Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-09-24
NO. 80.
Africa's Richest MAN, and che worlds
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Africa's Richest MAN, and the Worlds
Greatest slave and Ivory Dealer.
The wealthiest man 10 Central Africa, says
the New York Sun, is now on his way to the
Indian Ocean in response to n letter from the
Sultan OF Zanzibar requesting visit from
him. His name Is Tippu lib, and he lives
not far from Nyangwe, tn great trading point
Of many black tribes on the Upper Congo.
Readers Of African books OF travel have read
a great deal OF Tppu lib, and as recent
years have greatly increased his power and
wealth we are likely to hear much Of him.
Tippu lib is only 40 years old as black a.
coal, and Of negroid blood, which means that
he comes Of an admixture Of the coast tribes
Of East Africa, and has also very little Arab
blood in his veine. He has been in Central
Africa for 20 years, and is to-day the greatest
slave and ivory trader in the world. He has
outstripped all his competitors through sheer
force of intellect and strength of character.
As long ago as the time when Cameron intro
duced him to our notice he visited Nyangwe
and told the bullying Arab traders there that
II they did not leave certain native allies of
his alone il would be the worse for them.
They lost no time in pledging eternal peace
with Tippu lib and all his friends.
Cameron says Tippu lib was the greatest
dandy he saw among the traders of Africa,
and that, although of negroid blood, he WAS
a thorough Arab in manners and ideas All
his white visitors speak of the elegance Of
his Arab attire and his courty and affable
bearing. Stanley says that at his first meet
ing with Tippu lib he regarded him as the
most remarkable man he had met among the
Arabs Wa Swahili and half castles of Africa.
Lieut.. Van Gele, OF the Congo state, who
met Tippu lib in January last, says he was
surprised at the extent of his information on
European topics. He was familiar with events
occurring in Europe and was particularly in
terested in the English, Germans and Belgi-
ans. 1.-THE questions he asked me-" says Van
Gele showed that he is neither an ignorant
man nor one Of ordinary mind" He said he
intended some day to go to Europe, visit the
King Of the Belgians, and also spend some
time in Constantinople.
In Tippu Tbs home, south of Nyangwe,
Cameron says that large gangs of slaves
walking about in chains met his eye at every
turn. They we're leading easy lives, were
well fed, and he saw no acts of cruelty there.
All had been victims, however, of the crying
wrongs that are still decimating the simple
savages Of Africa. They had been surprised
in their peaceful homes by the sudden on
slauRht Of Tippu tbs ruthless soldier slaves,
who had burned their huts killed their
friends and dragged them off into captivity.
Tippu lib is the most noted representative
of those men who are to. day inhictng more
suffering upon their fellow creatures than any
other human beings-the professional slave
traders of Africa Few of Tippu Tbs slaves
ever reach the Indian Ocean. They are sold
among the numerous tribes on the way to the
ssa. Long caravans, however, richly laden
with his ivory are often despatched to the
o)ast.
1t was Tippu lib who helped Stanley start
down the Congo from Nyangwe, the point
uh hnf I.tui ND "a
defeated in their efforts to follow the river
further. For some weeks Stanley's little
party was augmented by over 200 Of Tippu
Tbs men. Twenty very dark beauties from
the great traders harem accompanied him on
Ibis his first trip down the Congo, where he
;; now in absolute control of the river and
"a; ming territories for about $50 miles
sso ai Tvangwe. 1t was his slave. pen near
s Oeo" ~, 'sy Falls in which 25OO wretched
nent 1'" found two years ago when the
agents of the Intt1 a %
ed that point. Mu..~-- tou. e,o,,to,.
For many miles below these 90 a''' '' 'a h;y
was chased by large fleets of canoes, alF6 a -
party suffered severely from the lances and
arrows Of the most ferocious savages whom
he met on the Congo These natives are
among the most peaceabe on the Congo now,
and one good reason is that they have no
weapons to fight with. They have all been
disarmed by Tippu lib for a distance of
about 80 miles along the river for daring to
attack some of his men. DIR. Lentz the ex-
plorer, wrote from Stanley Falls in March
last that between the falls and the Aruwimi
River the natives were incapable of making
any resistance. Zone can scarcely find
among them" he writes, "a lance or any 9th
er weapon except small knives" DIR. LEM
also adds that 1.-THE influence of the opulent
Tippu lib is far greater all through this re.
gion than that of the free Congo state"
Tippu lib has thus far maintained very
amicable relations with the whites He has
invited missionaries to settle near him and
promised them protection.