St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-09-07
AFRICAN CARRIERS.
The Manner In which Merchandise
transported In the Congo state.

The Manner In which Merchandise Il
Transported In the Congo State.
|. Ten years ago when Mr.. Stanley
reached the foot of the cataracss on
the Congo he was confronted by very
serious difficulty. He had two little
steamboats, and a large lot Of mer-
chandise. 1880 loads altogether.
which he wished to carry up the river.
and his force of carriers numbered
only seventy Zanzibars and l20 LO-
angos. In vain he besOught tho
native chiefs to supply him with car
riers. The tribes along the river cared
nothing for his trade goods if they
must leave their homes and travel un-
der heavy burdens to obtain them.
Only once in awhile would the natives
consent to give a hand ut the ropes by
which his engines were hauled on
trucks. and they invariably declined
to accompany him more than three or
four miles from their village. Stanley
had hoped to secure all the carriers he
needed along the river. and the utter
failure of this part Of his scheme de-
layed for nearly two years explOra-
tons that he had expected to accom-
plish in a few months.
Not a few critics of African enter.
prises have asserted that the native
African can not be made to work ex-
cept under the Overseer's lash. and
that all efforts to civilize him are
destined to failure. A very remark.
able and conclusive answer is af.
fOrded by the wonderful development
of the carrier service between the Low
er Congo and Stanley Pool. All the
carriers in the transport service of the
government, merchants and mission
aries OF the Congo State are natives
who live along the river. and these
same natives, who refused to lend a
helping hand to Stanley ten years ago.
carried last year over 4, 900. 900 pounds
OF merchandise. stores and machinery
along the 235 miles of Congo cataracts.
In othor words. they transported IS,
500 loads. or an average weight of a
little over 60 pounds. The transport
service, which four years after STAN
ley began his work amounted to only
1900 loads. increased to 1900 loads
in 1885. aud to 60, 900 loads in 1887.
What has wrought this TRANSFORMED
tion in tribes along the Congo. a few
years ago unwilling to carry a pound
of the white mans luggage and to-day
the eager competitors for all the
freight traffic he has for them? The
answer is very simple. The natives
have learned to prize SO highly the cot
ton cloths. cutlery, lint-locks and
knicls-knacks the white man brings to
them that they will work in order to
obtain them.
1t was a happy day when Stanley
was at last able to induce few OF the
Cabindas to shoulder his packages. As
time went on the natives observed tina
the Cabindas were becoming prosper
GUS, possessing many an article of value
which they coveted. 1t was not long
before few here and there began to
volunteer for the carrier service. and
after awhile every one OF them had
possessions that greatly enhanced his
importance. Thus the growing desire
for wealth developed. and two years
ago there was a rush for employ ment
in the carrier service. The needs OF
the state. however. and the sudden de-
velOpment of commercial enterprises
on the Upper Congo have more than
kept pace with the supply of carriers.
The transport service. which has de-
velOped into large and well-organ-
lied business, is still inadequate to the
demand. and no carrier presents him.
self for employment who is not soon
started on the road as a member of u
heavy-laden caravan.
In view OF SANKEY'S early difficulties
no one would have thought that thou
sands of Africans would SO soon have
been eagerly and regularly contribut-
Ing tosplanting and nourishing the
seob a. progress slong the banks Of
the great river. The friends Of tho
new state can certainly derive hope for
the future from this remarkable devel- |
opment Of transportation upon the
Congo IN. Z. Sun.