The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-04
FRESH MEAT I'm AFRICA.
How Strangers Are Welcomed BY the
Savage Tribes Of Central Africa.

SnEage Trthes Oh central Africa
tFrotn H. nj. SANKEY'S Dark Continent"l
Below Kaimba Island and its neighbor
The Livingstone assumes breadth OF
1900 yards. The banks are very popu-
lous; the villages Of the left bank COM
prise the District of Lauvala. We
n Thought for some time we should be
permitted TO pass by quietly, but soon
The great wooden drums, followed out
I'll huge trees, thundered the signal
along the river that there were strangers.
HILL order to lessen all chances of a rup-
btlre between us we sheered off to the
middle OF the river, and lay quietly on
our paddles. But from both banks at
once, In fierce concert, the natives, with
their heads gaily feathered, and armed
with broad, black wooden shields and
long spears, dashed out toward us.
Wppu-Iib. before our departure, had
hired 20 me two young men Of Ukuska-
ssannibals as Interpreters. These were
now instructed to cry out the word
n Hhennennehl PeaceP') and say
that we were friends.
But they would not reply to our greet
Ing, and, in a bold, peremptory man
ner. told us to return.
But we are doing no harm. friends,
Ib Is the river that takes us down, and
The river will not stop or go baok.''
This ID our river"
ssGoud. Tell 1t to take us back, and
MD will 90. y
HI you do not go back we will fight
you.
mo, don't. we are friends"
I'VE don't want you for our friends;
WE will eat you.
But we persisted In talking to them,
and, as their curiosity was SO great,
they persisted In listening, and the con.
ap,aj,anea wac that the current conveyed
III near to the right bank, and IN such
near neighborhood TO anothef district
S5 that our discourteous escort had to
think oil themselves, and began TO skur-
VIZ hastily up river, leaving us anat-
tackled,
The villages on the right bank also
maintained tremendous drumming
ana blow blowing ,, Ct wa, war horns horns
Hid with menace towards us. urging
their sharp proved canoes so swiftly
shat they seemed to skim over the water
ike living fish. Unlike the Luavala
Villagers, they did not wait 60 be AT
dressed, but as soon as they came with
n an fifty or sixty yards they shot out
alaeir spears. crying out: "Meat! meatl
Ali ali! We shall have plenty of meat.
& DO bo-bo- BIO, Bo- DO DO boo-o."
t,f the terrible "Bo- bo- bo's" above, we
Thought. as with one mind we rose to
reply To this rabid man eating tribe
Anger we had none for them. It seemed
til nae SO absuri to be angry with PEG.
q g,le who looked upon one only as an
enlsnre would regard a fat capon
Sometimes also a faint suspicion came
Id my mind that this was all but part
of d hideous dream. Why was it that
. should be haunted with the idea that
4 they were human beings who regarded
me III the light Of meat? Meatl We?
Heavens what an atrocious ideal
sMeatl Ali we shall have meat to-
day. Meatl meat MEATH
There was a fat wretch In O. canoe,
whom 4 allowed to crawl within spear
throw Of me, who. while he swayed the
spear with vigor far from assuring to
one who stood within reach OF it,
leered with such clever hideousness OF
feature that I felt, If only within arm g
length Of him, / could have bestowed
u upon him hearty thump on the back,
and cried out applaudingly. "BraYo,
old hoyi You do 1t capitally!'
Yet not being able to reach him, ]
. was rapidly being fascinated by him.
THE rapid movements Of the swaying
spear, the steady, wide-mouthed grin
the big square teeth, the head poised on
one side with the confident pose of a
spear thrower. short brow, square face,
hair short and thick-shall / ever for,
3 get him? It appeared to me rs if the
spear partook of the same cruel, mex.
orable look as the ginning savage
Finally. L saw him draw his right arm
back, and his body incline backward,
With still the same grin on his face, and
u felt myself begin to count one. two,
three, four-and avhigg' The spear flew
ever my back, and Missed as 1t pierced
Tho water. The spell was broken.
Ib was only five minutes work clear
ing the river. We picked up several
shields, and ordered that all shields
should be henceforth reIigiously pre-
served. for the idea had entered my
head that they would answer capitally
as bulWarks for our canoes.
Birmingham Buttons.