Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-08-22
DE BRAZZA AMONG SAYAGES.
The Way He Managed Natives Who Refused
TO Sell Him Foed.

10 Sell Him F0ed.
New York Sun
II regard Savorgnan de Brszza next to
Stanley, as the greatest of living African
travellers" said Mr.. Karl Steckelmann in
this city few days ago. Mr.. Steckel-
mann was TO sail next day for the French
Congo region, where he had already spent
three years. mo one who has ever seen
de Brazza on his travels" he continued,
"could fail to recognize the fact that he
was born TO be an explorer. I shall
never forget the time 1 met him far in.
land when I was travelling up the XVIII
River.
"One day reached tribe who seldom
saw white men. They were not very hos
pitable, but finally concluded TO sell me
food. After few hours I got on pretty
friendly terms with them and they allow
ed me to camp in the village. Suddenly
l observed little commotion among the
natives. A few carriers were seer emerg-
ing from the forest, and with them was
a slender, sadfaced, poorly clad white
man. 1t was the Governor of the French
Congo himself, and he was off on one
of his long tramps through the country.
de Brazza approached a group of
natives and asked them for food. The
savages thought this was was piling it on.
No., they said gruff1y; 'We have one white
man here already. You can't get any
food here. You had better go on your
way
"De Brazza said nothing. He simply
ordered his carriers to lay down their
loads in the middle of the village. Then
he sat down apart from the natives while
one of the men unpacked his astro-
nomical and other instruments. The
explorer went to work to make observa-
t1ons for position and to calculate his al
titude.
"It was the strangest sight the natives
ever saw-this white man studying his
instruments SO intently, and figuring away
on bit of paper. They made up their
minds that his instruments were
VERY POWERFUL FETIoH,
and that this white man was person not
to be trified with. Soon crowd gather
ed around him, and when the curious
blacks came too near, the explorer fright
ened them away by his gruff manner and
impatient gestures.
"'Get away from me. Clear out
Don't you see 1 am busy? Let me alone,
he said.
CAT length De Brezza finished his work
and put away his instruments. Some
natives had been cooking their evening
meal in front of their hat. Their meat
and vegetables, which had been boiling in
pot, were ready, and the group gathered
around the dying fire end began to eat
De Brazza watched them for minute or
| two. Then he took tin plate and large
spoon, walked to the spot, helped himself
literally to its contents without saying a
word to anybody, sat down by tree, and
RECALLED himself with native cookery. He
knew just the effect his actions had pro-
duced upon the native mind and just what
to do. Then he told the villagers his men
were hurgr and must be fed. Fed they
were with all they could eat, for he who
fed dare not oppose great medicine man
who carried such a remarkable fetch as
| theodolite? De Brazza slept in the viii
lage that night, and next morning he paid
the natives well for all they had given him
and took his departure"
De Brazza is one of the few explorers
who are perfectly willing, if need be, to
live for months on native cookery. If he
has no supplies on hand he il not afraid
to travel without them. Stanley said that
De Brazza was one of the most dilapi-
dated-looking objects he ever saw when
ne suddenly turned up on me congo one
day, barefooted and in rags. De Brazza
relates, however, in the story of mis- early
travels on the Ogowe, an experience that
nearly upset his equilibrium. He arrived
at village one day, and requested a wom-
an to cook HIM some dinner. She pre-
pared the meal, and while he was eating
it he asked his dusky host the name of
the fish she had set before him. She re-
piled that it was not fish, but snake he was
eating. Though he thought the dish an
inviting one, his imagination got the bet
ter of him, and the explorer says he sud-
denly lost his appetite, and did not regain
it until the next meal.