Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1880-01-29
Adventures In Africa.
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From the London Telegraph.
Count de Semelle, who has Just returned
to Europe from long and eventful jour
ney In the Interior of Africa, and under
went according to his own account, some
uncommonly disagreerble experiences du-
ring his sojourn on the banks of the Niger.
Among other startling episodes narrated
in his waHderings is that OF his entertain
ment by the Monarch of the Midgi coun-
| try, against whom he had been warned by
that sovereIgn's neighbor8. By no means
expectant Of u cordial welcome, but re-
solved to visit Midgiland at any risk, the
Count crossed the frontiers oil that state,
and demanded an audience OF its King.
The request was granted and he was
ushered into the presence Of his Majesty,
| who, before returning his courteous salu-
tations, or, indeed, taking any notice of
him, caused 100 full-grown men, collected
at court for that purpose, to be decapl-
tated, and then condescended to investi-
gate their remains with his own royal
hands and eyes, in order to discover
whether or not, on the whole, the omens
deduclhle from them were auspiciOus to
his reception of the intrusive stranger
Fortunately for De Semelle, most of the
| bodily evidence thus collected proved IA
voraDle to him, whereupon the careful
Monarch greeted him with genial cordial
lty, and made him present OF twenty
ministeriDg angels" on the spot. The
bodies of the colored gentlemen which
had been consulted with respect to the
Count admission to court were cut up
into smaller portions, and distributed
among the inhabitants of the capital for
culinary purposes. De Semellc, who had
the honor of supping with the King the
same evening, was called upon to partake
OF the mornings sacrifice. This summons
was addressed to him in so emphatic
manner that he did not see fit to decline
the horrible invitation.
A less ghastly entertainment awaited
him in the Empire of Lokogda, although
his reception there by the supreme local
authorities was also of q somewhat start
ling character. When introduced to the
presence of the Sultan he politely offered
to the latter certain presents of gay cot
ton goods he had brought with him for that
purpose, whcreupon his Majesty fell into
Il NlOltul IJhhhlUll, anu IOWltW Ouls L
am great Sultan not dog! don't want
your paltry presents But give me brandy
or rum, Or" The rest Of the imper-
ial remarks were coached in terms too
vigorous for reproduction here. Count de
Semellc thought his last hour had come;
but, summonng up courage, he charged
his interpreter to tell the irate Sultan that
he, LSemelle was Frenchman, who
feared neither poison nor fire; and, what
was more, that, during all his travels, he
had never before come across so unmitiga
ted a ruilian as the imperial ruler of Lok-
kogla. This bold utterauCc exercised a
tranquilizing effect upon the Sultan's
outraged feelings, and his Majesty sub
sequcntly deigned to accept flask Of Hol-
lands from his audacious visitor-and to
empty it at a draught! Shortly after he
had swallowed this potent potion he sub
sided into a condition of quiet ecstacy, in
which the Count left him. 1t appears that
the iovial Sultans steadfast addiction to
strong hqudf' has considerably weakened
his prestige with his own subjects, who
govern the country by sort of Parlia-
ment over which he nominally presldes.
But his Maitsty's iwepressible convivaili-
ty has infected the Legislature, which--so
Count de Semclle stdLes--transacts public
business from misty morn to dcwy eye
over the flowing bowl.