Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-08-30
INTERIOR AFRICA.

CHI HO SuppOScO lAk0 w est OIL
Albert Niyanza "A Nation of Milk Misers
-Inh0spitabIe Natives.
Correspondence New York Herald, July, rs.
About 1OP. M we were all awakened
from sleep by furious drumming. ac-
companied now and then by shril]
yells. The Waganda said that this
drumming and yelling was in welcome
to the white stranger. I did not be-
lieve them, and therefore put my
people on their guard, ordered
them to load their. guns and
place them under their sleeping
mats and arrangedall my own in a handy
and safe position. Except the continued
drumming and yelling nothing occurred
during the night, but at daybreak we
found ourselves in presence of about
500 warriors, armed with bow. shield
and spear, who had crept quietly near
the camp, and then had stood up ia q
sepicircle, preventing all escape except
by water. I was SO astonished by this
sudden apparition of such large body
of armed men that I could barely believe
we were still in Mtesa's territory.
SILENCE THAT MEANT DANGER.
There was also som ething very curl
Gus in their demeapor. For there was
no shouting, yelling, or frantic behavior
as we had several times witnessed ION
the part of savages when about to com
nit themselves by a desperate deed.
They all wore composed though a
stern and determined aspect It was a
terrible moment to us. We knew not
what to make of these hundreds of
armed savages, who persisted in being
silent and gave no hint as to their in
tentions, unless the forest of spears
might be taken as clear, unmistakable
and explicit hint that their object was a
bloody one. We feared to make q
movement lest it might precipitate q
catastrophe which might possibly be
averted; SO we remained few minutes
silently surveying each other.
ORDERED Away BY THE CHIEF.
The silence was soon broken, how
ever, by the appearance of the chief
who had welcomed us though he was
then inebriated) the evening before
He had long stick in his hand, which
he fourished before the faces of the
savages, and by tiis means drove them
several PAGES backwards. lie then came
forward, and, striking the boat, ordered
us to get off, and he himself lent hand
to shove the boat into the lake.
AS the boat glided into the water, an
other chef came forward and asked
us what we meant by drawing our boat
up so far on their beach. We replied
that we had done it to protect the boat
from the surf, and were about to add
more reasons, when the first chief cut
the matter short by ordering us to shove
off and go and camp on Musira Isla1d.
distant four miles, whittier he would
follow us with food.
f. GLAD TO GET OFF. "s
We were nothing loath to obey such
good counsel, and soon put distance of
100 yards bet1een ourselves and the
hostile beach.
Amid rain, thunder, lightning and a
sounding surf on all sides, we dropped
anchor under the lee Of Peacock s
Island about midnight. It rained and
Numbered throughout the night, and
we had much trouble to keep our boat
afoat by constant bailing.
BUMBIREH ISLAND.
AT daybreak we hurried away from
our dangerous anchorage before astrong
steady breeze from the northeast, and
within three hours drew near the com
Portable little cove near the village of
Kajuri, at the southeastern extremity of
Bumbireh Island. As we looked on the
plenty which green slopes, garnished
with large groves of bananas and dotted
with herds of fat cattle, promised, we
anticipated an abundance of good food,
ripe bananas, fat goat, large supply
of milk and other things good for fam
fishing men. But we were disappointed
to hear the large number of people on
the plateau above the village shouting
their war cry. SIS
TO EAT OR DIE,
Still we pressed nearer the beach:
hunger gave us much confidence, and a
rich tribute, we were sure, would pacifv
the most belligerent chief. Perceivine
that we persisted in approaching their
shore the people rushed down the slope
OF the plateau toward us. Prudence
whispered to me to at least get ready
our guns, which I accordingly did, and
then rowed slowly toward tine beach,
certain that, II hostllltles began, indica-
tions of such would appear in time to
enable us to withdraw from the shore.
s1 ra A SAVAGE RUsE.
s We hailed at the distance of twenty
yards from shore, and I observed that
the wild behavior of the natives changed.
as they approached nearer, to affapility
and friendliness. We exchanged the
usual friendly greetings, and were in
vited to come ashore in such tones as
dissipated the least suspicion from our
minds. No sooner, however, had the
keel of the boat grounded than the ap-
parently friendly natives rushed in q
body and seized the boat and dragged
her high and dry on land. with all on
board. The reader may imagine the
number Of natives required to perform
this feat when I state that the boat.
baggage and crew weighed nearly 1000
pounds. s
TERRIBLE MOMENT.
Twice [ raised my revolvers to kill
and be killed. but the crew restrained
me, saying it was premature to fight, as
these people were friends, aud all would
u -