and discour
agement mist be recognized. The regular
caravan route to Ujiji, it must be remem-
bered, was closed by the war Of Miranda,
he powerful native chieftain, and the alter
native was presented to the leader OF the
Herald expedition of either waiting 8:
K Rihara until the 'cruel war was over"
or else pushing forward y circuit
us route. Tired of three months
forced inaction, Mr. Stanley chose the
latter, and in the teeth of remonstrance
started the caravan. The sickness and
faint-heartedness of bis white assistant, who
had to be sent lack to Kwihars to die after
the expedition was day or two on the
march, did not deter him. The porters
who deserted him aud fed to their huts
we're collected and brought back with
vigor which alone gave promise of ultimate
success. Their summary punishment, too,
was something evidently necessary in Afri-
"a TO insure obedience; at any rate, it ap-
pears to have worked admirably.
THE HONEY BIRD.
On the Journey they fell in with "ths
honey Bird" curious little creature, not
much larger than a wren. "Tweet-tweet,"
It Immediately cries when it sees human
being. 1t becomes very busy all at once,
hops and skips, and flies from branch to
branch with marvellous celebrity. The trav-
eler Ifs up his eyes, beholls the tiny little
ORD hopping ABOUT, and hears its sweet
cali-"tweet tweet-tweet." II he follows
it, away flies the bird on to
another tree, springs to another branch
nearer to the tagging man il to
say; "Shall l, must / come and fetch
you ?" but assured BY his advance, away
again to another tree, cOquets about, and
Lweets bis call rapidly; sometimes more
earnest and loud, as if chilling him for be-
ing 80 slow; then off again, until at last the
treasure is found and secured. and as he
is a very busy little bird, while the nan
secures his treasure of honey, he plumes
himself, ready for another flight and to
discover another treasure. Every evening
stores of beautiful white and red honey
we're thus discovered.
A FRUITFUL COUNTRY.
Presently We passed into belt of coun-
try Astounding with all sorts Of delicious
fruits, that grow in luxurious profusion,
while the choicest dainJies of flesh and
fowl were to be- had at no greater cost or
trouble than the discharge of gun. "We
became stated with the varieties of novel
fruit which We saw hanging thickly on
trees. There was the mbembu, with the
taste of an over-ripe peach; the tamarind
pod and beans, with their grateful acidity,
resembling somewhat the lemon in its
favor. The matonga, or nun uonlicd, was
welcome, and the luscious singwe, the plum
of Africa, was the most delicious of all.
There were wild plums like our own, and
grapes unpicked long past their season, and
beyond eating. Guinea fowls, the moor
hen, ptarmigans and ducks supplied our ia
Bile, and often the rump of a buffalo or n
extravagant piece of venison filed our
camp kettles. Ny health was firmly es-
tablished. The faster we prosecuted oar
journey the better felt"
FANCIEs.
What wild and ambitious projects fill
mans brain as he looks over the forgotten
and unpeopled country, containing in its
bosom such store of wealth, and with such
an expanse of fertile soil, capable of sus-
tanning millions. What a settlement one
could have in this valley! See, it is broad
enough to support a large population!
Fancy church spire rising where
that tsmarind rears its dark crown of TO-
liage, and think how well a score or SO of
pretty cottages would look instead of those
thorn clumpS and gum trees! Fancy this
lovely valley teeming with herds of cattle
and fields Of corn, spreading to the right
and left of this stream! The day will
come and future year will see it.
A WONDERFUL BRIDGE.
Fancy a river broad as The Hudson at
Albany, though not near so deep or swift,
covered over by water plants and grasses,
which had become so interwoven and
netted together as TO form a bridge cover
Ing its entire length and breadth, under
which the river flowed calm aud deed
below. Over such bridge we had on one
occasion 70 cross. AddiIg to the tremor
which one naturally felt at having to cross
this frail bridge was the tradition that
only few yards higher up an Arab and
bis donkey, thirty-tve slaves and sixteen
tusks of ivory lad suddenly sunk forever
out of sight. AS one-half our little col
umn had already arrived at the centre we
Oh the shore could see the network of
grass waving on either side and between
each man, in one place like TO the swell
of a sea after a .orm and in another like
a small lake rufhed by squat. Hundreds
of Yards away IrUm them 1t RULED and I'M
dulated one wave after another. As we all
got on it we perceived it to sink about a
foot, forcing the water on which it rested
into the grassy channel formed by our foot
steps. Que of my donk4s broke through
aud it required the united strength of ten
men to extricate him.
THE ENGLISH EXPEDITION.
Comparing curiously with the startling
record of success, We may turn to the
ABANDONMENT of the English expedition,
the reasons for which will be found in a
communication To The London Times,
wrlbIen by The Interpreter 70 ths expedi-
ton. Its misfortune vas that it came on