The New York herald., 1874-12-04
Mr.. SANKEY'S Expedition INTO
Africa.
The Country Of the HippopOtamuS and
the Crocodile.
TIE uSDEvELoPED IVORY TRADE.
How Wealth May Be Won in
Zanzibar.
THE HOME OF The SLAVE TRADE.

the HOME OF THE SLAVE TRADE,
ZANZIBAR, Coast Of Africa, Oct %. 1874.
II b well known to travellers who have been tn
Central Africa that Uror II large country situate
south OF Ugogo. Along the southeriy frontier Of
Ugogo rise several streams, the principal OF which
1s the Kisigo, abound1ng with hippopotami and
crocodilcs. East OF Urori commences Kasungu,
through which the Kistgo and its sister streams
now into the Rwaha, which soon becomes known
- the Rufji.
After traversng Kasungu, along distance
which the Arabs designate an eight days. journey,
the RunJi enters Katanga from the southwest,
from which may be deduced the inference that the
river makes deep bend before reaching Katanga.
From Katanga to Matumbi Is ten days. journey.
From jumbo to the Matumb Mountains is q dis
tance OF thirty miles. On the other side of the
Matumbi Mountains the Runji Is joined by the
Kienga River, which, as said before, comes from
the southwest
According to Jumbo and two OF hts chiefs who
had ascended the Ruff as far as Matumbi the
river is deep enough for boat Of the size Of the
Wave tthey were not aware that she drew nve
feet), but there are several bars during low ebb
which impede navigation, so that though we
might ascend far, we should md plenty Of trouble
and nard work, Our gig they said, might easily
ascend as far as Uror II the natives permitted u.s.
but 1t would require talk and bongo cloth.
The resources OF the country around us, OF
Jumbo and the neighboring tribes. were mani
fold, according to native report. Jumbo himself
could sell me, II required it, three times as
much rice as would I'LL the Wave. The people
round about possessed abun dance Of this gram.
On the entire Ruff platn between Matumbi and
QoQ r nt0hf lant nm ria
chickens and eggs as needed or could take away
cheap. Jumbo woad sell me fifteen measures OF
rice for q cloth worth 81 at Zanzibar Only six
measures OF rice sell for 81 at Zanzibar. In ex-
Change for their products they were willing to
receive silver money dollars and rupees, umpice,
crockery, glassware and cotton cloth, Merikani
and Kaniki
At the base OF the mountains OF Marumbt is to
be found an abundance OF gum copal, the FOSSIL
gum known here as msan. .durusi, from which car-
T1aGe varnish is made 1t Is sold by the fraslah,
weight OF thirty-nve pounds. At the base Of the
mountains where there Is an Inc xhaustible sup
ply oft, 1t can be purchased at from 81 rs to So
per frasilah according to the talents and eto-
quence OF the purchaser. At Zanzibar it ranges
In price from 81 to 50 per weight OF
thirty-ive pounds. This means suppos-
ing steam vessel drawing but thirty
Inches OF water, especially constructed for
river navigation, with capacity OF thirty tons,
were to proceed up the Rufji to the copal Dig.
gings, and purchase thirty tons OF tnis gum at So
per weight OF thirty-fve pounds, that at Zanzibar
the enterprising merchant could sell his cargo to
the nrst European or American merchant 1or $S
the frasilah at this very moment; In other words,
obtain the handsome sum Of s12, 500 for an outlay
dnring few days or weeks OF IS, 700.
Beyond MatumDi all the countries north, south
and west contain ivory IN greater lesser quanti
tes Uror ia rich in this precious article oftrsde.
The same enterprtsing merchant, having employed
the late dry season In tire collection Of his gum
copal cargo, could proceed safely any distance up
the Rufi as far as Urori, where he could have, OF
course, an agent IN advance OF him. and collect
easily cargo Of thirty tons ivory This article
is worth in Unyanyembe 81 per pound; In Urori II
may be purchased at from sixty cents to ninety
cents per pound.
We maze q tabular estimate OF the cost and
profit to DO obtained in this trade your readers
VIII perceive for themselves Of what value pains
taking geographical research is to the merchant:-
10 cost at Zanzibar of 80 tons ivory, ut SOS the
10 cost Urori OF 80 tons Of ivory at $si 90 the
AuaAou 6V,4SU
Clear profit, f11. .ol6 9s Cd. or...--.... S64 saO
Ugangeh ts richer in ivory than Uror according
to the Arabs; but until my exploration OF the
RunJi admit that ! never heard OF this country
before; but there Is such vast extent OF country
west Of the Ruff delta 80 little known that long
years must elapse before the geography OF Eastern
Central Africa can become known. Ugogo at the
present time contributes occasionally large sup
Plies OF ivory to the coast; but the labor TO obtain
1t by land, the tribute to which the merchant Is
subjected, tho annoyances OF which he is the OBJ
1ect, are so great and many that, once the river
trannc was opened, the proud Wagogo would be
compelled to carry their own ivory to the Rutu for
sale.
Katanga and Kasungu are both new countries,
now made known for the first time; so also are
KoronRo, koni Toeya, which lie on the north
side OF the RunJ, between Kazungu and Matumbi
Descending the river from the Matumbi Noun
and Its maritime delta extends before the eye,
bounded TO the northeast by the purple lines OF
eastward by the dark, gloomy forests of the
delta; southward, by the countries OF Muhoro and
Kilonga, which, from distance, present an ap-
Tnis great plain OF the Runu is the creation OF
the river. The rich deposit 1t has left during
every rainy reason By tho DARK mould ieft By the
1nundati0ns, lies inexhaustlble wealth. sugar,
she ii soil. It Is the most ' popuIcus district Il
have seen during four Journeys to Africa, and l
should estimate that at least 600 people tnhabit
clusters along the banks OF the river, and nom
the time We passed Kisimbea until We anchored
curious sightseers. who stood In full view OF US
without the least fear or distrust, from which one
may &c pafuoneu II NC C0uCiuQe9 tl8t tney gained
such courage from the knowledge OF their mum.
bers. Between Fuganeh and NyambWa I must
who though they cha1ed US considerably, showed
she very best disposiuon-such disposition as
1nstincts
Almost always the second question propounded
70 native by me on this river was, "Do the
slaves pass by this way ~ They ail,answered,me
promptly, "N0," following it with the required In
formation. The answer each time was the same
except at Jumbo, where ] discovered that was
almost opposite the exact spot where the Arab
eave.traders some times crossed. The route now
mainly adopted by the slave -tradere-eommen ncing
rom khwa kivinjia-crosses the Mgenga River
Lne MLo,Plani and, arriving at Perereh, passes
Mirongeg, which lies close TO Jumbe, and. crossing