The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-07-06

forever.
Lieutenant Cameron's Explorations in
Africa.
The principal discoveries made by
Lieut.. Cameron ON his foot journey |
across the continent of Africa were
made known, before the explorers ar
rival in England, by the letters which
he forwarded from Benguela. They
entitled him to a hearty welcome in
London, and he has received it. The
Royal Geographical Society invited him
to address them at a special meeting
held in a larger hall than their own, to
the throng of listeners,
and presided over by royal Duke, who
introduced the speaker; and at the close
of the evening he was awarded the So
ciety's gold medal, the highest honor
of geographical science.
Lieut.. Cameron's speech was inter-
esting in its details, though its main
features naturally lacked novelty, ow-
ing to the previous publication OF his
letters. The skeleton sketch OF explO-
ration is now filed, in, however, with
lights and shades and colors which
make it effective, and we learn some
thing about what awalk of three thou
sand miles through the interior of a
mysterious continent really is. And it
is serious affair, though sometimes
funny enough. At least the Royal Geo
graphical Society seemed to think twas
funny, for they roared with laughter at
the statement that in Ugogo the chief
and all hands were drunk and would
not allow the party to pass on the day
they arrived, and the next day the
chief would receive the tribute only
through his prime minister, and he
was too drunk to transact any
business, and so it went on from day to
day. More amusement was caused by
Lieut.. Cameron's account of the peO-
pie of Uguhha. He said they were dis
tinguished by the peculiar and tasteful
manner in which they dress their hair,
and by the elaborate tattooing on the
women's stomachs. Their clothing
then appeared to him remarkable, but,
compared with what he saw further on,
was ample. This remark excited great
laughter.
In another tribe the women arranged
their hair in a most extraordinary man.
ner, with head-dresses looking like an
old-fashioned bonnet with the back out,
and long ringlets falling over the neck.
This was in a district west of the great
Tanganyika lake, and where the expe-
dition first encountered hostilities
from the natives. The leather coat
which Lieut.. Cameron wore saved him
from being wounded by the arrows
which were suddenly showered upon
them as they were traversing a strip of
Jungle. Some counter manifestation
was necessary, but the explorer was un-
willing to use firearms. He had re-
course to the good old English weapons
employed in the manly art of self-de-
tense. 81 ran this man down." he
says, "and gave him a thrashing
Tcheersl, but would not allow any one
to fire in return, and walked straight up
to some people who were in front of us.
We tried to make a palaver, in which,
after time, we were successful, and
we went on with the natives as the best
of friends. !"
A pet goat named Dinah, which
accompanied Lieut.. Cameron, was
the cause of the next difficulty, which
was more Serious. The goat had
slept outside the canap, and in the
morning her master went to look for
her. Approaching the neighboring vii
lage, entirely unarmed and unsuspect-
ing harm. he inquired of the natives
concerning his goat, when all at once
they began firing upon him. They then
advanced, about five hundred strong,
in most threatening manner, but he
secured his rifle in time and was obliged
to wound few of his foes through the
legs before they would desist from the
attack. This demonstration appeased
their ardor somewhat, and negotiations
for peace were in progress when anoth
er party of natives came up and foment.
ed discord again. Spear throwing be.
gan, and Lieut.. Cameron found it nee
essary to check it by burning down the
village. A forti6cation was thrown ur
on its site-afterward named Fort Di
nah, in honor of the goat-where thu
expedition was virtually imprisoned
for five days. It became evident tina
they must perish unless they resortet
to harsher measures, and at last they
fired upon the besiegers with fatal eff
feet. This at once brought about peace
The hostile chiefs offered indemnity
but this was declined, though presents
we're exchanged as an evidence Of
friendship. In this instance the use O
the rifle seemed essential to safety, bu
throughout the march Lieut.. Cameron
carefully abstained from giving. tn
slightest cause of offense to the inhab
itants, and he never made any hostil
demonstration unless the lives of hi
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