New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-10
NEW PUBLICATIONS
TWO AFRICAN TRAVELLERS.

~. |.
PIP. Xxx. S77. Vol H. THE COuLAtD FAMILY. PIP.
Vii; Ss8. J. Il. Lppincott & Co.
TO THE CENTRAL AFRICAN LAKES AND BACK.
The narrative OF the Royal Gcograplicai S"oe'{s
Past Central African Axpeliti,on iS.S9o ,:r,I,i2
ica Notice of inc late BIr Keith Johnston. syo, vol
( Co. 90. XIV '-oi VOL H. ''''' 90 "0"S"'0' ''
II the public taste for records OF African travel he
a little iadcd, here are two books good enough TO
freshen the curiosity OF readers Mayor NeIp'
Pinto's narrative is in many respects rem"r@"b'e
one. Like most travellers, he bogus WIN INC
modest assertion that this book has no plejensloNs
to a literary work. The translation Is defective in
places But il the Portuguese soldier is wanting IN
literary skill he has the faculty Of interesting the
reader in what he did and what he saw, and there
is not a dull page in the two volumes HIS purpose
is too serious and his situation lue, TOO hazard
Gus and dolcful to indulge often the vein of hUmOr
that is in him. lie IS almost naive in describing his
whims feelings and patriotism. And most readers
will observe with mingled admiration and amuse-
ment the prominent part played i'll the narrative
and in the Illustrations by the flag of Portugal.
When his camp attacked at night by horde Of
savages the gallant Major lowered among his
half hundred OF black defenders with the POrtu-
guese colors in hand and revolver in the other.
Aud when his little band was reduced by desertion
and theft to nine povertysricken persons, the flag
was still seen floating at the head of the forlon
column. Like a true soldier, lie wanted to go down
with coors flying
1t is the lmpulslve and dramatic instinct Of
Eerpa Pinto that wins him the interest Of the
reader just his remarkable pluck commands
our admiration. small portrait Of himself Showsa
face of the pure Portuguese type, straight nose fine
dark eyes, an animated and sensitive express ON.
thick black hair curling on his shoulders, and
short curly beard, sparse between the mouth and
the chin. He appears TO be tall Of stature and
strongly built, but evidently his constitution is not
of the strongest, for his journey long and
doubtful battle with fever And protractcd illness
after his return to Europe delayed fer year
the appearance of his book. He frequently alludcs
i'll afectionate terms to the pet goat that shared all
his perils and caressed him when he sick, and
to his parrot while the fidelity of his dog is treated
as a matter of course. The picture of the man is
completed by his account Of the warm bath,
perfumery and china tea service that satisfied his
taste for luxury, al. least until he robbed and
deserted in the BarOze:
| wish TO say fow words, about my mode of
travelling rather mode of life in Africa Tn
douhtedly all my predecessors havo had their own
particular system: those that after will
have theirs and each win think his own the best
My custom, therefore, with very rare exceptions,
was the following: rose At o'clock removed my
clothes las always slept dressed ard armed, and
took bath III water at teinptTa OF co Fab
renheit. The English are accustomed to battle in
cold water which is capital touic |. for nay part,
and always had an iron pot with hot water ready,
to produce the desired temperature IN reforming TO
rubber bath | found it n perfect treasure, aud il
still after long and rough usage, is in capla coudi
ton. After my bath came nv toilet. My wash
basin was formed out of calabash, eighteen inches
in diameter. Ny towels We're of the finest Guima-
raes linen. The brushes, sponges; soaps and perfWn-
cry II used a good deal OF TIE laiter
in Africa were Of the very best quality. My
toilet over, in which was assisted by my
body-sery9nt CatraiG, that worthy collected and
put carefully away all articles that lad been used,
and then brought me tie clTonOmeters, theruOm-
eters and barometeT. wound ~ and compared the
first. and registered the indications Of the others.
BY that time young Pepeca had got tea ready and
brought il in. II was served in china tca-scrvicc
TO hichI att achcd the very highest Importance, it
having been the gift of the wife of Lieutenant Rosa
in Quengues Having swallowed three cupfuls of
green tea without sugar, as had not got any, the
which however we rarely did before 8 o'cocL IA n
was next to impossibie to get the men away from
the fires round which they gathered out of the III
tense cold.
Our order of march was the following: The lead
was taken by Silva Porto negro, Cahnga, bearing
the flag aud Immediately behind him cameshc
eases containing the cartridges, and the wood aud
ropes Tor camp use. The other carriers f0liowc n
discriminatory, in single file and |. Ncrissimo and
Journey noted the course took, and calculated
our marches by the pcdometcr and watch, Our reg
uar marches might he reckoned at frOIu eight to ten
geograpmc mics' although, when circumstances
required II, they We're much Longer. Then came
camping time, and for the next hour all hands
employed IN constructing huts In order to DO so,
some OF the men were set to telling timber, others
u lOp off branches and Others again to gather grass
meanwhile if / had nothing else TO do. stretched
myself on the turf and slept. or at least tried to do
the proper time called Catraic, who brought me
the instruments. | used a thermometer
which had been the property of the Inflated
Baron de Barth; and each time | moved
the instrument the whole of the Bibeno car
riers would stand at distance watching the
operation in wonder, and though it was regularly
repeated every day, they always did the same thing
aud always expressed the same mute surprise. Inc
observations having been du registered, the young
Niger Moero brought in the plates and my ration
Tor cannot dignity with the name of dinner the
handful OF maSsango boiled in water which con-
stltuted the Tepast. When it was over if were too
tired TO hunt up game scOur the neghbOrhOod |
employed my time in writing up my diary from my
rough notes, in calculating observations or in draw
ing. The ink which used for all my work was OBJ
tanned from small, sO-caled magic iuk-bottles
each of which lasted me from tvO To three months
This system OF taking notes during the marches and
In The daytime and subsequently transcribing them
Ill the diary gave me a duplicate record of my pro-
Ceedngs and thus allowed me the chance of SAVING
one, even if the other were lost. he daily notes
were written III pencil III little note bOOhs which,
when full, sealed up with wax.
Bad luck and apparently bad management at
tended the setting out Serpa Pinto served his coun
try in its conflicts with the natives on the Lower
Zambez in 1869, and consequently was not without
practical experience well as being deeply read in
African subjects when lie was chosen to lead
the exploring expedition which the Portuguese
authorities organized In the spring of 1877 The
starting point was Benguela the west coast not
great distance below the mouth of the Congo. They
finally made their first march toward the interior ON
November ~, 1877 They were encountered with
luggage, having 400 parcels, most of which had
to be left behind the chance of having it safely
forwarded to the Bhe the first objective point nearly
due west, but reached by a circuitous route At
every step they were delayed by the difficulty of
obtaining native porters in sufficient number The
blacks forever breaking their promises desert
ing, lying and occasionally stealing Half way to
fl,a he llo Ia