Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-01-01
WITH THE CANNIBALS.
EXPERIENCE OF A SOLDIER WHO WAS HAPPENED FOR THE FEAST.

Two of Ills Companions Go Fishing and
 Never Return-In Constant Dread of Be-
 Last by Belliserent Arabs.
 A Haussa soldier named Alakai. ins the service of the Congo State, had thrilling experience while ago, which Capt. Coquli- hat says is one of the most dramatic incl dents that has come to his notice ill Africa He was one of three soldiers whom Capt. Eanssens left at the mouth of the Aruwimi to man n little station which Hanssens estab- lished there. The captain steamed away, leav- ing these men alone among the worst canni- bals in the Congo basin and several months later Alakai told Capt. Coquilhat this story of what happened
 ''The chief of the village he said "told Capt. Hanssens that he would protect us as he would his own children. He asked us not to leave the village, as he could not an- swer for what his neighbors might do. Be prudent he sad. Several days passed qui- etly, and then about noon one day several of the villagers asked my comrades to go with them over to an island to fish. l opposed tho excursion, but it was no use, as much pleasure had been promised the men, and so they went away with the fishers A little
  fishermen touched the shore, but l did not see my two comrades among them. Fear ing treason, hid myself in an abandoned hut
 HE SAW HIS COMRADES COOKING.
 Soon after Q fire was built near the place where was concealed, and after while ] could smell the odor of cooking meat be. lieved they were roasting the flesh of my friends, and the thought filled me with hor- TOT. I crept out into the darkness, and, lying ill the tall grass, could see everything that was going on at the fire. Large pieces of meat were roasting over the coals, and soon the cannibals took out of large jar two human heads, which 1 recognized as those of my comrades. Many men were laughing sIopnd the fire, and others were attending to the cookery,
 II crept away through the grass and hid in the forest, but did not go very far from the Basoko villages for hoped that one of our steamers would come there before great while. For weeks lived on roots anG wild fruits and little raw manioc that in the night time took from the fields In about a month l was discovered by woman who was looking for medicinal plants. She gave the alarm and ] was seized, taken back to the village and delivered to the chief who had made the alliance with Capt. Hapssens " had terrible account to settle with the whites for what he had done. The chief said he was not responsible for the death of my friends, for if they had followed his council they would have been safe. He told me that if would promise to tell the captain my friends had been accidentally drowned he would protect me. I promised to do so. The chief put guard oyer me, but did not con fine me, and for some weeks l hoped to escape the fate of my friends.
 '"Then the people of the village went to the chief and demanded my body for feast It IS useless they said, to hope to satisfy the white .aaa by restoring to him only one of his men. Since we have killed the other men it is better to make way with this witness of the act' For days the chief refused to give me up to his men, but saw at last that he was certain to yield to the solicitations, which were becoming more and more pressing. So l seized an opportunity one dark night to take refuge second time in the forest Be lieving then that our boats would not reach ths ArnWimi again for three or four months buried myself in the interior. Not daring to approach the fields no longer had Inanios to eat. and my strength diminished day by day.
 SAVED BY HIS TATTOO MARKS.
 "After living ill great misery for over U the villages. One day heard the pufiing of steamer. It was the missionary vessel Peace. I went down to ths bank, but the steamer was far away and did not see ma. l saw the white men take some villagers on board, evidently to get news of us. The natives said, without doubt, that we had gore away, for they were soon released and the steamer went on.
 ''Some of the natives who at the sight of the vessel had fled into the forest discovered me, and was again bounced upon, and this time was closely guarded. l heard them say that was too thin to eat and that they wouldn't kill me just yet. After my fright full privations I was nothing but skin and bone They fed me all could eat. and could not resist my appetite. As I had no exercise and lived on the fat of the land ! rapidly increased in fesh and In few weeks l was regarded as in a fit condition to eat. I saw them preparing the manioc and the beer for the feast. I felt that my last hour was approaching.
 On the afternoon of the day when was to be killed my arms were tied behind me. The sun was still high when all of 3 sudden ws heard great noise in the villages near the Congo. The Arabs are coming,' everybody shouted, and the men seized their spears. The women and children hurried of into the
 
 near enough to pour volley of shot into the town, and the men took to flight. In the midst of the retreat the Basoko said ought to be taken along, and warrior was assigned to this task. All the others disappeared. My guard stepped into his hut to get his shield. Seizing this unexpected opportunity leaped, tied as was, into the neighboring bush. The man hurled himself after me, but just then the Arabs burst into the village and the war rior turned and fled. stuck my head out of tha thicket and the Arabs saw and seized me- They thought was Bazook, but shouted, T am one of Stanley's mem [ bore the tattoo marks of the Haussa, with which they were familiar. They unbound me and I was saved. A few days later Capt. Won Gele ap- peared with his steamers and I was turned over to him"
 The Haussas are natives of the Soudan, many of whom have served in the Congo state. When Alakai was restored to his fel- lows they bore him around on their shoulders and had great jubilation. Capt. Coquilhat says he was fat and sleek, and laughed heart fly when he spoke of the good nourishment the cannibals had given him during the last