The St. Johns herald., 1889-08-15
HAPPENED BY cANNlBALs.
A Prisoners Life Saved After Re Was All
 Ready for the Cooking-Pot.

experience awhile ago, which Captain CoQuilhat says is one of the most dramatic incidents that has come to hiS notice ln Africa He was, according to the New York Sun, one of three soldiers whom Captain Hanssens left at the mouth of the Aruwimi to man a little station which Hanssens established there. The Cap tain steamed away, leaving these men alone among the worst cannibals in the Congo basin, and several months later Alakai told Captain CoQuiihat this story of what happened;
 ''The chief of the village" he said, 'told Captain Hanssens that he would protect us as he would bis 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 said. Several days passed quietly, and then about noon one day sev- eral of the villagers asked my comrades to go with them over to an island to fish. 1oppOSed the excursion, but it was no use, as much pleasure had been promised the men, and so they went away with the fishers. A little after nightfall the canoes of the returning fishermen touched the shore, but 1 did not see my two comrades among them. Fear ing treason hid myself in an abandoned hut. Soon after fire was built near the place where 1 was concealed, and after awhile I could smell the odor of cooking meat. I believed they were roasting the flesh of my friends, and the thought filled me with horror. crept outinto the dark ness and, lying in the tall grass, could see every thing that was going on at the lire. Large pieces of meat were roasting over the coals, and soon the cannibals took out of large jar two human heads, which 1 recog- nized as those of my comrades. Many men were laughing around the fire, and others were attending to the cookery.
 ''I crept away through the grass and hid in the forest, but did not go very tar from the Basoko villages, for hoped that one of our steamers would come there before great while. For weeks 1 lived on roots and wild fruits and a little raw
 nanioc that Tn the night time I took from the fields. In about month I was discov- cred by a 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 al= liance with Captain Hanssens. When was alone with him told him he 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 coun- sel 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 over me, but did not confine ne, and for some weeks hoped to escape the fate of my friends.
 s'Then the people of the village went to @bo ol,;of 6ap,orIpd nv hO6v for a feast. 1t is useless they said, to hope to satisfy the white man 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 ne ID to his men, but I saw at last thGt he was certain to yield to the solicitations, which were becoming more and more pressing. So I seized an op- portunity one dark night to take refuge second tune in the forest. Believing then that our boats would not reach the Aruwimi again for three or four months buried my self in the interior Not daring to approach the fields no longer had maniOc to cat, and my strength diminished day by day.
 After living in great misery for over three months l cautiously advanced toward the villages. One day heard the putting u Peace. went down to the bank, but the steamer was far away and did not see me. 1 saw the white men take some villagers on board, evidently to get news of us. The na- tives said, without doubt, that we had gone away, for they were soon released and the steamer went on.
 "Some of the natives who at sight of the vessel had fled into the forest discov- cred me and I was again bounced upon, and this time I was closely guarded, l heard them say that was too thin 10 eat and that they wouldn't kill me just yet. After my frightful privations was nothing but skin and bone They fed me all l could eat, and Icould not resist my appetite. As had no exercise and lived on the fat of the land rapidly increased i'll flesh, and in few weeks was regarded as i'll fit condition to eat. I saw them preparing the manioc and the beer for the feast. l felt that my last hour was approaching. On the afternoon of the day when 1 was to be killed my arms were tied behind ne The sun was stlll high when all of a sudden we heard great noise in the villages near the Congo. The Arabs are coming every body shouted, and the men seized their spears. The women and children hurried off into the WOODS. presently tue ArdD SldNeTS CdLilS near enough o pour a volley of shot into the town, and the men took to flight. In the midst of the retreat the Basoko said 1 ought to be taken along and warrior was as- signed to this task. All the others disap- peared. My guard stepped into his hut to get hls shield. Selzing this unexpected op- portunity leaped, tied as I was, into the neighboring bush. The man hurled him. self after me, but just then the Arabs burst into the village and the warrior turned and fled. stuck my head out of the thicket and the Arabs saw and seized me. They thought I was Basook, but I shouted: I am one of Stanley's men.' I bore the tattoo marks of the Haussa, with which they were familiar. They unbound me and I was saved. A few days later Captain Von Gele appeared with his steam CTS and was turned over to him."
 The Haussas are natives of the Soudan, many of whom have served in the Congo State as soldiers. When Alakai was re- stored to his fellows they bore him around on their shoulders and had great jubilation. Captain Coquilhat says he was fat and sleek and laughed heartily when he spoke of the good nourishment the cannibals had given him during the last