The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-07-03
sTANLEY's NOTEBOOK.
The Great Explorers Experience with Su
perstitious Africans.


On the bank of an African river,
upon tiny clearing, which-scooped
out of the vast black forest that bris-
tied along both shores as far as the eye
can betokened the neighbor-
hood of native village, man was
standing alone, taking rapid notes in
q small book, while behind him lay
moored along the waters edge feet
of canoes, crowded with the dark
brown or black faces OF Arabs and
negroes, whose crooked swords and
long ivory-stocked guns glittered in
the morning sunshine.
The solitary figure on the bank
seemed to be the only white man of
the whole party, and even he, lean
and ragged as he was, with his face
burned almost black by the sun, and a
matted name of grayish-black hair
and beard hanging loosely around it,
seemed quite as savage as any of his
followers. But small and thin though
he was, with plain, almost coarse,
features, and dress of which any re-
spectacle scarecrow would have been
ashamed, he had in his sunken eyes
that look OF power and command
which stamps the born leader of men.
And such, indeed, he was, for this
man was no other than Henry Morton
Stanley.
So engrossed was Stanley with the
notes which he was making that he
never saw the black, scowling face and
fierce eyes which peered out at him
suddenly from the encircling thicket.
Presently another head appeared, aud
another, and another still; and then
the matted boughs shook and parted,
and several men stole forth with long
spears in their hands.
But SANKEY'S quick ear had caught
the rustic of the leaves, and, taking
several strings OF beads from his
pouch, he advanced to meet them, ut
tering the long, shrill, bleat-like salu-
tation of the country, "sen- aen-neh!"
(peace).
But there was little sign of peace
among the advancing savages, who
darted threatening looks at him, and
kept muttering angrily among them
selves Then huge, SCARED warrior,
who seemed to be their chief, said,
with a flourish of his spear:
Hf the white man wishes peace, why
does he try to bewitch us?"
"How have 1 tried to bewitch you?"
asked Stanley, in amazement. 81 come
as your guest, not as your enemy. You
all see that my men have laid down
their guns aud swords, and are waiting
to be friends with you"
1.-The strangers words are not
straight" answered the savage, fierce
ly. did we not see him making
spells of witchcraft against us and
drawing them on the magic charm
that he carries with him?" A sudden
light flashed upon Stanley-it was his
notebook that had offended them. IF
the white chief means fairly by us let
him throw his magic work into yonder
FIRE and then he shall be our brother
and shall eat with us; but if not, our
spears shall reach his hearth
For one moment the bold traveller
stood aghast. To destroy his valua-
BILE notes, gathered after so much toll
and suffering, would be to fling away
the whole fruit of his weary and peril
GUS journey. Yet, to refuse might
cost his life and the lives of all his
men, for the savages were evidently
in earnest, and all the thickets around
him were already swarming with fierce
faces and leveled weapons.
All at once bright idea came to
him. In his pouch lay small pocket
Shakespeare (the companion of all his
wanderings), which was sufficiently
like the Objectionable notebook to
have deceived keener observer than
an African savage. Quick as thought
he drew it forth and held it up so that
every one could see it.
us this the book that my brothers
wish me to burn?"' he asked, loud
enough to be heard by all present.
ut is! it ISL roared % hundred
voices at once, while half dozen
hony. black hands were outstretched
from the front rank of the crowd as if
to clutch the formidable "witch-book. !"
And If | burn it," said Stanley.
will you be friends with me and give
food to my menP"
I'VE WILL" chorused the black
spearmen.
Behold, them cried the great lead.
er, and with one jerk Of his hand he
flung the Shakespeare into the fire be-
side him. In u moment it famed up,
shriveled away and was gone.
Then broke forth yell of delight
from the superstitious savages as they
saw the dreaded magic vanish into
smoke. A score of big, bare-limbed
warriors, all smeared with paint and
grease, rushed forward to overwhelm
their white brother with sticky en-
braces, while others brought forward
armfuls of fruit, fish and potato-like
cassava bread. SANKEY'S hungry men
ate their fill, and all went as merrily
as a picnic. The precious notes were
saved!-St. Nicholas.