River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-03-26
The Krnnnen.

The Kro0men.
And now something about my fell
low-p passengers, the Kroomen, whose
presence on the Nile at this juncture
forms an interesting episode in this ex-
petition, writes q correspondent of
The Liverpool Post. The day before we
were to start, Mai. Smyth, the senior
officer in charge of the men. had gone
Oh 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,
as they are technically called. The
major part of our lot were on a 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 exhibit
ton of their skill. The twenty-four
whalcrs were dashed two together, and
a 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
strong current it was piloted outside
the three steamers named without a
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. Tvndale many
interesting facts relative to getting the
men Con the west coast of Africa,
and his and Mai. Smythe's early ex-
perienee with them. The president of
the republic of Liberia refused permis-
sion to recruit in his territory, as the
policy of the republic was 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, 2s. Cd. per day; sec
ond head man. 2 shillings. and pri-
Yates shilling per day. When first
engaged, saving a cloth around their
loins, they were naked. The first day
out each man was supplied with ma
val rig-out, one jumper, 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. Tyn-
Gale 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 '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 fol-
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 &c
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 a 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 II
something like order, and considering
that they had been together only q
fortnight, their success was marvellous
An amusing difficulty occurred il
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 ''sma Il
pox arm for left, as the men had a.
been vaccinated on chat ann, anC
'siash-arm" for right-the one used
for their knives. Toward the close o.
the journey some of the men evidently
had become somewhat homesick.