The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1878-10-11
An Astonishing Return.

EtJ AAe Sot"eoA Eulhhuelpnth anu Inu
sehuylkill county coal regions. He
had two sons, Samuel and John. The
latter was killed by o fall, and the
father died soon after. 10 was in the
month Of April, 1861, that samuel left
what friends no had In this city. went
70 New York and shipped on a schooner
bound for Brazil, with no definite OBJ
ject in view.
Seventeen years have passed since
he. then q mere STRIPPING and beard
less youth, left his native country
aeventeen OF the most memorable years
IN the history OF the world. The great
rebellion. which for four years had
conynlsed the country in the throea of
civil war. came and passed. away, aud
no tidings were received Of Samuel
Wenrich. At the close Of the war his
relatives had strong hopes Of his re-
turn, but years passed on. no tidings
were received Of him and he was given
up for dead. A fow days ago q heavy
bearded, swarthy aud foreign looking
man appeared upon our public streets.
He looked more like mulatto than .
Caucasian, and his hair fell In heavy
rInglets down his broad shoulders.
He looked 20 be Q man in the very
prime OF life. and his dark features
and strange dress were the wonder
ment OF every ono who saw him.
Sometimes in tho mornings he would
appear on the streets with coat on
heavy enough 10 do service
IN tho Winter. His beard
was NJ least twelve inches in length
and his long mustache was the envy OF
all young men who had on1y an incip.
lent growth Of hair on their upper
lip.
An EIgle representative met him
and received tho following history of
his life. II is so strangely blended to-
gether with the stern reality of facts
and the glowing light Of romance that
II Is hard 10 believe Il. Mr.. Wenrioh
not having heard English spoken for
80 many years feels quite embarrassed
and then IL IL quite difficult 10 UNDER
stand him. He aaid:-
ACCOUNT or ms wAxpKRrxos.
When ! left New York, in 1861. I
had about 800 In my pocket. have
some Of that same money with me nov.
arrived ia Rio Janoiro In the latter
part Of April aud was thrown ont of
job. ! then shipped from that place in
. vessel consigned 20 Cape Town, South
Africa; but never reached that point.
II was ell plain sailing until We ar
rived on the west coast Of Africa.
Since my arrival have looked in the
geography, and find that Il must have
been near the mouth Of the Congo
River. When We came there q violent |
storm arose aud swept two Of our men
overheard. Another sailor and myself |
were sent on shore in search OF water.
never knew his name. but I
think he came from Portugal. II was |
early in the morning when we came on /
shore. and, hiding our boat, We went |
inland. We were quite successful In |
our search, aud we returned 70 signal /
20 tho ship; but what was our consterna.
tion and dismay when we discovered /
that there was no ship in sight. We |
on the trees and yelled our
selves hoarse; but 70 was OF no use. |
The ship was gone, but whore we /
knew not. That night We laid down In
the open air to sleep, weary and ex-
hausted. When / awoke IN the morn
ing my companion was gone. knew
not whore. I again went inland for
about mile, and, by blood tracks dis.
covered his remains, horribly maneIed
no doubt by o lion. / at first Thought /
Of jumping into the water, and TINS
end my own misery. I climbed on a
high mountain, and seeing q number
of natives few miles away I went 20
hem, and by signs and caresses made
hem understand that I wished 10
be their friend. It was rather humiliat.
ng. l tell you, but did Il. I have
lived with them over sixteen years. II
was only by stroke Of good luck that
| got away. had given up, years ago.
III hopes Of returning home, but there
vas one thing that imbued me with q
iesire Of return to my native coun-
'ry:
It was this" land he spread out be-
ore the reporter large cambria hand
Letchief having in one of the corners
he name of Henry M. Stanleyl. aI
lad given up all hope Of ever seeing
ny friends again on this earth, but
when l came across this il put new
ife into me. / was taken inland abouk
i've hundred miles, and there lived All
hese years. When I first came there
was closely guarded, but as the ]
1ears rolled on, and made no attempt | {
o escape, l was allowed to stay away |
rom the village as long as I pleased, !
)ne day after had been away three
lays, while I was crossing q large i
iver, found this handkerchief be- "a
ween two rocks. When I saw that Il | q
1as an article only used in civilized b
ountries / knew that white men had &
een there, and from its appearance I
new that 1t couldn't have been very q
ong. went down to the village. and Et
'as told that white men had been I
here, but had gone away the day be- Il
1re. My feelings can better be i'm. u
gined than described. After stayino Il
u these years with the savages I had q r
scret wish to return home again. d
Inc day / started ont to be absent G
bout q week. I travelled by night and q
~ and must have been at least eighty fl
ays on the road. At length arrived
Cape Town and my appearances II
'eated quite an excitement. I sailed I
ON that point to New York about two q
Ionths ago and here I am.
He left last evening to visit friends b
Lebanon county, who have long 81
nee given him up as dead .--Readisa :. "
Some Europeans start OF their wills ID
follows: ''If I ever happen to die
Ill and bequeath," etc. They do h