The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-06-18
PAUL DU CHAILLU.
A Chapter of miaha.ss IA the Life of the
Famous GOriIIa-Hunter.


This adventurer, who has captivate(
both old and young boys by his e.
citing "StOries of faife in the GoriIli
| Country" ard "Wiid Life in Jungle,
had sorne Personal experiences while il
the Ashango Land that he has no
chosen to put upon paper. A story he's
been told me by returned .sis1ioDary
who was for many years at Gahoon OF
| the fricaa Coast, and proved to be &
FRIEND in need to the venturesomt
Frenek-American traveller. It shows
that a strong will and stout heart vii
buoy one up in the midst of difficulties
and repeats the old saying that 'TrutI
is stranger than nction."
Several years ago, Paul On Chaillu
then quite a young hcan, engaged in his
arsS, and probably his last commercial
venture. He borrowed some SO, 600,
freighted schooner Win merchandise,
and started Cor the African Coast, think,
ing Shat would be favorable place foI
specializing. He undoubtedly expected
to speculate IN q difearent manner from
that in which he was afterward so sue
cessIuL Arriving at that part of the
coast of Upper Guinea that is under the
control of the French, he would not
land on account of the shoals, and SO
was obliged to use lighters. These
were very expensive, ard, when he
gained the port, the government said
that he must pay for them. Du Chaillu
declared that he would not, and insisted
that il WIS the business of the French
10 bear the expense of landing the
merchandise that VIC bound for their
ports. As he would not yield, all the
geods that he bad brought to shore
were seized.
nu Chaillu then hired a small boat,
filed it with what was left of his cargo,
started it for Gaboon, a port several
hundred miles further south. He him
SELF took his most valuable possessions,
and went by steamer, but the steamer
was delayed for some reason or other !;
the vessel meanwhile, stayed outside
tho harbor waiting for it to cOme-then,
becoming impatient, sailed away, and
was never heard of more.
Thus disappeared the cargo that was
to have brought Paul Du Chaillu a
fortune. He, however, found a home
with the Rev. Mr.. Walker, a missionary
of the American board. But, before
many weeks, there came an order from
the French Government for his arrest.
An officer told Mr.. Walker privately
that he must send his guest away, or he
would be obliged to seize him. Mr..
Walker accordingly sent him to some
friendly natives in the interior; there
he spent his time in hunting excursions
and in collecting valuable specimens.
But before long he was warned again
This time Mr.. Walker determined to
get him out of the clutches of the
French law by sending him to a small
island lying off the coast under Spanish
authority. He succeeded in getting
him back to GabOon without detection,
and, late one evening, Paul Du Chaillu
put himself and all his worldly effects
into a light canoe manned by half
dozen of the natives. Mr.. Walker gave
them full directions as to the voyage,
and charged them to keep off the shoals.
Early the next morning the good mis-
siOnary was awakened by one of the
sells same darkeys, who told him shat
they had been swamped, totally ship
wrecked, and that Du Chaillu was
stranded some where on the beach.
Mr.. Walker went in search of him, and
found him several miles up the coast,
array ed in the costume of his fsvOrite
gorilla. A sorry plight, surely-naked,
hungry and penniless, under arrest from
the French Government, and ship
wrecked on the unknown shore of
barbarous country. Mr.. Walker fur
nisled him with clothes, and started
him off again, this time successfully.
de spent some time on the island, and
made many valuable collections; but
Just as they were completed, and he
was thinking of returning to this
country, the mission house in which his
specimens were stored was burned, and
every thing was lost.
Not long after this, the order for his
arrest was revoked, and he went back
TO the French station satisfied for
time, probably with life on the African
Coast.