The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-21
ADVENTURES In AFRICA.
Festive M0narchs of the Dark Cont.
nent.
london Telegraph. /

London Telegraphi
Count de Semelle, who has Just re-
turned to Europe from long and event
full journey in the interior of Africa, un-
derwent, according to his own account,
some uncommonly disagreeable experien-
ces during his soiourn on the banks Of
the Niger. Among other startling epi-
sodes narrated in his account of his wan
derings is that of his entertainment by
the Monarch of the Midgi country,
against whom he has been warned by
that sovereign's neighbors By no means
expectant of a cordial welcome, but re-
solved to visit Midgiland at any risk, the
Count crossed the frontiers of that State,
and demanded an audience of its King.
This 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 one hundred full-grown men,
collected at court for that purpose, to be
decapitated, and then condescended to
investigate their remains with his own
royal hands and eyes, in order to discover
whether or not on the whole, the omens
deducible from them were auspicious TO
his reception Of the intrusive stranger.
Fortunately for De Semelle, most of the
bodily evidence thus collected proved ia
vorable to him; whereupon the careful
Monarch greeted him with genial cordi-
ality, and made him present of twenty
"ministering angela on the, spot The
bodies of the colored gentlemen
which had been consulted with respect
to the Counts admission to court were
cut up into small portions, and distrib-
uted among the inhabitants Of the capi-
tai for culinary purposes. De Semelle,
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 a manner that he did not
think fit to decline the horribls invita-
| ton. -....-t
A less CHASTITY entertainment awaited
him in the Empire Of Lokogda. although
his reception there by the supreme local
authorities was also Of a somewhat start
ling character. When introduced to the
presence Of the Sultan he politely offared
to the latter certain presents Of CAV cot
ton goods he had brought with him for
that purpose, wherenpon His Majesty fell
into violent passion, and roared out:
| II am great Sultan, not dogl don't
want your paltry presenta But give me
| brandy or rum, or --p
The rest Of the imperial remarks were
couched in terms too vigorous for re-
production here. Count de Semelle
thought his last hour was come; but
summoning up his courage, he charged
his Interpreter to tell the irate Sultan
that he (Semelie) was a Frenchman,
who feared neither poison nor fire; and,
what was more, that, during his travels
he had never before come across 90 un-
mitigated a ruffian % tho imperial ruler
Of L'kogda, This bold utterance exercised
tranquilizing effect upon the Sultan's
outraged feelings, and His Majesty SUBJ
sequently deigned to accept . flask OF
Hollands from his audaeious visitor
and to empty it at draught.
Shortly after he had swallowed his 20
tent potion he subsidized into condition
Of quiet estasy, in hich the Count left
him. 1t appears that the jovIal Sultan's
steadfast addiction to strong liquor has
considerably weakened his prestige with
his own subjects, who govern the country
by sort of Parliament, over which he
nominally presides. But His Majesty's
irrepressibIe convivialitv has infected the
Legislature, which-so Count de Semelle
states-tTansacts public business from
misty morn to dewy eve over the flowing
bowl.