Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-02
ODD SCENES IN AFRICA.
ExPLoRER TIsDEL REolTEs ONE or
MANY ADvENTUREs.aa.sk
A Month on the West Side Of the Dark Cont.
2 nent y Men and Women Who Are Good
Subjects for zolas Pen = Killing
q Male Elephant. n

enough in the Dark Continent to fill
half dozen books like The Arabian
Nights. The fact that he has lived
through so much danger, survived fe-
vers that carried poor Livingstone off,
and hundreds Of other white men, and
wandered for days through jungles so
high the sun never penetrated them,
are proofs that he is a man Of great
courage and wonderful vitality. He
speaks five languages, besides a number
Of negro dialects. With the elephant
rifle, pistol and sword he is an expert,
and also an adept with that powerful
weapon, the pen. Just before depart
ing for Dresden recently he related the
following incident to a newspaper man:
"Some time ago." he said, II was
making voyage on a French steamer
on the western coast of Africa. ex-
pected to go to certain point, make
up q caravan and penetrate into the
interior of Africa. All of my accou-
trements, such as beads, money and
brass trinkets, for trading and making
presents, were on board. The steamer
was bowling along one hot day off the
coast of Senegal. No one dreamed of
danger. Suddenly the vessel gave
great lurch, and considerable excite
ment followed. twas soon ascertained
that the shaft was broken and that we
We're at the mercy of the wind and
waves. We drifted towards Goree
Island, which is four miles from the
mainland. In q few hours the vessel
stranded and left us no alternative but
to take to the boats. By careful man.
aging we landed safely and 1 saved all
my outfit. Goree Island is south of
Cape-de-Verde in north latitude 14.39,
west longitude 1926, and three miles in
circumference. The town Of that
name occupies two-thirds of the island
and has population of 5000. 1t is an
entrepot for Senegal gum, ivory, gold.
dust and other productions Of the coast.
nthe northeast side, where we landed,
there was sandy bay, the only one to
the little island. The native, Goreans
are blacks, but not SO fierce and treach-
erOus as those on the mainland. The
town is tough place, and / made i'm
mediate arrangements to depart. I
mustered small caravan and resolved
to 60 into the interior. I engaged q
lot Of canoes to carry us across the
four-mile channel at Dakar, a town on
the coast. did not know before
started what was the status of Dakar-
whether the inhabitants, who number
some $500 souls, were peaceable or war
like. We prepared ourselves for any
emergency. When we set foot upon
land body Of warriors, nearly naked,
came rushing tow ards us. They uttered
loud cries, and the rings through the
noses of some and the elephants tusks
rattling around tl,eir necks, made q
hideous and revolving spectacle. They
were armed with spears and assegals. 4 |
ordered my men not to fire until ad-
vanced and endeavored to hold a party
l suppose ! had taken a half dozen
steps when q big negro ran forward
anu cried out:
"'Boss, does you speak English
II was surprised and quickly ex-
claimed: 10 roi,,sp
Where IN = did you come from P
al came from Baltimore, boss
~ demanded IN explanation, and he
informed me he had been sent out from
Baltimore to Liberia by the American
Colonization Society. He found on ar
rival in Liberia that it was not O land
flowing with milk and honey, and that
lie had to work. 1t was not what he
bargained for. He went to the interior
and joined tribe inhabiting the Kong
Mountains. He was as much q native
as though born and reared among them,
had no aspirations above the lowest,
and could speak their dialect. fluently.
gave him presents and he became my
guide. He pacided the fierce-looking
tribe and satisfied them we were friends
That night we spent in Dakar. The
inhabitants turned out EN- masse, naked,
to gaze upon us. II Emile Zola desires
to depict revolving realism, / advise
him to visit Dakar and study the native
citizen in his primitive state. Itwas a
moonlight night and the natives held
one of their internal fetch dances. 1t
was weird and unearthly scene-the
incarnation of the idea of pandemonium
let loose. The belle of the occasion
was tall Kong negress, who was at
tired in a costume that. peculiarly dis
played her muscular physical charms.
An empty metallic cartridge shell hung
suspended from the centre cartilage Of
her nose, and highly polished charms
made from the ivory of the hippopota-
mus were strung around her gladia-
torial neck. Around her massive loins
a double row of glass beads jingled as
she sprang about Ike q wild dervish,
and huge brass rings tapped from the
lobes of her ears. W..en / left the
scene the Kong belle was executing o
fantastic pirouette and bowling rasp-
ing dirge, not nearly as melodious as q
whlstling buoy.
KILLING AN ELEPHANT.
"Bright and early, with the Balti-
more negro as one of my guides, I
started for the interior. He called me
boss and convinced me that I could
trust him us far '.s personal safety wa
concerned, i.lonnel him a rifle and pu
him in front Of the van. He started Of