Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-03-13
FEMALE cAMP.FoLLoWFee
How African Women Take an
Part in Exploring ExpeditIora VI"

Quite large number of the mo-,
whom Stanley has just brougbt ttep'
central Africa, says the n. Y ~, w
women and children, the famii;s,s
the Egyptian soldiers who aban5es.5
the Upper Nile with Emin Vo.a
women have taken an active n.s.3s
the tolls and hardships Of nearly az. sr.I y
exploring expedition that has en,as
Africa. One of the most patbs,;o
cidents in the story of Stanlev's 81
journey across the dark continent ", wv
that of the woman who, followin, ~
fortunes of her husband. trudgad Sr.+
sea to sea and then died of her n ny
tons at the mouth of the ConO6 ;,s,
as the party were about to take h.
steamer on their homeward iournsv
Col. Gallieni says that one ofn.
most curious incidents of his lsbors%
Senegal was the regiment of wom..
that constantly followed his ooura,,
as he pushed through the wilderness y
the Upper Niger. There was treat "
mentation in the camp three wears 40.
when he made his rapid march aoai99.,
the Marabout Lamine, because NJ \
clined to let the women accompany n. 4
black soldiers for fear they would "a
tard the rapid marc b of his troopS
little later, howeye,, the women ana
children joined the column as
marched to the Niger, and GaIEes
says the women were among the mas
useful members Of the expedition. n,
black soldiers. unlike the French from,
did not like to occupy themselves with Il
culinary details and other work of n.
camp. They left all these care, +, |
their women, who took charge of ii. |
ratiops and prepared the meals. and
on the march they lightened the bB,.
den of their husbands by CARRYING
good share of the baggage The Nh
diers, having little but their arms and
munitions TO carry were able to mak.
longer marches. II have rarely hal
any cause says Col Galleni IA
complain Of these women. who rea9lr
adapted themselves to our military dis /
cipline.h
The unmarried soldiers found that
their more fortunate comrades wen
able to take life much easier than the7
and therefore did not fail to improa
any favorable opportunity Of getting
wives. Among the spoils of war va,
the harem of the Marabout Lamine
and the ladies cheerfully consented 10
make an equal number of bachelors
happy. Thereafter these women wer
among the most faithful workers in ID.
camp and apparently had no regrets
for their former lord, who ran away
from them.
In their long journeys through Africa
Capella and IyenS, the Portuguese eI.
plorers, regularly enlisted women a
well as men, and found them most use
ful adiuncts to their expeditions Tier
said the women carried loads nearl7
as heavy as those OF the men, did al
the cooking and made fewer com.
plants. A number Of explorers giTs
similar testimony to the value OF wo
men on long expeditions.
The notion that women are inferior
to men curiously enough has led to
very different results in two countris
widely separated. 1t is found that
many Burmans are anxious to have
their sons attend English schools be-
lieying their chance in life are thus in.
proved; but they are not at all anxious
that their daughters should have sin.
liar advantages. In Senegal on the
other hand, when the French recently
besought the chiefs to trust them with
their sons, to be educated at govern
ment expense, some of the natiyesm
piled: I'VE wish to keep our bosa
home to fit them to be chiefs them.
selves But ii you want girls you cai
have all YOU will take, and teach then
everything in the books