Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1878-08-03
Fresh Meats in Africa.

| neighbor the Livingstone assumes q
breadth of 300 yards. The banks are
very populous; the villages on the left
bank comprise the District of Luavala.
We thought for some time we should be
permitted to pass by quietly, but soon
the great wooden drums, followed out
of huge trees, thundered the signal
along the river that there were stran-
gers. In order to lessen all chances OF
a rupture between us we sheereel on 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 gayly feathered, and
armed with broad, black WOO den shields
and long spears, dashed out toward us.
Tippu-Tib, before our departure, had
hired to me two young men OF Ukuska-
cannibals-as interpreters. These were
now instructed to cry out the WORD
Sennenneh!" C"Peace!'o and say
that we were friends.
But they would not reply to our
greeting, and, in bold, peremptory
manner, told us to return.
:" But we are doing no harm, friends.
1t is the river that takes US down, and
the river will not stop or go back"
ss This is our river"
GOOu. 16ll IL W t1hC uo psSNAs ''A.>A
we will 60"
"If you do not go back we will fight
you"
"No, don't; we are friends.
"We 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 conse-
kl,% IL uod mo
to the right bank, and in such nesr
neighborhood to another district that
our discourteous escort had to think of
themselves, and began to skarry hastily
nr The river, leaving US unattached.
1ifa villages on the right bank also
maintained b StseHfc7.dons drumming and
blowing of war horns, and their w9d
men hurried up with menace towards as,
urging their sharp proved canoes 50
swiftly that they seemed to skim over
the water like flying fish. Unlike the
Luayala villagers, they did not want TO
be addressed, but as soon as they came
within fifty or sixty yards they shot out
their spears, crying out: "Meat! meat!
All! ah! We shall have plenty OF meati
Bo-bo -bo-bo, Bo-bo-bo-bo-o-o!"
Undoubtedly those must be relatives
of the terrible ssBo-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. 1t seemed
to me so absurd to be angry with people
who looked upon one only as an epicure
would regard fat capon. Sometimes
also faint suspicion came to my mind
that this was all but q part of a hideous
dream. Why was il that should be
haunted with the idea that they were
human beings who regarded me and my
friends in the light of meatf Meat! WeP
Heavensi what an atrocious idea!
ssMeat! Ahi we shall have meat to-
day. Meat! meat! meat!
There was fat wretch in canoe,
whom allowed to crawl within spear
throw of me, who, while he swayed the
spear with q vigor far from assuring to
one who stood within reach of it, leered
with such clever hideousness of feature
that 1 felt, if only within arms length
of him, could have bestowed upon him
a hearty thump on the back, and cried
out applaudingly, ''Bravo, old boy!
} You do it capitally!''
Yet not being able to reach him, 1
, was rapidly being fascinated by him.
The rapid movements of the swaylng
J spear, the steady, wide-mouthed grin,
the big, square teeth, the head poised
t on one side with the confident pose of a
| spear-thrower, short brow, square face,
, hair short and thick-shal1 / ever for
get himp 1t appeared to me as if the
8 spear partook of the same cruel, mex.
5 orable look as the grinning savage.
, Finally, I saw him draw his right arm
' back, and his body incline backward,
i with still the same grin on his face. and
/ felt myself begin to count one, two,
, three, four-and schizsi The spear
q flew over my back, and hissed as il
s pierced the water. The spell was bro
ken.
t 1t was only five minutes work clear
Q ing the river. We picked up seyera
d shields, and I ordered that all shield
4 should be henceforth religiously pre-
Y served, for the idea had entered m.
: head that they would answer capitally
L as bulwarks for our canoes.-Stanley''
- Ozark Continent.