The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-07-27
THE CONGO COUNTRY.
An Interesting Report by W. p. lis
del, Agent to the States of the
Congo Association.

Congo association, has just made his re-
port of his trip 10 Africa and his obser,
rations taken in the Congo country.
"In the first place, he says Il recon-
mend most earnestly that Americans who
contemplate establishing themselves on
the lower Congo, or anywhere on the west
coast Of Africa, should not do so unless
supplied with large capital which will
enable him to compete with the long es>
tablished Dutch, English and German
houses which control almost the entire
trade Of the west coast. American
houses establishing here must first be as
sured that they have transportation tor
their manufactured goods outward, and
for the products Of the country home
ward This is of vital importance They
must locate factories or stations IN dlfS
ferent parts, engage help acclimated and
familiar with the country and the natives,
with q knowledge of both the Portuguese
and Fiote languages, make presents to
chiefs of tribes and in this manner in
duce the natives 10 come into the newly
established factories. All this takes
time and money, and little or no return
can be expected for at least year.
1t Is mistake to suppose that all OF
the products which are reported to come
from the Congo Gre grown there, or do
actually come from there. Not one tenth
is harvested there. To illustrate;
The Dutch African Trading company
of Rotterdam has fifty three factories
or stations, the principal one being at
Banana Point, where the manager for the
company resides. The ifty-two remains
ing ''factorits' are scattered from Loan
90, in attitude 40 40 s., to Benguela,
in Latitude Is : 10 S, and to the interior
about 100 miles, the limit of the low
land. On the Congo river proper they
have only seven stations and with Two
exceptions these are unimportanl when
compared with many Of the other sta
lions. The company own several small
Steamers and sailing vessels, which ply
between Banana and the stations along
the coast and lower river. By this meth
cd the different posts are kept supplied
with tie articles required by the natives,
and the products Of the surrounding
country are gathered in small lots and
transported TO Banana, where packages
are prepared foT shipment to Europe.
whence they ale shipped in steamers be-
longing TO the company. The same plan
is adopted by the English, German and
French companies hence their indepeu
dence and ability 10 control the trade Of
the lower country.
IL is ny belief that in al the world
there is not richer territory than that
which borders the sea commencing at the
Senegal Uver in latitude IL y, anc
extending 10 latitude IS 80 5, and in
land an average distance Of 100 miles
The most valuable productions of the
country. and for which there is an ever
increasing demand, are rubber, palm
kernels and palm ell, gum cOpal. ground
nuts and wax. The rubber and palm trees
are Of Spontaneous growth and to bt
found everywhere in the low lands The
supply is not equal to the demand, ye
there is 10 limit to the quantity Of these
rich products which might be taken from
the country if the natives could be in,
duced 10 work Here again arises the
question Of labor, and TO me il seems
feasible 10 create wants amongst tht
tribes Of the low and coast lands
which VIII after time in
duce them TO gather and bring
10 the traders in large quantities the pro
ducts which they can so readily eXchang
for anything which they may require
There are ether and valuable products
but the staple commodities are those emu
merated.
In no sense Of the word can this ,;
called an agricultural country NotLin.
is cultivated excepting the ground IL
and few tropical vegetables, which, how
ever are found only II small patches nea
the villages.
The country Is 2ensely populated ye
il is next 10 impossible to induce The ua
tives 10 gather the valuable pToduCt
which nature produces With the excep
ton of the Loanga and Kabinda trib
they are q wild, savage, and cruel people
They do not like the white man, and
while they are glad TO have his cloth an
gin, they would much prefer never to Sc
white man within their domain. Tn
question of labor will have much to d
with the future of this country.
1t is q remarkable fact that q Zanziba
map, or q Hcussa man from the Niger
can travel anywhere in the country un
molested, even among the most savag
tribes. This fact clearly proves to ID
that an industrious black man with
knowledge Of tie Fiote languages will b
{ enabled to exercise a greater and bette
influence over these people than 1t can b
possible for the white man ever to do.
/ may remark here that, unfortunately
few bottles Of trade gin will 60 mucl
farther In trade with the natives than te
times its value in cloth and it often hap
pens that traders are compelled to retur
to the coast without having accOmpllshe
trade, because the natives insist upo
having gin, while the trader was supplies
with cloth alone. a native man can
induced to work at factory" for one c
two days at time upon the assuranc
that he can at the expiration of that tim
have bottle OF two Of gin, while if 20
offer him piece Of cloth it is doubtft
whether lie would work at all
The coast women are fond of cloth
having q preference for the gaudy color!
They are the work people of country, an
if it were not for their industry little 0
nothing would be gathered for the for
eign markets. The men lounge abou
drinking, gossiping, fighting, or hunting
as it may suit their tastes. Could the
be induced TO work aud till the soil Q
gather the natural products for expor
there can be no conception as to th
wealth which would flow from the low
land countries.
The question Of climate is serious ON,
Ii is humid and eneEvatiug to the white
of Europe and America, and much sick
ness is the result. Very great precauuo
must be exercised during the first wear
,so IL, tl,,4 A.,