Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-01
WILLIAM RAINEs.

WILLIAM RAINES.
4 Story Witch Completely "Lays Ooer'
that of EnOch ATden.
Cincinnati Gazette
The fact that ''truth is stronger than
fiction is fully demonstrated by the pres
ence of William Raines in our city. His life
for the past nine years has been passed
among the uncivilized negroes of the south
central portion of Africa, who had no Ian
guage, cultivation, or any idea of time; who
had never before seen a white man, and
whose time was spent in waging war upon
their neighbors. The history of his life is
fraught with fully as much pathos as the
hero of Tennyson's beautiful creation,
sEnoch Arden" Raines worked at his trade,
that of carpenter, until September, 1869, in
st. Clairsville, in this State. Fortune had
dealt kindly with him, and blessed him with
a loving wife and one child.
His uncle, who was the owner and captain
of the bark Mary Ellen, prevailed on him at
the time above named to make voyage to
Cape Town, Africa, with him. The cargo
was to consist of farming implements and
live stock. He drew two months wages and
gave the money to his wife, and the Mary
Ellen started with her crew of thirty about
the middle of September. They progressed
finely until they reached the west coast of
Africa, where they met with contrary winds
and bad weather, and one morning about
daybreak, and in the midst of terrible
storm, the ship struck rock, and went to
pieces about 200 yards from the shore.
Six of the crew reached the shore in safety.
The remaining twenty-four persisted. The
names of the six who escaped are: VIM.
Raines, the narrator; Burrell and Thompson,
given names unknown, but both Americans;
Hook, an Englishman Fielder, a German,
formerly of this State; and j. w. Lang, cap
tain of the bark. The ship having attracted
the attention of a war-perty of negroes, who
had come from the interior to fight one of
the coast tribes, they watched it all night
through the storm, and when she broke up
and the men reached shore, the negroes took
possession of them and distributed them
among the tribes as curiosities. They had
never seen white men before, and regarded
them as something more than human. The
| negroes separated.
Raines was carried about 500 miles into
| the interior, where the tribe that the war
party belonged to lived. The king of the
| tribe took great fancy to him, and made q
royal pet of him. He was allowed to &C
| around of his own free will, without guard
or check of any kind whatever. The tribe
had no knowledge of the cultivation of the
soil; their principal food was the fruit, which
everywhere grew abundant, roots, herbs, an6
monkey flesh. The country they occupied
was high and sandy in some places, but the
water was excellent. cool, and clear. Thu
rivers were muddy and scarce of fish. Thu
natives had no knowledge of water craft O
any kind. The language was series o.
sounds, accompanied by gestures. On'
sound with appropriate gestures could hav'
a dozen different meanings. There was nj
sickness or malaria of any kind, there being
but seven deaths by natural causes during
his whole captivity. This he attributes t.
their manner of living Their principa
weapon was spear or javelin, which the,
could throw with marvellous dexterity for
great distance. The only covering whicl
they wore s a breech-clout for the males
and a short skirt reaching to the knees TO
the women. The dress was made of th
fibre next the bark in a tree, the name @
which he never heard. He also speaks of
medicinal plant, which the natives use as
purgative, and which they call clutch cav.
After being with them some years an
having gained their confidence, they Above
him to wander away from the camp and sta
away day at time. After while thes
hunting trips were heightened to two day
I then three, and one fine morning found hir
on a camel hurrying to Cape Town. At th
end of the second day the camel, having bee
driven day and night, dropped dead from ez
haustion, and he had to t1nish the distanc
on foot. He arrived finally at Cape Tow
where, with difficulty, he could make himse
understood, and passage to San Francisc
was furnished him.
H. re, through the lodge of which he is
member, he found that his name had bee
on the death-list for six years.
But the saddest part of this story com,
i now, after reaching st. Glars vile. Upc
his arrival here, he found that his wife, d
spairing of his return, and believing that
was dead, after he had been gone three year
Ihad remarked to a worthy citizen of tn
place. His me- citing with his wife, after b
return, can better be imagined than depicts
With q noble self-denial, which his lor
captivity may have made easy, he refused
assert his claim to his wife and child who
he still loves dearly, but has left to his wi
the privilege of choosing between her tv
husbands.
He has been positively identified by M
I. III. Anderson, of st. Clairsville, and is
present with his mother, at Georgetown, X,
While in Africa he several times hear
! from his uncle, who was a captive, and
one time o tribe from the north, who can
to visit the tribe he was with, brought VOL
that men like him had crossed the countl
further north. These men he believed TO ]
of SANKEY'S party. The place where the sh
was wrecked is about 500 miles north
Cape Town, and just above the mouth of
small river. In his excape he thinks
crossed this river near the head-watel
; where it could be waded with ease.
I Being desirious of plae ng the friends
| any Of the above parties in communicate
| with them, he will endeayor to get the 60
T eminent to aid him in his efforts to resc
them.