Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-03-14
CENTRAL AFRICA.

Trip Into the Undiscovered Country
Along tho Nile-Ceremonfes Attendant
Upon Royal Reception.
La Col. Longs book on Central Afri-
ca, recently published by Harper Bros,
we find the following details of q trip
.ato the wilds of the Nile country:
The long wet season of six months
was Just begun; there were no stores
of provisions at Gondokoro from which
to draw supplies; and only two soldiers
could be spared as an escort to his com
pany. Yet, In the face of these EN-
barrassments either of which was
enough to insure the failure of his en-
terprise-the ambitious Colonel perse-
vered In his desperate plan. His train
consisted of 3 cook, a groom, a drago-
man, and valet-all equally unfaith-
full and worthless servants-and guard
of the two soldiers mentioned, who
were members of the "Soudanish
Corps" and staunch companions in
arms. His supplies comprised few
pounds Of sugar, coffee and bread; a
change of clothing for himself; a small
stock of trumpey for use in traffic
with the natives; and bottle of laud-
anum and 8 bottle of chlorodyne, for
medicines.
With this wretched outfit the Colonel
left Gondokoro on the Oath of April,
exactly seven days after his arrival.
IS far as Fatoka, 165 miles to the
Jhth, he was accompanied by q party
of 400 negro porters and eighty Dongo-
lowee ivory hunters, returning from
Gondokoro to their posts In the interi-
or. For the remainder of the way he
and his little band of six men would
have for companionship an envoy of
King Mise, and his few followers. A
storm of rain, with violent thunder and
tightening, broke upon the camp DUR
ing their first night out, completely
drenching the travellers, and from that
hour they were subject to incessant
repetitiOns of the same experience. In
three or four days Colonel Long was at
tackled with fever, which thereafter
hung about him, while the other mem
bers of his troupe suffered miserably
from diseases of various forms. With
no medicines, preventive or curative,
recovery was impossible so long as the
expedition lasted.
Fatiko, one of several militarysposts
established by Sir Samuel Baker in
8, was reached after marcia Of
eleven days. After sojourn of eight
days, Col. Long again set forward, with
a reinforcement of one soldier and
several donkeys. The record of his
journey thenceforth continues to re-
peat with insignificant variations the
melancholy declarations of Grain and
misery by day, and misery and rain
by night"
May 50 he writes: eve marched
seven hours and half to-day, through
rain and mist. The water that we are
obliged to drink is execrable. The
spongy earth quickly absorbs the rain,
save that which here and there collects
in great holes, the tramping-gronnd of
elephant and buffalo. The water is
mixture of their excretions; and Of
this, with tongue parohing with fever,
we are obliged to drink. Fetid odors
arise from the black, naarshy ground,
and almost asphyxiate US as we pass
over it. Bananas were almost the sole
food of the party,-a potage of
dourah" occasionally afording a
steful change. This unwholesome
diet induced increased disease, and it
is not strange that Col. Long, looking
out Of melancholy eyes, could see
nothing pleasant in the present or fu-
ture of Central Africa. It is to be re-
marked in his favor that he bore up
bravely under his burden of misery;
but having recklessly provoked the
direct misfortunes, he receives from.
the spectators very little sympathy
Without coming into conflict with
hostile savages, he entered the confines
Of Ugunda, the territory of the friendla
Mise, who dispatched q messenger to
escort him to the capital. Over roads
hat had been widened and swept In
lonor of the strange visitor. Col.
1ong journeyed until halted to wait the
rection of village for his occupation,
,ear the residence of Mise. On the
9th of June, all preparations being
>mplete, he proceeded to the Royal
itation. Thousands of natives
s.dsered his path, to catch their first
impse of white man. Never before
ad q horse been visible in Central At
lea, and, as Col. Long rode on his
aithful steed, which had carried him
,ver all the difficult ground from Con-
.okero, the amazement Of the people
as immense. At the request of the
ing, who stood at the outer gate of his
alace to welcome his guest, the Col
1el gave an exhibition of the pace of
animal on which he was mounted.
hen at last he leaped from his sad
J, the surprise and delight of the ma
es were exchanged for alright, as
til then they had supposed man and
rse to be one animal.
The following day Col. Long was re-
ived by Mise in state. The palace
the King was surrounded by seven
gh walls, separated by intervals of
yenty yards, within which were the
Its of his officers and attendants.
nut in by the innermost palisade
nds the mansion of his Majesty,-a
nid-shaped hut, supported by a
If cclumns In the interior. To
lis distinguished visitor, the
smous Mise came to the door of his
alace, disclosing a figure thus por-
aged: "He appears IS years age;
srtainly more than six feet high; his