The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-08-01
The Story Of william Raines.

presence of William Raines in our city.
His life for the past nine years has been
passed among the unciviliEed negroes
of the south-central portion of Africa,
who had no language, cultivation, or
fore seen 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 crea-
ton Enoch 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 low
ing wife and one child.
His uncle, who was the owner and
Captain of the bark Mary Ellen, pre-
vailed on him at the time above named
to make voyage to Cape Town, AT
RIGA, with him. The cargo was to con-
sist 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 Septem-
Der. They progressed finely until they
reached the west coast of Africa, where
they met with contrary winds and bad
weather, and one morning about day
break, and in the midst of terrible
storm, the ship struck reef and went
to pieces about two hundred 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: William Raines, the mar
rator; Burrell and Thompson, given
names unknown, but both Americans;
Hook, an Englishman; Fielder, a Ger
man, formerly of this State, and j. w.
Lang, Captain of the bark. The ship
having attracted the attention of a was
party 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 distrib-
uted them among the tribes as curiosi-
ties. They had never seen white men
before, and regarded them as some-
thing more than human. The negroes
separated.
Raines was carried about 500 miles
into the interiQI, where the tribe that
the war party Belonged to lived. The
King of the tribe took a great fancy to
him, and made a royal pet of him. He
was allowed to 60 around of his own
free will without guard or check ofany
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 and monkey flesh. The
country they occupied was high and
sandy in some places, but the water
was excellent, cool and clear. The
rivers were muddy and scarce of fish.
The natives had no knowledge of water
craft of any kind. The language was
a series of sounds, accompanied by
gestures. One sound with appropriate
gestures could have dozen different
meanings. There was no sickness or
malaria of any kind, there being but
seven deaths by natural causes during
his whole captivity. This he attributes
to their manner Of living. Their prin-
cipal weapon was spear or javelin,
which they could throw with marvel
GUS dexterity and for great distance.
The only covering which they wore was
u 5reech clout for the males, and a
short skirt reaching to the knees for
the women. The dress was made of
the fiber next the bark in a tree, the
name of which he never heard. He
also speaks of medical plant, which
the natives use as purgative, and
which they call Clutch cGav.
After being with them some years,
and having gained their confidence,
they allowed him to wander away from
the camp and stay away for day at a
time. After while these hunting
trips were heightened to two days, then
three, and one line morning found him
on camel hurrying to Cape Town. At
the end of the second day the camel,
having been driven day and night,
dropped dead from exhaustion. and he
had to finish the distance on foot. He
arrived finally at Cape Town, where,
with difficulty, he could make himself
understood, and passage to San Fran
cisco was furnished him.
Here, through the Lodge of which he
is a member, he found that his name
had been on the death list for six years.
But the saddest part of his story
comes now, after reaching st. Glars
vile. Upon his arrival here, he found
that his wife, despairing of his return,
and believing that he was dead. after
he had been gone three years, had re-
married to a worthy citizen of that
place. His meeting with his wife, aft
er his return, can better be imagined
than depicted. With noble self
denial, which his long captivity may
have made easy, he refused to assert
his claim to his wife and child whom
he still loves dearly, but has left to his
wife the privilege of choosing between
her two husbands.
He has been positively identified by
Mr.. T. H. Anderson, Of st. Clairsville,
and is at present with his mother, at
Georgetown, Ky.
While in Africa he several times
heard from his uncle, who was cap
tive, and at one time q tribe from the
north, who came to visit the tribe lie
was with, brought word that men like
him had crossed the country further
north. These men he believes to be of
Stanley's party. The place where the
ship was wrecked is about five hundred
miles north of Cape Town, and just
NUOtC CIlC ulOuUA Va q oAuOll AlVVAs Al
his escape he thinks he crossed this
river near the headwaters, where it
could be waded with ease.
Being DESTROYS of placing the friends
of any of the above parties in commune
cation with them, he will endeavor to
get the Government to aid him in his
efforts to rescue them. Truly his ex-
perience has been wonderful, and after
listening to his recital the effort to put
it on paper with 1.-THE of its interest
seems futile. Cincinnati Gazette.
A Remarkable will Case.
THE Smith will case promises to be-
come justly celebrated. On tho 18th
of October, 1864, Ebenezer Smith, of
Boston, died at the age of about sew
enty years, in his residence at Allston
street, leaving as heirs-at-law two
1rxs