The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-11

ward, but beN ond that knew nothing.
THE MYSTERY OF THIS FINE GRAINED GOLD.
COelho determined to solve the mystery for
himself. Pretending TO be caught out on hunt
ing execution the night before NtekalenRo's
weekly visit, he ensconced himself on top of
hill b rd 10y the pool OF Lopez. Mpa, and waited
with his good spy.glass In mis- hand for daylight
To appear. He saw the old chief and his attend
ants embark about a mile above the village In
two canoes, into which they put several baskets
filled with something heavy, and number OF
long bamboo sticks or tubes. They padded
steadily w the stream for about twelve miles
and then debarked, leaving their canoes, but
taking their baskets with them.
COelho noted the sDot Of the debarkation. ana
the next day went thithcr himself In cauoa
alone. He saw a sort Of path at the spot where
the canoes touched shore, leading through the
thicket. Tying his uot he followed this path
through close unlergrOwth for about $50 wards,
when he ca ne suddenly out upon an exp inse Of
sand and pebbles, white and shining IN the sun.
l mis- IIain, for such 1t seemed, was more tnan
mile long. and averaged seventy Yards In depth.
II was ABRUPTLY terminated by blum with
precipitous cleft face at least 2lO feet nigh and
almost perpeudicular. rue face was smooth IA
II cut by the Focus Of yesterday, and COelho
could distinctly the successive strata OF green
sanu, blue clay, rock, red clay pebbles, sand,
clay, 81. &c, "a they rose above one another to
the summit of the CliH
rhc entire face Of the cliG, wherever It was
soft enough, was perforated with holes similar
to tnose made 3y the bank swallow There
VI the cliff was a bank Of shining md that Gilt
tered In the sun 30 brightly that II made An'
tOnlO's heart thump with excitemont.
COelho, however, did not have long to make
his examination. As II he had been perceived
by sentineis. the mound. tine plane, aud every
hole IN The clln suddenly swarued with white
ants, which descended by galleries anu tr,verscs
IN dense columns aud advanced with surprising
rapidity upon the intruder. They were a most
formidable species. half an inch long. with large
solid leeds aud mdndiolcs Of effective siz =
CoclnO knew enough of these terrible insects TO
seek safety 10y instant flight. He was not mo-
nlcnt TOO soon. for he was bitten b. a good
many WAC were In advance, and they pursued
him to tue wter's edge with the utmost erocity.
On his return toclho went at once To Nick -
lengu,tuld him he mad discovered aud visited tue
abode OF the WHITE ants, and said that unless tue
chicftain took him with him on his next visit lie
would 20 alone. And be killed, aud put
biight upon my house ana town and race - said
the the old chef. very well you shall 20. them"
1t was accordingly arranged that he should ac
company the next expedition in place Of tue
chiefs Youngest sou.
INVADING THE STRONGHOLD or THE ANTS.
The night before starting Ntckalengo took
COelhO to his house to prepare for the eNpedi-
ton. The preparation consisted chiefly of fast
ing and prayer. Toward morning, all put ON leg
gings and mOccasins made In one of stin deer
skin. reaching well up the thign and thlckly lu-
brcated with mixture of petroleum, salt and
sui phur Each had gloves with long sleeves, pre-
pared 10 the same WY. The equipment OF the
canoes comprised the long bamboo tubes winch
Coeiho had seen. ana which proved to he sy-
rnges, several Jars hlled with honey and cane
Juice mixod. and humber Of baskets and jars
nllei with etroleuin. his was not the crude
heavy article Of the pools OF Loper-Mpa, but "A
much thinner fluid, obtained by nterng the
crude tar.
