River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-01-22
The Kroonen.

And now something about my fell
low-passengers, the Kroomen, whose
presence on the Nile at this juncture
forms an interesting episode in this ex-
petition, writes a correspondent of
The Liverpool Post. The day before we
were to start, Mai. Smyth, the senior
officer in charge of the men, had gone
on to Wady Halfa with 500 of them
leaving Maj. Tyndale to bring up the
men remaining at Shellal to aid in get.
ting up the Nile boats, or 'wharvers, F."
as they are technically called. The
major part of our lot were on % barge
towed by the Fayum, and one man in
each of the twenty-four whalers we
took in tow In getting the latter to-
gether and past three steamers before
they were made fast to the stern of the
barge we were to tow up, these black
skinned boatmen gave me an exhibi-
ton of their skill. The twenty -four
whalcrs were dashed two together, and
tow-line was passed down six of the
pairs of boats, and up the other six,
each line being made fast TO the barge.
This brought the squadron four
abreast. Awkward as such a string
of boats must have been to manage in
a strong current it was piloted outside
the three steamers named without
Jolt or bruise, and in the quietest man.
ner. The agility and experience thus
shown by the Kroomen augured well
for their usefulness in the work they
had come so far to do. A number OF
men occupied the forward deck OF
the steamer, giving me an opportunity
of observing the men more closely.
/ obtained from Maj Tyndale many
interesting facts relative to getting the
men Eon the west coast of Africa,
and his and Mai. Smythe's early ex.
perience with them. The president of
the republic of Liberia refused permits
sion to recruit in his territory, as the
policy of the republic VAS against war
like expeditions. The men obtained
came from Sierra Leone, Monrovia,
Grand Bassa, Bereby, Half Bereby,
Taboo river, and Grand Taboo. The
men were engaged for six months or
longer, for boat service only, their pay
being, head man, IS. cd. per day; sec
ond head man. 2 shillings, and pri-
Yates l shilling per day. When first
engaged, saving a cloth around theiI
loins, they were naked. The first day
out each man was supplied with ma
val rig-out, one camper, one Jersey,
two flannel shirts, two pairs OF trousers
and cloth cap, all dark blue. The men
wore their clothes as if they had been
used to them all their days, and when
they got them they were particular to
have them properly marked. Whether
in the garments of the white man they
were DESTROYS of acquiring his color
also | did not ascertain, but, If wash
ing could accomplish it. they ran ev-
cry chance of success. | never went
forward among them without finding
some two or three of them stark ma
ked, lathering themselves all over and
scrubbing away most earnestly. The
funniest thing, however, was their
names. 1t was necessary for them to
sign an agreement, and also for their
names to be entered on the pay-list.
Their own outlandish names were al
most unpronounceable, as Maj. Iyn-
dale told me. As an illustration, he
called aft several of the men
and made them repeat to me
their African cognomens. One said
he was called something which sound
ed like "Oolah" and 'Wadah," and
the rest s'Kakana, ".Dwa, ''Dabwa,"
and so forth. Many of the men had
already either adopted names or been
given them by sailors of the vessels
trading on their coasts. These were
used but others had to be invented for
the occasion. Looking over the list ]
found among the names the following;
Teapot, Tom, Peter, Jim, George,
Jack, Everyday Jack, Ropeyarn, Pea
Soup, Tom Two Glass, Sea-Breeze,
Bottle Beer. Ginger Beer, Jack Go
Ashore, Jack Never Fear, Flying Jib,
Upside Down, Jack Smart, All Day,
Black Mans Trouble, Spy Glass Jack,
Bay of Rice, etc. One was called
John Bright and another John Wesley.
There was a prince among the lot,
the son of the king of Grand Bereby,
bearing the name of Bob Ridley. Both
king and prince signed with cross,
as did also King George, of Monarch.
The signature or countersign of these
monarchs was necessary to make the
engagement binding on the men.
The officers in charge, after the men
were clad, endeavored to drill them in
something like order, and considering
that they had been together only
fortnight, their success was marvellous.
An amusing difficulty occurred in
teaching them to distinguish right
from left. 1t was got over, however,
not like the Irish drill sergeant did by
"hay-foot ''straw-foot," but ''small-
pox arm for left, as the men had all
been vaccinated on that arm, and
''siash-arm' for right-the one used
for their knives. Toward the close of
the journey some of the men evidently
had become somewhat homesick.