Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-02-26
African Hunting and Explorations.

NJ. Du Chaillu is certainly a very en-
tertaining talker. lie is full Of not only
the novel, fascinating facts, but of novel
ways of putting them. The idiOms of his
own tongue used in ours, and American
isms most qnaintly pronounced and de-
livered, make up a piquaint, appropriate
and delightful dress, that is as fresh and
attractive as the details of hair breadth
escape and drOll incident which it clothes.
He is full of Frenchiness from head to
foot, French wit, French quickness and
sparkle, and French fire.
He appeared last night before larger
audience at Library Hall than he had had
on the previous evening. He began by
saying that, having led his friends with
him before 10 the Artics, he now prOpos-
ed to carry them to the land of the sun,
to Africa, the land of the dwarf and the
gorilla.
He set out from New York in a vessel
loaded with arms, instruments and uten-
sils, as well a. presents for African roy
ality, such as axes, beads, mirrors and
trinkets of attractive sort. With these he
cenciliated the tribes of the West Afrl-
can coast, among which he went. His
habit was TO get into the graces of one
tribe-his wonderful treasures made him
a spirit in their eyes at once-and pro-
csed with their recommendation to a
baggage, too, although it took a thous-
and of them, and remain with him until
his position at the new court was assur-
ed. Thus he proceeded.
The three institutions common to all
those tribes were ''SlaVery, POlygamS,
and Witch crafI''-the lastyeTy markedfYl
an institution. These various tribes held
slaves, but not of their own people, the
slave must be of another tribe. They
married many wives, allying themselves
among several tribes and clans TO secure
themselves in event of Ewaf- The mar
riAge of near relations is ablprFed. The
The children inherit the tribe Of the
mother. In the matter Of Witclfcraft
they believe that death not only came by
it, but comes by it, and whenever any i9fTr
dies, some witch person was thess
his death: IL is not uncomInon 70 II u tiiii'-
ty or forty people; at the death of a poor
man, one man suffers; at the death of a
woman, none.
NJ. Du Chaillu plunged into a deeply
interesting narrative of the persanal hab-
its of the people, their laws and their Ia
illness, their work and their religion; and
at last brought himself to the point
where ne was TO go TO the land Of the can
nibal, gorilla and dwarf.
Before departing thither the king, de-
string TO express his good VIII for him,
made him a speech. His speech ap-
preached the question in hand after two
hours of words. He began with his own
grandfather, a worthy negro whom he
had not seen, came down to his father,
then reascended to his grandmother,
brought in his mother and at length
reached NJ. Du ChaiIlu and himself. He
said to the traveller, u love yOu," and
begged him TO stay with them, and to in-
duce him to do it, he offered him the
choice from eight hundred and fifty girls,
the handsomest of the tribe, TO wife. NJ.
Du Chaillu WAS puzzled; he didn't want
to offend anybody. He takes credit to
himself for his reply. He, too, said, 81
love you" Cit was good remark to rely
on but he put the matter so strongly TO
the king, showing that it was impossible
for him TO choose, because there would
be left after his choice eight hundred Of
the most jealous women in Africa, that
he consulted with his ministers, and
spoke Il love you; what you say is we'll.
1t is good; il Is good. II is true. 1t is
good; it is good. The women left would
be jealous; you may have them all for
your wives"
Du Chaillu here remarked that this was
one of his greatest difficulties in Africa
every tribe wished to retain the powerful
''spirit,' and offered him wives. He had
during his life had twenty thousand Of
fers of marriage. Believing applause
T.
He said he was hunter; hunters could
not be encumbered with women-did not
think Of women when their hearts were
set on game. So he gets his thousand
pack men and sets out.
Space will not allow anything further
than a mention of his vivid, acted picture
of his travels in the land of the dwarfs
and his encounter with gorillas. He
made the whole lecture interesting.
The GoD OF BATTLEs.-How often the
above expression is used but how strange
" it would sound if we were not so accus-
toned 10 it. And what is more strange
is that it is used by religious people
and is common in sermons aud prayers.
1t is not strange that the wOrshipers of
Woden-the imaginary God of war-used
it, but that the followers of the Prince Of
Peace should do so is amazing.
In our opinion there is no such being
as God of battles, or, if there is, his home
is in the Internal regions, and his name
commences with d and ends with /. We
have no doubt that this being surveys
battle scenes with pleasure and rejOicss
to find pTOfesSed Christians engaged in
them. But TO think of the iufnite Jeho-
vah. who delights in the happiness of his
children, and who sent his own Son into
the world 10 die for tnem-tO think of
eAS4A 4 DS-i- lLSsI44liS 'NtI tlLe utIuolll-
&C actions of men on the bloody battle
field, and viewing them with cOmplacen-
cy, shocks all our ideas Of prOpriety, and
is entirely at variance with thu view
which Christians generally entertain OF
the character Of this just and benevolent
J Jehovah.
Would it not be well 10 eliminate from
our sermons and our prayers these sJereo-
typed expressions which convey the idea
that wo worship d being who delights in
human strife and carnage, and substitute
phrases more in accordance with the char
aCter OF the Christian God.