The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-08-14

-H0UNCE HIM.
With . wild shrek Neptune gave thu
order, Bounce him." and willing
hands sent 1.-The right man to the RICH
place" and his partner sprawling aftel
him in the tank, accompanied by thu
loud cheers of the crew.
Many dod -es were resorted to By
anxious or scared candidates to get out
of the initiation; some said they hao
already eros ed the line, having made
a passage from New York to Havana
others drew the color-line; one fellow
slowed himself away under bed in
one of the cabins, but was hauled o1t
by one of Neptune watchful police and
put into tank, paper collar. boots
and all; another deliberately lied, but
had ''close shave" in getting out OF
it. After the function was over Nep-
tunes flag was hauled down and
the ship turned over to the proper au-
thorities. The royal warrants given to
the officers and men are valuable doc
uments and an extract from them will
show people at home what great pro-
lection goes with them. After stating
| that So and-so has been sin our royal
domain in the good ship in the
year." it says, 1--WE therefore, in
case of losing his head and falling
overheard, recommend all sharks, dol
phins, whales, crabs, cells and polly
wogs under our command to abstain
from eating, playing with, or other
wise malterating is person. We further
direct all sailors, soldiers, marines,
politicians and land lubbers who have
of in RI trna
him with that proper respect due to
one who has VISITED us. Disobey I'M
der penalty of our royal displeasure.
Neptunus Rex" Well, tomorrow we
will reach the mouth of the Congo
river, and expect to find fleets of men
of-war of all national:ties there await
ing each others action.
We are now, at last, steaming up the
great r.ver against its strong current,
running from four TO eight knots, and
have already seen one of the great
fleet, small Portuguese gunboat, at
anchor off Shark Point on the southern
bank. The river is dark reddish brown
in color, about three m les wide little
below Banana, and full of drifting
stuff. with occasional small floating
islands. These latter are sometimes of
great size and dangerous 10 ships, es-
pecially to those at anchor. We an
chored off the small factory town of
Banana at the mouth of the creek of
the same name. Here we found the
remainder of the international fleet.
the United States steamer Kearsarge,
which had been lying here for nearly
two months-waitng. The scenery
around here is not as pretty as at the
Gaboon, the shores BEING low. AT
some distance back there are ranges of
high hills. In accordance with the re-
suits of the Congo Conference the
Northern bank is now in the hands of
the International African association,
whose present Governor, Sir Francis
de Winton, was at Banana when we ar
rived.
Here we saw for the first time the
flag of the new state, blue ground
with a yellow star in the centre.
Across the river is the territory given
to Portugal. A small stream runs from
Banana up to Vivi, distance of about |
10 miles, the end of steam navigation.
About ten miles above Vivi are the
falls of Yellala, which prevents further
on from the sea. From Vivi |
to Leopoldville (named in honor of the |
present King of Belgium, who has
taken so much great personal interest
in Congo explorations and the new
state), near the lower end of Stanley |
Pool, it is a distance of about 230 |
miles, Most of the travelling must be
done on foot; coming down small boats
can be employed at intervals. Stanley
Pool separates the Upper from the
Lower Congo. An American, sent out
by our government to make this trip
and report, made it in the quickest
time on record, all of the white men
in his party (three Ibelieve) excepting
himself dying en- route. AS he will
probable give a full and cheerful
account of his important trip, will
not anticipate Mr.. Tisdale's report.
There is an American naval officer now
making the same tour. For valuable
and full, although somewhat enthus-
astic, account of this country from
Banana to Bolobo on the Upper Congo
that by MIR. j. johnson in his book,
The Congo River" is probably the
best. SANKEY'S new books, especially
,he one just published on the Congo
Free State. Will also give valuable and
interesting information. Enthus: asts
ell us that one can live down here in
air health by observing innumerable
but unfortunately, the
majority of people have not yet sue
,eeded in doing it. At st. Paul de
banda one of our party inquired after
ONE friends whom he had teft here
bout four years before, and was an
wered about as follows: "Oh! Mr.. A;
Tell, he d.cd here. poor fellow. Mr..
). left here, but died on the way home.
IT. CO He is dead too" This story
hight well be applied in nearly every
lace. At Cape Coast Castle there is
man who has lived there and in the
country thirty years. he
ears q charmed life.
The general opinion of our party
as that it would be pleasanter to be a
amp in New York City than bloated