The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-13


think I may be pardened for all tba
pantomime. | had number of bun
: CRY, half-wild children and through
: cannibal world we had p.ougheC
!, to reach these uasopbistieated chill
dren of nature
FIGHT WITH THE NATIVES
MANY are the accounts of battles
and skirmishes with which the pages
Of Through the Dark Continent
are interlarded. We give as indie
alive Of description OF one fight,
that below the conf uerce of the Liv-
ingstone and Aruwmi rivers
AT = p. NJ, heralded by savage
shouts from the wasp swarm, which
from some cause or other are unusu-
ally exultant, we emerge out of the
shelter Of the dceply-wooded banks
10 presence of vast sffluent, nearly
two thousand yards across at the
mouth. As soon as we have enter
ed It's waters, We see great con-
course of canoes lowering about
some islets, which stud the middle Of
the stream The canoe men, stand
ing, gave a loud shout as they dis
cern US, and blow their horns louder
than ever We pull briskly on to
gain the right bank, and come in
view of the right affuent, when,
looking up the stream, we see a sight
that sends the blood tingling through
every nerve and fibre of the body;
arouses not only our most lively iu-
terest, but also our most lively ap-
prehensions-a fotilla of gigantic ca
noes bearing down upon Us, which,
both 10 size aud numbers utterly
eclipse anything encountered hither-
tol Instead of aiming for the right
bank, we form in line and keep
straight down the river, the boat TAX
ing position behind. Yet, after a
moments reflection, as | note the
numbers of the savsges, and the der-
ing manner of the pursuit, and the
apparent desire of our canoes to
abandon the steady compact line,
give the order to drop anchor. Four
of our canoes affect not 10 listen, un-
I'll | chase them aud threaten them
with my guns This compelled them
to return to the line, which is formed
Of eleven double canoes. anchored
ten yards apart The boat moves up
to the front and takes position fifty
yards above them. The shields are
next lifted by the non combata1ts,
men women aud children in the
bows, and along the outer lines. as
well as estern, and from behind these
the muskets and rifles are aimed
I'VE have sufficient time to take a
vieg of the mighty force bearing
down rr US, and to count the number
Of the " ,r vessels which have been
collect d from the Livingstone and
its great affiuent. There are ifty-four
of ths N A monster canoe leads
the way. With two rows of up-stand-
ing paddles, forty men on side,
their bodies bending and swaying in
unison, as, with d swelling barbar-
ous chorus, they drive her down to-
ward US In the bow, standing on
what appears to be r platform. are
len prime young warriors, their heads
gay with feathers of the parrot, Grim
son and gray; at the stern, eight men
with long paddles, whose tops are
decorated with ivory balls, guide the
monster vessel and dancing up and
down from stem to stern are ten men,
who appear to be chiefs All the pad
dies are headed with ivory balls, |
every head bears a feather crown
every arm shows cleaning white ivo-
~ armlets. From the bow Of the !
canoe streams thick fringe of long
white fibre Of the Hyphone palm
The crashing sound of large drums,
hundred blasts from ivory horns
aud a thrilling chant from 1000 hu-
man tbrosts, d, not tend TO sootbs
our nerves or to increase our conf
dence However, it is neck or
nothing We have no time to pray,
or TO take sentimental locks at the
savage world, or even to breathe a
sad farewell to it, So msLy other
things have to be done speedily and |
well.
"As the foremost comes rushing |
down, and its consorts on either side
beating the water into foam, and
raising their jets of water with their
sharp prows, | turn to take last
look at our people and say to them:
Boys, be firm as iron; wait un-
til you see the first spear, and then
take good aim. Don't fire all at
once Keep aiming until you are
sure of your man. Don't think Of
running away, for only your guns
can save you
"Our blood is up now. 1t is q
murderous world, and we feel for the
first time that we hate the filthy, vul-
turous ghouls who inhabit it. We,
therefore, lift our anchors and pursue
them up stream along the right bank,
until rounding point we see their
villages. We make straight for the
banks, and continue the fight in the
village streets with those who have
landed, hunt them out into the woods,
and there only sound the retreat,
having returned the daring cannibals
the compliment of visit"
TROUBLES OF TRAVEL
The difficulties of travel that beset
the explorer are graphically related
in the following extract:
"rhe constant slush and reek
which the heavy dews caused in the
forest through which we had travel
ed the last ten days had worn my
shoes out, aud alf of the march |
travelled with naked feet. | had
then to draw out of my store my
last pair Of shoes Yet we were
still in the verv centre of the eonti-
nent. What should we 10 when all
were gone, was question which was
asked of each other often.
The faces of the people, Arabs,
Wangwans, Wanyamwezi and the
escort were quite study at this
camp. All their courage was oozing
out, as day by day we plodded
through the dolefuI, dreary forest.
We saw pytbons ten feet Tonga green
viper, and a monsirous puf-sdder
on this march, besides scores OF mon