Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-03
FAR FETCHED.

FAR FETCHED.
From WALL Street to Africa, or out OF
the Frying Pan Into the Fire.
New York Star.
Mr. w. Montagu Kerr, a New
Yorker and a member of the Stock
Exchange, went to South Africa near
ly two years ago for his health. He
is an EngGshman less than 80 years
of age, became member of the Stock
Exchange in 1882, is lover of hunt
iBg and expected to find great sport
in the game regions of South Africa
His achievements, however, have
been rather those of an explorer than
of sportsman. He has made an ex-
tens1ve tri o northward to Central At
RIGA, during which he journeyed
among tribes notorious for their power
and nerceness, who have seldom been
visited by white men. He employed
q lot of blacks as porters and attend
ants, and first made his way north to
Matabeleland, which is inhabited by
Zulus, who left their country in body
many years ago, drove the inhabitants
out of Matabeleland, and have since
been the terror of the surrounding
tribes. Within the past three years
a few Roman Catholic missionaries
have been permitted by Lobengula,
their powerful chief to SETTLE In the
country, and they are the only Waite
men there.
Mr. Kerr found Lobengula to be in
, tellectually far above his people, who
held hIr1 IN great awe. Last su amer,
: after Mr.. Kerr left Matabeleland Lc-
bengula took his 600 warriors on the
} war path again. Their fear of this
savage chief was one OF the reasons
that induced the chiefs Of Bechunani-
, LAND, further west, few months ago,
to accept tie profered British protec-
GOrate.
Mr.. Kerr went on toward the Fam
} besi, travelling far east of the route
: usually followed by white travellers
; He found d great deal Of game and
had much sport, though he was
among TRIBES who were little acQuaint-
: ed with white men, and it was IN
! certain from day TO DAY how the next
J tribe would receive him One night
be learned from a woman that on the
following night his entire party was
10 be killed. He struck camp and
made forced march of 40 miles. Two
, or three times his porters desert
ed him, and he had to obtain a
new supply from friendly tribes He
crossed the Zambesi and pushed north
through country that had not been
previously visited by a white man
At last he came to the territory of the
famous Manganese, on the great pla-
teau Of Lake Nyassa.
This trine, whom Livingstone and
several other explorers described, have
desolated a large part of East Africa
They, like the Matabeles, are emf
grants from Zululand They travel
several hundreds Of miles on slave
raids and cattle stealing expeditions.
Many mountains east of Nyassa are
dotted with the huts of natives who
have LETT the valleys to escape the
Mangone raids Mr.. Kerr CON
firms what The Sun has re-
ported about the revival uf the slave
trade on the east coast. He SAYS it
was no uncommon sight to see In the
Mang0ne village slave gangs sitting
in yokes ready for the com oletion of
the caravan with which they were to
proceed to the coast. They had been
bought by Arab dealers from the Man
cones.
Mr.. Kerr then went east TO the foot
Of Lake Nyassa, where he saw the
RUNS OF LlVlngstonia, the pretty mis-
sion town, which was SO uhhealthful
that it was deserted two years ago by
the missionaries, who are now pros
perlng at Bandawe, a salubriOCs place
100 miles further north. Here Mr.
Kerr's last lot of porters deserted him,
and left him with little food and no
means of getting assistance He was
reduced to great straits when, sixteen
days after he reached the lake, the
little missionary steamboat that plies
on Lake Nvassa arrived with M Gil
raud, the French explorer. who was
homeward bound. Mr.. Kerr joined
the young ensign. They had splen-
did sport hoating down the Shire river
to the sea, such big game as elephants,
buffalo, hippopotami and many
kinds of antelope falling to their RI
| fes.
From Quillimane Mr.. Kerr return
ed to Cape Town. In all bis wander
lngs, lasting over a year, ne did not
have a touch of fever until he reached
Quillimane, one of the most unhealth-
ful spots on the east coast.
Mr. Kerr brought with him gold
dust and gold bearing quartz from
the region south of the Z4mbesi,
where the Portuguese mined extensive
" two centuries ago. He also found
coal of good quality north of the
Zambesi. He will soon publish a re-
! ,,.,rt and NOR, Of hic frouaIS