Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-05-10
LITTLE JACK HORE.
The Ouly White Boy Who Has Ever Seen
the Lakes of Central Africa.

Little JACK more was an EngilSn DaDy
and he was three months old wher he
landed OH the east coast of Africa Hi:
f! father was missionary and Jack anC
his mother were on the way 10 the homo
that had been prepared for them in Cen.
tral Africa. Thejourney was eight hun.
drcd miles long. up hill and down,
through jungle, forest and plain. and
! it was serious question how little jack
could be carried comfortably over the
rude native paths to Lake Tanganyika.
His father thought that wheelbarrow
was likely to be the best vehicle for Jack.
and so arrangements had been made in
England to have Jack trrndled in 4
barrow all the way from the coast to
the big lake where he was to live.
\ deep and commodious basket was
provided for the baby. On the bottom
of the basket was as soft little bed as
could be made, and the entire inside
was padded so that Jack could not
easily hurt himself. The basket was
placed in steel wheelbarrow frame
An awning above the basket was sup
ported BY iron rods. and. when required,
mosquito curtains could be let down.
This was TO be Jacks carriage on the
march. ard when III camp At night the
basket was to lie placed in Mrs. Eore's
tent 20 serve Jack as bed.
Jack was asleep in his fathers arms
when lie landed on the coast Of Africa
at Saadani. near Zanzibar. He was
tucked away in his little basket. and
one of the por;ers trUndled him along
in his wheelbarrow near the head of
the caravan. Close behind him rode
jacks mother on donkey. Once in Il
while the baby was lifted out of the
wEeelbarrow for change and carried
q mile or two in his mother's arms.
Usually Jack rode along in the little
vehicle very quietly. and he seemed to
take IS kindly TO his wheelbarrow as
other babies 10 to the most comfortable
of cradles. Even when the road was
hummocky Jack did not seem to mind
it. and the jouncing he got only seemed
to put him in good humor for a nap. 1t
however, that Jack was not
destined to travel ali the way to Cen
trail Africa in a wheelbarrow. After
they lad climbed the coast mountains
and We're a hundred and fifty miles on
their way it was found inexpedient on
account OF unexpected difficulties on
the road for Mrs. Hore and the baby to
60 any further that year SO Jarkwas
wheeled back to the coast again and
before long he turned up in England
none the worse for his jaunt OF three
hundred miles in wheelbarrow.
Eariy in 1884, when Jack was Il lit
tie over two years old, he landed again
at Saadani. There w ere stories from
M country of widespread drought and
famine. but nothing da united Mr. Hore.
who had come all The way from Central
Africa to meet his family, decided to
set out with them n once on tln long
Journey 10 the beautiful lake, which.
-hOugh narrow. IS one of the longest
,resh-water lakes in the world This
ime the wheelbarrow was discarded.
The willow body of baby carriage
vas turned into a tiny palanquin for
Jacks accommodation. 1t WAS sus-
pended by stout ropes from couple
If bamboos. Along the bambOos was
stretched a canvas awning. imperyious |
alike to sun or rain, with movable sides, |
hat could be fastened up or down at |
pleasure. Four natives were assigned |
10 the task of carrying Master Jack in
his unique little conveyance. The
'ambooS were supple. and as the car
iers trudged along there was de-
ightful springiness about the rig that
greatly pleased Jack. His mother was !
arried in bath chair rugged up in II
imilar fashion.
Jack got along famo usly until he was
tricken with fever, and then he in
isted much of the time upon travel
ng in his mothers lap. When the
ong caravan halted for the noontime
unch the first duty of the Mon was to
itch Il tent in which to shelter Jack
nd his mother from the scorcking sun.
The little fellows great delight was in
rossing rivers in the big canoes the
atives keep for ftrrying cara vans. He
sually sat in state in his little arm
hair, and sometimes used string and
bent pin TO fish for rocOdiles, with
Invariably poor success. One day a
,orter ran away with canvas bag
,Oot,ipipc, lorna mort Of Ioo1-'- ,,,,,J
ODE. In land where caravans use
.reat deal of cotton cloth to pay their
Tay there was of course plenty of
material at hand to repair Jacks loss,
Which he bore with more cQuanimitv
han the rest of his family. Sometimes
hey travelled for hours through grass
hat was high above their heads. and in
he early morning Jack liked to listen
o the dew drops as they fell like rain
pom the top of his palanquin, while
he carriers plodded along through the
uxuiiant growth of grass. Many of
he marches were very wearisome. and
lrs. Hore wrote that she and Jack
ften presented very draggled ap-
earance when the halt was made for
ne day.
The journey lasted ninety days. At
lst the beautiful waters of Lake Tan
anyika came into view, an 4 little Jack
as delighted when his family en-
arked in big boat for the long jour-
ey to the island of Kavala. He thought
he songs of the crew as they bent 10
heir oars were particularly jolly. He
) now living on Kavala Island, and,