Wichita eagle., 1889-12-13
aailS II eagle
HERBERT WARDN HISDEN
SOME DESCRIPTION OF HIS CURlOS
BROUGHT FROM AFRICA.

"Reminiscences of q Man Who for Years
Has Carried His Life in His Hands-A
Museum of Rare Curiosities-Tippoo lib
Not as Black as He is Painted.
Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK, Dec. New Workers enjoy
exceptional opportunities for seeing many of
the most famous men and women of the
world. In fact, the metropolis is a Mecca
whose social shrInes sooner or later become
the objective point of all distinguished pill
grims. Among these America furnishes a
goodly share of the rich, lucky and learned,
but Europe sends us another class around
which is thrown the glanor Of title or other
distinctions that are magnified in proportion
to their kind or distance. "Sters" in the
dramatic and lyric armament shine with pc
riodic luster; occasionally, a bright light in
the intellectual world beams upon US, and as
to princes, dukes and titled gentry of lesser
degree, you may rub against ther1 in the cor
ridor CT almost any fashionable hotel Now
and then, however, we have tie satisfaction
of meeting q man with an individuality Of
his own creation, who has done something
that arouses more than ordinary interest, and
whose life experience is invested with halo
of romance or heroism. Such a one is al
ways sure of a metropolitan welcome, broad,
sincere and generous; and such a greeting
Herbert Ward, the African traveller, who
but few months ago left his chief, Henry
N. Stanley, in the heart Of the dark CONT
1ent," has enjoyed on every side ever since
ais recent arrival in this country.
We had read an outline of his story in the
English papers before his coming; how, as a
mere lad, in the Mill Hill Grammar school, in
the suburbs of London, he was distinguished
among his fellows as "a plucky boy, who was
much priced for the obliging readiness with
which he would fight any one put before him,
and at football never shrank from throwing
himself down in front of the boys too big for
him TO stop otherwise" how he ran away
from school at tho age of 10, and began a life
of adventure among the Maoris Of New Zea-
land, after which he spent three or four years
in seeing the rest of the world, sometimes
roughng il as sailor before the mast, and
for several months as a gymnastic performer
ON the horizontal bar in travelling Austria
liam circus. At one time he was in Borneo,
among the savage Dyacks, hunting the wild
beasts of the jungle, and at another in the
gold fields Of southern Africa and along the
coasts of China and Japan. Later in 1884,
we read of him among the daring spirits at
tracted by the love of adventure to the Con-
go country; Of his subsequent service under
Stanley as a member of the expedition for
the relief OF Emin PaSha; how by his bold
ness and celebrity in descending the Congo,
with hostile tribes on both sides of him,
bringing important intelligence from the
interior. he acquired from the admiring ma
tives the name of Mayala Mbemba, or ''Ea-
giles Wings" and finally, how, returning to
England in July, 1888, he was received with
distinguished honor and publicly applauded
for his achievements
Such mine of information is naturally
prize to every journalist, and accordingly
as many readers already know-the writer
called upon MIR. Ward for the purpose of OBJ
tanning fuller details than have yet been pub
lished of his remarkable career in Africa In
order to show that interviewing" stranger,
and an Englshman at that, is not the easiest
art in the world, | may mention few of the
preliminary incidents.
Not knowing the whereabouts of Mr.. Ward
l called at the offices OF Maj. J. B. Pond, in
the Everett house, in order to ascertain the
fact, believing that as he was the manager of
most of the successful lecturers in the coun-
try, he would certainly be in communication
with that gentleman.
1t was an agreeable surprise to find the OBJ
iect of nay call present, and an introduction
speedily followed After the usual salutatory
formalities l said: Mr.. Ward, have called
to ask the privilege of a brief conversation
with you in reference to African affairs and
such of your personal experiences as you
choose to describe, with view to the prep
aration of a series of articles on the subject"
No gentleman could be more gracious in
his manner, but Mr.. Ward was evidently
embarrassed, for Maj. Pond quickly inter
jected:
"By Jovel that's splendid idea, Ward, for
its an advertisement that will go all over the
country in advance of your lectures, and
give the people an idea OF what's coming. Do
1t, by all means!"
But, my dear major, can't" was the re-
ply: '.vou know that all the officers under
Stanley, myself among the number, are
bound by contract not to publish details of
his expedition for the relief of Emin Pasha,
the object Of which is now practically accom-
plished, and formal interview, such as this
gentleman suggests, would be clearly a
breach of good faith. 1t can't be done
Turning 10 the writer, he added: I'm sorry
TO disappoint you, but walk into my rooms
here, and I'll show you some of my African
curiositieS"
During this short episode it was possible to
take a mental photograph of the famous
traveller. Joseph Hatton, the journalist, in
writing the story of his son Franks life and
the manner of his accidental death while
hunting elephants in Borneo, where he and
Ward were associated, described the latter
as "a pocket edition of Hercules" The
smile is happy one, for your first impress
sion of the man is that be is marvelously
strong and supple. Although not more than
five foot five" in height, and only % years
old, he looks as if he could whip wildcat
Early gymnastic training has made his figure
compact The shoulders are broad and the
arms muscular, the legs like sturdy pillars
and the hands and feet small There is much
In his facs, too, suggestive Of the strength
and determination that hes pulled him
through so many difficulties; firm set lips, q
chin denoting power, broad and intellectual
forehead. and "a pair OF earnest blue eyes,
whose glance is keen enough at times to pen
citrate a two inch plank. Evidently he is
not man "a dream, vapor, or an ague fit
could make a coward Of The whole pose
of the individual Is like sight draft on your
confidence which you are prepared 10 honor
without question.
The apartments to which Mr. Ward had
invited the writer were large, airy rooms on
the business floor Of the hotel one being occu-
pied by the private secretary of the traveller,
his type writer and stenographer; the other.
with its miscellaneous contents closely re-
sembling section transplanted from some
i \ liz IL