The voyage was made in silence, all seeming
to realize the perls to DC incurred. The canoe
touched AT the spot where Coelho had stopped,
ana here the young men Land ii, each with
n jar OF honey IN his well-gioved arms. Inn
mediately the canoes pushed with great
swiftuess To point further w the river
where the chief ana the women landed, at
ter fastening the canoes To- stakes In water
up to their atmplts. They moved with tho
utmost CELEBRITY, and seemingly IA great appre-
hension, Carrying the Uamboos aud part OF the
vessels nied with petroleum, and advancing to-
There was a broad passage here through the
thicket. nre-burn and smelling strongly OF pc
troleum. snd COelho noticed that at this % int
the belt " un dergrOwth was narrowest. and the
chn hpprOached nearest TO the river. When
they came into the open ground COelho saw the
young men running rapidly toward them,
emptying tue sweet contents Of their jars IN
streams as they. ran. Tue chief and the wo-
men, motUnng COehO to do rs they did, took
the bamboo syrinses. thrust the N into the yes-
sells OF petroleum, and distributed their con-
tents IN - bro ii Delt on each side of them from
Tue river edge % the loot OF the Gill; Ihis was
done most Rapidly, Ntekale lgo adv lncing 10 the
slittering mound at the foot Of the cnr. aud
literally saturating the bank above IL with tue
naphtna. The brodthless young men as they
ran In took syrnges also, and aided la the work.
~ tubs time the white ants were pouring forth
Ia long columns IN every direction, but stopping.
those wno cane IN contact with IT, to feed upon
the honey and cane juice. Many, however,
RAPIDLY approached toe intruders, and essayed
al every point TO hnd passage through the
bands Of oil. Az last, the chie., utterlns a cry
struck frs with flat, steel, and Under aud, as,
inl his syringe for u turcn, communicated tue
me To tue belt OF naphtha, So that In a minute
name from whicn the ants recOied Instantly.
Al now seized tue vessels that were emp
them with sand. and bore them Oh 60
the canoes. no old chief only, aided
ny toelho, w.laed from point to point
Hlons lhe lu", feeding the udmcs with
new fuel and seeing TIA. Inc barrier vas kept
Intact lnis continued for half an hour, when,
the hhines wanng and the numbers Of the ans
continually increasing, NtckdlensO gave the
sign i Of retreat. which wa swiftly anu safely
accomplished.
RICH YIELD OF GOLD
The canoes were too heavily laden to hold the
men aud women, so NtekalengO supplied tho
nfe at tue shore with the last VI MS petroleum
to Keep the ants BACK while the others washed
the >and from the gold IN pans, The mineral
was : surprisingly rich that II yielded one-six h
In oulk of comparatively pure gold. As soon rs
possible tue party etnbarAed, aftera hard days
work. full 81 danger and excitement. and re
turned to SakenJe.
Coelho I'D no doubt that the gold was mined
out of tue gravel and drift bv the white ants in
the formation OF their galleries lie proposed
a. once TO tue Old chief 10 take the whole force
oi inc village, drive out tue ants by nrlng heir
galleries, ana conquer the mine, which would
bs hkely to contain many nuggets m addition u
tue dust. NtrAalengo resisted the proposition
for long wnile. out, when CoelnO promised
to exchange the vllltgers' share Of the gold Tor
"A complete supply of European fire rms. an
muninuu, luXurics ana rennemeuts, he finally
consented,
An extensive expedition was accordingly
planned, the preparations for which occupied
severil months Animmense "a nifty OF petro-
leuu wa secured, the wuOle plan in front vi
tho cllu saturated, tue ants driven into tnolr
holes and galleries. aud tue lower tiers II these
pumped full Of OH. Al the moment Of achieve
ment frightful disaster came nigh ext-r-
minating the tribe. The saturated plain Was
pTematurely st on Ore, and over lfty Of the
poor negroes burned to death, while many more
were ureadfully injured. Among the killed
were the ola chiefs two wives aud his younger
son. he nre burned for more than week.
1 his caused great excitement ana dangerous
reaction against CoeiuO and his party, SO that
NtekaensO was forced to bad the strangers de-
part COelhU, before leaving, obtained permls-
sion to visit the clin. The nre was stll burning
In places, but the ants had disappeared, and the
Portuguese were aule to uung away much
treasure. After many dangers, DELAYS, and adj
ventures OF various sOrtr, CoelhO ANA the sur
vvOrs Of the expedition were aule To reacn tue
coast Dy way Of the Congo river.
COelhO IL reported To have brought treasure
To tue value OF f7S,uOO into sac paolo do Lpando
with him. Win his share Of TINS he returned
to Lisbon, aud Is now engaged In organizing II
COMPANY for tha development ana working OF
the gravel bunk Of Mundungo-Lul, when he
claims to be the richest gold mine IN the world,
aud one that VIII yield the largest results "
effective hydraulic machinery.