The New York herald., 1874-12-24

prised nnd it difncult task to muster the peo-
s aae mo nous ana % Ds IN
at least fifteen or 50 nave abse nted themselves al
together. This, OF course. will be annoy
it probable thing and that am 10 measure
OF the march shall probably md myself minus ten
more, which also viii be annoying and exceed
hs ing ryng 20 sns nave sosd up r
be constant desertion by .wos. threes and tours.
but the losses win have to be borne anu remedied
somehow; and finally disease Will break out, the
result OF their mad three days. debauchery, TO
be succeeded oy smallpox. ulcerous sores, dysen-
terry and fever and other diseases. And about this
time, too, the white men Will begin to suffer from
strange languor OF body and feverish pulse, and
THESE, despite .he rapidly diminishing orce Of
carriers, will have 70 be transported on the sh0ul
ders OF porters or on the backs OF such asses as
may be strong enough for such work. And the
we shall be able to weather this stormy period; !;
Tor the outlook at about this time will be sad
s o rva es spssia a,
the Daily telegraph and new YORK HERALD ex.
pedition OF this time, say shree short weeks from
the coasti The magnificent caravan which
started from the sea 400 strong, armed to the
teeth. comfortable, well laden and r!ch each
skin shining like brown satin, eyes all aglow
with pride and excitement, strong IN his
sn!der rine and twenty rounds q cartridges, his
axe ana Knives; twelve stately, tall guides,
trcked out In crimson jobo and long pumes head
ing the procession, which Is nearly mile long,
forest awakening the deep woods with their sounds
and animatln9 every soul to the highest pitch OF
three weeks from now how dinerent win be the
greatly diminished caravan. Scores will have de-
serted, the strong viii have become weak, the ro-
to wish that he mad never ventured second time
into the sea Of mfshaps and troubles which beset
tions. which are none OF the brightest you win
allow. However, when the soldier has donned his
aeimst T. lgts to deplore the Jolly which in
THE .IIvINGsroNRv poNrooN
Among other things which convey with me on
this expedition to make our work as thorough as
stone.n traveller having experience OF the dif-
fcultes which prevent efficient ex xploration is not
with almost every requisite likely to remove the
great obstacles which lack OF means OF ferriage
presents. Alter ! had accepted the command OF
this second expedition began to devise and in
vent the most portable kind OF noatlng expedent
or vehicle to transport baggage and men
Independent Of the native chiefs. / Thought
or everything had seen likely to suit
IS such as the
Ashantee war; canvas boats, such as Marcy, in
his "Pratrie Traveller" recommends; the devices
india raSber Boats Ysh wicker boats ac but
everything thought OF that previous travellers
on account OF their weight and insuti,cent noatng
power. 1t is one OF the most interesting things in
African travel, among chains OF lakes and numer.
Tas ssS ssB In 'as essaoa a to Bs eaSaas
% a ns or
age. AS no carts or wagons can be employed in
conveying boats or zinc pontoons through the
overland trade In Central Africa, zinc pontoons
were not to be thought OF. A zinc tube. eighteen
inches in diameter and eight feet long, would form
q good load Tor the strongest porter; but fancy
the number Of tubes OF this zinc required to con-
vey across lake dfty miles wide force OF 800
ha aucyop q n mo for oil
OF an expedition. And what Kind OF boat can
transport such number and weight across
al moderately rapid rate OF travel distance OF
from 1000 TO 1000 mi!esf
much paper sketched out a series OF innataole
pontoon tubes, to be two leet in diameter and
eight feet long to be laid transversey, resting on
with two separate. triangular compartments OF
the same depth, eight feet at che base, which
boat over these several sections M tr three lengthy
poles were 10 be laid which should be lashed
between each transverse tube to the three
lad lengthwise were to be bamboo poles,
laid transversely, upon which TIE passengers
dering. After the design was fully matured the
next thing to do was to find a manufacturer INTEL
ligent enough 70 comprehend what was required,
a good reputation among travellers, tried him,
and after a very few moments conversation with
tnat he perfectly understood what unusually
strong material was requisite, and every part and
Ethi M month MIN had IN my possesson the the sew. sew
efai parts and sections of this peculiar noating
craft beautifully aaa Strongly ,G made in as as COM
lastidious traveller. All these several sections,
when pnt in the scales weighed 900 pounds,
each require but five men to carry the entire
crat No material can possibly equal this II the
strong, thick india rubber cloth IS punctured or
rent CordinR has supplied me with the material to
repair 1t, and II all turns out as well with 1t as l
strongly anticipate and hope 1t will, 1t must, OF
course prove Invaluable to me.
HIS NEW BOAT
But an explorer needs something else, some
other form OF ioatable structure, to be able to
esqs tne % re
He must have boat with him with which
he may be enabled e crcumnavlgase lakes
rivers with small and efficient body OF men,
while the main body is encamped at some suitable
invent ted for the traveller such as he can carry
of miles, through bush and jungle and
heat and damp and rain, without impairng It's
cumbrance After various plans and designs I
could think Of nothing better than light cedar
Okonaga lCanada) cedar boat, but larger and
OF greater capacity. These Canadian boats are
generally thirty est ~ Length and from ave to
and portable. and when near rapids are taken
ashore and easily hosted on the shoulders or SIX
men and taken to smooth waters again. But
boat OF this Kind though portable for short dis
tances In Canada would have to be constructed
differently to be carried along the crooked narrow
paths Of African jungles. They would require to be
built In water-tignt sections, each section light
enough to be carried by two men without distress
Ing the bearers, Mr.. James Messenger, OF Ted
din9tOn, near London, has well-deserved repu-
tatlon for buiiding superb river boats, and while
enjoying Sunday near Hampton, witnessing the
various specimens OF his skill and workmanship,
came to the conclusion that Mr.. Messenger would
suit me. Ibad an interview with tns gentleman
and laid my plans before him. soon discovered
that was In the presence OF master workman,
oy the intelligent way he followed my explana-
tfons, though 1t was evident that he had not the
slightest idea what an African jungle path was
like. He understood what meant by ''portability"
but his ideas Of portability" OF anything natu-
rally suggested 1t on broad highway, an English
turnpike road, the utmost path over treeless
neids or commons | doubt If even now the gen.
tleman understands the horrors OF a jungle path.
with It's intricate and never-endng crooked
curves, beset on each side by q depth and
"a tensity OF vegetation through which we
must struggle and twist, and comfort our
bodies mat we may pass through with our
burdens, while the perspiratiOn which streams