The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-04-18

ture which had the most disastrous ef-
feet on the porters, who, weakened by
lives of debauchery and lain S, often
threw down their burdens and refused
to go another step. The country grew
worse and worse; now they were push
ing their way through the bush where
aloes and euphorbias thrust out mighty
spines to tear them, where unknown
plants with gnarled branches babe them
halt, where giant creepers, leafess and
tough, wound their snake-like forms
Gin iron embrace" around trees and
bushes, and where splendid cycads,
with their noble, palm-like crowns of
leaves" elbow their humber rivals.
Then came long stretch of waterless
desert, ga dreadful Wilderness" dry
and arid, silent as death, with no chirp
of insect or song of bird, or rustic of
grass. "Weird and ghastly is the as
pect of the grayish colored tree and
bushes, for they are almost totally des-
titute of tender, waving branch or
quiyer1ng leaf. No plant twig or grace
full foliage responds 10 the pleasing in
duence Of the passing breeze. Stern
and unbending, they present rigid arms
or formidable tholns, as if bidding de-
fiance to drought or Storm. Mr..
Thomson gives vivid picture of that
terrible march, the men stumbling on
with parched lips, torn clothing, bleed
limbs, demoralized, famished, half dead.
At last, however, they passed the
great, weird plain" and reached the
splendid plantations of Teita, sweeping
luxuriantly around the base of Mount
Ndara, from which tumbled crystal
streams of refreshing water. Mr..
Thomson climbed the mountain, which
rises upward of 5000 feet, inhabited
and cultivated nearly to the summit,
and which offers a splendid view in
every direction.
AN EXCITING EPISODE.
After vain attempt to photograph
some of the natives, who feared being
bewitched by the uncanny instrument,
but had no objection to the strangers
assisting at the mysteries of their toilet
"a most amusing description Mr..
Thomson gives of this chaste exhibit
tion,) the caravan set out on its West
ern march. The Wa-teita gathered
round, intending to raid them; zebras
dashed across their path, raising their
"curious half-whistle, half bark )" lions
roared in the jungle and girafes stalked
with preposterous necks among the
trees. Suddenly, on the last day of
March they emerged from "the horrid
wastes and burning heats of the Nyika"
into ''the leafy labyrinths and bosky
bowers of the little African Arcadia of
raveta," one of the most charming
forest tracts in East Africa. Astounding
in cool streams, rich plantations and
friendly natives. Here a fortnight was
spent making 10000 strings of beads
of the regulation length and preparing
cloth in the form of ready-made mai
beres, or addresses, for the delecta-
ton of the Nasal, who would not take
them unless just exactly right. Out Of
thirty loads of beads distributed to his
men two were stolen in the process Of
stringing, 10 spite of the most blood
curding threats and the infection Of
considerable corporal punishment. Mr.
Thomson has no faith in the value Of
moral suasion in dealing with Zanzibar
porters. While the men are thus en-
gagged the leader of the expedition
makes many an excursion through the
primitive forest, the .rees of which rise
"branchless SO to 100 feet before
spreading out in splendid, umbrageou:
canopy" woven with plant creeper:
and inhabited by hosts of jabberins
monkeys, while focks OF screaming
hornbills fly from branch to branch
and squirrels chatter as they lurk be-
hind the enormous boles. Or he dis
robes on the fern-bedecked banks O
r the gently murmuring Lumi, (Which
nourishes the glorious Tavetan Forest
giving it fertility throughout the year,
and, tempted by the delicious coolnes:
and crystalline purity of Its waters
bathes, while dark skinned damsel:
gaze innocently at the sight, the story
of Acteon reversed. In this paradise
abound fish and fowls, mutton anc
goats, tomatoes and sweet potatoes
bananas and every kind of fruit anC
vegetable.
The natives Of this little district O
seven square miles, 24oo feet above
the sea, are pleasing and manly-tru'
E Arcadians in their peaceable habits
their great hospitality, their manly
pleasant manners and surprising hon
esty." As an example of their Gus
toms, MIR. Thomson describes the APP
pearance of a young bride about to be
come a mother, who, glorying in tn
fact, comes strutting through the fores
attended by can ancient dame (il
whom the striking absence of charm
is not compensated by profusion O
either clothes or ornament), and wear
ing around her head a band Of leathe
ornamented with cowrie shells, from
which falls veil of iron chains, hidln;
her face and resting on her bosom
while round her waist and neck heap
of bead-work and iron chains ar
loaded, and iron and brass wires ar
twisted around her arms and legs, ant
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