Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-02-05
ADVENTURES IN AFRICA.
Festive MOnarchs of the Dark Continent.

A.ooboh
Count de Semelle, who has Just re-
turned to Europe from a long and
eventful journey IN the interior of Afri-
ca, underwent, according to his own ac-
count, some uncommonly disagreeable
experiences during his sojourn on the
banks of the Niger. Among other
startling episodes narrated in his ac-
count of his wanderings is that of his
entertainment by the monarch of the
Midgi country, against whom ne had
been warned by that sovereign's neigh
bors. By no means expectant of a cor
dial welcome, but resolved to visit Mad
GLAND at any risk, the count crossed
the frontiers of that state, and demand
ed an audience of it's king. This re-
quest was granted and he was ushered
into the presence of his majesty, who,
before returning his courteous saluta-
tions, or, indeed, taking any notice of
him, caused one hundred full grown
men, collected at court for that pur-
pose, to be decapitated, and then con-
descended 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 Semele. most of the bodily evil
dence thus collected proved favorable
to him; whereupon the careful mon
arch greeted him with genial cordiality,
and made him d present of twenty
"ministering angels" 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 distributed
among the inhabitants of the capital 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 manner that he did not
think fit to decline the horrible invita-
ton.
A less CHASTITY entertainment awaited
him in the empire of Lokogda, although
his reception there by the supreme 10
cal authorities was also of a somewhat
startling character. When introduced
to the presence of the sultan he politely
offered to the latter certain presents Of
gay cotton goods he had brought with
him for that purpose, whereupon his
majesty fell into a violent passion, and
roared out: ''I'm great sultan, not a
dog | don't want your paltry pres
ents But give me brandy or rum, or
-p The rest of the imperial re-
marks were couched in terms too vigor-
Gus for reproduction here. Count de
Semelle thought his last hour was come;
but, summoning up courage, he charged
his Interpreter to tell the irate sultan
that he Semelle was Frenchman,
who feared neither poison nor fire; and
what was more, that during all his trav-
els he had never before come across so
unmitigated ruffian as the imperial
ruler of Lokogda. This bold utterance
exercised q tranquiliz:ng effect upon
the sultan's outraged feelings, and his
majesty Subsequently deigned to accept
a flask of Hollands from his audacious
visitor-and to empty it at a draught.
Shortly after be had swallowed this po-
tent potion he subsided into condi-
ton of quiet ecstacy, in which the count
left him. 1t appears that the jovial
sultan's steadfast addiction TO strong
liquor has considerably weakened his
prestige with his own subj who gov
ern the country by sort of parliament,
over which he nominally presides. But
his msjesty's irrepressible conviviality
has infected the legislature, which-so
Count de Semelle states-transacts
public business from misty morn to
dewy eve over the flowing bowl.