The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-12-24
CHRISTMAS IN CENTRAL
AFRICA,

O00 t6FOLJ SAA bu0 tt0 QOfu CEUp
among the children has cen a failure
Very different is Christmas in hea!han
lands, where the uses of the stockings
are unknown, and Christmas-trees
are hung with unfortunate travellers
and unsppreciated missionaries in
stead Of glittering and snowy presents.
Thing OF Christmas in the region of
the north pole, where the night lasss
!! for six months Christmas eve from
Thanksgiving night, nor Christmas
morning from Washington'F Birthday
or Decorstion-dsy! Even more de-
pressing is Christmas in Central
Africa, as a distinguished English
traveller once discovered TO his mingled
sorrow aud danger.
The traveller was good and noble
man. he was engaged in discover
ing fresh lakes, new kinds of canni-
balls. and original sources of the Nile.
In the heart OF Africa, and bis only
desire was TO do good to the human
race. and 20 prove that the msps
made By other travellers were all
wrong. He had been three years in
the Dark Continent, and, having
suffered inces sntly from fever,
starvation, the rude embraces OF
lions and elephants, the bites OF
deadly serpents, and the cruslties of
native kings, was nearly worn out.
Ho arrived late one afternoon on the
shore CT q mighty lake which no
other white man had ever seen, and
which was at least five hundred miles
distant from any of the various local
tiles in which European map makers
had previously placed it. He lay
dorm under the shadow Of the trees.
faint with all the various things that
predispose a man to be faint in
Central Africa, but exulting in the
thought that he would compel the
map makers to place Lake Miambwe
where he wanted it, and not where
they selfshly imagined that it would
present the most picturesque
appearance. Suddenly he remem-
berad, that it was the Oath olDecember,
and thai Ghristmas-eve would natur.
ally arrive in the course of the next
two hours. The thought saddened
him. He glanced at his bare feet
for his supply of stockings had long
since given out-and he thought of
the happy homes in England, where
the children were preparing to hang
up their mothers largest stockings,
while he must spend the blessed
Christmas season among savage
heather and unframed animals.
He felt at that moment that he
would give his new lake for an hour
il his English home, and he covered
his face with his hands and sobbed
himself asleep.
When he awoke it was broad day
light. The woods were vocal with
parrots who necessarily remarked,
"Polly wants cracker" and
ostriches, and other tropical birds,
each singing at the top OF its voice,
On the bosom of the lake foated
immense native canoes bearing
parties of excursionists, the music OF
whose accordions and banjoes came
over the water to the Wearied
traveller. He was hungry, and felt
in his pockets ior his Guinine pills,
bat the were all gone. he tried to
rise to his feet. but be was too weak
and rheumatic to rise without help,
so he sank back, murmuring. ""Iis
'ard, ard indeed, to Gle on Christmas
among the 'eathen."
The sound OF women's voices
reushed him. Three native women,
clad only with the tsetse AMI pombo
worn by their sex in that part OF
Africa, emerged from the forest on
their way to draw water from the
lake. They saw the traveller, and
one OF them, moved with compassion,
sang, in low, mournfui tone: "The
poor white trash done come to
Africa. he hasn't no mother for to
fry hominy for him, nor no wife for
to send to the store With O iug,"
Embedded as he was the traveller
knew that this was wrong, for be had
read Mnngo Parks ZTGreyS, and he
could not help remarking, "You
women don't sing that song "a i.
ougt to be sung"
Sing it yourself, shen," retorted
the singer, in q cold, heartIeas way,
and thereupon the women passed
on. and left the wretched white man
to perish.
The cruelty of the women made
the traveller so indignant that he
resolved to make one tremendous
effort for life. He managed TO rise.
after painful exertions and the use OF
msany scientific terms, and hobbled
slowly toWasd a native village about
q quarter of mile away. He had
scarcely reached il when he was
seized by two gigantic caunibaIs AMI
dragged to the kings palace, where
ne hoped that either death or
breakfast, he did not much care
which, awaited him.
The palace consisted OF ops large
room With an enormous throne
extending entirely across one end of
it. On this throne sat twelve native
kings 10 EoH. each one With
musical instrument in his hand.
The one who saI in the middle
looked fiercely ct the traveller. and
demanded OF bis captors what was
the charge against him.
Poor white trash, Mr.. Johnsiug. %