Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-01-15

New York SUM-


II is curious feature of the war
fare Of some African tribes that dur
ing hostIliues their women freely
visit each others markets to ex-
change their various produce, and
then return in safety TO their OVID
districts. They do not permit a
littlesblood-spilling to interfere with
the interests of commerce. On a
much larger scale, the civilized
world is exchanging many thousands
of dollars worth of property with
certain great tri oes that are fanatical
enemies of the Caucasian race, and
among them only half dozen
white have dared 10 risk their lives.
Some of the finest ostrich feathers
in the civilized markets come from
the upper Niger region, aud are
taken 10 Timbuctoo to be packed
for shipment across the Sahara de-
sert. Several other large towns on
the southern edge of the Sahara
compete with Timbuctoo it this bust
ness, but the feathers from Timbuc-
too are considered the finest. 1t
takes about two years to bring these
handsome plumes within reach of
the ladies whom they adorn. and in
their Zigzag travels from the start.
ing point to the Mediterranean they
pass through very little country
where a white man would be safe
for 3 minute.
A while ago the French talked of
building railroad across the Sahara
to Timbuctoo. DIR. LEM, the Ger
man geologist. who, in the guise of
Mohammedan, was the fifth and
last white visitor TO this celebrated
place. believes the scheme to be i'm
practicable. Il would be violently
opposed by the native tribes, who,
with the aid of 10000 camels, now
monopolize the extensive trade be-
tween Morocco and the upper Niger.
These animals bear slowly across
the Sahara the feathers, ivory and
other produce that pass by barter
from one trader to another until
they fall at last into European hands.
II we should mark of on the map
of the northern part of our own
country tract corresponding in
size with the Sahara, then our great
lakes would represent the
pure sand wastes of the African de-
sert, and the other and larger part of
North America would stand for the
vast regions where wells and GASES
abound, and where caravans can
find at nearly every camp q little
heritage for their camels. Caravans
could not safely cross the great sand
lakes. but by shaping their routes
around them. or crossing the narrow
straits of sand that Join them, they
pick their way over the desert.
Often our ostrich feathers are bought,
not with the products Of Europe or
Morocco, but with salt, which has a
ready sale in many an oasis and in
all the lands on the southern edge of
the desert
The travels of many OF the fine
feathers in the Broadway shop win
dows would msbe story well worth
hearing. Kept for months in the
grass huts Of savage hunters,
bought by the dusky Niger River
merchants with strings of cowry
shells, stored in the low mudwalled
warehouses Of Timbuctoo, packed
away in bales upon the backs of
camels, trsversing routes that are
marked by the bones of camels and
lise Of more or less widely separ.
Aztec wells, sometimes stolen by the
Saharan robber bands that lie in
wait for these travelling merchants,
they pass through many strange
vicissitudes before they reach the
fair women 10 whose decoration all
these remote aud savage agencies
have labored TO contribute They
nearly reach the sea before a white
man can become their owner. Even
in Eek, the commercial metropolis of
Morocco. the presence of the white
infiiels OF the north inspires feel.
log of bitter hatred, and the Gov
ernment of Morocco refuses TO let
white travellers go south of the Atlas
Mountains. on The ground that it
cannot protect them from the vio-
lence of the wild tribes within its
own territory.
These wares, brought in such g
rem srkable manner from the broad
Soudan, strikingiy illustrate the
fact that no walls of religious hale
or race preladice can effectively bar
the way 20 any region OF the world
which the commerce OF Christian
nations choose 10 enter.